Best new car for 32-34k

autronica

Hi all,
Thinking of going don the company route. Will have to keep it for 4 years so don't want a car tht will be replaced next year
Must diesel and tax band A or B and have as many bells and whistles as possible
Any thoughts

Thanks

166man

Skoda Superb Elegance.

/thread

colm_mcm

Superb getting a much needed makeover next year.

autronica

Thanks guys.
Superb is on my list but would like a 170 for the size of the car.
Any opinions on the insignia elite 160

mickey mac

166man wrote: »

Skoda Superb Elegance.

/thread

Might as well lock the thread now, the Skoda won't be topped.

hop2it

mercedes c 200 cdi are about 34k i think

colm_mcm

Not much in the bells and whistles departments I'd imagine?

R.O.R

autronica wrote: »

Thanks guys.
Superb is on my list but would like a 170 for the size of the car.
Any opinions on the insignia elite 160

140 is enough on the Superb. The 170 is band C for emissions too.

Insignia Elite is a pretty good motor, but its not as good as the Superb. Not sure the retail is in budget for you on the Insignia.

Mister Jingles

Peugeot 508. 2.0 HDI

Henry Ford III

Is it only me that thinks a Superb is plug ugly, with a dropped arse?

The interior is spacious but so is the big top at the circus.

JJJJNR

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Is it only me that thinks a Superb is plug ugly, with a dropped arse?

The interior is spacious but so is the big top at the circus.

Yea but the only big boots you'll see at the circus are on the clowns.

mickey mac

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Is it only me that thinks a Superb is plug ugly, with a dropped arse?

The interior is spacious but so is the big top at the circus.

Blasphemer!

staker

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Is it only me that thinks a Superb is plug ugly, with a dropped arse?

The interior is spacious but so is the big top at the circus.

Yup, can't see the appeal aesthetically at all. Granted they're loaded to the hilt I think they're gank to look at.

166man

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Is it only me that thinks a Superb is plug ugly, with a dropped arse?

I'd say most people think that...

Mr Magners

Hyundai i40?

You'd get a 2.0 TDCi mondeo 160 Titanium 4 door for that budget (still band B in manual guise), Superb will no doubt have an extra feature or two but it's as said an absolute state of a thing to look at. In trying to make it something other than a cheap Passat they went downhill with the design.

bazz26

All new Mondeo on sale early next year. Insignia is due a make over next year too.

Kia Optima has just been launched. €32-34k would get you a top spec model and not as ugly as the Superb. Was only admiring this one the other day:



http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=5913346983323170

Idbatterim

or you could go for a 1 year old car far superior to anything else thats been suggested and that ticks every box...

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/5-Series/520-D-SE/2113285264994150/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/5-Series/520-D-M-/201226208862331/advert?channel=CARS

colm_mcm

Company cars tend to be new

166man

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Is it only me that thinks a Superb is plug ugly, with a dropped arse?

The interior is spacious but so is the big top at the circus.

I completely agree that it is not great to look at but that doesn't make it a bad car and the way I see it, it ticks all the OP's criteria.

autronica

Thanks guys, Superb ticks the boxes but it's too big.
Pity though

R.O.R

autronica wrote: »

Thanks guys, Superb ticks the boxes but it's too big.
Pity though

If the Superb is too big, then the Insignia Elite is probably the one to go for then. Is your budget based on retail pricing or cost pricing? The Insignia has a retail price quite a bit higher than the competition, but cost price is on par with the competition.

Mondeo Titanium is a decent option, but the Mondeo is getting a bit long in the tooth now.

Optima / I40 are well specced, but the figures aren't really adding up on them at the moment - depends if your company is taking whole life costs in to account.

autronica

R.O.R wrote: »

If the Superb is too big, then the Insignia Elite is probably the one to go for then. Is your budget based on retail pricing or cost pricing? The Insignia has a retail price quite a bit higher than the competition, but cost price is on par with the competition.

Mondeo Titanium is a decent option, but the Mondeo is getting a bit long in the tooth now.

Optima / I40 are well specced, but the figures aren't really adding up on them at the moment - depends if your company is taking whole life costs in to account.

Tbh it's based on monthly payments to Leaseplan.Elite comes into the bracket

unkel

autronica wrote: »

Thanks guys, Superb ticks the boxes but it's too big.

Cars can never be too big

But seriously, a superb is 2 inches longer and 2 inches narrower than a Mondeo. Not that much bigger? Insignia is as long as Superb, but wider again

autronica

unkel wrote: »

Cars can never be too big

But seriously, a superb is 2 inches longer and 2 inches narrower than a Mondeo. Not that much bigger? Insignia is as long as Superb, but wider again

Looking from the drivers seat into the rear of a Superb feels a lot bigger than the other two.
Goes to show how good the skoda designers are at making best use of space.

Bren_C

Try the skoda, you'll be surprised how you don't feel the size when parking etc. I got a 170 dsg combi from leaseplan 7wks ago and love it, have covered a very comfortable 8.5k in it and getting used to all the great toys.

Mister Jingles

Given this a mention again :pac:. Far nice looking the the Skoda and is in price range.

Here's a review of one from The Next Gear.

R.O.R

Did a similar exercise recently for a customer, but on mid-range cars rather than the top end - couldn't remember what else was coming in to play last night though.

Honda Accord Type S is in budget. Great car, missing some of the bells and whistles that the Insignia Elite or Superb Elegance give you, and the 16" wheels are totally lost on it (but bring it down to band .

Mazda 6 2.2d Sport SE is the top of the range model and well within budget. Full electric heated leather seats and a decent standard spec. Looks great and I believe the 129bhp engine actually puts out quite a bit more. Decent fleet support from Mazda should bring it way within budget too.

Tea 1000

R.O.R wrote: »

Did a similar exercise recently for a customer, but on mid-range cars rather than the top end - couldn't remember what else was coming in to play last night though.

Honda Accord Type S is in budget. Great car, missing some of the bells and whistles that the Insignia Elite or Superb Elegance give you, and the 16" wheels are totally lost on it (but bring it down to band .

Mazda 6 2.2d Sport SE is the top of the range model and well within budget. Full electric heated leather seats and a decent standard spec. Looks great and I believe the 129bhp engine actually puts out quite a bit more. Decent fleet support from Mazda should bring it way within budget too.

The Accord is a lovely car, very fresh looking compared to the others and a peach of an engine too. The Mazda is simply the best handling FWD saloon in that segment, and is also an excellent choice. Also definitely take a look at the 508. It's back to the decent Peugeots of old, not the recent crap of the last 10 years.
The Accord and 508 are the least likely to be replaced within the time you'll own it.
Too many Superb's on the road. And they are fairly chronic looking, like most Skoda's really!

bazz26

The OP mentioned that it has to be something that isn't being replaced by a new model soon. A new model Mazda 6 is being launched at the end of this year.

Something like this:

Tea 1000

bazz26 wrote: »

The OP mentioned that it has to be something that isn't being replaced by a new model soon. A new model Mazda 6 is being launched at the end of this year.

Something like this:

I know, but a new Mondeo is coming too, and a new Superb is probably not far off, and the Insignia is getting on a bit, so 4 years will probably bring a new one. If he could wait for the new Mazda then great, but chances are it'll be Spring next year before it's in showrooms at the earliest, and probably later in reality.

autronica

Thanks for the replies guys
Although the superb is not pretty it does seem to give best bang for my buck

-Corkie-

Wow that Mazda looks great. The wheels that come with the Accord are a total let down imo.

Green Hornet

-Corkie- wrote: »

Wow that Mazda looks great. The wheels that come with the Accord are a total let down imo.

I've just bought an 08 ES iDTEC and absolutely love it. Massive improvement on the last model.

Mine has 17" wheels but as it happens, the dealer mentioned that they've reduced the wheels to 16" for emissions purposes.