8k to spend?

born2bwild

Hi, I'm budgeting to spend 8k on a car - need something with cheap tax - currently driving a 1litre 11 year old polo but want something bigger than that - any advice much appreciated!

Matthewjohn

Petrol or diesel?

born2bwild

I don't really mind - the important thing is that it's in tax band A, B or at a push, C.

Frankie Lee

Sorry if this sounds ignorant but why is cheap tax such a priority if you have €8k to spend.
If I were buying a car tomorrow with that budget I'd only spend a fraction of it on something like this while saving the other €6500 - €7k for other stuff.
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3777523

born2bwild

Frankie Lee wrote: »

Sorry if this sounds ignorant but why is cheap tax such a priority if you have €8k to spend.
If I were buying a car tomorrow with that budget I'd only spend a fraction of it on something like this while saving the other €6500 - €7k for other stuff.
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3777523

What other stuff? Beer? 7k? Sounds good.

Frankie Lee

Beer, coke, hookers whatever floats your boat.

born2bwild

But seriously....

The Pontiac

born2bwild wrote: »

Hi, I'm budgeting to spend 8k on a car - need something with cheap tax - currently driving a 1litre 11 year old polo but want something bigger than that - any advice much appreciated!

Why cheap tax? What about others factors like fuel economy, servicing costs, residuals etc.

You could buy a car that is on Band A but is less economical that a car on Band C, yet the difference is only €170 on motor tax.

The car on Band C may have stronger residuals (hold its value better), have longer service intervals etc. It might even be cheaper to buy due to this bizarre Irish obsession with Car Tax.

The Pontiac

born2bwild wrote: »

I don't really mind - the important thing is that it's in tax band A, B or at a push, C.

Sorry but you really don't mind if its petrol or diesel but the car has be on those tax bands.

Depending on the mileage you do, fuel economy will be a much bigger factor in running costs.

Can you explain this tax thing to me please?

born2bwild

<Ollie> wrote: »

Sorry but you really don't mind if its petrol or diesel but the car has be on those tax bands.

Depending on the mileage you do, fuel economy will be a much bigger factor in running costs.

Can you explain this tax thing to me please?

Seems I'm asking the wrong questions.

I want a car that costs about 8k but doesn't cost too much to keep on the road.

Reliable, easy on gas and cheap to tax.

I wish I could explain tax to you beyond saying that I want to pay as little as possible.

Frankie Lee

What sort of mileage would you do in a year and would your driving be short runs or motorway driving?

Chuck Stone

Mazda 2.

Low tax band.
1.35L petrol.
50+ MPG.
Mazda reliability.

The Pontiac

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Mazda 2.

Low tax band.
1.35L petrol.
50+ MPG.
Mazda reliability.

Looks like a nice car (and they're great dealers).

Not sure if it's much bigger than a Polo though, as the OP was hoping for.

Maybe a Mazda 3?

Chuck Stone

<Ollie> wrote: »

Maybe a Mazda 3?

Yeah maybe not big enough for OP.

The 3 would be a good all rounder too but higher tax and higher fuel consumption.

born2bwild

Frankie Lee wrote: »

What sort of mileage would you do in a year and would your driving be short runs or motorway driving?

Shelbourne away matches. M50 every day. Mad notions like driving Dublin - Belfast - Derry - Galway - Dublin in one day. Waterford - Dublin a lot. Since Sep 2008 I've driven 80, 000 miles in the polo - fycking thing is in a heap.
I'm a lazy swine when it comes to servicing and the like.
Something that can put up with a bit of abuse....
I'm thinking in terms of:
Passat
Jetta
Golf
Mazda 6
Honda Civic (not the howaya scangermobile version - or is there any other kind?)
Volvo S40
Maybe that Toyota taxi (Avensis?) But I don't want to fall asleep while driving so that's a big maybe.
Mondeo
Focus (I think this is most realistic for my price range but it's a Garda car and that puts me off - ridiculous - some of my mates are old bill)

By the way, thanks to <ollie> for pointing out the importance of keeping fuel consumption in mind - but is that easy to find out?

alanmc

If you're lazy about servicing, a modern diesel has the potential for biting you in the ass. Oil changes are paramount in most turbo driven cars. If the oil pipes feeding the turbo get clogged, turbo failure is only a stones throw up the road.

The Pontiac

born2bwild wrote: »

By the way, thanks to <ollie> for pointing out the importance of keeping fuel consumption in mind - but is that easy to find out?

No worries. I use http://www.parkers.co.uk/ for my figures. It gives the MPG figure rather than KM figures. Most of us still talk in MPG. It also give the C02 emissions, for tax band purposes.

The 1.6 Focus diesel gives a combined figure of 60 MPG, which is good. http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/facts-and-figures/ford/focus/hatchback-2005/36663/ It's the peugeot engine though and some may have concerns about it. The same engine is used in the Volvo S40. I'd imagine a Focus would be within your budget.

born2bwild

alanmc wrote: »

If you're lazy about servicing, a modern diesel has the potential for biting you in the ass. Oil changes are paramount in most turbo driven cars. If the oil pipes feeding the turbo get clogged, turbo failure is only a stones throw up the road.

Thanks but I'm fycked if I know what the turbo is - the last time I saw something with a turbo it was the helicopter in 'Airwolf'.
Are there turbo driven cars for 8k?
Or is it that diesel=turbo?

CianRyan

Most modern diesels will be turbo but if you're lazy with servicing just completely forget about diesel. It'll only cost you 20% of the cars worth when everything fails on you.

born2bwild

<Ollie> wrote: »

No worries. I use http://www.parkers.co.uk/ for my figures. It gives the MPG figure rather than KM figures. Most of us still talk in MPG. It also give the C02 emissions, for tax band purposes.

The 1.6 Focus diesel gives a combined figure of 60 MPG, which is good. http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/facts-and-figures/ford/focus/hatchback-2005/36663/ It's the peugeot engine though and some may have concerns about it. The same engine is used in the Volvo S40. I'd imagine a Focus would be within your budget.

That looks like a good website, thanks for that.

alanmc

born2bwild wrote: »

Thanks but I'm fycked if I know what the turbo is - the last time I saw something with a turbo it was the helicopter in 'Airwolf'.
Are there turbo driven cars for 8k?
Or is it that diesel=turbo?

As Cian said most (nearly all) diesels are turbo now. The Turbo is used to force air into the engine increasing power. It's driven by the exhaust gases of the engine.

Trust me you don't want a diesel car without a turbo. 0-60 is measured in weeks! I think VW do a non-Turbo version of the Polo diesel, the SDi???

If spending 8k on a car and potentially covering 20k a year it would be prudent to get unlazy about servicing imo.

maidhc

Only one option should be considered here IMO.

2008+ Mondeo. They are getting seriously good value now for clean MkIVs.

listermint

Ah yes the classic tax issue.

If people are so worried about the tax thing they should just take 2 years tax out of there spending money hand it to their mother or someone else that wont hand it back to you for beers, and ask for it come tax renewal time.

Then you can go off and buy a bloody decent sub 2007 car and stop worrying about this tax band crap.

bazz26

Kia Ceed 1.6 CRDi:

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=29813452038447600

Still has 2 years left on the original warranty.

Chuck Stone

Honda Civic saloon

1.8i
44 MPG
0-60 in 8.6 secs
138 bhp*
Heated mirrors
A/C
Cruise control
Sunroof
Alloy Wheels
6 speed gearbox


I think the tax on these is pretty low and they have a very decent engine.

I think they look good too.





*Hatch Back stats.

MetzgerMeister

Nice Mazda6 HERE if you want to live up to your username :P