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What does the above phrase mean?
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Bottom of the range, poverty spec, cheap as chips, base model.
Like the Fiesta Finesse. No kit, decent price, usually a crappy engine but at least it gets them into the showroom so they'll buy something with more margin in it, or drive away with the cheap one and then come back for parts 'n stuff.
I wouldn't say you should never buy them but the golden rule for buying a new car is one up from the base model in trim and engine size, in a strong metallic colour, with air con every time. Some cars need more than that, some you can get away with the base spec (e.g., Mondeo 1.8 LX) but it's 10 times easier to sell on a Focus 1.6 LX in metallic than it is a white 1.4 CL.
If you don't drive fast and intend to keep the car for a very long time, you might get a better deal out of the base spec though, especially second hand as there's less to go wrong when it gets old.
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you might get a better deal out of the base spec though, especially second hand as there's less to go wrong when it gets old.
Base spec is the number 1 consideration for me for the above reason only. The problem is that most cars, even at basest of specs, are packed with gadgets just waiting to break.
An ideal "Base spec"? My bottom line is reliability. My luxuries would be abs (safety) and pas (just makes life more comfortable) - oh, and a radio - no cassette - saves having to listen to kids tapes. As for anything else, forget it. Air con is becoming a farce given our current weather patterns - whats wrong with winding down the window? That makes a CD player pointless because there'll be too much noise.
Splodgeface
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"Air con is becoming a farce given our current weather patterns - whats wrong with winding down the window? "
It's true that there aren't too many scorchers, but air-con is arguably even more use in Autumn/Winter/Spring for its rapid demist qualities.
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I'd far rather a heated front screen than air-con, probably the most over rated and expensive usless gadget the manufacturers have convinced us we must have.
A breeding ground for germs and an expensive nightmare when it goes wrong, which many of them will as most owners go six months at a time without switching them on.
And bring back the starting handle!
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What makes/models have a heated screens? Is it mainly Ford?
KB.
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I have 2 vehicles at the moment.
Main Car - Citroen Xantia, used for commuting, long journeys with or without family, good on all roads comfortable. So I tend to go for some creature comforts, eg PAS, electric sunroof, electric wndows all round and a 2L 16v engine that will out accelerate 95% of the motoring population. Appearance is fairly important.
Second Vehicle - couldn't be more different. A Renault Trafic Van (similar size to a SWB Transit) It has PAS but the creature comforts stop there. This is basically a utilitarian vehicle that has been bought to assist with my property renovations, which I do in my spare time. In addition, I may use it for the filthier jobs that the main car would otherwise have to cope with such as taking garden refuse to the tip. I am not in the building trade. As long as I am reasonably comfortable whilst driving it and it is safe to drive, I don't care. Apperance is not important, it just so happens that this vehicle looks OK. Oh yes it's got a stereo as well.
So - each to their own I'd say
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I must have bought just about the last genuinely basic car available. Citroen AX10 Debut on an 'N' plate. 4-speed box, manual windows, no sunroof, no central locking or electric windows, air-con, power steering, airbags, alarm/immobiliser, side impact bars, cupholders, alloy wheels, reading lights for rear passengers, cargo net, front foglights, automatic wipers/headlights, CD player or sat-nav. Just a sweet, free-revving 954cc engine and a chassis so well set up that I never needed to slow down for corners. I did 60K in it and never once felt that it was under-equipped.
Richard Hall
bangernomics.tripod.com
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Ah but did you have to swerve to avoid insects and wind-blown sweet-wrappers for fear of denting the bodywork? ;)
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