That sounds like a Citroen Berlingo to me.
I'd be more than happy to pop to the dealer for half an hour every 6000 miles for an oil change if it was a fair price.
I've read elsewhere that the PSA HDI engines respond best when using 5W40 oil, they give 5% or so better economy.
Ben
On my 3rd Citroen. Saxo, Xsara, C5.
|
Having lived in the US I can vouch for the fact that they do have much longer 'bumper to bumper' warranties. I remember even in the late 1970's Mazda was offering 5-year warranties over there.
The other thing I noticed is that you can even do your own routine servicing, and as long as you keep receipts for oil, filters etc. they 'honor' the warranty!
|
|
|
The Citroen Berlingo looks good in the reviews I've read. We have lots of dogs and like to camp. However, I have a morbid fear of French cars, the result of having had a Renault Dauphine (as my very first car in fact). Importing it to the US was thought to be French revenge for the rude manner in which Roosevelt treated De Gaul in 1943.
|
Long warranties mean that people who abuse their car (taking it to the limits) are cross-subsidised by people who look after their cars. Why should I pay for the baseball crew who storm away from the traffic lights to 5000revs before changing?
Long warranties aren't a gift, they are worked into the price. Why not just have lower prices and be rewarded for looking after your car than punished?
I think a one year warranty is more than sufficient, and hope we will copy some of the europeans countries which are more this way.
|
|
In my experience a car maker who offers a long warranty builds a reliable car.
|
|
|
Don't long warranties effectively tie the consumer into getting his car serviced at an official dealer rather than going to an independent.
I am not sure that it is strictly legal (EU law) to invalidate someones warranty if they don't service at the correct interval at an official dealer or not but it seems that the longer the warranty the more they will make back in servicing and I am sure that this will far outstrip the outlay for warranty claims.
|
|
In the US it is also unlawful to require servicing by a dealer in order to maintain a warranty.
|
|
|
|
Gen wrote:-
"Long warranties aren't a gift, they are worked into the price."
Absolutely true for an individual market sector; but comparing apples with apples as far as is possible.
USA
Focus 5dr loaded version with some options = $ 17270 = £11515 before any dealer discount promotions etc.
You need to add some extras to this such as delivery & the warranty cost. The warranty can be just powertrain up to the full monty, your choice.
UK
Focus Ghia 2.0 Auto with some options to try and be as close to the USA spec online purchase @ £16224 (ie > $26k!!!)
Suspect that if you pick all the most expensive US options you can never get to the UK prices.
Therefore market forces rule for both price & warranty etc.
Basically whatever can be got away with is the dominating factor.
|
USA
Focus 5 door 2.0 ZX5 manual = $16172 (dealer invoice excluding taxes - i.e., a likely best price in the US) = £9679
Looking at the spec list, this also includes cruise control and electric rear windows.
UK
Focus 2.0 Zetec 5 door manual with sunroof = £11120 + VAT from www.drivethedeal.com (an equivalent UK transaction price) ($18578)
Sure, the US is still slightly cheaper but surprisingly, it's hardly an example of Rip Off Britain when you consider that, in the same way that the pound has depreciated against the euro, the dollar has lost money against both.
Secondly, it's almost impossible to buy a car in the US without features such as an 'advertising charge', a 'safety belt installation fee' and compulsory extras such as paint protection and even something called ADM (additional dealer mark up). All of these are sources of profit that the UK dealer won't have access to.
Finally, most cars are shipped to the (massive) dealer in advance for delivery on the same day as they are ordered. With the lower price of land over there this makes sense, but it also means that very few cars are shipped with no options - another way for manufacturers to make easy profit at the margins - as well as simplifying the manufacturing process as you can pretty much build and sell anything with no build to order to worry about - although you do potentially have higher inventory costs.
Yes, we do worse than the states, but only very rarely $10k worse - and then usually only on zero-tech cars like the Mustang that we simply wouldn't get in this country.
|
>>"Focus 2.0 Zetec 5 door manual with sunroof = £11120 + VAT from www.drivethedeal.com "<<
Actually, it's £10630.47 + VAT + £185 OTR charges = £12675.80, with standard air-con and optional sunroof.
Ian
|
Plus the Focus Zetec would also be eligible for Ford's 0% finance offer. Depending on your tax situation and interest rates, this might be worth another £669 to you (it would be to me!).
Ian
|
On the other hand, Ford's 3-year warranty isn't as good as some people seem to think.
You actually get a 12 months unlimited mileage warranty, plus a no-cost optional warranty extension for years two and three which is subject to a 60,000 miles limit and subject to all scheduled services being carried out by a Ford dealer.
The true cost of the "no-cost" optional warranty is obviously hidden in the purchase price and/or made up by the extra profits from tying the owner to Ford dealer services. This must be against the spirit of some free-trade, anti-competition legislation.
Ian
|
|
|
|
But you are not comparing apples with apples.
I tried to compare the declared prices on Ford US website with those on Ford UK site.
By using drivethe deal you are comparing list USA price with a discounted USA price, nevertheless you still cannot get UK price down to near USA price. Maybe the comparison should be on the road price with all available warranties, discounts etc etc in place and then see what the difference is, and then compare it as a % of average salary say.
Just thought that should be pointed out.
Personally I think it IS an example of R-O-B.
at the onther end of the scale not that I would ever buy any of this koi.
Mac USA = 0.49
Mac Germany = 0.99 euro
Mac UK = £0.99
?!?
|
sorry itchy trigger finger typo alert!!!
I meant to say "list USA price with discounted UK price..."
I am sure you knew that is what I meant but its not what it said.
DOH!
Oh and the MAC USA the $ sign disappeared.
|
|
|
|
FIF - I was using dealer invoice, which is the published figure that the dealer pays for the car. Any profit margin at that price comes from volume bonuses, not on the actual sale of the car. List price in the US is about $1500-$2000 higher.
|
|
|
|
Long-live "zer-tech" (whatever that means) cars, in that case!
None of the people I know in the USA but anyway, they all lease for tax etc reasons. You can play with the beans any which way you like but the fact of the matter is US is always better value on just about anything than Britain.
Walgreens vs Boots, gasoline (of course), J.C. Penney vs Marks and Spencer, Gap there vs Gap UK, car rental, hotels, case of beer from Sam's vs Tesco, etc etc. Of course the Philippines has all this at better value still...... just over £8k for a Toyota Altis fully loaded OTR with one year's free insurance, 0% finance for the first 12 months and 3 years' warranty. Or take my F-150, that came in on the same kind of deal, although I paid cash and got a further discount, for £13,400. Now that is a US assembled vehicle, fully landed with all taxes and duties paid. My US pal at Steve Lawrence Ford in Chattanooga said he would be pressed to match that, even at end of month.
ROB, such an apt acronym, is alive and well. Don't let anyone kid you otherwise. Not to mention lousy service almost everywhere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Renault Dauphine? That gives your age away! I had one of those - it had the nasty habit of turning upside down unexpectedly going round corners at anything over about 22 mph.
|
|
|
|
|
It's a Peugeot Partner actually, but yes, a Berlingo. And it's fantastic. Huge inside, hatchback-sized outside. Tough, economical, zippy enough, and so far (5000 miles) no faults at all. Can't recommend it enough. Will be getting an oil change in 1000 miles though.
|
|
|
|
|
