My parents are considering replacing their 4 1/2 year old Focus 1.6 Flight, now coming up to 80k miles.
They will not consider any of the following:-
i. buying a nearly-new car from a car supermarket or even a main dealer;
ii. buying a new import (fair enough - they're not cheap enough for me either);
iii. buying from a dealer outside the local area;
iv. selling the car privately so they can haggle just on the price of the new one.
So if they get within £2k of the cost to change of a private sale and then buying from a broker (which should be about £6,500 for a new Focus 1.6 LX) they'll be doing well.
The overwhelming likelihood is that they'll have a new Focus (my mother hasn't owned a car without a blue badge on it since 1979 - and before that she only ever had two Austins). However they've noticed an ad. for the local Chevrolet dealer in the paper and whilst a Lacetti is hardly inspiring, at £8,500 for a 1.6 SX it's good value - probably £3k less than they'd have to pay for a Focus.
But is it cheap enough or will they wish they had something else (and if so what?) in 2011 when my mother retires and they replace it?
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Focus - any day of my week and they're not my favourite cars.
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I'd be looking at one of the run out Corollas, now that the Aruis is here there must be some deals to be had on Corollas, and they are great cars
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>>But is it cheap enough or will they wish they had something else (and if so what?) in 2011 when my mother retires and they replace it?<<
The Lacetti is white goods - if your mum wants a car as a tool and save a fair whack of money then yes, the Lacetti is fine. Its not bad, just not exceptional.
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David - I think the snags with a Lacetti are -
- road tests say they aren't great tro drive - certainly nowhere near the standard of the Focus
- according to What Car a Lacetti 1.6 SX will be worth only 28 % of its cost after 3 years, even worse than the equivalent Focus (37 %)
- Chevrolet aren't hugely successful in the UK and they could pull out, making matters worse for existing owners.
I think your parents should try out a Honda Jazz 1.4 SE - only £10,750 list price. They won't get the discount that they could on a Focus or Lacetti BUT it'll be worth (again per What Car) 51 % of cost after 3 years - so still worth a good sum after four. They'd fnd that it could do most of the things a Focus can do, and a few more that it can't.
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Would an Almera or Kia Rio not be a better choice David?
Lacetti = last shape Astra. To my mind, that says don't bother -- I never liked the Vauxhall.
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Kia Rio = nice car, possibly a bit small on the outside although at £6,500 it's seriously tempting. Obviously it's more Korean than the Chevrolet though :-)
Almera = do they still make 'em? I don't think so and it has to be absolutely brand new, no previous owners - my Mum would worry that a car with 7 miles and a previous registration had been crashed driving out of the showroom gate (I know...)
Jazz = funny foreign thing. Apparently.
So yes, basically I'm trying to help people who won't help themselves.
Incidentally the depreciation figures suggest the Focus will lose £6,500 and the Lacetti £5,500 (over three years)... so there's only a grand difference in depreciation in favour of the Lacetti. You then factor in fuel, etc., and it's probably not worth getting the Lacetti as the overall cost is similar. The problemis that you can make the same argument about a broker Audi A3 (which they really like but won't countenance because they can't afford it - i.e., it's a prestige brand), BMW 1-Series or VW Golf.
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There are still 2007 registered Almeras and Pimeras to be seen - I'm guessing they are final stock, which suggests the dealers will be keen to get rid of them at a reasonable price.
Many years dealing with parents who also won't help themselves has taught me its best to do no more than make a few alternative suggestions and let the buyer choose themselves. They'll probably ignore your advice, but its their money at the end of the day, so let them at it.
If you suggest a great bargain and they go for it, they'll be ever so pleased with themselves for their clever purchase. If there's so much as a niggle with the Lacetti/Rio/Almera or whatever, you'll be the clever clogs who foisted it on them!
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Wise words Gromit.
Helping to buy a car is a bit like selling one to friends or family,any small niggle or repair in the first ten years and youve sold or helped them get a lemon.
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