Replacement car advice

[2blue]

I've a 16 year old VW Touran with 117k (not a lot really), the only car, & one of the best, I've ever owned from new, thats causing the same problems. £1K to get it through the MOT last year with lots of advisories to consider for this coming Oct so I'm looking at this thread with interest. As I'm only now playing golf that's 2 hrs, or less, away means that I'm doing only 5K a year, I've never had an automatic but I will be looking for that with the next car so looking with interest in the idea of an Octavia Estate... which I guess would be a diesel rather than petrol though happy to be advised otherwise. I hate, just hate car shopping.... well really any type of shopping.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I've a 16 year old VW Touran with 117k (not a lot really), the only car, & one of the best, I've ever owned from new, thats causing the same problems. £1K to get it through the MOT last year with lots of advisories to consider for this coming Oct so I'm looking at this thread with interest. As I'm only now playing golf that's 2 hrs, or less, away means that I'm doing only 5K a year, I've never had an automatic but I will be looking for that with the next car so looking with interest in the idea of an Octavia Estate... which I guess would be a diesel rather than petrol though happy to be advised otherwise. I hate, just hate car shopping.... well really any type of shopping.

If you are only doing 5k a year then don't touch a diesel. With dpf on diesels now, you will encounter a world of pain with that sort of mileage. Get a petrol Octavia, 1.4, newer ones are 1.5, with an auto, they call it dsg, box.

There are lots of 1.0 petrol ones out there. I worry about the ling term life and wear of that size of engine in a decent sized car so personally I'd go up a size. The difference in mpg, if any, will be so marginal across 5k per year that it isn't worth looking at.

The VW dsg is brilliant and an Octavia estate is a great car.

 

[Hobbit]

Not the A4. Had a couple but the boot isn’t big enough. Had a few A6’s. Huge! The boot is massive. If you sit in the back seat you can barely reach the seat in front of you. Smooth as and quiet.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I have just replaced my 7 yr old Mazda 3 sport nav for a Mazda CX5 takumi.
Both are auto and 2 ltr petrol. The ONLY reason for changing was the difficulty I was having getting out of the 3 with my knees as they are. Both can take a full bag and trolley but the CX5 boot is a little bigger.
Since they demonised diesel and have made it their aim to drive them off the road with taxes and legislation, and also many car dealers not taking diesels or only offering silly low prices I went petrol for the 3 when I replaced my Skoda Superb mk1.
EV's were never a consideration for a few reasons none of which were ability to charge it at home then and now.
One thing I dont really like, is the way many car manufacturers are putting silly small petrol engines in largish cars and ringing the neck out of the engines. That can't be good for the long term life of the engine or car.

 

[RichA]

Good point well made,
The Jag is 13 years old, 80k miles, 3 litre diesel and non compliant for the ULEZ areas of London, Bristol & Birmingham. Where we have family
Road tax is £320 Pa insurance is £500 pa, Motorway and car wow value it at £2500
It needs a replacement timing belt and the alternator bearings have started to go, looking at least £2500 for those.

I’ve spent 3k on it in the last 2 years
Tyres, brakes, suspension and general servicing.

It could go another 5 or 6 years, or the exhaust or something else might go in 6 months time, it’s at the age of potentially turning into a money pit.

Fair enough - you're prob best shot of it.
VW Passat is worth a look using your criteria.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Fair enough - you're prob best shot of it.
VW Passat is worth a look using your criteria.

I’d rate the superb above the Passat in terms of everything apart from its very hard to kill one

I do lots of driving for a VW dealership and I’ve driven a few or more

 

[bobmac]

Can I suggest something .......










ok

 

[Fade and Die]

I have just replaced my 7 yr old Mazda 3 sport nav for a Mazda CX5 takumi.
Both are auto and 2 ltr petrol. The ONLY reason for changing was the difficulty I was having getting out of the 3 with my knees as they are. Both can take a full bag and trolley but the CX5 boot is a little bigger.
Since they demonised diesel and have made it their aim to drive them off the road with taxes and legislation, and also many car dealers not taking diesels or only offering silly low prices I went petrol for the 3 when I replaced my Skoda Superb mk1.
EV's were never a consideration for a few reasons none of which were ability to charge it at home then and now.
One thing I dont really like, is the way many car manufacturers are putting silly small petrol engines in largish cars and ringing the neck out of the engines. That can't be good for the long term life of the engine or car.

Yes the 1500 3 pot engine is in so many cars now, ok for most things but gets a bit breathless on hillls!

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Can I suggest something .......










ok

View attachment 54119

On yer bike….. which you appear to have lost

 

[SteveW86]

I’ve got a petrol Octavia Vrs estate, it ticks pretty much every box I want it to. It’s quick, have loaded it up for ski trips to France, it’s reasonable on fuel on a motorway run and it drives well.

 

[Alan Clifford]

Might be one where it works better with the auto box. Let that do all the gear changes. Too late now if course, but in case anyone else is thinking of getting one.

Is yours the 1.0 litre engine?

I think it's actually 0.999. The MX5 is almost 18 years old, basically no sale value, but good as a second car whilst it doesn't cost too much in repairs. When that goes, we'll probably get another Octavia. You get used to the gear changing.

 

[KenL]

Yes the 1500 3 pot engine is in so many cars now, ok for most things but gets a bit breathless on hillls!

Not my 200ps Fiesta ST, incredible engine.
Small capacity with a turbo is the way to go.
Problem is that cars are too fat-ar*ed these days.
20 years ago, a hatchback was big enough for nearly everyone, now a huge car is what everyone wants.

 

[Deleted member 15717]

As others have said..Octavia or Superb.

Had a Passat until recently when I swapped in for a Superb. The Passat boot is big, but the saloon lid is annoying to slide a trolley etc in. Get a hatch.

Can’t go wrong with a skoda

 

[Norrin Radd]

VW Tiguan. Loads of room and four wheel drive .

 

[PhilTheFragger]

VW Tiguan. Loads of room and four wheel drive .

But its a SUV ....whatever that means........ I dont need 4 wheel drive in Buckinghamshire... I know Ellesborough is up a bit of a hill,,, but,,,,

 

[backwoodsman]

Had a Superb for 4 years - couldn't fault it in any respect. Swapped it for a Kodiaq. Not keen. Next car will be a Superb

 

[jim8flog]

I was very suspicious about the tiny engine in the Octavia estate. Took it up to the motorway and put my foot down on the slip road - all doubts gone, bought it. Must be the turbocharger.

Downside is a lot of gear changing - no torque. I have to change right down in places where I'd just stay in 4th in my Mazda MX5. But we do get over 60 mpg on long journeys.

Yes turbo charging smaller engines is the way most manufacturers have gone.

My last petrol car was a 1.2 compared to the previous model being 1.6.

Even diesels have gone that way I used to have a 2l diesel and when I went to change it the latest models were 1.6l

 

[jim8flog]

I've a 16 year old VW Touran with 117k (not a lot really), the only car, & one of the best, I've ever owned from new, thats causing the same problems. £1K to get it through the MOT last year with lots of advisories to consider for this coming Oct so I'm looking at this thread with interest. As I'm only now playing golf that's 2 hrs, or less, away means that I'm doing only 5K a year, I've never had an automatic but I will be looking for that with the next car so looking with interest in the idea of an Octavia Estate... which I guess would be a diesel rather than petrol though happy to be advised otherwise. I hate, just hate car shopping.... well really any type of shopping.

Ditto to Lord Tyrion's comments

Do not buy diesel if you are a low mileage user you have to be aware of emissions control equipment failure if you do not do do long enough distances at the working temp of the engine. If you are only doing 5k a year you are not going to see much benefit of fuel consumption anyway. The fuel usage of modern petrol cars is so good. If you keep a car for a very long time 5k a year and the car will take 20 years to reach 100k.

 

[jim8flog]

I've never had an automatic but I will be looking for that with the next car

In the main I have only driven autos for the past 30-40 years. They are so much easier to drive . Forget all the rubbish you hear about losing control with one it comes from people who have never driven automatics
I really notice it when I have to drive a manual e.g a loan car.

 

[Oddsocks]

The FragSkoda doesn't quite have that ring to it......

Frag-vag