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I spent £1150 on a car because I do 4k a year, it just seemed madness to spend more. Just get something fairly new with solid body work and it will last for years and years. I am sure for around £4k you could buy something that will last for for ten years.
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I'm doing really low mileage these days. By the time my current car is two years old it will have done about 26000 miles!
But our other car has done less than 25,000 miles in 7 years! And if we keep it it might have done another 5,000 in the next 7! My wife swapped jobs so the car is not used much.
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I've driven all 3, and can honestly say that I have been very impressed with the Megan. I've only had to replace a headlight bulb in just over 2 years on it and new tyres. Servicing is only 18,000 miles, and cost about £150 each time. I've done 46,000 miles and could let you have it for just under £8000. I will replace with a Grand Scienic as we have to ferry about more kids than fits in 5 seats!. The boot of the Megan is huge (bigger than the old Laguna) and rear space can fold flat as the seat squib lifts up.
You also get x3 proper seat belts in the rear without it coming across the roof lining which has been great for the little one's buckling up.
You get extra kit for the money too (Dynamique trim): blinds in the back, speed limiter and cruise control, decent cubby storage including storage in the foot wells and proper roof rails.
If you are not too far away (Luton work, Durham home) happy to let you have a spin in it.
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Thanks Barney - I'm at the opposite end of the country (S W Wales) so I'll take a rain check on that. Need to buy through Main Dealer to get Motability Finance.
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The Astra looks overpriced alongside the Focus, and Renault long-term reliability is deemed questionable by many people. So Focus for me.
Evan with an annual mileage of barely 5000 I'd still go for a new-ish car such as this. It should be innately reliable for longer, and be a newer/nicer place to spend time sitting in.
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That's a shame. I could always do a 3-way deal with the dealer....
Seriously do have a good luck at the Megan. Forgot to mention that mine is 1.9CDi (130bhp) and does 56mpg average for work. The 1.5 will be even better.
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The Focus, I am amazed that they are the same price, the Focus sounds like a great deal in relative terms.
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Well, looks like Focus is the fave by a mile - but any reason NOT to buy the other two??
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but any reason NOT to buy the other two??
The Focus has a better reputation.
What engine is the Focus? Not that it makes much difference with the low mileage you do though if it is a petrol the Megane will have an MPG advantage.
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A female friend of mine, likes Vauxhalls (was replacing a loved Corsa) but not 'a driver', tried the Astra estate and hated it. She thought it was nowhere near as nice to drive as the Focus. Strange really, there is not very much between the hatches.
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I've driven all 3 and can honestly say that I have been very impressed with the Megan. Servicing is only 18 000 miles and cost about £150 each time.
The OP does 4,000 miles / year - 1 x annual service (i.e. change oil) is necessary - leaving it till 18,000 miles (4.5 years) would undoubtedly strain even the best built cars
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Had our Focus Zetec Estate for 18 months now from new and apart from the A/C leak which was fixed under warranty have nothing but praise for it, our next choice of car? Focus Zetec Auto Sea Grey colour. Had a Megane Estate before that from new and it was rubbish, never again.
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Following on from the earlier post, I checked with the dealer what engine size the Focus had - and found the car was a Hatch instead of an Estate!
So - Accepting the HJ preference is for the now non-existant Focus, votes for the Megane or Astra please.
First impressions - Petrol Astra slightly overpriced @ £8k, Diesel Megane not over-confident about reliability.
As we are looking at low miles - it would be interesting to hear if the Meganes problems correlate to the mileage. When I was young (a long time ago) diesels were noisy but lasted forever.
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I would look for another Focus though an estate, perhaps 10k more miles, maybe six months or a year older, or a Zetec rather than a Ghia.
At the same age/mileage as the others the Focus would be preferable IMO.
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Why not look for other Focuses? They're fairly common, after all.
Otherwise, go for the Astra. I cannot recommend the Megane. I bought a nearly new, low mileage "Migrane" a couple of years back from a Renault main dealer.
Two problems with the car: firstly, it was utterly rubbish in ways I simply thought impossible for a modern car and secondly, the dealer didn't give a stuff! Some issues were inherent design faults, others were problems that the dealer was unable or unwilling to fix.
I'm not sure I'd dare risk it again. We also used to run a fleet of Meganes and Lagunas at work, the sorry tales of woe, with sometimes seemingly unfixable problems was almost, but not quite, funny. Like the day a colleagues gearbox locked up (after having maybe the fifth, or sixth new gearbox and clutch fitted in a matter of months) on the way back from a pub lunch. It was surprisingly heavy to push off the road! So I don't think my car was exactly a one off either.
I sold the Megane after a brief 4 week ownership period, thankfully not losing much. I couldn't get rid quick enough, believe me.
No doubt someone will come along and say how great their Megane is/was (maybe!) but a simple trip over to the Megane owner's club website is quite revealing....
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Snorkerz, you're definitely not eligible for a Motability car?? I know I asked earlier up the thread, but if you are, it's an unbeatable deal, pretty much whatever you go for..
Otherwise, I'd say to find another Focus, superior to the other two in most ways.
Edited by Gordon M on 30/09/2009 at 12:44
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Buy the Subaru Legacy.
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Buy the Subaru Legacy.
Same as the Focus - only 1 garage I can use (in Cardiff) and nothing affordable/acceptable to Motability in stock.
Thanks for the suggestion though
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Can't afford to give up the full allowance and not keep the car :-(
Simply can't fnd another Focus Estate available through Motability HP within the reasonable area. As Mrs Snorkerz is wheelchair bound, long car-hunting journeys are not really viable.
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I just want to make sure I'm understanding you.
If you give up the full allowance, then a brand new Ford Focus 1.6 estate with an autobox would cost you £1000 for three years use. You would only have to put fuel in it, absolutely nothing else. See: tinyurl.com/yeaz5uz . A manual could be had for £600 if you don't need the autobox.
The car would be brand new, include servicing, insurance, and all consumables except fuel.
I cannot imagine that there could be a cheaper way for you to use a car for three years, but of course I don't know your situation so please don't be offended if I am wrong.
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I just want to make sure I'm understanding you. If you give up the full allowance then a brand new Ford Focus 1.6 estate
snipI cannot imagine that there could be a cheaper way for you to use a car for three years but of course I don't know your situation so please don't be offended if I am wrong.
I'm far from offended, but I think you're wrong.
With a 1000 advance payment you're talking around 8,800 inc service/insurance for the 3 years. BUT that involves losing around 50 a week income.
Total cost 2900 pa
1000 downpayment on a 3yo would mean around 8000 budget @ 36 pw for 4 years.
4 years service & insurance, say 2000 - total spend 10k over 4 years. Private sale @ 2000. Total cost 2000 pa.
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Snorkers,
interesting, and I can now see where you are coming from. At such a low mileage, your consumables costs are going to be very low, and at £8k a carefully chosen car should be fairly reliable for the 3 years as well.
I still think you should go for a Focus, or an Octavia perhaps, from the cars you've suggested (or not).
Good luck!
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Despite what some others are saying I would stand by the Megan. One light bulb in 46,000 miles. Struggle to find other cars as reliable. I've also had my MiL's electric buggy in the back - easy. FiL has a old style Fabia, and the buggy goes in the back of that too, but spare room a plenty in the megan.
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