Audi A1

dellas1979

Hi guys,
I currently drive a little fiat 500 2010 29k (pop with alloys/blue metallic) on the clock.
I was interested in purchasing a 2012 Audi A1 (standard model). Guy at the garage said he'd give me 9K trade in for my car. Is this reasonable? I am not sure...any advice? I dont want to get shafted. I bought the 500 for 11.5K brand new. First time doing a trade in.

Nissan doctor

To only loose 2.5k depreciation in the first year is excellent IMO. But then the 500 is a very popular car.

Have you done your research though? I'm not convinced the A1 would be a better car then a 500. The A1 is a polo underneath so the chassis/handling won't compare to your Fiat.

mickdw

I wouldnt think there is anything special about the A1. Anyway, you need to see what the straight sale price is on the A1 to know what you are really getting for your car.

bazz26

Starting price of €19k for an A1 is just crazy.

This starts almost €3k less and has way more charactor. It's the same car as your 500 underneath.




I'd also look at the Citroen DS3, starts at the same price as the A1 but again more bang for your bucks:

Ardennes1944

Keep the 500....love those cars!

Idleater

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

Keep the 500....love those cars!

+1 and +1 for the mito if you really want a change.

homer90

The A1 really does nothing for me, much better alternatives out there IMO

Lurching

From an aesthetic point of view, the sportier A1's are very nice, especially with the chrome look roof and pillar rails. They're very common over here.

Nice choice to have!

dellas1979

Thanks for the replies.
Agh am confused what to do. But thanks for the alternatives also (keep them comin if ye've any suggestions!). I like the mito, but there doesnt seem to be an alpha dealer in my region (Limerick/Tipp/Clare).
Yes - 19K does seem alot for a 1.2 standard model doesnt it?

barura

Why change? You've a fine car as it is! I don't think much will compare for price/fun ration you have at the moment, at least in a new model car, that is!

opinion guy

Agreed. Why do you want to change ? Is there a problem with the fiat ? I'm an audi fan to be honest but even I can't see the point in you're proposed change

Tea 1000

The 500 is way cooler than the ugly A1! If you want a change, why not go for the Abarth 500? Alternatively, if you like the Mito, try your Fiat dealer, he'll be able to get one.

no1beemerfan

Whats it going to cost you to get an A1? €10,000 euro? If you don't mind me saying I think that is crazy. You have a 2010 car that is fun to drive and, as you haven't mentioned any problems, is going perfect. All you will be doing is spending €10k to get a 2012 number plate. Madness. I'd have a 2010 500 over a 2012 A1 any day.

Zubeneschamali

dellas1979 wrote: »

But thanks for the alternatives also (keep them comin if ye've any suggestions!).

If I was even considering an A1 at €19K, I'd definitely look at the €21K Mini Cooper.

JoeA3

+1 on the little Alfa or Citroen alternatives, they are really cool looking little motors.
The A1 just looks plain wrong to me... and this is from a VAG fan

EPM

LIGHTNING wrote: »

It just shows you how far FIAT have come over the last few years, practically everybody is saying to keep the little FIAT. I have driven a few of the 500`s, great little cars.

There has to be at least one bar stool expert that feels like posting in this thread:pac: Come on you know you want to!

I'd sell the Fix It Again Tomorrow as soon as possible as it WILL blow it's head gasket and in the process take out everything within a 5 mile radius.

I wouldn't buy an Alpha Romero either because I know of someone who's timing belt snapped. The car was uneconomical to repair at only 6 years. Shoddy workmanship.

I'd buy the Audi as you get German workmanship and reliability.


:pac:

Ardennes1944

now EPM.....THAT was funny!! :D


Cmon you little FIATS!!!!! id have no qualms about getting a 1.4 500 if they werent so expensive. 100 ponies in that car would be pretty fun

like this! http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2621194

Nissan doctor

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

now EPM.....THAT was funny!! :D


Cmon you little FIATS!!!!! id have no qualms about getting a 1.4 500 if they werent so expensive. 100 ponies in that car would be pretty fun

like this! http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2621194

Agreed, we have a 1.4 one in work(company car, plastered in stickers) and its a brilliant little thing to drive and seriously high spec too, all the electronic gadgets, leather the lot:eek:

Ardennes1944

wanna sell it for like 7 grand....no? ok

Nissan doctor

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

wanna sell it for like 7 grand....no? ok

Yeah sure, I'll just hope the boss doesn't notice:P

dellas1979

Mini cooper.......Now I didnt think of that but I just had a look there and they all very expensive (more than 21k).

The 500 is great. Few things bug me, more over the window wipers. They have been crap from day one (despite changing the blades/having Fiat people look at them/changed windscreen) and the rainer weather just reminds me how much it bugs me.

Idleater

Fuel economy wise the mini is awful compared to the others, certainly the supercharged one. I think even the 1.6 PSA Turbo in the ds3 does better MPG.
I regularly get 6.5 to 7 l/100 k in the mito 1.4 Turbo, and that's 95% crappy city/ Sunday driving. I only drove a rental diesel 500 which was obviously good on fuel and found it a great car to drive on the twisty roads in Sicily.

166man

I don't know why but the Mito doesn't really do it for me, and that's coming from a diehard Alfa fan. They need big wheels to look right and the interior really isn't the best. Very few well specced ones in Ireland too.

It'd be a twinair 500 for me anyday!

heate

Idleater wrote: »

Fuel economy wise the mini is awful compared to the others, certainly the supercharged one. I think even the 1.6 PSA Turbo in the ds3 does better MPG.
I regularly get 6.5 to 7 l/100 k in the mito 1.4 Turbo, and that's 95% crappy city/ Sunday driving. I only drove a rental diesel 500 which was obviously good on fuel and found it a great car to drive on the twisty roads in Sicily.

The op is thinking of buying a new A1 or a suggested Mini the latter having the consumption habits of a nun given BMW's efforts.
OP an A1 wouldn't be a bad purchase per se but dropping 10k to move up a year it's not any more powerful or stylish IMO
10k could be mighty useful given te storm going on outside in Ireland - I'm nt aware at all of your financial situation but 99% of people would benefit from having an extra 10k

superstoner90

your fiat 500 + supercharger = rocket in my pocket

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDAiw267gEY

Zubeneschamali

dellas1979 wrote: »

Mini cooper.......Now I didnt think of that but I just had a look there and they all very expensive (more than 21k).

List price €20,990

Zubeneschamali

Idleater wrote: »

Fuel economy wise the mini is awful compared to the others, certainly the supercharged one. I think even the 1.6 PSA Turbo in the ds3 does better MPG.

The Cooper has no turbos or superchargers, just a 1.6 motor. The Cooper S uses the same PSA turbo 1.6 as the DS3.

Either one will drink petrol and fart CO2 compared to a 500, but you only live once.

Voodoomelon

The DS3 is an ugly mutt, the Mito on the other hand looks the business. Great interiors too.

langdang

Voodoomelon wrote: »

The DS3 is an ugly mutt, the Mito on the other hand looks the business. Great interiors too.

I thought I was the only one that thought they were ugly. They're better than a Skoda Labia with a white roof, but that's not saying much.



Supercharged MINI's went out in 06 Idleater. Must pick one up at some stage actually.


I can remember much scoffing when some of us said the FIAT 500 was gonna to hold value really well. In my "unlimited space, unlimited funds" fantasy garage, I'd definitely have one.

Ardennes1944

its crazy how you can pick up a 08 bravo for like 4500 and a 500 of the same year is about twice that

dellas1979

Erm lads whats the difference between the mini first and a mini cooper??

166man

dellas1979 wrote: »

Erm lads whats the difference between the mini first and a mini cooper??

AFAIK the mini first is the base model with a lower powered engine and almost no options. The mini cooper has a more powerfull 1.6 engine and more options on it. I amn't 100% sure on that though..

Nissan doctor

dellas1979 wrote: »

Erm lads whats the difference between the mini first and a mini cooper??

In the latest R57 mini's the Mini One is the base spec with 98hp, the cooper has 122hp and the cooper S has 184hp.

You can get the one, cooper and cooper S all in Diesel flavour these days too with different outputs again.

bazz26

There is an all new MINI due in mid 2012.

Nissan doctor

bazz26 wrote: »

There is an all new MINI due in mid 2012.

No doubt it'll be even less Mini like....

166man

Nissan doctor wrote: »

In the latest R57 mini's the Mini One is the base spec with 98hp, the cooper has 122hp and the cooper S has 184hp.

You can get the one, cooper and cooper S all in Diesel flavour these days too with different outputs again.

Didn't they introduce the ''First'' a while back which was even more basic thsn the mini one?

Nissan doctor

I hadn't heard of a Mini 'first' but I just looked on Mini.ie and the first and one seem to be the same thing..

http://www.mini.ie/mini/one/index.html

166man

Nissan doctor wrote: »

I hadn't heard of a Mini 'first' but I just looked on Mini.ie and the first and one seem to be the same thing..

http://www.mini.ie/mini/one/index.html

Maybe not in Ireland but I think it's available in the UK,

http://www.mini.co.uk/model-range/hatch/mini-first/

Zubeneschamali

dellas1979 wrote: »

Erm lads whats the difference between the mini first and a mini cooper??

The difference is you don't want a Mini First, as it's down 24 bhp.

You save €4K, but you get no aircon, a plastic steering wheel, steel wheels with plastic covers, no DAB radio, no heated mirrors or headlight washers, etc. etc.

166man

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

The difference is you don't want a Mini First, as it's down 24 bhp.

You save €4K, but you get no aircon, a plastic steering wheel, steel wheels with plastic covers, no DAB radio, no heated mirrors or headlight washers, etc. etc.

The mini cooper is 120bhp and the First is 78bhp. It's down 42bhp I think..

langdang

166man wrote: »

The mini cooper is 120bhp and the First is 78bhp. It's down 42bhp I think..

Cooper 1.6 petrol -120ish
One 1.4 (depending on year actually) petrol - 94ish
First 1.4 petrol - 75ish (shocking actually)

Zubeneschamali

langdang wrote: »

Cooper 1.6 petrol -120ish
One 1.4 (depending on year actually) petrol - 94ish
First 1.4 petrol - 75ish (shocking actually)

I don't think you can buy a 1.4 new in Ireland, the First they sell now is a 1.6, but looking again at www.mini.ie, it looks like it's detuned to 75 bhp!

Just say no, folks!

langdang

Ah jaysus, the same engine that gives 120 handy enough is nobbled down to 75 so! I though 75 was bad for a 1.4, never mind a 1.6!

GavMan

Mito will probably not hold its value anything like the 500, even though they are basically the same thing.

Hold onto the 500 IMO

Zubeneschamali

I'm an ex-Alfa owner and I have no problem with the brand, but I think the Mito is a hideous little hunchbacked mutant. The Grande Punto it's based on (before the last facelift) was much better looking.

166man

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

I'm an ex-Alfa owner and I have no problem with the brand, but I think the Mito is a hideous little hunchbacked mutant. The Grande Punto it's based on (before the last facelift) was much better looking.

I wouldn't have gone so far as to say ''hideous'' but I do think it's awkward looking and that's made worse by the standard wheels. Grande Punto is a great looking car too..

dellas1979

Well I test drove the mini cooper today and loved it - think am hooked!

Not sure what to do - the on the road price (the price on the website does no include delivery etc), with stripes etc is around 22.5K (plus increase in VAT factored in). They wont give a very good/fair trade in against the 500 though, ugh.

On another note, to address a post/comment made earlier, I work very hard for my money, and how I choose to spend it in this climate is my business. Now, I dont mean that to sound harsh, but if we all go around holding on to our money, with fear, and not wanting to spend (within reason - I know what I can afford and save up for it), this country/economy is going to retract more and get worse. I am spending my money, which is keeping people in work.

Leonard Hofstadter

dellas1979 wrote: »

Well I test drove the mini cooper today and loved it - think am hooked!

Not sure what to do - the on the road price (the price on the website does no include delivery etc), with stripes etc is around 22.5K (plus increase in VAT factored in). They wont give a very good/fair trade in against the 500 though, ugh.

On another note, to address a post/comment made earlier, I work very hard for my money, and how I choose to spend it in this climate is my business. Now, I dont mean that to sound harsh, but if we all go around holding on to our money, with fear, and not wanting to spend (within reason - I know what I can afford and save up for it), this country/economy is going to retract more and get worse. I am spending my money, which is keeping people in work.

And fair play to you OP if you do, I don't begrudge you in any way for doing so. As you say you are doing your own little part to try and bring about economic recovery, VRT for the Government and helping to keep a dealer and their staff in business.

I know times are very tough for a lot of people, but we actually need those who have money to go and spend it.

Zubeneschamali

dellas1979 wrote: »

Not sure what to do - the on the road price (the price on the website does no include delivery etc), with stripes etc is around 22.5K

The only way around this is to buy one that's a year old like this.

how I choose to spend it in this climate is my business.

Quite right. There's always someone giving out about people buying cars here, but usually they give out about buying a €70K sports car, not a Mini, for feck's sake. Buy it, enjoy it (but don't forget to check insurance before you do, it'll be a bit more than a 1.2 500, I would think.

Marcusm

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

The only way around this is to buy one that's a year old like this

No doubt someone will be around in a little while to advise against that one on the grounds of a Cork reg! Personally, the wheels would put me off.

pburns

Has the new Opel GTC been mentioned? CAR Mag wax lyrical about it in latest issue - it beat Focus, Giulliana, Scirocco in a group test:

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201136204304670