Car buying; does anyone enjoy it?
- Thread starter raysablade
- Start date
Is there an exemption if over 20 years old? I've a friend with a 2002 Skoda petrol, complies with EU mothing much and that's ULEZ compliant too. Slightly newer stuff isn't. Are they just relying on the fact that very old cars are going to disappear in due course?my 21 year V8 merc is available and Ulez compliant. Only 66k from new.
raysablade
pfm Member
I think that is her target. When she bought the car and paid for the warranty extension 5 years ago the idea was to push any thought of a replacement 5 years hence.3 - buy something nice and new with a good warranty cos we’re worth it and fuggedabahtdit
Proper paralysis by analysis currently
The trouble is that we are in the Lake District today and tomorrow and the Polo GTI is in its element. The way this engine pulls a short, relatively light, car uphill will be particularly missed. Maybe too much to bear.
I'm coming to the conclusion that before the last facelift VW had made the perfect old persons' small car. It even has proper lumbar support on both front seats. Anything else, including the current model with is haptic controls, is a step down. That makes our and the dealers job impossible.
seagullsnacker
iGull
This is where we are at - it would be pissing money away to do I think…just what to get is proving a brain farting experience - made slightly more complicated as it needs to be a higher car to get into due to other halves hip problems
So far
Honda HRV - nice
Lexus LXB - v.nice but a bit smol and £££
Skoda Karoq - nah
VW T-Roc - just like the Gokf on stilts
To try
Toyota Rav 4
Audi Q2/3
seagullsnacker
iGull
Haptic controls *shivers*
The criteria is quite stringent as cars keep getting bigger. 1 series BMWs are good value, nice inside & the tech is good. Probably a shade too big but definitely worth a look.
Buying cars has not been enjoyable since the dawn of time.
At least with the internet you can research & get a good idea of prices.
Buying cars has not been enjoyable since the dawn of time.
At least with the internet you can research & get a good idea of prices.
Rug Doc
pfm Member
The last time I had to buy a car was horrid My wife had an accident, the insurance company then made us wait two weeks, to then tell us it was written off, then gave us the two weeks left of our hire car allocation to choose, find, buy and have a new car Delivered and insured.
I did it, but it was an awfullly stressful few weeks.
the ***** then made me pay £60 to clean the hire car… no warning, it was just deducted from my Cc. I cleaned it two days before they picked it up inside and out.
I did it, but it was an awfullly stressful few weeks.
the ***** then made me pay £60 to clean the hire car… no warning, it was just deducted from my Cc. I cleaned it two days before they picked it up inside and out.
hifinutt
hifinutt
rare car , keep it
raysablade
pfm Member
I thought this would be worth an update especially because many comments here have helped us towards a solution a long way wide of her shortlist.
The conclusion is that much as she loves the Polo she loves the idea forgetting about the car market and car dealers more. If she keeps the Polo she will eventually need to replace it. The older she gets, the harder that will be.
So, with the knowledge that she liked the idea of the 10 year warranty on a Yaris but not the interior, she is closing in on a Lexus LBX. That length of warranty takes us both into our 70s and, given where we live, we won't need a car then. The prospect of even another minute more than necessary with a car dealer makes us thankful for our "15 minute city" neighbourhood.
It does seem that the notional £30000 budget and sub 4m length were her problem. £35,000 and 4.2 m brought in the lovely Audi Q2 and and the LBX. The Lexus warranty helped win the day. Audi blew their own candle out with trim and "pack" structure that brings in a Q2 with auto gearbox and dual zone climate in at a minimum of £37,000.
Something the process has made clear is our different perspectives and priorities. I'm still not convinced that Lexus having the best shade of red wasn't top of her mental "pros" list. Despite that, she couldn't care less what wheels they put on it, I was able to choose the ones that looked easiest to clean.
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
how is the legroom in the back of the LBX?
So 14" steel ones with clip on plastic trims then? Good choice, I'd say. No alloy wheel corrosion and leakage problems, easy to replace if damaged, cheaper, easy to wash.
raysablade
pfm Member
Mini like, i.e. inadequate for adults. That said the only use we anticipate for the back seats is hiding what is in the boot.
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
which mini? New JCW Countryman is o our shortlist, along with the new Formentor. LBX was on the longlist
raysablade
pfm Member
I'll try, that said i'm sure that to comply with emissions standards modern trims would be made of rare earth unobtanium and interrogated as to their condition by a satellite link.
hifinutt
hifinutt
T-roc lovely looking car , must get a drive sometime . i would try a t-cross but the little foot rest on the clutch keeps touching my foot when i drive a polo [ almost same car just lower] and its tiresome
raysablade
pfm Member
3 door. We are promised a test drive of the new 3 door one this month, although the Lexus might be a done deal before then.
I liked the Countryman, she hated it. In her view the dashboard trim looks like those ultra cheap high wear carpet tiles that festooned student lets in the 80s. She hated the big screen too, on that basis that something so bright would distract her, the Lexus screen is lower down and flatter. And then there was the dog...
hifinutt
hifinutt
was reading the big review in the telegraph from sat 23rd march ... looks big !!
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
which one?
raysablade
pfm Member
Feels big when you are sitting in it. not least because there is a lot of glass. I know it is not a technical description but my overall impression is that it looks "swollen" even on the inside. Like they started with the 3 door and pumped it up.
I know that all of these cars need to retain the Mini look but I think this one might take it beyond a reasonable boundary. If I was buying something that big the equivalent BMW might be a better bet.