Arrggghhhhh, car choices

[Flex]

So, after giving Aimee the Zed, I wanted to go contract hire and then started looking. 1st I thought new civic diesel, then though why not get a company car and have some fun.

 

Cant decide, new or 2nd hand.

 

Outline criteria:

 

4 seats

Good/acceptable in the snow.

Decent(ish) mpg

Decent sized boot

Not ugly

Fair running costs

If lease around £250-300 per month

If 2nd hand say £10-15k

If 2nd hand decent residual value/wont lose too much value over say 2/3 yrs

 

Saw this, am I crazy?

 

http://www.autotrade...el/s4?logcode=p

 

Thing is I know sweet FA about cars in general (I mean what's decent bang for buck) so totally stumped. Tooooo much choice.

 

Got some cash in the business so would be cool to use it for something fun.

 

Any thoughts, my only caveat is I dont want to spend too much at the end of the day I dont want to blow a load of cash just for the hell of it. Also with winter now upon us would like something of an all-rounder.

 

Make sense??

Edited December 7, 2014 by Flex

[Rock_Steady]

Want an all rounder? Something quick, 4 wheel drive, 4 doors or 2 with a boot big enough to dump a dead body in? Subaru Imprezza STI. I know they're 10 a penny BUT, thats because there's no denying they are fun, they are a bargain for what you get and how practical they are in standard guise. I'm talking 2nd hand. Just a thought.

 

The audi is nice though. Subaru would be better MPG (even though they are known to drink a bit) but no doubt the audi is a good choice. Won't be as fun as the Subaru IMO.

Edited December 6, 2014 by Rock_Steady

[Paddy78]

Fiesta 1.0 ecoboost. Fantastic little car, had one for a few days when mine was at Atkin.

 

Yeah, I know it's not exactly a leggy S4... but you can always borrow the wife's car if you want to have some proper fun.

[ATTAK Z]

Love your cottage if that's your postode

[Humpy]

Love your cottage if that's your postode

Craig think you have a fan/stalker

[bigjackb]

Fiesta 1.0 ecoboost. Fantastic little car, had one for a few days when mine was at Atkin.

 

Yeah, I know it's not exactly a leggy S4... but you can always borrow the wife's car if you want to have some proper fun.

 

Have to agree with this, my mum has one and for everyday driving they are great and surprisingly nippy for being such a small engine. Why not go fiesta St? A lot of good deals on them at the moment.

[Ekona]

Are we really comparing an S4 to a 1L Festa?!

 

Broadly speaking though I tend to agree, we need to figure out first of all exactly what the car will be used for and the must haves & must not haves. If we can get that sorted, then we can start offering proper advice: Anything before that point would be doing Craig a disservice.

 

 

Looking specifically at that car, it'll certainly make some lovely noises and feel half decent in a straight line, however it'll feel incredibly dull and understeery in the corners. Not a problem as it wasn't designed to handle corners well, just worth bearing in mind as you mention 'fun'. Also 120k miles could be asking for big bills, as things start to fail. Okay, it's cheap enough so it's a fair sale, but you'd want a good £2K slush fund to fix and repair anything I think.

[Flex]

The problem is Dan, I ain't got a wish list for what the car needs to do but I'll have a go:

 

4 seats

Good/acceptable in the snow.

Decent(ish) mpg

Decent sized boot

Not ugly

Fair running costs

If lease around £250-300 per month

If 2nd hand say £10-15k

If 2nd hand decent residual value/wont lose too much value over say 2/3 yrs

Edited December 7, 2014 by Flex

[Linus27]

Subaru Impreza every time.

[Flex]

But OMG they're sooooo ugly!

[Gudzy]

Honda Integra DC5?

 

You can also get a Toyota GT86 for the top end of your budget now although I'd expect they aren't great in snow and the rear seats aren't exactly practical.

[Flex]

Not the gt86, will look up the dc5. Currently waiting to test drive the civic.

[StevoD]

lancer ralliart?

 

Edited December 7, 2014 by StevoD

[Flex]

Scirocco 2.0tdci?

[Flex]

So I test drove the 1.6 diesel civic, boring!

Then test drove the 170GT Scirrocco and loved it!!!! 2.0TDCI, looks different, has some poke and well, just good fun should I???

[spursmaddave]

But OMG they're sooooo ugly!

 

Was just going to say you can't get much uglier really...

[spursmaddave]

So I test drove the 1.6 diesel civic, boring!

Then test drove the 170GT Scirrocco and loved it!!!! 2.0TDCI, looks different, has some poke and well, just good fun should I???

 

Same engine my old Leon had and that was pretty fun to drive, ask Darren he has had it for well over a year now too

[coldel]

I had a 1.4 twin charged Scirocco as a company car, super power delivery and great mpg too - more room in the back seats than you would think, boot a bit small but not a deal breaker really. Its purely subjective but I think they are one damn good looking car as well.

[Rock_Steady]

Golf R32??

[Flex]

Golf R32??

 

I could test drive one (R32) but I think I've fallen in love with the sciricco, always wanted one (old style) so why not?

[glrnet]

Job done then Must admit there is something about them.

[Piranha]

Golf R32??

 

I could test drive one (R32) but I think I've fallen in love with the sciricco, always wanted one (old style) so why not?

 

Loved my old scirocco until I ended up in a ditch on a cold icy November evening.

 

Ended up sideways, had to climb out through drivers window.

[Rock_Steady]

Scirrocos. They're lovely cars. Good choice sir. Going to go for a sporty version?

[Flex]

Scirrocos. They're lovely cars. Good choice sir. Going to go for a sporty version?

 

Yeah but the 2ltr diesel! Goes well!

[Rock_Steady]

yes they certainly do, father-in-law has one. They can be re-mapped can't they?

Edited December 8, 2014 by Rock_Steady