Really not a car person I just want something that will last me 12 years 120,000 miles + without significant maintenance costs and ideally it would last 20 years like the current A4. Smallest car I'd consider would be something the size of a T Roc
Wow, not looking for much are you?!.
First thing I'd say, with that sort of expectations, I wouldn't be looking at anything German. Your Audi was a very different beast to the kind you get now. For the kind of reliability and longevity you are expecting, the only makes I'd be looking at are Japanese (especially if buying used).
But whatever brand you do go for, buying new gives you by far the best chance of meeting your expectations, in the case of some manufacturers, your only chance.
Re cat thefts, my understanding is that certain ages of cars are susceptible (i.e, older ones), others not so much. But also, there are devices available to retro fit which protect against cat theft.
I'm also a bit perplexed at your budget. You say you could stretch to £25k new, but wouldn't want to spend any more than £15k for a used car. If you can get a better one year old £25k car than a brand new one, why wouldn't you?. Don't understand that logic.
Edited by badbusdriver on 26/04/2021 at 07:42
|
I am in a similar situation to you !
Having had my A4 Tdi 130 2003 for over eight years , I am finding it such a hard act to follow. The power delivery especially . Modern diesels lack the low end torque .
The only problem with mine is the air con which has failed and I suspect that the same will have happened to yours ?
|
I am in a similar situation to you ! Having had my A4 Tdi 130 2003 for over eight years , I am finding it such a hard act to follow. The power delivery especially . Modern diesels lack the low end torque . The only problem with mine is the air con which has failed and I suspect that the same will have happened to yours ?
Yes the air con has gone but that only impacts me for maybe a handful of days each year. Most of the time in the UK we need heat rather than cold
As odd as it sounds I have confidence in this old car it's never left me on the road side not one time whereas any other vehicle I might buy I'm apprehensive about especially since my knowledge on cars is very limited
|
As odd as it sounds I have confidence in this old car it's never left me on the road side not one time whereas any other vehicle I might buy I'm apprehensive about especially since my knowledge on cars is very limited
Doesn't sound odd at all, if you've had a car for a decade (or more) and it has never let you down.
|
|
|
|
Have you thought like me of looking for a newer car with the brilliant VW PD engine in?
Ive yet to come across anything that can deliver the performance and economy of this engine which was killed off simply because it was not suitable for coupling up with a DPF emissions syatem.
My A4 has done 170 k But I’ve seen similar cars in immaculate condition , obviously well looked after low mileage examples . Or this engine was fitted to the Passat , sharan and Galaxy .
|
|
|
|
|
|
The reason I'd pay more for new is because I've never owned a new car so it would be something to tick off the bucket list. And someone has to buy new for there to be a second hand market
Regarding my desire for 12 years 120,000 mile life wothiut big expense is that really too much to ask for? This car I currently have will probably hit double that in the next person's hands dare I say maybe even triple that as its already near 230,000 miles and working fine
I do expect to maintain it and have some costs along the way just hoping for nothing major
Re the cat theft is there a lost of at risk vehicles wondering if the 3 -4 year old diesel rav4s or crvs are targeted
|
The reason I'd pay more for new is because I've never owned a new car so it would be something to tick off the bucket list. And someone has to buy new for there to be a second hand market
Yes sure, but £25k is a lot more than £15k!. It strikes me that if you are prepared to spend up to £25k on a car you want to last 12 years with minimal costs, you need to buy whatever car has the greatest chance of achieving that, whether new or used.
Regarding my desire for 12 years 120,000 mile life wothiut big expense is that really too much to ask for? This car I currently have will probably hit double that in the next person's hands dare I say maybe even triple that as its already near 230,000 miles and working fine
As I said, cars are very different now, both in terms of how they are bought and how they are viewed by the people who buy them. Most folk don't actually buy cars at all these days, they just 'rent' them for two or three years, after which they chop them in for the latest model. In car tech moves so quickly for companies who like to keep at the leading edge of whatever the current trends are (I,e, German makes), resulting in new cars having tech pushed out before it is actually ready and which may well cause problems (like the VAG infotainment/navigation system I've read about). And at the very least, will become obsolete quickly. But because of all this, especially the first point on ownership, most manufacturers are not all that interested in whether or not their cars will be reliable past 5 years, because they want you to be in something new after 3 at most!. So they don't put the same investment into long term reliability.
|
|
I would have thought reliability still matters as it will impact second hand value which will impact the profit they make on their leased vehicle as the more they get on resale the bigger their profits
Perhaps the general public like me with little to no knowledge of these things will buy whatever irrespective of its reliability and maintenance costs
|
I would have thought reliability still matters as it will impact second hand value which will impact the profit they make on their leased vehicle as the more they get on resale the bigger their profits
You might think so, but it seems image, showroom appeal, and being the latest model/trend are the highest priorities these days. Reliability?, well that is for the 2nd or 3rd owners to worry about.
Not convinced?, look at how popular Land Rover products are. Buyers, and indeed the motoring press, just can't get enough of them. But if you look at reliability surveys, the brand on the whole, and most of its models individually, are usually languishing at the bottom!.
Its your money at the end of the day, but if I was looking for a car to keep 12 years with minimal (non maintenance) costs, I'd be looking at a Toyota, Lexus, Honda or Mazda over any German car. If it was 6 years, I might be looking at German stuff too, but not 12.
Twice recently, I have mentioned on two different forum threads, a car I saw on Autotrader while looking at potential buys. It was a 2014 Lexus CT200h, a car about the size of a Golf, and the mechanical twin of the Toyota Prius and Auris (hybrid). 1 owner from new, it had covered 208k miles, and I have no doubt it didn't cause its owner any grief at all!.
|
|
Thanks I will lean towards Toyota and Honda over VW or Audi. I was already doing that but the cat theft had put me off a bit
Having said that though the T Roc is about £2000 cheaper than a corolla and is the better looking car so even if I did have a reasonable size bill the £2000 saving on our chase could go towards that.....
I guess I need to do a bit more research. I'd be happy keeping the current car if the diesel tax wasn't coming in :/
|
|
|
|
Perhaps the general public like me with little to no knowledge of these things will buy whatever irrespective of its reliability and maintenance costs
They do, and they often change them every four years or so which minimises reliability and maintenance costs - apart from the almost obligatory 'services' for the warranty.
Really not a car person I just want something that will last me 12 years 120,000 miles + without significant maintenance costs
This is a perfectly reasonable desire, which I share and have always applied to our family cars. Our old Passat 2.0GL estate covered over double that mileage. Its replacement, a Mk 1 Focus estate, currently 20yrs and 150,000 miles old, easily fulfilled this not very demanding goal a few years ago and is still going strong for my son. I expect its replacement, a carefully researched Peugeot 2008 1.2 puretech (avoid pre 2018 versions of this now sorted engine) EAT6 130, to do likewise, although with future use in our dotage I doubt if it will ever get to a six figure mileage. After ten years ownership I have no particular interest in our cars' resale value, only the pleasant glow of virtually zero annual depreciation cost.
|
Looked at VW T Roc at around 19K new
Re the T Roc, I'm sure it would be reliable enough for the average length of ownership (certainly with a manual gearbox, maybe not the DSG), and who knows, it may last 12 years?. The chances of this happening are of course drastically improve if you own it from new, maintain it properly, and drive it with a degree of mechanical sympathy, but I'm not convinced it would go the distance. The one you mentioned, which exact model was it?, because that does seem pretty cheap for a new one.
Having said that though the T Roc is about £2000 cheaper than a corolla and is the better looking car so even if I did have a reasonable size bill the £2000 saving on our chase could go towards that.....
But on comparing the T Roc with the Corolla, the equivalent Toyota would be the C-HR. Looking on Autotrader, the cheapest new ones just under £23k, which is a hybrid (they don't do the 1.2t petrol any more). But from just £13k, you could get a 2019 (the last year before being dropped) 1.2t petrol with 16k miles, and (IMO) that is likely to prove more reliable over 12 years than a new T Roc.
|
|
A new Kia Ceed is listed from £18600 to £27490, no doubt available for less through a broker or by haggling at a dealer.
That would be manufacturer guaranteed for 7 years or 100,000 miles, Kia appears near the top of most reliability surveys (such as Auto Express, J D Power etc).
|
|
|
|
Any idea if the CHR 1.2 t you mention has got a conventional four cylinder engine ?
|
Any idea if the CHR 1.2 t you mention has got a conventional four cylinder engine ?
Yes, 4 cyl.
116bhp @ 5600rpm, 185NM of torque from 1500-4000rpm.
From what I remember when the C-HR first came out, the motoring press reckoned the 1.2t nicer to drive than the (1.8) hybrid.
|
At the risk of sounding patronising, make doubly sure that anything you are considering is exempt from the tax, or you’re pretty much back to square one, albeit with a newer car.
I think any diesel has to be Euro 6 to avoid the tax (but do double check!) and if you’re looking at diesel CR-Vs and Rav-4s, many will only be Euro 5.
|
At the risk of sounding patronising, make doubly sure that anything you are considering is exempt from the tax, or you’re pretty much back to square one, albeit with a newer car. I think any diesel has to be Euro 6 to avoid the tax (but do double check!) and if you’re looking at diesel CR-Vs and Rav-4s, many will only be Euro 5.
Yes will definitely double check on the government website. Thanks
|
|
Looked at VW T Roc at around 19K new
Re the T Roc, I'm sure it would be reliable enough for the average length of ownership (certainly with a manual gearbox, maybe not the DSG), and who knows, it may last 12 years?. The chances of this happening are of course drastically improve if you own it from new, maintain it properly, and drive it with a degree of mechanical sympathy, but I'm not convinced it would go the distance. The one you mentioned, which exact model was it?, because that does seem pretty cheap for a new one.
Having said that though the T Roc is about £2000 cheaper than a corolla and is the better looking car so even if I did have a reasonable size bill the £2000 saving on our chase could go towards that.....
But on comparing the T Roc with the Corolla, the equivalent Toyota would be the C-HR. Looking on Autotrader, the cheapest new ones just under £23k, which is a hybrid (they don't do the 1.2t petrol any more). But from just £13k, you could get a 2019 (the last year before being dropped) 1.2t petrol with 16k miles, and (IMO) that is likely to prove more reliable over 12 years than a new T Roc.
The t roc is the base spec its just over £18,000 or closer to 18,500 with the rear windows tinted and with a lead time of 8-12 weeks
It's disappointing that they won't last much more than 12 years I am surprised by that tbh
I will look into the 1.2 petrol c-hr thanks
|
|
I've got that Toyota 1.2T engine in my Auris. It's a sweet unit, broadly comparable to the VAG 1.2/1.4 (122) TSi engines in terms of performance with maybe a little bit of a flat spot at the very very bottom of the rev range but easy enough to adjust driving style to compensate. Average about 44mpg and nothing's gone wrong in almost a year of ownership and 15K miles. The only thing is that the CHR is a bit heavier than the Auris so you'll need to make sure the performance is okay for you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
