I've currently got a peugeot 306L 1.9 Diesel, t reg. I have seen a vauxhall astra envoy tdi 1.7 (52 plate) and am busy comparing the two to figure out should i go for the astra as my new car.
Whilst the 306 is lovely to drive, we do a couple long journeys a year in it, and we could use more space. I've no doubt that the 306 could go on running indefinately, it's a 1999 reg and only on 44k at the moment. the astra is at 33k.
What do you think i should do?
Oh and the astra is priced at £4995. unsure what i'd get for the 306 for part ex.
Les
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An Astra isn't much bigger than the Pug.
I'd keep the Pug, service it well and hire a van or a large estate if you need the space.
The £000's you'd have to pay for the Astra would pay for a lot of hire!
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I have to say i'm still torn. Way i figure it is, the longer i hang on to the 306, the less i'll get on a trade in...therefore having to stump up more money to pay on a new car.
can definately fir astra in the garage, but would be pushed to fit anything larger like mondeo or vectra in (without rearranging it that is).
insurance would be less (£10 per month less) on the astra.
astra generally a newer car.
couldn't hire a van for long journeys, as hubby and i have a 2yr old son and are planning on having another baby in the next year or two, so would the astra be a better family hatch than the 206?
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ASTRA = excellent value & have no street cred, so better value.The lowest spec Astra you should choose is Club = air con.
Plenty of fleet models around, so be choosy, think about a day looking at auction, you'll save a £1000 compared to the £$£$ you mention!! & think about 1.6 petrol, instead of diesel, save more initially - inless you do millions miles, you'll be impressed.
BUT, do drive an Astra first - I'd have had one, if I hadn't used one for a week, as my own run around. The seats are PAINFUL - really hurt, like I'd had a fist forced into the centre of my back. & that was when I wasn't in the car, too.
You'll need the sport style seats, to avoid this - not many models, have these.
Did you clik on Car By Car Breakdown link, to the left, here??
VB
VB
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Yeah I've had a look at the car by car breakdown. astra seems nice.
I'm having a test drive tomorrow in the astra. i have severe spinal problems, so perhaps i will find the seats a problem too. but to be honest, the 306 drivers seat isn't that supportive.
most comfortable cars i've driven was a top of the range vectra and a TD mondeo. very nice. though heavy in steering i thought (compared to the 306 anyway!)
would prefer a diesel. i've had petrols before and i have found all of them to have a drink problem with fuel. the diesels i've had have had the power when i need it, are econimical, and go more distance than petrols.
Les x
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If you have no issues with the 306, i'd keep it.
According to Glass guide, your 306 is worth c.£1500 as a trade in, but input the details yourself to get a more accurate figure.
tinyurl.com/992d2
Then, do the same thing for an Astra two years older than the 52 reg one with 33k plus the approximate mileage you will do over two years to get an idea of how much the Astra will be worth as a trade in in two years time. I bet it's not far from £1500, but do the thing yourself.
Assuming Astra is two years is worth what the 306 is now, ask yourself is spending £3500 on a similar sized car with not much less mileage than the one you already have a good move.
Let alone that in my opinion and it is only my opinion, that the Astra is a horris cheap looking thing whereas the 306 is the best looking medium hatch of the last 10 years.
Plus you know where the 306 has been, it's history and so on. What do you know about the Astra?
My vote? Keep your 306. If you want more inside space, and you're worried about fitting it in the garage, consider a mini MPV (Scenic, Picasso, Zafira).
HTH
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The Astra Mk4 is has more interior space than the 306, Golf or Focus. It's solid but uninspiring to drive - just what most people need. Check out the Warranty Direct Reliability Index, at 37 the Astra is up there with the best Japs.
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going back to the seats i cant drive vauxhalls either i had a really bad back for a year and it was the seat ive never run a vauxhall since.
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Keep the 306.
It's only worth upgrading if you can get a better car - a poverty spec Astra (Envoy is bottom of the range) is not a better car.
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Thank you for all your helpful advice. I will seriously consider all the points raised. you're right, the 306 is a good car, solid, reliable, good price and it's pretty.
i didn't know that the astra envoy was the lowest spec, i thought club was the lowest.
in this case, i now haven't got a clue what car to go for next.
help me out. i'm a wife, a mother, have a 2 year old son, planning another baby, am on a budget, want something bigger than the 306, but something that looks good.....so that may as well rule out estates and MPV's. Oh and I'm 24. so what does a 24yr old with the above circumstances change the 306 for???
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If you can bear to miss out on the 306's driving dynamics, then a Nissan Almera is a solid and reliable bet.
Not many love them so the price will be right.
The Astra, until recently, has been a very average alternative to other competitors in its field.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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i didn't know that the astra envoy was the lowest spec, i thought club was the lowest.
Looking through the Auto Trader (link on the left of the page) there are some Astra Club's of the same age and similar mileages going for the the same price you were willing to pay for the Envoy. Also there were a couple of Envoy's on there fitted with A/C as well.
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Ignore that. All the one's I found were petrol, not diesel engined.
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Actually the envoy i was looking at was a 1.7DTi with air con. i discussed it with my hubby last night, and i've actually decided that i can't bring myself to part with the 306 just yet.
Reason being, it's just a great car! excellent to drive, great runner, solid, pretty, economical...and we'd be very hard pushed to find another car that has all the qualities that the 306 has.
I might hang on for a year, and see what prices the 407's are 2nd hand. they're really pretty and we looked at the 407 estate yesterday and it's really nice outside and inside.
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Behind the 5 series, the 407 is teh best looking estate ever. Fact.
For what it's worth, I'm not a Peugeot man, but even I'd say keep your 306. It's got so much more character than the age of Astra you're considering.
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Yeah - keep the Pug, its a car you know and like. If money a serious issue, then only change whenthe car becomes expensive to keep on the road or you need a totally different car (e.g. much larger). An AStra is so similar, its not worth spending the money. Buying an estate or small MPV is worth the extra money if you need the space.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Keep the pug for definate!
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my adice would be to stick with the 306 as oposed to the astra that is at near as damit at the same mieladge. I would rewiewe your situation in a year and consider a larger car eg diesel mondeo
Paul
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"I'm a wife, a mother, have a 2 year old son, planning another baby, am on a budget".
You've answered your own question - don't change cars if you like the one you have, it always costs money. And better the one you know, as has been said above. Change when space becomes a frequent problem. If your only reason is to be seen in a more recent model, reconsider.
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It'll be the new baby that makes the difference. I suggest keeping the 306 until the baby is nearly due, or it becomes unreliable (the 306, not the baby....) whichever comes first.
Then you could try a newer 306 / 307 diesel estate, or a Skoda Octavia TDI - even the standard Octavia hatchback has a huge boot, and there's also an estate with even more room inside, though not excessively long.
Astra or Focus estates are fine if you aren't worried about image - there is a slight look of 'come to mend the photocopier' about both.
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I am a sucker to a car's image. My 306 had the priveledge of being put thru the car wash yesterday and it looks fab!
For sure i'm going hang onto my little 306 for a year or two until the 407's come down in price, and then i might go for the 407 estate....they are so sexy for an estate!
Mind you, i might just have to go and test drive one before then!!
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Check the engine code on your 306 - DHX or DHY. One of these, I can't remember which, is prone to con-rod failure which means a new engine. Check yours out (details on this site), it might influence your decision.
659.
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