Buying an automatic

h2s

I am looking around for a second-hand auto.

I was thinking of looking at either Focus, a Corolla or an octivia.

Any Ideas or opinions on the above makes?

Thanks.

ninty9er

How much?

bazz26

h2s wrote: »

I am looking around for a second-hand auto.

I was thinking of looking at either Focus, a Corolla or an octivia.

Any Ideas or opinions on the above makes?

Thanks.

Small cars such as the Focus and Corolla are not great with an auto box simply because there is so little demand for them their makers don't invest the money in them. You can get an Octavia or Golf alright with the excellent DSG box from around 2005/2006 onwards.

What kind of budget do you have? Are you limited to cars the size of a Focus/Octavia as you will pick up an older bigger car with nicer auto boxes.

h2s

I don't want something big that going to cost a fortune to tax and run. At present I have a 307 which is sh1te, before that an accord which was great. However Accords are a bit expensive, which is putting me off, ideally I would like the accord or something on a 1.8 size engine. Budget around the 10K mark.

At the end of the day I am looking for something reliable and it needs to be a auto.

Seth Brundle

Prius FTW

















I'll get me coat!

_Kaiser_

You're basically going to be limited to German if you want a decent auto (I know, I have the same requirement myself when I shop for cars).

As already noted, the VAG group (VW/Audi/Skoda) have the excellent DSG box (speaking from experience here) but aside from VAG, you're talking Merc and BMW I'd imagine.

Also as noted, you'll want a 1.9 TDI (or better/equivalent petrol) to get the full benefits of an auto,

ninty9er

Passat
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Passat/1.8-150b/200940195378222/advert?channel=CARS

bazz26

A few examples:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200943195578307

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200941195458916

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200939195279849

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200942195519503

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200938195259894

ninty9er

Dear Christ don't get an Astra Twinport...it's CRAP to drive, not the worst, but a 15 minute test-drive was enough to put me off.

hellojello

manual all the way

Mr Benevolent

hellojello wrote: »

manual all the way

Very useful that is :rolleyes:

As for the idea that manufacturers fit low-quality autoboxes to their small cars, here in Australia 90% of cars are auto. Considering that Ireland and the UK are almost unique in that 90% of cars are manual, it's obvious that small cars must be fitted with reliable autoboxes for those parts of the world that think logically about owning and driving city cars. So I think the small car/unreliable autobox thing is a myth. Ok, they're not perfectly smooth boxes but they are practical.

The Prius is a good idea, the engine was modified specifically to power an autobox and you can get a great one for €10k, and import an even cheaper one! They're high spec too.

You're basically going to be limited to German if you want a decent auto (I know, I have the same requirement myself when I shop for cars).

Not true, there are plenty of manufacturers with great autoboxes (Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Honda) and at least one German manufacturer with a sh!te rep for them (Opel). The DSG is great, but there are very few available secondhand for below €10k and frankly I'd be wary of a secondhand DSG, longterm reliability is not really known yet.

My choice would be a 1.9TDI mated to an autobox (Skoda Superb) or a Prius.

jojochinto

The avensis are great - my fella is a cabbie and drives one. Most taxis do. Very comfortable. Mitsubishi are great as well,... jo

Zube

Confab wrote: »

Ok, they're not perfectly smooth boxes but they are practical.

bazz can speak for himself, but I don't think "high quality" is as simple as "reliable". An autobox could last forever, but if it is clunky, jerky, slow to react, caught in the wrong ratio all the time and wastes a load of fuel, I don't want one.

Esel

Zube wrote: »

An autobox could last forever, but if it is clunky, jerky, slow to react, caught in the wrong ratio all the time and wastes a load of fuel, I don't want one.

Which boxes that you know of act like this?

rocky

Accord

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Honda/Accord/2.4-i-VT/200939195324377/advert?channel=CARS

Sqaull20

Father has a Rover 75 2.0 diesel ( detuned BMW 320d engine with no turbo problems, very reliable unit) and its great for what it is.Good on fuel, grand power for overtaking, very comfortable and has a great 5 speed auto box.You see loads of them as Taxi's in the UK.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200942195481515

Honda08

rocky wrote: »

Accord

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Honda/Accord/2.4-i-VT/200939195324377/advert?channel=CARS

the accord auto is nice and smooth , it goes well with the 2.0 petrol engine.

nice and smooth changes. on the 2.0 fuel economy is 45mpg on motorway at 90kph.

around town 25-28mpg

combined driving 30-35 mpg. also its a 5 speed auto.

magic in heavy traffic.