Its time for car shopping again - yaay!! Only kind of shopping I enjoy.....
The brief is to find a new 5 door hatch of the oil burning variety in which Leoness will transit herself and four paying passengers daily from home to work and back (70 miles round trip).
Have narrowed the chioce on paper to MK V Golf (105 BHP), Mazda 3 (the most highly spec\'d of the four contenders), Honda Civic 1.7 TDI (offering best MPG on paper) or the Toyota Corolla T3.
The Mazda 3 undercuts all on price, and tops the poll for standard equipment spec. The VW Golf tops the poll on Price. Civic takes it on MPG and the Corolla, just cant find a reason not to look at it!
Have test driven none except the Golf, and with an independant dealer offering me a trade in of £7250 on her July 2001 MKIV TDI 90 with 70,000 on the clock the golf is tempting me back thanks to the residuals. However it is predicted the Mazda will retain 57% of its new value and is coming in £1,300 less than the Golf.
Confusion reigns..... Anyone, care to offer their comments and views on the final four contenders. At least when I buy her the \"wrong\" car I can side shift the blame to my fellow backroomers!!!
BTW - she wouldn\'t consider an Leon or Toledeo, she considers the rear view visibility to be poor.
Cheers,
Leon
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I note that you don\'t include an HDI in all of this! Any particular reason? If you haven\'t tried one, I\'d certainly suggest you have a spin in either a Citroen or a Peugeot.
I can understand you wanting to go for Japanese reliability, but you include VW on your list and there have been lots of problems with these lately.
Citroens are well specced for the money. Depreciation might be a bit higher (although the cashbacks offset this) but if you keep them for a while they become bargains!
Graeme
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I agree that the Golf is likely to be a risk in terms of owner satisfaction - you\'re unlikely to encounter decent customer service from the network either. I think the reliability may improve with the new suspension setup and engines. However, it\'s a lot of dosh for a car which IMHO doesn\'t justify the premium. 105 bhp isn\'t that much either, for such a heavy car.
The engine in the Civic is made by Isuzu and has been described as average in terms of power, slightly below average in terms of refinement. Honda\'s only in-house diesel comes in the Accord. However, for transporting five adults it\'s probably the most spacious of them all.
The Corolla isn\'t going to set the world on fire, and isn\'t cheap, but at least you can be pretty confident that it will never go wrong. However, that\'s the only positive thing I can think to say about it. I seem to remember that the ride is described as being fairly hard, yet steering feedback still numb. Bland, dull, the automotive equivalent of beige.
The Mazda, as well as having the best level of standard kit, should be equally as reliable as the Honda/Toyota, but with a more refined engine. Doesn\'t it come with the HDi engine anyway? Or is that just one of the engine options? As far as I know, there\'s a reasonable amount of space in the rear, as headroom doesn\'t seem to be compromised in order to achieve a downward-sloping roofline. Probably the best-looking of the bunch as well.
Depending on interior space, I think it comes down to the Mazda or the Honda. If the space in the Mazda is sufficient, that would be my choice (seeing as a Leon is ruled out!)
Just one extra - have you checked out the new Octavia? Bags of internal space (more than a Golf), better looking than the current version. On sale from next month at competitive prices, likely to have a much better level of customer service from dealerships than VW. I\'d say it\'s a serious contender.
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andymc
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Andy,
Was at John Mulholldands in Randalstown last Saturday for the Octavia\'s launch. Beautiful car - as is the Skoda Superb. Her what must be obeyed didn\'t like it because it was too big.
Had it been a motor for myself - I would have been straight off to Rathkenny for another Leon or Toledo, but Leoness doesn\'t like the restricted rear view.... Oh yeah - and it has to be available in a bright shade of blue - I kid you not!!!
C5 Owner,
Was discouraged from buying the 307 HDI by a Pugeuot mechanic. When I told him we were changing he advised me to avoid the Pug HDI\'s, i had not been considering them, as I have developed a dislike of all things french after maintaining the other half\'s Renault Megane diesel for three years, therefore I did not enquire about the resons behind his commments.
Leon
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he advised me to avoid the Pug HDI\'s
I take it you realise that the Mazda3 has the same engine as the Picasso, 407, etc.? I\'m not sure if it\'s actually built by the same people, or if that would make much difference.
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When you look at the prices of these cars, Citroens are wonderful value. A C5 can be had for about the same or less than these cars. Even a 2.2 HDI is available for under £14000.
It is interesting to note that you have left that other Japanese manufactuer, Nissan, off your shopping list as well, as the Primera 2.2 dCi is also great value. For even less, the Almera 2.2 dCi offers tremendous performance for under £12000. Perhaps the connection with Renault has put you off?
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Primera 2.2 dCi is also great value. For even less, the Almera 2.2 dCi offers tremendous performance for under £12000. Perhaps the connection with Renault has put you off?
I believe the 2.2 Diesel is Nissan's own, built is Spain. It has an excellent reputation and nothing to do with Renault.
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>>>105 bhp isn't that much either, for such a heavy car.
You've completely overlooked the little matter of torque.
I've a 100PS 1.6 petrol Bora which is also "a heavy car" and average just over 40mpg - if the TDI had been available (I bought it used) I would have chosen that over the petrol, mainly for that wonderful diesel torque rather than pure economy.
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"You've completely overlooked the little matter of torque."
I promise, I haven't! I drive a 110 bhp Leon TDi, so I'm guessing that even allowing for the PD technology, I've a reasonable idea of the level of performance a new 105 bhp Golf would have. Can't remember what the exact torque figure is for my car, but I know how to use it, particularly when it comes to overtaking. I do find it to be pretty quick - it's more than sufficient for my needs most of the time, but I'm starting to feel its limitations. If I was buying now, I think I'd want a car with a higher power-to-weight ratio, as the new 2.0 PD Golf would have.
LoD - hadn't realised the Octavia was already launched. Might take a run down to Mulholland's and have a look at it in the flesh. I've been able to take a close look at the new Accord recently, and it'll be interesting to compare the two. I'm surprised the Leoness finds the Octavia too big when she wants to transport five adults on a daily basis - does she do a lot of city driving? Try to persuade her anyway!
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andymc
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Apologies, but obviously I wasn't aware you had a diesel...:-)
I'm surprised that anyone thinks the Octavia is too big - like the Bora, Toledo and A3/4 it's based on the Golf platform.
But there's no doubt that the local taxi drivers love 'em to bits. They even travel 200 miles or so to Glasgow where they can buy them at the best possible price and then drive them back; also helps with the "running-in".
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