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As it's your own car and you're likely to keep it a while like you did the Octavia, bear in mind that folding mirrors are hellish expensive to replace should you have a car park clash!!
For the same reason I would avoid ones that fold automatically as they will operate every time you lock the car and the mechanisms do wear out!!
Personally I won't have them.
PS: as an automotive engineer I spent 4 years dealing with SVS (aka Britax) and Magna Mirrors, who between them supply most of the European auto makers. The mechanisms simply aren't robust enough for my liking. Probably why secondhand good ones off young crashed cars sell for loads-a-money on ebay (I know, I've sold loads!!).
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Oh, gawd!
Possible 5-month wait, give electrically operated folding-mirrors a, ahem, wide berth (cheers Cyd(P)).
Plus, I personally can do without Sat-Nav (being an old-skool map-man) but I guess most folk deem it as a 'must have' when buying 2nd-hand these days?
So, I'll adjust my spec. accordingly and see what occurs. I'll report back in due course whether I'm successful or unsuccessful!
Many thanks again for your most helpful alerts/comments/hints/knowing nods/tips, etc.
Best...
RB
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For what it's worth, two of our company cars have recently had major problems with their dsg gearboxes. They were a Passat and a Golf. I'd not rush to have a car with one of those fitted...
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Update ...
... was oh, so close to doing a deal on Friday but matey wouldn't 'bend over' and lose the £390.00 quid I was hoping he might (I just love round numbers me), so the battle rages on - hah! ...
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On a £20,000 car a salesman who quibbles over £390 deserves to perish. I suggest you go to another dealer and tell them the figures you're after. If they want the sale they should go along with you.
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My thoughts exactly Avant, though this was on top of an already offered £1,470.00 discount (the same discount that my buddy achieved) which they obviously felt was stretching things to the limit of their 'goodwill'! I was simply asking for things to be rounded-down to EXACTLY £20K ...
An Internet broker can supposedly do the deal for £19,7something (I will be contacting them tomorrow to confirm that fact) but I was prepared to sell my soul for £20K and form an 'ongoing 'servicing relationship' with ********. I even put in a personal appearance in the hope that my good looks and spadeloads of charm might be enough to secure the deal but they didn't (want to) bite - even when he told me he hadn't achieved this quarter's targets yet? 7-days remain before he sees the error of his ways? I doubt it ...
... I'm in no particular hurry now (having been quoted approx 10-12 weeks for a new factory-build) so may well bide my time for a Sept 1st 64-plate?
Still quite fancy that vRS estate if the truth be known, oh, and was overtaken/followed for a good few miles a new Merc CLA 200/220(?) on Saturday. That looked rather splendid in the flesh too ...
Best,
RB
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Still quite fancy that vRS estate if the truth be known, oh, and was overtaken/followed for a good few miles a new Merc CLA 200/220(?) on Saturday. That looked rather splendid in the flesh too ... Best, RB
I would give the CLA a quick look. If you still fancy an auto the Merc has a 'proper' one.
We've got 2 Mercs in the household, both auto and both superb.
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Hi csgmart.
After my 'gap-year' (my 1st retirement year) ended I secured a part-time job with the Corporate Division of my local dealership delivering new M-Bs around the country to relieve the monotony of a poor winter!
Drove everything from a Smart through to the S-Class (& my all-time fave - the CL500), so yes, I fully concur with what you're saying about Merc auto-boxes.
I'm guessing it'll be the wrong side of £30K once you've added a few 'options' though?
Best ...
RB
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I'm guessing it'll be the wrong side of £30K once you've added a few 'options' though?
Best ...
RB
I think you are right, however a fairly new C Class or similar can be had for the same price as an A3 specc'd up I believe.
Good luck with your search and hope you end up with something you really enjoy driving.
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I bought a new Seat Leon 1.4 TSi from Carfile.net back in June lat year. Exact same car as the Audi under the skin.
The local dealers were just not prepared to talk about a sale unless you were prepared to pay full retail with minimum trade in on your old car.
Carfile discounted the car by £2000 and I got another £1000 off by signing up to the PCP, paid it up after 2 weeks, kept the £1000. Their dealer actually beat the local dealers trade in by a small amount, overall I was over £3000 better off.
Enquired on Saturday, spoke to Carfile Monday, dealer rang 15 minutes later, offer made within 20 minutes, car ordered before dinner, collected Friday same week. V5 came with 2 weeks with me as first keeper.
Well worth enquiring, they are not one of those companies that keep the V5 etc.
Here is a link to the A3 http://www.carfile.net/vehicle.php?vehid=57271&type=b
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Thanks both:
cgsmart – On arriving home on Saturday I ordered the CLA brochure online. I didn't express an interest in any 'follow-up' contact, however, M-B have been in touch this morning and invited me down for a test-drive of a 220 auto on Wednesday. No harm in looking, plus the Skoda dealership is just around the corner :–)
skidpan – I had looked at Carfile a week or so ago but DTD just shaded them on price at that time, though I'm more than happy to run the info past both of them again, in tandem, tomorrow (forecast is for rain then so I won't mind being indoors for an hour or two, unlike today). Interesting what you say about trade-in's too. Trading-in wasn't initially on the agenda/necessary but last Friday I asked them to build it in to the equation to see if it made any significant difference. I was offered (what I plainly thought to be) a derisory amount for a mid-June delivery and £200 less if I waited 'til Sept – we were poles apart on valuation! I'd prefer to see it rot on the drive than chop it in at that sort of money ...
... just received a call moments ago from 'matey' asking if he should go ahead and place an order for a Sportback for me!!!
Que Sera Sera ...
Best,
RB
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DTD and Carfile were offering the same price within a few pounds when I bought but DTD did not do PX's which was in truth the decider especially when Carfiles dealer offered a price I would have been unlikely to better if I had sold privately.
One of our local dealers kept ringing back asking what he had to do to get me to buy. My answer, before I ordered from Carfile was quite simple, get me a better deal. He would go away and come back offering exactly the same deal and ask is that better. Don't know if he was thick or just stupid. He could not seem to grasp the concept that when he was told he would have to lower the price to get me to buy by simply offering the same deal he was failing to get my attention and a sale. Shame really, nice coffee and a very good test drive.
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Very useful info skidpan, which I'll bear in mind - appreciated.
The local dealer that kept troubling you - was he a 'yoof' by any chance?
It's a game innit ...
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The local dealer that kept troubling you - was he a 'yoof' by any chance?
He was possibly just old enough to be allowed out without parental supervision.
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This evening I was passed by an A class (one of the new shape ones....).
I don't know what size car you are looking for but I bet these are cheaper than the CLA...
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Had my test-drive in the M-B CLA 220 CDI Sport Auto through lunchtime today (day earlier than planned – that's German efficiency for you!)
Utterly effortless to drive as expected. Great performance with an exceedingly pleasant cabin/cockpit feel/position. It's about 4-yrs since I was last behind the wheel of a Merc but I slipped into 'driving-mode' within just a couple of minutes. Brought back all those delightful delivery days out where the left arm just goes to sleep and you steer it with the fingertips of your right, etc. ...
... however, this was the AMG variant and it's a little too blingy/shiny on the dash for my money (possibly a tad subdued in the entry model?), the multimedia screen isn't integrated into the dash so looks as though it's been 'nailed-on' as an afterthought, and rear legroom/headroom is non-existant if you're 6' like moi!
OK, so I personally won't be spending anytime in the back but it's far too much of a coupé (and those inherent restraints) for my comfort. Very nice but not for a bloke of 63!
So, with that immediately eliminated from my list and combined with the fact that another Octavia would be my third (one too many) I'm going to go with my original instinct and see the process through with the Sportback.
Everything crossed ...
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FINAL (honestly) UPDATE ...
After a week's hard graft on the iMac/iPad and good old-fashioned landline (I do have a couple of mobiles) I finally 'nailed' the deal that I was looking for on the Sportback!
I won't bore you with the details (oh, go on I hear you say), however, I'm indebted to this Forum for the strategic, mechanical & practical advice that I've received from some of you during the past fortnight or so.
It's been much appreciated, has assisted me greatly in my negotiations and has put me in 'a very good place' this evening! www.HJ is indeed a powerful resource to have on your side.
Best wishes to one and all ...
RB
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Well done, and we'll all look forward to hearing how things go when you finally get the A3. I'm glad we were able to help!
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