Six Different '08 Makes & Models - Rate Them

Lemlin

I'm going to be buying a new car in April so I'm starting my research now and wanted some help. I've about 10k to spend so I've looked at the below vehicles in NI which are all coming in at below 7k sterling which is €8300. By the time I pay VRT on these, I'll be at the 10k to 11k that is my budget.

I need a saloon type vehicle, has to be at least '08, diesel and want to get good MPG. The below are the six options I've picked as an example of each make/model at the price point:

http://www.usedcarsni.com/81831470 - Toyota Avensis - 78k miles - £6595
http://www.usedcarsni.com/79954631 - Volkswagen Passat - 73k miles - £6995
http://www.usedcarsni.com/86034909 - Vauxhall Vectra - 78k miles - £6750
http://www.usedcarsni.com/74471744 - Skoda Octavia - 74k miles - £6995
http://www.usedcarsni.com/86180928 - Ford Mondeo - 66k miles - £6945
http://www.usedcarsni.com/84583997 - Saab 9-3 - 59k miles - £6995

Obviously these won't be the exact vehicles I'll be going for as I'm not buying for another two months but I'd be interested in hearing what people have to say about each of the six makes/models.

For example, I've been told that 1.9 Passat would be better than the 2.0 litre as the 2.0 litre can give trouble with the turbo. Have people any other tips like this about specific vehicles and what model I should try to go for?

I was also interested in vehicles like BMW 3 series, Audi A4, Nissan Quashqui and Honda Accord but they appear out of my price range if I want an '08.

Any info is greatly appreciated.

conzy

You shouldnt restrict yourself to a post 08 car just to save 3 or 4 hundred euro a year on tax... How long are you going to keep the car for? The chances are a better spec'd 07 model would be a couple of hundred euro cheaper because as we all know the most important feature of any car to the average irish motorist is "cheap tax" and they will change their car and spend thousands to avail of this "saving"

By the time you buy 25,000 miles worth of diesel and tyres and services the 300 euro saving in tax is less than 6% of the cost of running the car.

listermint

conzymaher wrote: »

You shouldnt restrict yourself to a post 08 car just to save 3 or 4 hundred euro a year on tax... How long are you going to keep the car for? The chances are a better spec'd 07 model would be a couple of hundred euro cheaper because as we all know the most important feature of any car to the average irish motorist is "cheap tax" and they will change their car and spend thousands to avail of this "saving"

By the time you buy 25,000 miles worth of diesel and tyres and services the 300 euro saving in tax is less than 6% of the cost of running the car.

That and we have a new unknown change to the post 08 system coming in around 9 months.

Yay us (waves flag)

Lemlin

conzymaher wrote: »

You shouldnt restrict yourself to a post 08 car just to save 3 or 4 hundred euro a year on tax... How long are you going to keep the car for? The chances are a better spec'd 07 model would be a couple of hundred euro cheaper because as we all know the most important feature of any car to the average irish motorist is "cheap tax" and they will change their car and spend thousands to avail of this "saving"

By the time you buy 25,000 miles worth of diesel and tyres and services the 300 euro saving in tax is less than 6% of the cost of running the car.

The plan is to keep the car 4 to 5 years and I'd prefer to keep within a 4 year timeframe, even without taking the current cheaper tax system into consideration. I'd love to get an '09 even but I think my budget only stretches to '08 as I don't want an '09 with high mileage.

Max Power1

listermint wrote: »

That and we have a new unknown SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE to the post 08 system coming in around 9 months.

Yay us (waves flag)

fyp

DonalK1981

I would pick this personally, but I am open to correction. Lovely looking cars, but I know very little about them. Any opinions on these?

Lemlin

Any feedback on any of the makes/models above then?

MugMugs

DonalK1981 wrote: »

I would pick this personally, but I am open to correction. Lovely looking cars, but I know very little about them. Any opinions on these?

2.2 has HG issues.

Lemlin wrote: »

Any feedback on any of the makes/models above then?

I drive the Avensis. That very same spec and body type and for what I do, I enjoy it. Well kitted out for what I need and the liftback is perfect for lugging large loads.

I drive that Mondeo type in work and have never had any issues with it. Find it a bit doggy though. Bit of a grunter. Comfortable cars though and feel like they hold the road well.

Lemlin

MugMugs wrote: »

2.2 has HG issues.



I drive the Avensis. That very same spec and body type and for what I do, I enjoy it. Well kitted out for what I need and the liftback is perfect for lugging large loads.

I drive that Mondeo type in work and have never had any issues with it. Find it a bit doggy though. Bit of a grunter. Comfortable cars though and feel like they hold the road well.

Thanks for the info. At the moment though, the Mondeo and Avensis are falling behind the Passat because I think its a tidier looking car. The Avensis just seems very plain and nearly every second one going is silver and I'm not a huge fan of silver cars.

Mr Benevolent

DonalK1981 wrote: »

I would pick this personally, but I am open to correction. Lovely looking cars, but I know very little about them. Any opinions on these?

Known for having crap MPG for a diesel - circa 35mpg.

MarkR

I've a 04 avensis hatch. Best car I've had. Course I haven't had a lot. 225k miles on it now. I just replaced the fuel pump, clutch, flywheel, and gearbox. All in the last 10k miles. Still don't regret buying the car. I drive all around the country and it's comfy on the road.

I did change the cloth seats to leather though. Massively better.

Francie Barrett

This would be my order of preference. The Passat delivers the best all-round comfort, refinement and economy. The Mondeo handles as well as the Passat, but just doesn't have the same build quality as the Passat for me. The Octavia is a fine car but what it has in boot space it lacks the quality of handling that the Mondeo and Passat has.

Volkswagen Passat
Ford Mondeo
Skoda Octavia
Toyota Avensis
Saab 9-3
Vauxhall Vectra

Lemlin

Francie Barrett wrote: »

This would be my order of preference. The Passat delivers the best all-round comfort, refinement and economy. The Mondeo handles as well as the Passat, but just doesn't have the same build quality as the Passat for me. The Octavia is a fine car but what it has in boot space it lacks the quality of handling that the Mondeo and Passat has.

Volkswagen Passat
Ford Mondeo
Skoda Octavia
Toyota Avensis
Saab 9-3
Vauxhall Vectra

Thanks for the reply. Any reason the Vectra scored so poorly? I know a mechanic who swears by them but Vauxhall/Opel seem to be cheaper than the other makes and that has to be for a reason.

Leonard Hofstadter

I don't know anything about the 9-3, so I will leave that one out.

Of the other five, the Vectra would have to come last for me. There is nothing wrong with the Vectra, but there's not a whole lot right with it either. It's just a bland, shapeless lump. A personal thing but I would never buy a Vauxhall, nothing screams "import" quite like that! The 1.9 diesel can give trouble if you go for the 150 PS lump (red CDTI badge), but the less powerful 120 is fine.

The Passat is fourth, not because it's the worst car (it's better than the Vectra and the Avensis), but it gives trouble. The 1.9 is slow and noisy. The 2.0 TDI PD is still noisy and unreliable. Unless you can find a 2.0 TDI CR, which has the reliability issues of the older 2.0 TDI PD, I would avoid it. The TDI CR is quieter too being a common rail engine.

The Toyota is third, because while it's not as good a car as the VW, it's not all that much worse. Yes it's as boring as hell, but it's a solid, comfortable car as long as you don't buy the poverty spec Irish models (except for the Luna, which has good equipment). Most Irish cars are poverty spec and have a terrible interior. The UK cars generally have a lot more gadgets. But the UK cars have a different suspension setup to the Irish cars - all Irish cars have a rough road pack fitted as standard. So trying to find a decent spec Irish car is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Toyota are the only car company as far as I know that sells Irish market cars with a different suspension setup to the rest of Europe, although this is being phased out now right across the range because it decreased fuel economy and increased CO2 emissions (and hence road tax and VRT).

The Skoda and the Mondeo for me would be joint tops. The Skoda despite being a Passat in drag and looking as ugly as sin is a great car. So comfortable, feels really well made, and more reliable than the VW - no electronic parking brake (which also can give trouble in the Passat) - a proper manual handbrake is fitted instead. Even the most basic Superb has loads of gadgets as standard.

The Mondeo is the best handling car in the class, is comfortable, well made and reliable, and there are plenty of them around, so it's not hard to find a decent one with the right engine and a good spec.

I'd go for the Mondeo because I like cars that handle well, but if you'd prefer more comfort than the Skoda is the better choice. The 2.0 TDI 140 in the Skoda should be avoided, as that until last year also had the dreaded PD engine. Try and get a 170 if you can - that's got the CR engine, which so far is proving to be reliable by modern diesel standards.

EDIT EDIT EDIT: Thought the OP was looking at the Superb !

All of the above references to Skoda above refer to the Superb! The Octavia is from the class below (Focus, Corolla, Golf etc), so for me it's no contest - a Mondeo every time, or else a decent spec Avensis.

The Superb should definitely be considered - that is the same size as the Passat, Vectra etc - it is a much better car than the Octavia.

vectra

Lemlin wrote: »

. I'd love to get an '09 even but I think my budget only stretches to '08 as I don't want an '09 with high mileage.

And yet you will still get posters saying buy an older one..
FFS the car will obviously be a year older when selling it again so OP will recoup some of his initial outlay.

Have you considered a Skoda Superb instead of the more expensive Passat??

Here is a '09 that would come in within budget

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2998493




'09 Octavia, small miles within budget

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3101840

gowley

i agree with captain speed. I had an 08 mondeo 2 diesel titanium as a company car and got rid in Jan. It had 250,450km and never gave a days trouble. Spec was good and was great to drive. i now have a superb elegance 2.0d 170bhp and although it doesnt handle as well as the mondeo it has huge spec and is very comfortable to drive. the reason i would put these ahead of the rest is for the fords handling and reliability and the superbs spec and comfort. Cant comment on the skoda reliability as i only have it for 7 weeks

Limbo123

1. Accord
2. Mondeo
3. Beemer 3
4. Octavia
5. Passat
6. Avensis
7. 9-3
8. Vectra


Would you not consider a Volvo? No mention in your list off possibles.......?

Chonker

My list!

1. Subaru Legacy (Amazing)
2. Honda Accord (Beautiful)
3. Ford Mondeo (Very good at what it does)
4. Skoda Octavia (Will get best Spec for the money)
5. VW Passat (Dull)
6. Toyota Avensis (Duller)
7. What was the other? Saab/ Vectra ? Ah who cares

Catxscotch

What do you think of the Audi's?
I'm looking at Audi A4's, sexy car I think, but I'm open to suggestions! Personally Im looking for a "good-looking" car that will last a couple of years, around the 09/10 reg. I'm happy to spend 20K on one, as Im getting a promotion and Ive never driven anything other than a ****ty van, I want to treat myself!!

unkel

vectra wrote: »

Have you considered a Skoda Superb instead of the more expensive Passat??

Here is a '09 that would come in within budget

My first thought too when I read the OP. A lot of car for the money and because it is the new model, depreciation will be low.

Might not be a fast car and the old 1.9 PD diesel engine is old skool and unrefined, but it is reliable and frugal enough. Anyone considering any of those low end diesels is hardly a boy racer anyway

Lemlin

vectra wrote: »

And yet you will still get posters saying buy an older one..
FFS the car will obviously be a year older when selling it again so OP will recoup some of his initial outlay.

Have you considered a Skoda Superb instead of the more expensive Passat??

Here is a '09 that would come in within budget

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2998493




'09 Octavia, small miles within budget

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3101840

The Superb doesn't give the mileage so, at that price, I'd imagine that one has high mileage.

The Octavia looks nice alright.

Ded_Zebra

I would say the Passat but not that 1 EXTREME poverty spec...:eek:

get a comfort line instead, way more toys:cool:

MuppetCheck

Ded_Zebra wrote: »

I would say the Passat but not that 1 EXTREME poverty spec...:eek:

get a comfort line instead, way more toys:cool:

A comfortlines "toys" are the minimum a car in that class. And even at that is still poorly specced IMO. A highline is the bare minimum for one. In the secondhand market the price differential is minimum for a properly specced car. And even a highline missed some choice extras. Later comfortline cars were better but they are out of budget.

Ded_Zebra

MuppetCheck wrote: »

A comfortlines "toys" are the minimum a car in that class. And even at that is still poorly specced IMO. A highline is the bare minimum for one. In the secondhand market the price differential is minimum for a properly specced car. And even a highline missed some choice extras. Later comfortline cars were better but they are out of budget.

Ohh I agree fully the comfort still isn't gr8. But it's still a lot better than the base line. Base line has windy windows in the back and no cruise control.

antiskeptic

Catxscotch wrote: »

What do you think of the Audi's?
I'm looking at Audi A4's, sexy car I think, but I'm open to suggestions! Personally Im looking for a "good-looking" car that will last a couple of years, around the 09/10 reg. I'm happy to spend 20K on one, as Im getting a promotion and Ive never driven anything other than a ****ty van, I want to treat myself!!

I've the 2003 version (an A4 1.8T) which I picked up in good shape for relative buttons. "Ho-hum" I thought to myself. "I could keep doing this - keep an eye out for a diamond-in-the-rough A4 aged around 8-9 years old, hold on to it for 3-4 years then move on up to the next model".

All the plush and comfort of 40k euro motoring for a fraction of the outlay.

Until I got a go in a '12 rental the other day. (2.0 diesel). It was horribly plastic inside, with cheap looking chrome-on-plastic seemingly everywhere. Rather than the door closing with the solid, suppressed 1.8T 'Thunk' I've gotten used to, it sounded just like a Golf..

Worse - it wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding at low revs compared to the 1.8T. I had to rev the knackers off it to get it shifting. Pop goes my plan.


Take a test drive in a few cars before deciding. S'wot I'd say.