Buying a car

steveledzep

Emp_Fab said:

steveledzep said:

CR-Z linky no worky for me.

Being sexy is not one of the criteria I use when selecting a car.  They're both from top manufacturers.  Half the mileage and two years younger does it for me.

Try this:- https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201904237239838?sort=distance&model=CR-Z&make=HONDA&radius=1500&postcode=sa43yx&advertising-location=at_cars&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&page=1

As for the individual cars, they are examples rather than specific vehicles to purchase.  There are other Sciroccos and other CRZs in my budget.

@RaymondLin ;  I don't need four doors or a big boot.  There's only two of us and a pug.  I would like the option to take another passenger now and again if we're going out, so a 2+2 (however cramped) is fine.  I've been kinda scared away from diesel now, and think perhaps petrol or a hybrid like the CRZ might be better overall.  Not that I'm buying a 6 grand car with the intention of making anything on selling it later, but a diesel is likely to depreciate faster given the ever tightening environmental rules etc.  Even if I only get £1,000 for it later on, that's better than nobody wanting it because diesels are now taxed at £1000 a mile.

I want something that stands out from the homogenous crowd of Golf / Focus / Astra shapes.  I can't be arsed with vinyl roof convertibles - or convertibles in general to be honest.  It would be different if we lived somewhere sunnier perhaps.  I want sexy car !  I'm 55 and if I can't have a mid-life crisis now then I don't know when I can.

I want reliability - so no Vauxhalls or French cars.  I want to sit in it and feel like I'm in something expensive.  I want other people to look at me in it and think "Oooooh, I'll bet he's amazing in bed.....  " - or - at the very least "What's that car ?  I haven't seen one of those before".  

I want to pay low road tax and get over 45mpg.  Not really fussed about performance, though it would be fun if it had it.  How it looks and what it costs to run takes priority.

Thanks for the new link - WOW that Honda does look sexy, I'd have it in a flash over the squashed Golf....oops Scirocco !
I didn't know that hybrids were available with manual gearboxes.  I drive a hybrid myself with a CVT auto box from Lexus.  Hybrid is the way forward towards all electric.  Keep us informed please.

ronnyb

I hate to be a harbinger of doom again but that scirocco has the VW 1.4tsi engine. They also have timing chain problems. VW admitted there was a problem with them, apparently the supplier of the chains had used the punches for the links beyond their wear limit so they no longer punched with precision. This left tiny burrs on the links which cause abrasive wear resulting in high oil consumption and chain failure. The later 1.4tsi engine from 2013 i think are belt driven and are ok.  

Stevepage

Chevy Blazer. Sexy in that, 1 tooth/6 kids 7 dads/trailer park kind of way

strtdv

If it were my money I'd narrow it down to a very short list based on whether I was wearing my sensible hat or not.

Sensible choice for a car with a budget of £7k:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201904277368621?atmobcid=soc3

It's got warranty until 2022. The "2" level trim comes with most of what anyone would need. It will get you from A to B very efficiently with very low running costs.
It's also not very good to drive, but as an economical proposition I don't think it can be beaten.


Less sensible hat on:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201904036588609?atmobcid=soc3

Older and higher mileage, and a little over budget.
It's also the best drivers car in its class.
ST2 level gains useful creature comforts over the base trim.

Way more fun to drive than the Scirocco you posted.


Even less sensible choice:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201811282813691?atmobcid=soc3

In some ways this is actually quite sensible. The 2.0 Mazda engine is reliable, the car is very light and gets decent fuel economy, it's even got a removable hard top

The most fun car and lots are available within budget.

RaymondLin

MX-5 would be a fun car to drive.

Nitefly

RaymondLin said:

MX-5 would be a fun car to drive.

Are you kidding?  He's just turned 55, he won't be able to get in or out of it...

Octafish

Nitefly said:

RaymondLin said:

MX-5 would be a fun car to drive.

Are you kidding?  He's just turned 55, he won't be able to get in or out of it...

It's a drop top so those of a less flexible/more portly disposition can always be lowered in.

sweepy

Waiting to pick up our Toyota CH-R Hybrid at the end of May, very impressive bit of kit indeed although is a very dark slate grey metallic

Emp_Fab

Nitefly said:

RaymondLin said:

MX-5 would be a fun car to drive.

Are you kidding?  He's just turned 55, he won't be able to get in or out of it...

You ain't far wrong.  I could always park it near a kids slide and jump off halfway down.  

Oh... forget that plan.  The court order and all that....

Emp_Fab

I've discovered that the CRZ comes in GT flavour too - with heated leather, sunroof & sat nav.  So, naturally, nothing below that spec will do now.  I've only found the GT in white though.

What say ye to the white ones ?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201904277383754?fromSavedAds=true&advertising-location=at_cars&modal=photos

p90fool

As someone with only a passing interest in sleeping with 55 year old men, I have to say that none of your choices so far are exactly head turners. 

They're all pretty much identikit generic hatches to someone who doesn't sit on the bog with Autotrader. 

RaymondLin

As said before, get the car on condition, mileage, spec and not worry about colour.

MOT history suggests this white one has a clean bill of health.  so base on that...it is the one to go for.

Budgie

My mate's got a CRZ and really likes it. He's had it for about 3 years and it's been problem free. His is white too and it looks great. I like the fact that you don't see many of them on the road. 

Octafish

p90fool said:

As someone with only a passing interest in sleeping with 55 year old men, I have to say that none of your choices so far are exactly head turners. 

They're all pretty much identikit generic hatches to someone who doesn't sit on the bog with Autotrader. 

Yeah, none of the highlighted cars stand out aesthetically and the idea that a modern hatchback could be called 'sexy' is Partridgesque at best. With 'only' £6000 to play with the OP should just concentrate on something boring and reliable in the Kia, Skoda or Hyundai mould. You have to spend a lot of money to buy a car that's a head turner (and then many are just thinking 'what a wanker') or buy a classic motor not seen on the roads much these days... an Allegro or 2CV

octatonic

Octafish said:

p90fool said:

As someone with only a passing interest in sleeping with 55 year old men, I have to say that none of your choices so far are exactly head turners. 

They're all pretty much identikit generic hatches to someone who doesn't sit on the bog with Autotrader. 

Yeah, none of the highlighted cars stand out aesthetically and the idea that a modern hatchback could be called 'sexy' is Partridgesque at best. With 'only' £6000 to play with the OP should just concentrate on something boring and reliable in the Kia, Skoda or Hyundai mould. You have to spend a lot of money to buy a car that's a head turner (and then many are just thinking 'what a wanker') or buy a classic motor not seen on the roads much these days... an Allegro or 2CV

Agree.
There are a lot of options for Emp within his budget.
He seems to be getting caught up looking for something out of his budget and then trying to cram/compromise on essential things for the non essential.

When we got back from living in the US I bought a £3000 Honda Civic and drove it into the ground over the next 5 years, doing quite a few miles.
It cost me hardly anything to run.
It wasn't a fun car, nor was it 'sexy' but it worked.

Emp_Fab

 Yeah.... you’re right.  Thinking about it again and watching videos of people trying to sit in the back of the CRZs with bent necks, I thought “what’s the point in getting a 2+2 that has completely unusable rear seats?”.  Unless we start adopting dwarves, they are a waste of space.

I still have friends, so a 2 seater isn’t what I’m after and that’s effectively what the CRZ is.

I think maybe I should just abandon all hope of getting anything that looks nice and just get a boring, reliable box on wheels.   

RaymondLin

Emp_Fab said:

 Yeah.... you’re right.  Thinking about it again and watching videos of people trying to sit in the back of the CRZs with bent necks, I thought “what’s the point in getting a 2+2 that has completely unusable rear seats?”.  Unless we start adopting dwarves, they are a waste of space.

I still have friends, so a 2 seater isn’t what I’m after and that’s effectively what the CRZ is.

I think maybe I should just abandon all hope of getting anything that looks nice and just get a boring, reliable box on wheels.   

Or just accept it's a 2 seater with storage space at the back.  Or at a push, space to go no more than 15mins or they should get a taxi.   It's your car, buy a car that you want, you are allowed to be a little selfish.

Budgie

This is probably a daft suggestion but a Mini Countryman? Decent sized boot and it's anything but mini. Plenty of room for passengers in the back too. AWD option too if that's remotely important or useful.

fob

Emp_Fab said:

 I want other people to look at me in it and think "Oooooh, I'll bet he's amazing in bed.....  "

You might need to add tinted windows to your requirements.

Emp_Fab

@fob Classic LOL moment there !