You have 20k, what would you buy...

Was thinking of updating the Audi A4, it's showing its 10 years after a small bit of hard driving.

Have about 20-23k and want a second hand vehicle. Was going to update to another Audi A4 or maybe A6, but seems I have to go back to 2002.

Then was half thinking of getting a 4x4, can get something nice like a 2004 or 2005 Ssangyong for that price. Probably would hang on to the 1996 Audi.

Live in a rural area, so don't want something small and nippy. Not too concerned about the tax or fuel. Just want something biggish and comfortable and decent looking, without being too flash or sporty like a Celica. Don't like BMWs or Mercs, suspect again I would have to go back a few years.

Any ideas?

junkyard

What about a Subaru Legacy 4x4 estate... they're lovely to drive, its 4x4, its fast, its ultra reliable and if you buy a Jap. import one it would have loads of spec.

exactiv

Ssangyong suck. Don't waste your money on them. And they're ugly as sin too.

Legacy is a very good suggestion. I'd buy one if I had the money.

Wouldn't have thought of a Subaru. The only ones you see around here (Kerry) are the Impreza, and that's a bit 'flash' for a fellow like me in his 30s. Not too sure about an estate - there's only me and the wife. I know I said 4x4, but while plenty of young fellows around here have 4x4 very few have estates unless they have kids.

junkyard

You can get them as saloons too and they don't look as flash as the Impreza, great car though.

Any opinion on the Subaru Forester? Can get 2003 2.0 with alloys 31,000 miles for 23k on autotrader.ie.

junkyard

Yeah they're good too but I though you didn't want an estate, personally I'd prefer a Legacy but thats only me.

Sorry, my vocab may be wrong. By estate I mean the classic stationwagon shape, which I wasn't looking for - it seems like a family vehicle. However I wouldn't mind the more 'jeep' shaped vehicle - every fellow in South Kerry seems to have one at the moment.

exactiv

the forrester is a very good car. fast, decent enough (for what it is) in the mud.

but it's a bit on the ugly duckling end of the subaru family.

legacy saloon (especially the new one) is savage.

exactiv

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=382351

That's a bit more than you want to spend, but it's a nice car. Find one with a few miles and the price would drop to your budget.

exactiv

exactiv wrote:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=382351

That IS a nice looking car actually. Thanks for that.

Never heard of Ryan Car Sales in Ballincollig. They seem to have some nice stuff...including a 2004 Ssangyong for 19k...

exactiv

I was out at ryan cars last week. Very nice to deal with. Small setup, but not so small you'd be worried if they'll still exist next week.

The ssangyong will be total rubbish! They handle like a big bag of sheeps wool after a pint or two of vodka! If you insist on buying one though, get the diesel, it's an old mercedes engine and it's quite reliable (at least it was in the mercs). Buy a korean car and it will depreciate like crazy.

exactiv

exactiv wrote:

They handle like a big bag of sheeps wool after a pint or two of vodka!

Oh the old sheep and alcohol insults. Is it cos I is from Kerry?

Think there is some jeeps import place down in Blackrock or near Pairc Ui Caoimh that I might check out too.

exactiv

Deleted User wrote:

Oh the old sheep and alcohol insults. Is it cos I is from Kerry?

I'm from that direction too

Jap imports are very expensive for what they are (jeeps anyway).

Near Ryans there's a jap import garage. Don't know the story with them, but 1 stone two birds and all that.

elexes

toyota altezza rs 200

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=391606

m_stan

I would have backed up your plan to get another a4. Yes you'd probably have to go back to 2002. I've been doing some research and it seems you could import a 2003 from the UK for around 23k all in if you are patient and wait for the right one to pop up. That would be for a 1.9TDI 130bhp, which would be my model of choice. Lovely car.

You rule out a bimmer. That would be my other choice. Going back to a similar vintage as far as I can work out.

Good luck with it whatever you do.

Mickk

http://www.cbg.ie/Car_detail.asp?CBGID=394890&ID=655494&NumPics=1&Make=Honda&Model=Accord%20SR&frmFilter=Year

Always liked them, especially if you get a light colour with black leather or a dark one with beige leather...

bazz26

How about one of these:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=374217
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=360394

Thanks for all the ideas folks.

Just spotted another one that looks the business. Always thought 4x4's were just an urban vanity thing but now I'm the wrong side of 30 I must be getting vain. Completely impractical - though roads around here not great. But neat.

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=273097

Lex Luthor

throwing the Nissan X-Trail in the hat

colm_mcm

Deleted User wrote:

Thanks for all the ideas folks.

Just spotted another one that looks the business. Always thought 4x4's were just an urban vanity thing but now I'm the wrong side of 30 I must be getting vain. Completely impractical - though roads around here not great. But neat.

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=273097

what a pile of scrap!

exactiv

ahh jeesusssss..... you can't buy that......... It looks like a front loading CD player from the front!.......... Feels cheap inside too...........

If you're gonna buy a land rover you should get a propper one...
or even better (and cheaper) one of these http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=330405

I quite like the Honda Accord as well...

RobAMerc

If that was a picture of an Alfa there would be a hundred post here telling you it was crap, but that will break down twice as often as any Alfa.

Do the right thing buy a Forester, most won't notice but feel confident that those who know will respect you for it.

Also you'll be able to give it to your grand kids coz it will still be going and driving tight as a new car.

matt cork

i found the forester the poor relation to the legacy - which i think is fantastis in b-spec form (although there is then the tax to consider)

how about a saab 9-3? 2.2 tid, will never go wrong, great build quality

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=208578

2.0l T

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=111056

for bullet proof build quality theres volvo

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=377941

or

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=347477

Squirrel

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=392114

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=392114

We've had one of the earlier models (the second one) from new for 3 years and around 40,000 trouble free miles.

Not a Hyundai - main dealer near here and everyone has the Accent or Santa Fe or Sonata.

Not a Saab either. Have been told by a few people that roads in South Kerry turn a good Saab bad.

On closer inspection the Forester looks too like a family car for me. Can't make up my mind about the Nissan XTrail - kind looks half way between a jeep and a stationwagon without being either. This one isn't bad looking, but again going back to 2002.

el tel

In response to the thread title my answer would be that 20Gs would get a nice Maserati Ghibli 2.0 GT twin-turbo sex machine


but reading your post I'd say stick with the A4 (or get a 5 y.o. TDi A4/A6 if it's a petrol you've already got) and don't waste all your dough on a car.

heggie

20K? toyota supra.

beyondrapid

how about a discovery?
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=343847

Discovery is a fine looking machine alright, but again it goes back to 2000 and that's just a bit too far back for me.

Toyota Supra and Maserati, though nice on the eye, just not executive enough. Too sporty.

Remember, I'm looking for a bloody big executive car that's stylish and relatively new and will satisfy my vanity but is also extremely cheap. Is that too much to expect?

Maybe I will just update the A4 and go for something around 2003.

bazz26

Deleted User wrote:

Discovery is a fine looking machine alright, but again it goes back to 2000 and that's just a bit too far back for me.

Toyota Supra and Maserati, though nice on the eye, just not executive enough. Too sporty.

Remember, I'm looking for a bloody big executive car that's stylish and relatively new and will satisfy my vanity but is also extremely cheap. Is that too much to expect?

Maybe I will just update the A4 and go for something around 2003.

Skoda Superb?
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=356994
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=376188
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=388813

It uses the same diesel engines found in the A4 and VW Passat.

Or a Passat:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=393002
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=398053
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=260462

Lex Luthor

Friend of mine selling his 2002 A4 130bhp 1.9TDi for €21550, but he'll take 20k. 65k miles on the clock. Galway.
Its on Autotrader.

BrianD3

Bizarre that everyting from Landrover Discoverys Maseratis are being recommended in the same thread

Now to make it even more bizarre I'm going to post a pair of French luxobarges
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=389471
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=390311

BrianD3

Ok You did say you wanted a stylish big exec and didn't care about tax or fuel. Forget about boring VAG diesels and horrid jeeps, what you need is 3.2 litres of British V8 power for (near) your budget
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=383813

peasant

a bloody big executive car that's stylish and relatively new and will satisfy my vanity

How about a nice Coupe then?

Merc
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=284930
Peugeot
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=71601
Beemer
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=337064

Squirrel

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=389471

And with the change

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=392154
or
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=362318
or
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=368276

exactiv

BrianD3 wrote:

Bizarre that everyting from Landrover Discoverys Maseratis are being recommended in the same thread

Now to make it even more bizarre I'm going to post a pair of French luxobarges
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=389471
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=390311

Buying French cars is not a good idea. They break. A lot. And they'll break your heart as well. I rented a '05 Pug 407 diesel on hols in december, the boot broke, the esp stopped working, the abs packed up and the central locking wouldn't function at all. Piece of junk.

ambro25

Forget the SsangYong (Musso, if that be the one you're thinking about) - this from experience (not my barge but had a lend for short while): it really does handle most sh1ttily, even for a 4x4, I don't know what SY did to the Merc' diesel power plant but it's not as reliable as people would have you believe (they only speak of how good it is because it's the only one more-or-less redeeming feature of the beast - and that's because it's not SYoung's!), and even the diesel is well on the thirsty side - again, even by common 4x4 standards. Stay well away.

As a long-time Jap cars-converted and a 2+ years owner of an Impreza (2.0 Sport, non-modified, used a family car, our first), I'm now a total Subaru whor... sorry, converted person So, the Legacy gets all of my votes so far, in either saloon or estate guise. Since you're after exec' looking, I don't know why you;d consider the Forester (It's ugly. No ifs, no buts. Not as ugly as anything by SsangYoung, though ).

From the reading the thread, and in your particular 'split' between exec wagon or 4x4, any Scoob actually marries both perfectly since they're all full-time 4WD (unlike Audi and equivalents). They're built like panzers, more reliable than a swiss watch, safer than any other comparable-sized saloon (combination of all usual electronic gubbins, ABS and 4WD), and keep their value a bit more steadily than equivalent cars. Only downsides I can think of is that (i) they don't do diesel and (ii) full-time 4WD makes'em slightly thirstier than same-sized FWD or RWD cars.

Now, for something 'different', that answers your latest criteria (cheap, big, executive-looking, etc, etc, for your budget), the Jag' will prove a tad expensive to run BUT... how about a V8 Rover 75 (maybe even the MG one, second-hand)?

prospect

exactiv wrote:

Buying French cars is not a good idea. They break. A lot. And they'll break your heart as well. I rented a '05 Pug 407 diesel on hols in december, the boot broke, the esp stopped working, the abs packed up and the central locking wouldn't function at all. Piece of junk.

Yes, all peugeots ever made suffer at least all of those problems :rolleyes:
That must be why the 206 is one of the best selling cars, EVER.

unkel

That's a nice budget which will give you plenty of scope

I'll third or more the Legacy. See Ambro's post for the reasons You should be able to pick up a 2004 for your budget

Within your budget, or slightly over, you might be able to pick up a brand new Rover 75 diesel (with the excellent BMW diesel engine). You'll have to buy warranty separately though

Did you consider any of the larger Honda / Lexus cars? A Honda Legend is still quite uncommon on these roads. You'll have to go back a few years (2001?) and it might be difficult to find one though

Big Nelly

prospect wrote:

Yes, all peugeots ever made suffer at least all of those problems :rolleyes:
That must be why the 206 is one of the best selling cars, EVER.

206 is a heap of sh*t....always though so and then a friend made the mistake of buying one......1 month later and she hates it and is selling it as soon as she can find some other poor sap to buy it off her.....

Funny thing was I drove it down shops one day to see how it was and was giving out about how crap it was when this guys passed me who had parked beside me. He was in tears laughing, just turned around and says "you just have to drive them, I have the problem of trying to sell them", I couldnt help but laugh. Then he looked back at it and goes "your ok, you have the 02 one..the newer ones are worse". That from the Sales guy for Peugeots? I think it says something. He was in a 406 or whatever the big version Peugeot are.

If I had 20k would buy a newer Passat, just picked up my 02 Highline 130Bhp Passat yesterday and I love it(had 00 90Bhp before). UK import so all the extra's on it..heated seats, cruise control etc.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions and the time taken to link cars and suggestions.

Got a few great ideas that I'd never have thought of. Think I've buried the Saangyong idea after the reviews here and the linked stuff.

Squirrel, I had toyed with the idea of buying 20 Pandas, calling in all the friends and travelling in convoys - it would get me the attention I crave anyway.

Hadn't really thought about getting a coupe of any model, or going for a Passat or Legacy, but will check these out more.

In the meantime, anyone got an opinion on Mazda? Found this, which looks nice...

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=239379

or this, which is a 2004 jeep...

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=355825

Someone mentioned Honda Legend.

Even though it would completely bust the budget, I see a 2005 Honda Accord available here

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=393886

Lovely looking car - and remember that's the priority!!

The jag suggestions are tempting, but I'd get killed for driving a jag around South Kerry! Hadn't considered the Rover V8 but this one looks nice - don't Rover have a bad rep tho?

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=393886

JamesM

Conor, I have a 00 Subaru Legacy - older than you are thinking of, I have had it for 3 years and it is the best car I've ever had. The AWD is fantastic. No 2 wheel drive corners as fast (if you need to). I tow a boat, cross the odd field - no problem. I would not go for anything as big as the Forrester, but either the Saloon, Estate, or the Outback will be my next car.
If you are round Killorglin, keep an eye out for a famous Kerry cyclist, also driving a Legacy And he swears by it

bazz26

Here is a nice Legacy:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=Car&carID=399400&message=You%20searched%20for%3A%20Subaru%20Legacy%2C%20Year%3A%202004%2C%20added%20in%20the%20last%207%20days%2E%20Your%20search%20returned%20one%20vehicle%2C%20which%20is%20shown%20below%2E&CFID=3304717&CFTOKEN=72471613

Pretty unique 2 year old car on these roads for under €20k, not bad.

Big Nelly

Deleted User wrote:

or going for a Passat[/url]

Take one for a spin, but make sure its the 130Bhp model. They are great, this is the one I have just bought http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=363095

Love it, power is great in them and so comfy inside, used to have base model but the difference to the highline is great. Also if getting a Passat second hand try and get a UK import because they have all the extras on them. Mine has heated seats etc which you don't get on the Irish models. Also if unsure about UK models there is a website I can give you which will check if it is clocked etc......gives you some peace of mind

robo1

Are you still thinking of selling your current A4? If so what price would you be looking for?