Don't want a lemon - which of these cars to buy?

Stingerbar

I want a 4/5 door car for about 8 grand, heres the lineup from a local garage - all come with a 1 year full europe parts, labour and replacement car warranty

http://us13595.x.modix.de/go.to/modix/2/stock.fr.html?version=125&search_vehicles=1&request_uid=yes&customer=1-14275-411628

Yup its in Belgium

I am really looking at that Clio 2008 with 32k km on the clock, good value? good car?

Newish driver, second car, will be used for commuting mostly but also some v long drives around Europe

I have no idea whats good or not

If anyone is bored at work and fancy doing a price check in the 8k range heres a quick list on autoscout.be.. perhaps some models are much cheaper than Oireland
(all with gaurantee, 1 previous owner, 2003 onwards and < 100K km on the clock)
http://fr.autoscout24.be/ListGN.aspx?mmvco=0&fregfrom=2003&pricefrom=5000&priceto=8000&kmto=100000&body=6&cy=B&prevownersid=1&eq=37&zip=1500&zipc=B&zipr=20&ustate=N,U&nm=False&pageid=search

thanks

Stingerbar

Stingerbar wrote: »

good value?

In fairness not many folk here will be able to comment accurately on the value of 2nd hand cars in Belgium. No doubt many will anyway but I'd take most comments on the value or otherwise with a large grain of salt

Stingerbar

Very true but if they browse and know lots about cars they might be able to spot a bargain, or at least help me avoid something bad

I know cars are different but show me a few PCs with a 1 year warranty and I can use my nerd powers to instantly spot the sweet bargain or total piece of junk

Mr Benevolent

OP if you will be doing a lot of driving around Europe a Clio is not ideal. It's a city car really. Drop down a few years and get something more comfortable.

colm_mcm

Why limit yourself to one brand?

Stingerbar

Because I know shag all about cars

this particular garage has a 1 year full warranty for Euroland - the others may have 1 year but its for the garage only - seems a big plus if I will be doing some driving around Europe

also - my only limit is 8k euros give or take - however since I don't know much about cars there is such a huge range that its overwhelming

If I ask for suggestions on a 4/5 door break small car for around 8k that can handle itself outside of the city then I'll prob get suggestions for everything - its v hard to narrow down

colm_mcm

Perhaps you should look at a different brand then, renault isn't exactly known for making cars well, things have improved in the last few years, but if you're buying a car as an appliance then get the most reliable one you can.

Stingerbar

colm_mcm wrote: »

Perhaps you should look at a different brand then, renault isn't exactly known for making cars well, things have improved in the last few years, but if you're buying a car as an appliance then get the most reliable one you can.

Ah which brands are considered reliable now then?

Volkswagen I presume

How about recent Citroens and Peugeots?

Its pretty hard starting this from scratch, everyone's advice seems to differ, some online (legit) reviews seemed to be saying the 08 Clio's were absolutely amazing little things

Henry Ford III

Is there a www.boards.be?

Guy:Incognito

RoverJames wrote: »

In fairness not many folk here will be able to comment accurately on the value of 2nd hand cars in Belgium. No doubt many will anyway but I'd take most comments on the value or otherwise with a large grain of salt

I dont know, if my grasp of the 2nd hand car market in Belgium is as good as I think it is, they all look like bargains.


or grossly overpriced, I cant decide.:)

The sites all in foreign too. Le Grille, what the hell is Le grille.

Henry Ford III

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

The sites all in foreign too. Le Grille, what the hell is Le grille.

Presumably where you cook Le burger?

Stingerbar

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

I dont know, if my grasp of the 2nd hand car market in Belgium is as good as I think it is, they all look like bargains.


or grossly overpriced, I cant decide.:)

The sites all in foreign too. Le Grille, what the hell is Le grille.

Yikes lads, the make and model of the car, the km and the year isn't in chinese - can't be that hard

I'm sure if it was a link to the German market you'd all be praising how cheap it was without looking at it

Anyway, my question is too broad, I'll soldier on

keithclancy

A Clio for long distance driving .... you'll want to shoot yourself after the first hour

What about something like this ?
http://nl.autoscout24.be/Details.aspx?id=190453039

Or This:
http://nl.autoscout24.be/Details.aspx?id=191674507

Depends on your idea of a commute,
My idea of a commute is 1 hour there and 1 hour back from work

Cars are relatively cheap in Belgium, road tax is lower and Diesel is cheap too (Compared to Germany/Netherlands)

Be careful though, get another garage to check it out before you put down any money and pay special attention to the suspension and bushings, the roads in Belgium are rubbish, some parts are worse than Ireland and as a result some cars can be very rattly

Guy:Incognito

keithclancy wrote: »

A Clio for long distance driving .... you'll want to shoot yourself after the first hour

People keep saying things like that but the autobahns of Germany are full of small cars.

colm_mcm

I went all over Spain in an ibiza 1.9 tdi, it was never out of its depth.
As long as its not a 1.0 or really underpowered theres not a problem. Small cars aren't little tin cans anymore

cadaliac

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

People keep saying things like that but the autobahns of Germany are full of small cars.

Of course they are - they are for all cars and everyone who has a small car can use them too. They just don't use them for long trips.
The coment was pointed at a person who travels long distances - hence the bigger (more comfortable) car.

keithclancy

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

People keep saying things like that but the autobahns of Germany are full of small cars.

Of course ... I know a guy who did Den Haag to Munich in a Fiat Panda.

Have you ever tried doing a long distance trip around Europe with a boot the size of a shelf ?

I couldn't do my commute without comfort .. the commutes already bad enough as it is, I wouldn't want to make it worse by getting into a Clio every morning.

Guy:Incognito

cadaliac wrote: »

Of course they are - they are for all cars and everyone who has a small car can use them too. They just don't use them for long trips.
The coment was pointed at a person who travels long distances - hence the bigger (more comfortable) car.

Well I dont know what the definition of a long trip is in this context but of the people in my immediate family, one has a MkI Clio, another a late 90's Fiesta and another a Honda Jazz. These cars do regular long journeys of 200km+ each way.

keithclancy wrote: »

Have you ever tried doing a long distance trip around Europe with a boot the size of a shelf ?
.

In fairness, commuting your not going to have a couple of weeks worth of stuff for a holiday being carted with you.

It's all relative to what the OP is used to driving.

keithclancy

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Well I dont know what the definition of a long trip is in this context but of the people in my immediate family, one has a MkI Clio, another a late 90's Fiesta and another a Honda Jazz. These cars do regular long journeys of 200km+ each way.

In fairness, commuting your not going to have a couple of weeks worth of stuff for a holiday being carted with you.

It's all relative to what the OP is used to driving.

I do just over 1000km/week.
I'd carry very little in the boot except warning triangle, some tools, spare wheel, plastic bags for shopping and maybe a bicycle.

When you spend alot of time in the car, cabin noise, cup holders, comfortable seats, decent sound system, cruise control all make a difference.

I used to do a 246km commute in a Mk1 Octavia before .. it was horrible, the seats were uncomfortable, no airco so in the summer it was a disaster.

Its not all just about reliability and fuel economy, its about comfort as well. Right tool for the job an all that.

Plus the op said he wanted to travel around europe, I have a Volvo Estate now and its just about enough space for 3 people + camping gear and equipment without a roof box.

Also the OP is in Belgium, he pay quite high income tax so why not take advantage of the low road tax and fuel cost