Opinions Needed: New Focus on scrappage (00 Corrolla petrol)

Bif

Folks,
All thoughts / comment appreciated...Wife is thinking of scrapping the her 2000 corolla petrol car (does about 12k a year) for a new (about to be replaced) Focus diesel. It is well spec'd and price seems to be good. We will not be changing the car again for at least for 5-7 years. What are they like to drive and for reliability? Does it represent good value at about 17.5 k...should I be able to do better than that price (haven't started to haggle) or is their better cars for the same money? How much a year in running costs is the new car likely to save...sorry for all the questions...

Thanks in advance...

bazz26

As you plan on keeping the car for at least 5 years then take a look at the new Renault Megane. Much fresher design than the Focus which is about to be replaced by a new model later this month.

You can also opt for a 5 year warranty with the Megane, 1.5dci 110bhp Dynamique costs €17,400 ex delivery and metalic paint. Higher spec TomTom version costs €18,500.

Big Nelly

Read this thread, we are in same postition

After testing over 20 cars and putting massive spreadsheet together we are going for the Hyundai i30

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056194939&highlight=nelly

The Megane is terrible, we test drive, like a tractor. The Hyundai is a lot smoother on the road and you get a lot of extras in the base system. Also a great price with trade in.

People kept mentioning the Kia, but when we went to drive, first they had no test drive car available and also not as cheap as Hyundai so we left it. Can send you on spreadsheet if you PM me

Big Nelly

Oh yeah the diesel i30 is the most economical of everything we drove

Also
5 Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty

5-Year Free AA Roadside Assistance

5 Year Free Vehicle Health Check

Included

galwaytt

Not for the first time, but is there not something ridiculous about scrapping a perfectly good 10yr old car - and a Corolla at that ?

OP, I'm assuming it's in reasonable condition, btw, but at 12k miles p.a., it's only got 120k on it. Frankly, you're not even half way through it's technical lifetime.......

But hey, salesguys need jobs too, so carry on.........

jamesr123

galwaytt wrote: »

Not for the first time, but is there not something ridiculous about scrapping a perfectly good 10yr old car - and a Corolla at that ?

OP, I'm assuming it's in reasonable condition, btw, but at 12k miles p.a., it's only got 120k on it. Frankly, you're not even half way through it's technical lifetime.......

But hey, salesguys need jobs too, so carry on.........

I think that's a good point actually.. I'm sure there are people out there that would love a reliable 00 corolla as a starter car or somthing. Just thought i'd add that:rolleyes: carry on :cool:

lomb

Its a joke. Youl get more than the scrappage value if you sell that privately. I got 850 for a 97 new shape and the phone rang off the hook. Youl get about 1700 for that easy making over the allowance plus you are helping to save the environment by allowing use of a good wanted and useful car rather than destroying it.

Big Nelly

lomb wrote: »

Its a joke. Youl get more than the scrappage value if you sell that privately. I got 850 for a 97 new shape and the phone rang off the hook. Youl get about 1700 for that easy making over the allowance plus you are helping to save the environment by allowing use of a good wanted and useful car rather than destroying it.

You are getting 5k on most good scrappage deals!!!

lomb

Big Nelly wrote: »

You are getting 5k on most good scrappage deals!!!

That then my friend is a scam. The government is giving I believe 1200 off. If the dealers and distributors are topping it up with more discount then I would INSIST on getting the same discount less the 1200 of course if I was buying new. Otherwise they can take their cars and keep them:D

New cars are overrated anyway. Ive owned a few and it is a very nice feeling/emotion going into something brand new especially when coming out of a banger( my first car was probably the worst banger in the world a peug 405 that I was refilling with water every 10 miles due to water pump failure-had a builders water barrel on the back seat for that, that i used a hammer to get the starter to turn over, that cut out at the sight of rain and the lights worked when they wanted and had a bulge in a tire, on Irish plates in the UK etc) into something brand new. I still remember the feeling but at the end of the day I laugh now thinking I HAD to get something new and I was tied to a car that belonged in a skip until I had the cash for a new one.

Henry Ford III

Big Nelly wrote: »

Oh yeah the diesel i30 is the most economical of everything we drove

Also
5 Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty

5-Year Free AA Roadside Assistance

5 Year Free Vehicle Health Check

Included

The resale value will be awful. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

lomb

The 1.2 golf is undoubtadly the best buy as you can walk away in a couple of years quite easily with a private or trade sale at modest and predictable depreciation. Just go for a good popular colour, I personally wouldnt pay extra for metallic, VWs red is quite nice or their non met black if they still do them. The fuel cost difference in euros is very little unless doing massive miles when you have to account for the fact that the best part of 20 grand could disappear within 5 years on a hyundai.

Bif

Yes...it is criminal to scrap a car in good nick and yes the car could probably be sold for a few hundred more than the scrappage value and yes the car is in good condtion for 11 years old and has been in the family since new and has been well serviced etc. and could last another 100k miles I imagine. No issue with any of that.

But on the other hand
A) the deal has not been done!
the car would need some money put into to make me feel happy about selling it privately.
C) to sell privately does involve time / hassle / resposnibiliity to some degree etc
D) when I enquired about buying another car last year (straight deal for cash) I found that if I had scrapped the corrolla against it I was up an extra €1000 (the salesman told me the importers were funding this). Don't know if this is still the case. Didn't do it in the end as the corolla was doing just fine and I ended buying a second hand car for myself.
E) on the economics of buying the new car I believe I would be spending about €18k in total and over 10 years that costs €1800 a year. If my figures are right I would save about €1000 on fuel and tax versus keeping the corolla thus leaving a cost of €800 a year. For this €800 you get a much nicer car to drive, more room, much better equipment, 3yrs warranty and breakdown (at least) and most importantly much better safety rating for my family.
F) Also worth saying we have always bought second hand cars up to this.
G) it is also worth saying that, AFAIK, if the garage think the car is worth more than €1200 they can sell it on and not scrap it!

However I still haven't made my mind up yet as the corolla is doing everything it should be doing . Thanks again for the comments and info. Keep it coming.

Zonda999

lomb wrote: »

The 1.2 golf is undoubtadly the best buy as you can walk away in a couple of years quite easily with a private or trade sale at modest and predictable depreciation. Just go for a good popular colour, I personally wouldnt pay extra for metallic, VWs red is quite nice or their non met black if they still do them. The fuel cost difference in euros is very little unless doing massive miles when you have to account for the fact that the best part of 20 grand could disappear within 5 years on a hyundai.

Yes but you need to know how much more the golf will be worth than the hyundai in 5 years time. Then you need to balance that off with respect to the ownership experience in that time, the hyundai is a much more sound proposition in that respect compared to the far inferior warranty conditions to the golf. 2 years at this stage is pathetic. The golf engine is also a lot less tested to an extent, the 1.2 TSi has only been around a year or so. The hyundai/kia engine has been around for a few years now. I would agree with you if the car is only going to used for short spins around a city, in that case i'd definitely still recommend a petrol over a modern diesel.

Big Nelly

Henry Ford III wrote: »

The resale value will be awful. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Maybe so but you are paying less up front, if keeping fcor 5 years and then reselling you will not be looking for much for car anyway as it has already paid for it self so to speak. Rest of cars are a lot more up front and maybe they could have better resale but in 5 years time we will all be probably on Electric or so cars so how much would be petrol/diesel car be worth anyway? prob wont even be oil left to put in the bloody thing the way things are going

Big Nelly

lomb wrote: »

The 1.2 golf is undoubtadly the best buy as you can walk away in a couple of years quite easily with a private or trade sale at modest and predictable depreciation. Just go for a good popular colour, I personally wouldnt pay extra for metallic, VWs red is quite nice or their non met black if they still do them. The fuel cost difference in euros is very little unless doing massive miles when you have to account for the fact that the best part of 20 grand could disappear within 5 years on a hyundai.

Your way off here, the golf as someone else mentioned is a new engine and there was a few people on here saying the engine goes bad in 2-3 years. It is the worst car from all of the ones I have looked at for miles to gallon. So you are constantly paying more for petrol than any other car.

I was getting the petrol one for around the same cost as the Hyundai but you only get 2 year warrenty, that would be base model so no extra's which you get in Hyundai. The Hyundai is saving you 2 ltr to every 100KM. Also has a few more horses in it. It has a nice 6 speed gear box as well so good for motorway. You would be buring petrol in the Golf.

As mentioned we are keeing for 5 years, so we have a full 5 year warranty so if anything does go wrong in Hyundai we can get it fixed. Also the Hyundai is a lot better looking than the Golf, Golf is boring car and looks boring.

lomb

Big Nelly wrote: »

Your way off here, the golf as someone else mentioned is a new engine and there was a few people on here saying the engine goes bad in 2-3 years. It is the worst car from all of the ones I have looked at for miles to gallon. So you are constantly paying more for petrol than any other car.

I was getting the petrol one for around the same cost as the Hyundai but you only get 2 year warrenty, that would be base model so no extra's which you get in Hyundai. The Hyundai is saving you 2 ltr to every 100KM. Also has a few more horses in it. It has a nice 6 speed gear box as well so good for motorway. You would be buring petrol in the Golf.

As mentioned we are keeing for 5 years, so we have a full 5 year warranty so if anything does go wrong in Hyundai we can get it fixed. Also the Hyundai is a lot better looking than the Golf, Golf is boring car and looks boring.

When you say the golf will be eating petrol how many miles will you/wife be doing? Id say the golf will cost about 300 or 400 more a year to run, easily offset by the depreciation and resale value and ease.If you sold in two years the hyundai will be unsaleable, the golf will cause the phone to ring off the hook. Why a 5 year time frame?

Remember if your car is stolen or heaven forbid written off the insurer will pay sfa out on the Hyundai after a few years.

Can't argue with you on looks, the golf is boring unless its the 3 door gti with telephone alloys and lowered sports suspension and kit. The MKIV looked the best of them imho saying that. In any case the hyundai is boring also imho even more so, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder Il definitely admit. Ive always fancied golfs for some reason..

Gophur

lomb wrote: »

The 1.2 golf is undoubtadly the best buy as you can walk away in a couple of years quite easily with a private or trade sale at modest and predictable depreciation. Just go for a good popular colour, I personally wouldnt pay extra for metallic, VWs red is quite nice or their non met black if they still do them. The fuel cost difference in euros is very little unless doing massive miles when you have to account for the fact that the best part of 20 grand could disappear within 5 years on a hyundai.

You are correct. The Golf will be an infinitely more desirable car when you come to sell, a hell of a lot more than any Korean yoke.

The Focus, as with the VW, will be so much better too, Korea has never produced a nice car to drive.

Ignore all this spreadsheet cr4p and get something that will be nice to drive and something you'll be proud to own. No point being stuck with a thing that will bore you to pieces.

Big Nelly

Gophur wrote: »

You are correct. The Golf will be an infinitely more desirable car when you come to sell, a hell of a lot more than any Korean yoke.

The Focus, as with the VW, will be so much better too, Korea has never produced a nice car to drive.

Ignore all this spreadsheet cr4p and get something that will be nice to drive and something you'll be proud to own. No point being stuck with a thing that will bore you to pieces.

You having a laugh? where you come up with Korea have never produced a nice car? have you ever driven a Hyundai?

The Golf is so boring it is unreal! so is the Focus. I drive a Mondeo so I know all about it

Have test drove the Hyundai 3 times now and it is the best driver in that car range and is very good looking compared to what else is out there.

In terms to the earlier post, I do 50k KM per year for work alone. She would prob do 15k a year in her current car but she drives mine if we are going anywhere so more on my car but will start to use her car more when we swap.

bazz26

Henry Ford III wrote: »

The resale value will be awful. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Used Ford resale values outside of the Ford dealer network are hardly better. And considering the current Focus is about to be replaced by a new model, in 5 years time the current model will also be worth sweet feck all so the point is a mute one really.

lomb

http://www.topgear.com/uk/hyundai/i30

"Not-half-bad Focus rival wearing the same underwear as the better-looking Kia C'eed. Taken at face value it's OK, but life doesn't have to be this dull looking."

Reviews dont seem positive. Personally I wont really comment on looks as they are all dull in the price class other than alfa.

bazz26

lomb wrote: »

http://www.topgear.com/uk/hyundai/i30

"Not-half-bad Focus rival wearing the same underwear as the better-looking Kia C'eed. Taken at face value it's OK, but life doesn't have to be this dull looking."

Reviews dont seem positive. Personally I wont really comment on looks as they are all dull in the price class other than alfa.

Must be true so if Top Gear say it.

Big Nelly

lomb wrote: »

http://www.topgear.com/uk/hyundai/i30

"Not-half-bad Focus rival wearing the same underwear as the better-looking Kia C'eed. Taken at face value it's OK, but life doesn't have to be this dull looking."

Reviews dont seem positive. Personally I wont really comment on looks as they are all dull in the price class other than alfa.

Wouldnt mind TopGear, everything is dull unless it is 200k Jag. Depends on what you are looking for, in my case it is family run around with plenty of boot space and a good few extra's, Hyundai comes with Bluetooth and cruise control, is nice to drive and handles the road well. Was really going towards the Nissan Juke but is a lot more up front to get any extra's and also rolls around alot on the corner. Also it has the Renault engine underneath it so a little bit underpowered for the size of it. Still nice thou.

lomb

Bluetooth and cruise are worth shag all tbh. I got a top of the line kenwood bluetooth setup for 200 euros recently(kennys best HU- would absolutely blow any manufacturer fitted HU away with variable colour illum to match the dash, 3 4 volt preouts,cd, mp3 rear usb that goes in glovebox, seperate mic for sound quality), as well as middle of the line kenwood bluetooth for 100. Fitting is a doddle.
Cruise on vws can be fitted with oem vw parts for 180 euros. All vws today are cruise ready with EPC drive by wire throttle, the vw cruise stalk plugs into the loom.

lomb

Big Nelly wrote: »

Wouldnt mind TopGear, everything is dull unless it is 200k Jag. Depends on what you are looking for, in my case it is family run around with plenty of boot space and a good few extra's, Hyundai comes with Bluetooth and cruise control, is nice to drive and handles the road well. Was really going towards the Nissan Juke but is a lot more up front to get any extra's and also rolls around alot on the corner. Also it has the Renault engine underneath it so a little bit underpowered for the size of it. Still nice thou.

No probs, find me a good review of the I30, i doubt it personally, but im open minded. Maybe it is a good car?

Big Nelly

lomb wrote: »

No probs, find me a good review of the I30, i doubt it personally, but im open minded. Maybe it is a good car?

Seems like you bought a Golf and are trying to persuade everyone else to do the same. Why do you need a good review from some website? why not test drive yourself and then make a decision! your just spouting the same cr*p as a lot of people on here. No idea about cars but just what you own and then playing it up as great car.

Only car I have not driven in anger is Alfa, I have driven most cars apart from TopGear 200k cars. I buy a car based on the following, maybe you will learn something but prob not

Initial Price
Cost over 5 years
Tax over 5 years
Reliability
Warranty
Long term value
Space
Features

The golf loses on most of these, reliabilty? unless you go for the larger priced diesel the petrol is crap, warranty is crap. Space is ok at best. And features are crap, lucky to get a seat in base model.

lomb

I own an audi tt 225bhp quattro roadster and a 1.4 golf and a 1.6fsi mkv golf, and a friend has a mk6 2.0 d golf...My next car will be a quattro mk2 TT RS roadster...
I have zero interest in spouting crap and zero interest in driving a hyundai but if you do buy one then enjoy it, any new motor is nice:)

Big Nelly

lomb wrote: »

I own an audi tt 225bhp quattro roadster and a 1.4 golf and a 1.6fsi mkv golf, and a friend has a mk6 2.0 d golf...My next car will be a quattro mk2 TT RS roadster...
I have zero interest in spouting crap and zero interest in driving a hyundai but if you do buy one then enjoy it, any new motor is nice:)

Still didnt answer the question, have you test driven any cars? if not then should not be putting any opinion forward as you havent a clue

Del2005

Bif wrote: »

G) it is also worth saying that, AFAIK, if the garage think the car is worth more than €1200 they can sell it on and not scrap it!

If you go in and ask for the scrapage deal then the car has to be scrapped. The garage has no control over it.

It's criminal what they've done with this scrapage deal, at least the UK and US have a domestic car industry they where supporting while all we're doing is sending even more of our cash out of the country, from a supposedly "Green" party.

galwaytt

Gophur wrote: »

You are correct. The Golf will be an infinitely more desirable car when you come to sell, ....... No point being stuck with a thing that will bore you to pieces.

Steady on........it's a Golf, not a frickin' Bugatti..........and yes, the Golf will bore you (Gti's excepted.......)

Del2005 wrote: »

If you go in and ask for the scrapage deal then the car has to be scrapped. The garage has no control over it.

It's criminal what they've done with this scrapage deal, at least the UK and US have a domestic car industry they where supporting while all we're doing is sending even more of our cash out of the country, from a supposedly "Green" party.

Indeed - I've had my sig car for sale for a long time: in a fit of desperation lately, I asked a local Well-Known-Brand for a scrappage deal on an Ordinary Car and...............they offered more to scrap it, than I was asking in a straight sale............:eek: :eek:

So, I understand OP's position, and I wouldn't blame him for taking up the offer he has...........but the system stinks, tbh........

R.O.R

To answer the OP's question - yes, buy the current Focus on a scrappage deal, and don't take too long about it. Production has now closed so you've only the choice of what's on the ground and the dealer will want to get rid of current stock before the new one arrives. Sure I've heard radio ad's with figures around €16,500 - probably for non-metallic, so around 17k for a silver, black or vision blue. That's only about €2,000 more than a Megane Royale and the focus will lose less money than the Megane over 5 years - maybe not €2,000 less, but the driving pleasure of a Focus over a Megane is worth €2,000 in my opinion.

The Focus Style specification is very good, and I estimate it will cost at least €3,000 more to buy a new model to the same specifcation.

cbisto

Hi

Any chance I could get that spreadsheet please? In a similar situation. Just failed NCT on a 12 year old Peugeot 206 and looking like its not worth investing enough to get her to pass it. Looking into scrappage options -I know very little about cars - my requirements are 5 door, hatchback, reliable - dont have much interest in being flashy - was consdering Auris, Golf, Megane, i30, etc.Have just started looking so that spreadsheet would be really helpful!

thanks

cbisto

Big Nelly wrote: »

Read this thread, we are in same postition

After testing over 20 cars and putting massive spreadsheet together we are going for the Hyundai i30

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056194939&highlight=nelly

The Megane is terrible, we test drive, like a tractor. The Hyundai is a lot smoother on the road and you get a lot of extras in the base system. Also a great price with trade in.

People kept mentioning the Kia, but when we went to drive, first they had no test drive car available and also not as cheap as Hyundai so we left it. Can send you on spreadsheet if you PM me

Hi

Any chance I could get that spreadsheet please? In a similar situation. Just failed NCT on a 12 year old Peugeot 206 and looking like its not worth investing enough to get her to pass it. Looking into scrappage options -I know very little about cars - my requirements are 5 door, hatchback, reliable - dont have much interest in being flashy - was consdering Auris, Golf, Megane, i30, etc.Have just started looking so that spreadsheet would be really helpful!

thanks

Big Nelly

cbisto wrote: »

Hi

Any chance I could get that spreadsheet please? In a similar situation. Just failed NCT on a 12 year old Peugeot 206 and looking like its not worth investing enough to get her to pass it. Looking into scrappage options -I know very little about cars - my requirements are 5 door, hatchback, reliable - dont have much interest in being flashy - was consdering Auris, Golf, Megane, i30, etc.Have just started looking so that spreadsheet would be really helpful!

thanks

No problem, fire me a pm with email address and I will send on, in the end we got a great trade in price from a garage and went with a 08 BMW 1 series

Loved the car and more to point the wife did!!! not many on the road as well which she likes. IF we where going new I would still take the i30, looks like the 1 series as well

lomb

This is a humourous thread:D A 20 car spreadsheet with 20+test drives ? and several drives on a hyundai with that coming top of the tree with and ending up buying a used BMW:D. Nice choice in fairness, the 1 series is very golf like in a better way though;)