Bought a Celerio - skidpan

After 2 years (possibly longer) we have finally persuaded the wife's uncle to buy a new car. His Fiesta was coming up to 16 years old, had it since new but you could not call it well looked after or in good condition. When I checked its MOT history it has more advisories from last year than I could be bothered to list (including chassis corrosion) and add to that he has no idea what work the local garage do on a service (just gives them the money they ask for) and has no idea if the cam belt has ever been swapped.

All his cars up to the Fiesta were bought from the same garage new but as the franchise changed so did his cars. Fords, Hillmans, Chryslers, Talbot and then a Vauxhall. When they stopped selling cars we had to take him into Barnsley to look at alternatives and that is when he got the Fiesta.

His requirements were minimal. The Fiesta has only done 34,000 miles in those 16 years and in the 60+ years he has been on the road he has never been on the Motorway or even a Dual Carriageway (unless its in town). As far as we can decide he has only driven to Barnsley, Rotherham, Ecclesfield, Peniston, Stocksbridge and Huddersfield (actually only the outskirts). He did take his family to Norfolk twice but the route had to be carefully planned to avoid undesirable roads, wife said it took forever.

So the wife and I decided a Kia Picanto would do the job. Dealer in Barnsley and they are doing a £2000 scrapage deal at present. Went to look, no low spec cars in but bless their cotton socks they ordered one on a no obligation basis but when we went to look he could not see over the dash (he is about 4'9" but has no issues with the Fiesta). Tried a high spec one with a height adjustable seat and still not much better so add a cushion, all that did was make it impossible to get his legs under the steering wheel. No Picanto then.

More thinking and the next car was the Suzuki Celerio. No dealer in Barnsley so we went to see our next nearest dealer who was in truth a total liar, I would never buy a car from him ever. Told us they did not sell new Suzuki's, all the cars were pre-reg. The saving on a 6 month old car was £450, we left.

Found there was a Suzuki dealer in Huddersfield and phoned up and they seemed fine. Could have a new one at about £8500 in metallic (after £1000 manufacturer saving) or an 7 month old pre reg for £6995 in metallic. Made appointment for today.

So off we set with me driving the old Fiesta (too far for the old fella to drive - its about 12 miles). First thing I spotted was the engine light was on, asked how long it had been like that, uncle said ages, garage says not to worry, yet another MOT failure. Car seems very slow, but it steers and stops so it should get us there. Probably no chance of a PX now, scrappie here we come.

So we look over the Celerio and he likes it, even the base model has height adjustable seat and it goes plenty high enough. Has more space inside than the Picanto and a bigger boot. Go for a drive and Huddersfield is in total grid lock. Try 2 ways out and get no where. Car seems fine once we get going a bit but that soon ends and I decide enough is enough, turn round and let uncle drive, he doesn't want to, road unfamiliar.

So we get back and they offer £410 for Fiesta, snap their hands off. They throw in the first service for free and confirm they offer a free collection service when it needs service or work. Sign order for Blue pre-reg (he wanted silver but non at that price - all SZ3 models), pay deposit, collect in 2 weeks.

Just got to sort a spare now. Suzuki want £250 but MyTyres will do a wheel and tyre for £65 posted so off to Halfords for a jack and wheelbrace. Make a fixing bolt and we are sorted.

Happy days.

In truth its white goods (except its Blue) but its good white goods. Way better than cheap cars were years ago.

Edited by skidpan on 07/08/2019 at 19:32

Bought a Celerio - bazza

Suzuki are masters of small fun cars, good to know such bargains are about and I doubt it will give a moment's bother for years! A Swift has been on my shortlist for years if and when we need to downsize a bit.

Bought a Celerio - bathtub tom

2K miles a year? My sister in law does fewer than that, but got upset when I suggested a mobility scooter would be more suitable.

IIRC a motoring magazine had total brake failure on two test models and they were withdrawn for a while. I never did find out why.

Bought a Celerio - mcb100
The recall was caused by the pedal box deforming under emergency braking, and the brake pedal decoupling (as it should in an accident). This was the week of the launch, and it was re-engineered pretty quickly. The bulletin went to the dealers on a Monday, I’d done 1000 miles in one the week before....

Edited by mcb100 on 07/08/2019 at 21:01

Bought a Celerio - gordonbennet

I bet those dealers, esp the liar, were chuffed to bits you were there directing the orchestra Skidpan...well maybe not.

I'd have liked to have seen the leering faces of such dealers with ££ signs going round in their eyes like a cartoon stereotype as the old feller approached...and the clang as chins hit the floor as you loomed out of the mist and they realised their easy killer sale wasn't going to be quite how they'd imagined after all..:-)

Bought a Celerio - daveyjp
Appleyards? As far as I am aware still family owned, but Colin died a few years ago.

I never bought a car from him, but did do business with him about 20 years ago and he was a great guy,

IIRC he started selling motorbikes and did well once the Japanese bikes arrived on our shores, His main dealerships are in Keighley and you can't turn any corner without seeing a Suzuki.
Bought a Celerio - Zippy123
Local dealer had sold a few. Managed to locate most same day as the recall and offered curtesy cars whilst theirs were fixed.

One couple were on holiday and the dealer went round to the house and the car was on the drive. They clamped it to prevent it being driven and left a note on the windscreen and the promise of a curtesy car when they returned.
Bought a Celerio - paul 1963

Well done Skidpan, very good of you to help uncle out, doubt it'll ever give him a moment's trouble, I had a top of the range 4x4 swift before my present car and it was a delight to drive.

I was seriously considering another one but wife fancied a change/ something bigger.....

Bought a Celerio - oldroverboy.

I had the same issues when taking 2 elderly fiends to look for cars 2 years ago.

Went to a Skoda dealer in a nearby town about 20 miles away. He already had a Fabia, and it was her 19 year old Toyota that had given up on its gearbox.

Driving off the forecourt of the Skoda dealer, the Fabia broke down.

We'll get it fixed, just sign here,,,,,,,,,err No Thanks.

Found them the Venga from a Kia dealer with Balance of 7 year warranty. 2 years on still delighted.

Bought a Celerio - John F

he has no idea what work the local garage do on a service (just gives them the money they ask for) and has no idea if the cam belt has ever been swapped....

No worries.

.......Fiesta has only done 34,000 miles in those 16 years....

Fifteen annual oil changes?

When I checked its MOT history it has more advisories from last year than I could be bothered to list

Check out our nearly 19yr old 140,000+ miles Focus MoT history, (X84NJB), never had a 'service', never more than 14,000 miles between oil changes, exemplary maintenance by yours truly;-)

Bought a Celerio - skidpan

very good of you to help uncle out

Found out recently he needs all the help he can get. Wife was helping her 92 year old mother sort out some stuff and her uncle (who lives opposite) asked if she could look at his stuff. Consider he is 86, never been married and lived with his parents until they died in the early 80's. Since then lived on his own in a small 2 bed council bungalow.

First thing was his bank account, he did not have one, never had, did not know what a current account was. Set him up with one.

Next was his water bill. Paying £33 a month, got him a meter fitted, now paying £33 a quarter.

Gas/electric. He uses a huge amount of gas considering the size of the bungalow (ours is 3 times the size and we use 1/2) but getting him to use less was not the point. On a dull fuel variable tariff but paying monthly was £130 per month. Got him a new supplier at £80 a month using his existing consumption figures. But then we found out he was £1050 in credit with his previous supplier, what a load of robbers.

So far we were saving him £864 a year.

Then there was his car insurance. The Coop wanted £1050 for a year on the 16 year old Fiesta worth about £500 (we got £410 PX). LV did it for £340.

Total savings now £1574 a year.

b***** tight sod never offered to buy me a coffee when we were out yesterday. Very long pockets and short arms.

Bought a Celerio - groaver

b***** tight sod never offered to buy me a coffee when we were out yesterday. Very long pockets and short arms.

Haha!

You should have shown him Lidl/Aldi's own brand v Nescafe.

You may prefer ground coffee but he might have taken the hint!

Bought a Celerio - John F

So far we were saving him £864 a year.

Total savings now £1574 a year.

b***** tight sod never offered to buy me a coffee when we were out yesterday. Very long pockets and short arms.

I trust your better half is mentioned in the will...

Bought a Celerio - Engineer Andy

I had one of these as a courtesy car when my Mazda3 was in for a clutch change 3 years ago (the dealership was a Mazda and Suzuki dealership back then, only Mazda now, but they still have some Celerios in that role), and apart from the fact that I had to reach a long way down to pull the handbrake, the car was actually quite decent for such a cheap little thing.

The 1.0 petrol engine was comfortable, nippy around town and generally very economical, my estimate of well over 60mpg in the day and a half I borrowed it. It did run out of puff going uphill on the local bypass, but it's a little N/A engine, but better (about 13bhp) than my old 90s Micra (which it reminded me of generally) with the size sized engine.

High sided, good for getting in/out, but I'd be careful on exposed roads for getting blown about in high winds. Not exactly a looker, but then it probably wasn't designed to be - just cheap, honest A to B transport. Just shows what can be achieved when you keep things simple.

Pleasantly surprised. I wouldn't normally buy one, but that's because I would be able to afford something far superior. It doesn't mean under some circumstances (i.e. money was really tight) I wouldn't consider one, certainly not.

To add to Skidpan's analogy, when I bought my Micra 1.0 S in 1998, it cost me £6350 for a 2yo+ car (new price around £9k). That means the Celerio is about the same price 21 years later, without factoring in inflation (probably over 50%) and currency fluctations, but does 10mpg (at least) more (my Micra did 52mpg average on mixed driving). Just goes to show how much all the latest gadgets and gizmos bump up the price of cars these days.

Bought a Celerio - skidpan

To add to Skidpan's analogy, when I bought my Micra 1.0 S in 1998, it cost me £6350 for a 2yo+ car (new price around £9k).

Are you sure, if so that was expensive.

We bought a brand new Micra 1.2 S in 2005 (55 plate) and on the road (including metallic) it cost us £6350. Retail was about £8500, we got approx 25% discount.

2 years later dad bought a Micra 1.2 Acenta (57 plate) and brand new on the road it was about £9500. Judging by the PX over allowance he only got about a £1500 discount.

In 1983 a new Micra DX was £3750. Bet it had sod all kit.

Bought a Celerio - FiestaOwner

To add to Skidpan's analogy, when I bought my Micra 1.0 S in 1998, it cost me £6350 for a 2yo+ car (new price around £9k).

Are you sure, if so that was expensive.

I thought the same.

In 1999 I bought a Pre reg Micra (2 months old), 1 litre Equation (the base model) 3 door for £6995. Really good car.

Would be interested to hear how the Celerio works out.

Edited by FiestaOwner on 11/08/2019 at 18:24

Bought a Celerio - Engineer Andy

To add to Skidpan's analogy, when I bought my Micra 1.0 S in 1998, it cost me £6350 for a 2yo+ car (new price around £9k).

Are you sure, if so that was expensive.

I thought the same.

In 1999 I bought a Pre reg Micra (2 months old), 1 litre Equation (the base model) 3 door for £6995. Really good car.

Would be interested to hear how the Celerio works out.

At the time I bought my Micra, the S model was not the base model, but about mid-range. The S model was the base only much later on in the final year of the car's production in the early 2000s. When I bought mine in 1998, the base models could be had for £7k when on offer.

Bought a Celerio - Engineer Andy

My price was correct, and the new price was based on what I remember from reading the spec sheet on this site some years later. I think back then, before car supermarkets had got big and online brokers (internet still in its infancy in 1998) had come about, cars were expensive.

When I bought my current Mazda3 to replace the Micra in early 2006, its list price was about £13.5k or so (mine was a Euro-spec so was in-between the two mid-spec UK models). I paid only £10.3k for essentially a new car (15 del miles on the clock) from Motorpoint, so including inflation, I paid less for a much bigger, twice as powerful car with much more goodies on board.

At the time, the Pound was quite a bit higher than it is today, and I was lucky enough to buy when there was a glut of new and nearly new/pre-regged cars in the UK, hence why so many found their way to the likes of Motorpoint. At that time, they had well over 7000 cars on their books, today, only 4500. I probably bought at the top of the market first time round and at the bottom second time.

Even with inflation taken into account and going via a broker, today's cars are probably 20%+ more expensive than when I bought my Mazda, mainly due to the fall in the value of the Pound in the last 5-7 years.

That's what makes some of these amazingly low prices for the Celerio, lower spec Dacias and the like so appealing - cheap as chips, basic motoring for the A to B motorist or the retired who need it to nip to the shops etc and not much more. Most new city car equivalents from other makes come in over £10k (and many WELL over that). Maybe the public are (pardon the pun) driving that trend due to their ever increasing love of gadgets in cars.

Bought a Celerio - FiestaOwner

My price was correct, and the new price was based on what I remember from reading the spec sheet on this site some years later. I think back then, before car supermarkets had got big and online brokers (internet still in its infancy in 1998) had come about, cars were expensive.

Even with inflation taken into account and going via a broker, today's cars are probably 20%+ more expensive than when I bought my Mazda, mainly due to the fall in the value of the Pound in the last 5-7 years.

That's what makes some of these amazingly low prices for the Celerio, lower spec Dacias and the like so appealing - cheap as chips, basic motoring for the A to B motorist or the retired who need it to nip to the shops etc and not much more. Most new city car equivalents from other makes come in over £10k (and many WELL over that). Maybe the public are (pardon the pun) driving that trend due to their ever increasing love of gadgets in cars.

To be fair I did think I got a very good deal on my Micra.

Would certainly say that since 2012 car prices have shot up, especially for Fiesta sized cars. Got a very good deal on a pre reg Hyundai i20 (just prior to the facelift) last year. However as it spent a lot of its life in 2 Hyundai dealerships, with unsolvable clutch issues, it turned out to be an exceptionally bad buy. Wish I'd never heard of Hyundai and certainly wouldn't buy another. Pity, as in all other respects it was an excellent car. But I expect reliability when I buy a new car. Even the 2004 Clio ran for 5 years before it started to give any issues (even then they were repairable, at not too much cost).

Most of us say that we just want a basic car, but once we've had a gadget in a car, we want the next car to have it.

The gadgets I now look for (and used to be quite happy without) are: Electric front windows, Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, remote central locking, cruise control, air con. Also quite like the reversing camera.

Things I've had which are useless to me are: Front fog lights, alloy wheels, low profile tyres, auto lights (feel the driver should be turning them on and off), auto wipers (give me variable intermittent any day), lane departure warning, automatic braking (just stay back from the vehicle in front and pay attention instead), automatic high beam.

Trouble is to get a car of high enough spec to get the extras I want, I have to pay for the useless things too.

Bought a Celerio - Zippy123

Things I've had which are useless to me are: Front fog lights, alloy wheels, low profile tyres, auto lights (feel the driver should be turning them on and off), auto wipers (give me variable intermittent any day), lane departure warning, automatic braking (just stay back from the vehicle in front and pay attention instead), automatic high beam.

Trouble is to get a car of high enough spec to get the extras I want, I have to pay for the useless things too.

The trouble is the manufacturers know that and build model ladders to lead you up the path from model to model until you get the one you want.

I really like BLIS - BLind spot Information System. Saved me wiping out a motorbike a while back. I checked the rear, moved my head around the offside pillars and couldn't see a thing there.

The orange light in the wing mirror was lit though so I didn't move out and a moment later a motorbike whizzed past.

Unfortunately it tends to be only available on expensive models.

Bought a Celerio - concrete

Well done skidpad. Quite a tale and very well told, brought a smile or two. Got me thinking there must be lots of older folks who don't really know they can negotiate their costs down. They mistakenly think loyalty pays and that large companies and institutions will do the right thing!! Yeah!! Of course they will!!! Hope the Suzuki works well for the old boy. You will get your reward in heaven!

Cheers Concrete

Bought a Celerio - gordonbennet

Well done skidpad. Quite a tale and very well told, brought a smile or two. Got me thinking there must be lots of older folks who don't really know they can negotiate their costs down. They mistakenly think loyalty pays and that large companies and institutions will do the right thing!! Yeah!! Of course they will!!! Hope the Suzuki works well for the old boy. You will get your reward in heaven!

Cheers Concrete

Not just the oldies Concrete, a few years ago when still in my early 50's we got t'internet.

Up until then silly me assumed that as a loyal customer who always paid on time, that suppliers such as BG would automatically have their 'without issue' customers on the most suitable tariff, one day i did a search on a comparison site for gas supplies, low and behold BG came in some 30+% cheaper than currently paying, what a mug i had been they had ripped me off for years, i wasn't old as such but rather old fashioned in how i was raised and my outlook on life...some would say simple i suppose, that being so maybe i preferred that simpler life back when a man's word meant something.

They now join several other companies that will never see another penny of my money as long as i live, talk about having your eyes opened.

The internet has been a wonderful discovery, and i've saved a lot of money as well as finding companies who do not take their customers for fools, more recently we have discovered just how untruthful our politicians and especially mainstream media are and have been for many years, wouldn't they like to put that genie back in the bottle and via their chums in large social media networks are trying their best to censor anything not on message, whatever you may think of him Trump is spot on when he points at the usual suspects and calls them fake news.

Bought a Celerio - concrete

Right GB. I suppose old is a relative term. The internet has indeed changed things for those who use it correctly and gain some benefit from the information it provides. Obviously before that we relied on an honest broker for insurances, mortgages etc. I was fortunate to have a long time friend whom I played rugby with. He did the business for many other members and could not really afford to be anything other than honest, the consequences of being anything other would have been dire. Now we can do all this for ourselves. Unfortunately some poor souls do not have the means nor inclination to use this marvellous tool. That is where the likes of skidpad and myself and many, many others step in and do the needful for friends/relatives who need some assistance. I remember taking over my ageing Mothers finances and saving her many hundreds of pounds per annum. The shock of these companies when they suddenly realised that there was someone now conducting this business who is hard nosed and savvy. Speaks volumes for our business community doesn't it?

Cheers Concrete

Bought a Celerio - Engineer Andy

I agree entirely. My dad was a salesman dealing with insurance brokers for decades, and seemingly can drive a decent bargain at a car showroom (he bought an end-of-line Fiesta 1.25 for £6.5k new 10 years or so ago), but is aboslutely hopeless in getting a good deal with anything on the home appliances and electronics front.

Me and my sister still do all my parents' internet shopping (including at Christmas), saving them a small fortune, as they have no clue how to go about finding really great bargains. They do have a (laptop) PC, but all they do is look up the news, weather and what holiday they're going on next year (from the same firm every year!).

I wonder what my Dad will make of how to go about getting his next (and likely final) car, given so many of them now come with loads of electronics and gadgets, 90% of which he'll likely never use? And that the price differences from most dealers to online brokers is quite substantial for the most part? He's never used the Fiesta's CD player and barely uses the radio these days. I bet in the end he buys yet another Ford (company cars since the 1970s and his since the mid 90s on retiring early), despite so much choice these days.

Additionally, many local business have gone under in my area in recent years because they lived in the past and either didin't have an online presence, or whose website just gave the shops name, address and picture and not much else, all the while the likes of Amazon, never mind other independents, undercut them by 30%+. Many firms in my (now former) line of work in construction only changed from using faxes to emails 10 years ago, and still live in the past as regards use of technology (in the right way).

Bought a Celerio - alan1302

The internet has been a wonderful discovery, and i've saved a lot of money as well as finding companies who do not take their customers for fools, more recently we have discovered just how untruthful our politicians and especially mainstream media are and have been for many years, wouldn't they like to put that genie back in the bottle and via their chums in large social media networks are trying their best to censor anything not on message, whatever you may think of him Trump is spot on when he points at the usual suspects and calls them fake news.

So you believe the non-mainstream media over the usual ones...why are you so sure they are telling the truth? Trump himself has been shown to say one thing and then something else...just saying something is 'fake news' does not make it so.

Bought a Celerio - veloceman
Just reading Suzuki has dropped the Celerio from their UK line up.
Shame. Looked a decent car for the money.
Bought a Celerio - Avant

I shouldn't think they were making much money on it. They weren't selling well despite the low price: that one that Skidpan had the sense to snap up had been sitting around for some months.

But would he have bought a Celerio for Mrs Skidpan, who sounds a rather more discerning buyer than her uncle?

Bought a Celerio - SLO76
Just reading Suzuki has dropped the Celerio from their UK line up. Shame. Looked a decent car for the money.

As with much these days sales are very much down to looks. The Celerio is an excellent city car, it’s well made, practical, utterly reliable and quite pleasant to drive but as I said when I first seen it the styling isn’t going to appeal at all and used values will plummet accordingly as younger buyers stay away. Suzuki could take a Leaf from Fiat’s book and produce a cheap to build (in India) but interesting looking city car like the 500 or the chunky but inoffensive looking Panda both of which sell in big numbers in Europe.
Bought a Celerio - Engineer Andy

Its a big failing of many japanese manufacturers over the years - perfectly decent cars under an undesirable skin. A shrewd buy for the A to B driver.

Oddly enough, their latest Swift is, in my view, a step backwards in terms of styling compared to the previous version, at least on the outside - it now looks fat, especailly at the rear. The previous generation car was actually quite a looker, especially in Sport form with the two-tone paint job a-la Mini.

My local Mazda dealer for a while also sold Suzukis (how I came to drive a Celerio as a courtesy car and was pleasantly surprised), but dropped them about 2 years ago presumably due to poor sales. Not really a surprise as the Mazdas are far better styled.

Bought a Celerio - daveyK_UK
Any more news on Suzuki dropping the Celerio in the UK?

A much better car than the Alto it replaced; huge amount of interior room for its size, put the likes of the much bigger Ford Fiesta and rival Hyundai i10 to shame in that regard.

Suzuki have a large number of models due mid life facelifts in the next 12 months.
Bought a Celerio - skidpan

But would he have bought a Celerio for Mrs Skidpan, who sounds a rather more discerning buyer than her uncle?

No I would not have bought the Mrs one simply because the Mrs needs more than a city car. But as a simple city car its fits the bill perfectly.

Suzuki could take a Leaf from Fiat’s book and produce a cheap to build (in India) but interesting looking city car.

The Celerio is built in Indonesia, how much cheaper would an Indian sourced car be?

Bought a Celerio - Engineer Andy

The Celerio is built in Indonesia, how much cheaper would an Indian sourced car be?

I suspect they'd be little difference in the cost.

Bought a Celerio - alan1302

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/suzuki-celerio-and-baleno-axed-uk-sale

That's a shame - there are not many cheaper cars still available with manufacturers going more upmarket.

Not sure what the 'The Skoda Citigo and Honda Jazz rivals are still visible on the company’s UK site' means though?

Bought a Celerio - SLO76
“The Celerio is built in Indonesia, how much cheaper would an Indian sourced car be?”

I said “interesting looking city car” which is something the wee Suzuki is not. I liken it to a top hat on wheels. Looks matter to a big percentage of the people who buy cheap small cars this is why the Celerio has failed in Europe.
Bought a Celerio - daveyK_UK
Suzuki need to be mindful of Hondas demise; reducing your range to 4 vehicles gives you limited market penetration and customer options.

There will always be a demand for a cheap A to B run about; it appears Dacia has won the battle for this slot with the Sandero although a decent discount on the Hyundai i10 at least gives the UK public an option.

Bought a Celerio - Falkirk Bairn

Honda Jazz will be replaced for 2020 - the new Jazz will be hybrid along the lines of the hybrid CRV obviously a smaller engine than the 2 litre in the CRV.

2 motor shows coming up soon - Tokyo Motorshow might be a good guess.

Bought a Celerio - Avant

"Not sure what the 'The Skoda Citigo and Honda Jazz rivals are still visible on the company’s UK site' means though?"

Presumably it means that the Celerio and Baleno, rivals for the Citigo and Jazz respectively, are still showing on the website while there is stock still to shift.

Margins are lower for small cars (I don't think a £30,000 car costs three times as much to manufacture as a £10,000 car) so they need to sell in good numbers to be worthwhile. I've seen rumours that VAG won't replace the Up/Citigo/Mii as they aren't profitable enough.

Bought a Celerio - SLO76
“ I've seen rumours that VAG won't replace the Up/Citigo/Mii as they aren't profitable enough.”

Short term thinking though. An entry model like this hooks people into the brand who then can be pushed into upgrading. This is why the prestige brands such as Mercedes, Audi and BMW moved into smaller cars years ago despite the lower margins.

Edited by SLO76 on 29/08/2019 at 10:38

Bought a Celerio - Engineer Andy

"Not sure what the 'The Skoda Citigo and Honda Jazz rivals are still visible on the company’s UK site' means though?"

Presumably it means that the Celerio and Baleno, rivals for the Citigo and Jazz respectively, are still showing on the website while there is stock still to shift.

Margins are lower for small cars (I don't think a £30,000 car costs three times as much to manufacture as a £10,000 car) so they need to sell in good numbers to be worthwhile. I've seen rumours that VAG won't replace the Up/Citigo/Mii as they aren't profitable enough.

Maybe now's the time to buy one for the longer term owner - lots of deals available? I remember my Dad picking up his Fiesta Style 1.25 (showroom car) for about £6.5k in Oct 2008 - a right bargain as that was cheaper than the new price he paid for P-reg version (same engine, LX) he was part exchanging to buy it! End-of-line cars normally attract big discounts, especially ones that never sold well in the first place.

Before it was withdrawn from the UK, I saw many brand new Nissan Pulsars (including upper range models) going for 35%+ off via brokers. Sometimes some gread deals are to be had if you can put up with some odd styling or design querks.

I was surprised to hear that the Jazz is to be replaced in 2020, given it was only introduced in 2015. I think that the overly high prices are starting to put its core (older person and especially young families) buyer market, helped by other makes selling perfectly decent rival cars for a LOT less. With the Celerio, it wasn't ever a looker and it and much of the Suzuki range has not exactly been marketed - I mean, has anyone seen an advert anywhere for either? They should've taken their cue from Dacia.

Bought a Celerio - daveyK_UK
You can pick up a new jazz in base model with solid paint for £12,000 but the spec is too basic for that kind of money.

Bought a Celerio - badbusdriver

Short term thinking though. An entry model like this hooks people into the brand who then can be pushed into upgrading.

I'd agree with that SLO, but i also think that as the 'supermini' in general is getting ever bigger, there is even more reason for there to be a smaller car underneath that for folk that don't need one as big as a supermini, or specifically want a very small car.

Given that at least 75% of folk drive a car bigger than they actually need, preventing those who want a car no bigger than they need from being able to buy one, is (IMO) very much a backward step.

As our 3 years with the Jazz is drawing to a close, i have been looking at possible replacements, with one of the main priorities being that the car is fairly narrow. Looking at the dimensions for the new Renault Clio i was somewhat taken aback to discover its width as being 1798mm (excluding mirrors). This makes it not only more than 10cm wider than the Jazz, but wider than the car we had before the Jazz, a 2014 Hyundai i30, which is from the next size bracket up!.

Bought a Celerio - Engineer Andy

Short term thinking though. An entry model like this hooks people into the brand who then can be pushed into upgrading.

I'd agree with that SLO, but i also think that as the 'supermini' in general is getting ever bigger, there is even more reason for there to be a smaller car underneath that for folk that don't need one as big as a supermini, or specifically want a very small car.

Given that at least 75% of folk drive a car bigger than they actually need, preventing those who want a car no bigger than they need from being able to buy one, is (IMO) very much a backward step.

As our 3 years with the Jazz is drawing to a close, i have been looking at possible replacements, with one of the main priorities being that the car is fairly narrow. Looking at the dimensions for the new Renault Clio i was somewhat taken aback to discover its width as being 1798mm (excluding mirrors). This makes it not only more than 10cm wider than the Jazz, but wider than the car we had before the Jazz, a 2014 Hyundai i30, which is from the next size bracket up!.

TBH, I'd rather get an i30 or Ceed as they drive better and you can get better discounts, plus the extra warranty. If the Jazz had at least a 5 years like Hyundai, then that would be different. I think that all cars these days should have a minimum of 5 years warranty.

In my view, Jazzes were always overpriced - after discounts (at dealers), my 2005/6 Mazda3 (better spec, bigger [more space] and quicker) was still £1k cheaper than the poverty spec Jazz, which at the time was slow.

The new one is quicker than its predecessors, but I just can't see how they can justify such high prices any more, when the opposition are far closer in terms of reliability/longevity and they drive far better, never mind are better styled.

No wonder KIA/Hyundai have cornered much of the budget market, with Dacia close by. A real shame Suzuki haven't done better, as they are prefectly decent cars underneath the skin.

Bought a Celerio - Engineer Andy
You can pick up a new jazz in base model with solid paint for £12,000 but the spec is too basic for that kind of money.

According to the Honda website, the poverty spec Jazz's list price is £14,600 (OTR), and Honda is notorious for not giving much of a discount.

Bought a Celerio - skidpan

Before it was withdrawn from the UK, I saw many brand new Nissan Pulsars (including upper range models) going for 35%+ off via brokers.

That is correct. When we were replacing the Nissan Note we were very tempted by the Pulsar 1.6 DIG-T (190 PS) Acenta which was just over £18000 with metallic. Carfile were selling that car at about £12000. Unfortunately (or fortunately) they removed it from their listings just as we were ready to order.

With the Celerio, it wasn't ever a looker and it and much of the Suzuki range has not exactly been marketed - I mean, has anyone seen an advert anywhere for either? They should've taken their cue from Dacia.

If the car fits the bill does it really matter if its a looker. Looks are unlikely to be top of the manufacturers list at the bargain basement end of the market although I think its fair to say that the Kia Picanto (£7900 after scrapage) is far more pleasing to the eye than the Celerio.

As for marketing, whilst the Ignis, Swift, Vitara and new Jimny get some press the Celerio, Baleno and S-Cross are totally forgotten. In front of me I have the July to September offers booklet and the Baleno looks like a seriously good buy. The 1.0 Bosterjet SZ-T is £11499 OTR, a saving of £3750 (plus whatever else you can get the dealer to donate). At that price I would put it on my wish list should Mrs Skidpan be looking to change at present.

But the forum favourite, the Dacia Sandero in 1.0 TCe 90PS Comfort spec is only £9800. That has to be a bargain for an inoffensive looking car. Buying one may be a problem though. When we visited the local Dacia emporium (whilst looking at Celerio alternatives) the dealer did not seem interested in selling them. He had 2 in the showroom which were surrounded by far more expensive Renaults and it was those he was pushing us towards. When we said we wanted small and cheap he said the Twingo was for us, small it was but at just over £13000 hardly cheap and in truth its not a looker. This is probably why we see very few Dacias locally.

Bought a Celerio - badbusdriver

But the forum favourite, the Dacia Sandero in 1.0 TCe 90PS Comfort spec is only £9800. That has to be a bargain for an inoffensive looking car. Buying one may be a problem though. When we visited the local Dacia emporium (whilst looking at Celerio alternatives) the dealer did not seem interested in selling them. He had 2 in the showroom which were surrounded by far more expensive Renaults and it was those he was pushing us towards. When we said we wanted small and cheap he said the Twingo was for us, small it was but at just over £13000 hardly cheap and in truth its not a looker. This is probably why we see very few Dacias locally.

Absolutely heaps of them up in this corner of Scotland. My pal is on his 2nd, a Duster 1.2 turbo petrol which followed a Sandero Stepway diesel. He loves them!.

We do have a Renault/Dacia dealer not too far away, but i'm assuming they are quite happy to get punters into the Dacia's as well Renault's given how many (of both) there are on the roads round here. The only issue for me is the lack of an auto option for either the Sandero or logan.

Bought a Celerio - Engineer Andy

Before it was withdrawn from the UK, I saw many brand new Nissan Pulsars (including upper range models) going for 35%+ off via brokers.

That is correct. When we were replacing the Nissan Note we were very tempted by the Pulsar 1.6 DIG-T (190 PS) Acenta which was just over £18000 with metallic. Carfile were selling that car at about £12000. Unfortunately (or fortunately) they removed it from their listings just as we were ready to order.

I must admit giving the otherwise boring Pulsar another look when I was (not any more, for now) in the market for a new car back in early 2017. I too was amazed at both how low the original list price was for the car, but even more so for the discounts, especially for the one engine variant mentioned - a full £4k lower than anything similar in performance/spec on the market after discounts (including via brokers).

I discarded it because I thought the pedals and steering wheel were offset when I sat in one in the showroom. Still, quite a bargain. Shame the sister Renault Megane had only the GT model with that engine and lesser discounts as a result, as despite it being quite similar, was a LOT better looking, including the interior.

I agree that if buyers aren't that worried about styling, there's certainly some bargains still to be had.

Bought a Celerio - SLO76
“I agree that if buyers aren't that worried about styling, there's certainly some bargains still to be had.”

Especially used. When shopping for a cheap runner I advise taking styling and image out of the picture. As cars become unfashionable and thus undesirable their values plummet. Bad news for sellers but joy for buyers.
Bought a Celerio - daveyK_UK
Neighbour Picked up a pre reg -19 plate Dacia Sandero comfort (top trim)in solid white with 5 miles on it from lookers for £8200.
Now that’s a bargain for a high spec 5 door car 2 months old.
Had to pay an extra £120 for space saver and Jack.

Bought a Celerio - SLO76
Neighbour Picked up a pre reg -19 plate Dacia Sandero comfort (top trim)in solid white with 5 miles on it from lookers for £8200. Now that’s a bargain for a high spec 5 door car 2 months old. Had to pay an extra £120 for space saver and Jack.

Evans Halshaw are selling spanking new ones with your name in the V5 as first owner for £275 more. A good buy but worthless at 3yrs old. I’d sooner spend my £8,475 on a good nearly new Mazda 2, Honda Jazz, Suzuki Swift or Toyota Yaris all of which will ultimately cost less to run.

Edited by SLO76 on 31/08/2019 at 00:27

Bought a Celerio - Engineer Andy

I suppose it also matters both how long you intend to keep the car and the running costs - when I bought my first car, a 1996-build Micra, I also looked at a new Suzuki Alto from the same time (I was buying in 1998) which only cost £5k at the time at dealers.

I was shocked at the much higher price I would've paid in insurance because like many smaller Japanese makes back then (e.g. Mitsubishi) that didn't have parts factories or a significant presence in the UK/Europe, meaning replacement components were expensive and maintenance prices were above rivals.

Sometimes spending a bit more on a car that is more popular but reliable can be cheaper to own in the long run.