Cant find a car :-(

Slattsy

So here's the deal :

Currently have a 2003 318i, and it'll be on DoneDeal soon.
(Im not too knowledgeable about cars i'll admit)

Had it in my head for months upon months that I'd get a 320 coupe petrol. But was advised recently from a few heads here (thank you) that basically every 3 series from 2008 has some serious issues (coils, injectors) with the new ED that BMW has introduced.

The reason i need is a petrol is because i only do about 12,000 km per year, so i cant justify a diesel.

The car i really want is an Audi 2009 A4 TFSI 160 bhp (def not the 120 bhp) but there's few around and im now getting seriously depressed

MuppetCheck

What's wrong with the few a4s that are around that you haven't looked at them yet?

colm_mcm

Also, why not consider a 3 series saloon if the a4 is in the running?

MuppetCheck

colm_mcm wrote: »

Also, why not consider a 3 series saloon if the a4 is in the running?

Petrol models will have the same issues as the coupes?

Slattsy

MuppetCheck wrote: »

What's wrong with the few a4s that are around that you haven't looked at them yet?

Most are the 120 bhp engine.
There is one up for 2009 but the coulour is horrible.

colm_mcm wrote: »

Also, why not consider a 3 series saloon if the a4 is in the running?

By all accounts there are problems with all the 3 series' across the board.

ARGINITE

Slattsy wrote: »

By all accounts there are problems with all the 3 series' across the board.

Why not just get a 3 series and get the issues sorted before they become a problem?

Slattsy

ARGINITE wrote: »

Why not just get a 3 series and get the issues sorted before they become a problem?

Apparently they are reoccurring problems, in particular the coil pack issues.
BMW issued new one's after the problem became widespread but by all accounts they're not lasting.

Trust me i'd love one, but I've been warned off them.

ARGINITE

Owner of a RX8 which has a "Coil issue" they need to be replaced every 30000 KM, didn't stop be buying one.

Slattsy

ARGINITE wrote: »

Owner of a RX8 which has a "Coil issue" they need to be replaced ever 30000 KM, didn't stop be buying one.

Big difference between every 30k and them going a couple of times a year.

ARGINITE

Slattsy wrote: »

Big difference between every 30k and them going a couple of times a year.

A couple of time a year for a small number of car I'm sure if it was every 3 series then BMW would do a recall. How many 3 series are there without these issue?

TBH if I listened to every scaremongerer on the net I would have never bough a Rex, just my opinion though.

Idbatterim

why not just get 6 cylinder bmw?

Supergurrier

You will always have issues finding a car when you limit yourself to 2 cars that badge snobs will leap at

Slattsy

ARGINITE wrote: »

A couple of time a year for a small number of car I'm sure if it was every 3 series then BMW would do a recall. How many 3 series are there without these issue?

TBH if I listened to every scaremongerer on the net I would have never bough a Rex, just my opinion though.

BMW issued a 'recall' for the cars just to have the coil packs replaced, but the chancers called it a 'product enhancement' rather than a recall :rolleyes:

From a BMW forum :
Give your franchised dealer a call and tell them you want the coils changed as part of the 'product enhancement' recall. It's free of charge and it doesn't matter if you bought the car privately or from an independent garage.

I took my car for an oil service today and they advised there is faulty batch of coils out there so they will check mine and replace if necessary, luckily for me they were all replaced. This is good news they are finally doing something about the issue!

So there was enough of a problem for them to do this rather than the scaremongering of a few..

Slattsy

Supergurrier wrote: »

You will always have issues finding a car when you limit yourself to 2 cars that badge snobs will leap at

I know, i know, im ridiculously fussy when it comes to cars.
But i know what i like and i know what i dont like and there's an awful lot of cars out there that i dont like !!

Supergurrier

Slattsy wrote: »

I know, i know, im ridiculously fussy when it comes to cars.
But i know what i like and i know what i dont like and there's an awful lot of cars out there that i dont like !!

Advertising departments would love you

I wouldn't buy an Audi that wasn't a quattro or a BM that wasn't a 6 cylinder, but thats just me

Slattsy

Idbatterim wrote: »

why not just get 6 cylinder bmw?

Too much €€€€€€€€€

Slattsy

Supergurrier wrote: »

Advertising departments would love you

I wouldn't buy an Audi that wasn't a quattro or a BM that wasn't a 6 cylinder, but thats just me

I like the quottro alright, smashing car.
again though, justr not many out there and could be over my budget.

bazz26

How about an Accord:

http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Honda/Accord/2.0-I/201234209706184/

Slattsy

bazz26 wrote: »

How about an Accord:

http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Honda/Accord/2.0-I/201234209706184/

That's twice you've showed me that. Are ya trying to shift it lol

Marcusm

Supergurrier wrote: »

Advertising departments would love you

I wouldn't buy an Audi that wasn't a quattro or a BM that wasn't at least a 6 cylinder, but thats just me

Fixed your post for clarity....;)

bazz26

I don't own an Accord but if you want something uber reliable in petrol with decent poke and good spec then it fits the bill. You won't get an A4 in that year with that spec for that price.

Slattsy

It's a very ugly car though.

bazz26

Slattsy wrote: »

It's a very ugly car though.

Everyone to their own I guess but an A4 is hardly stunning looking and the 3 Series is no oil painting either.

166man

Slattsy wrote: »

It's a very ugly car though.

The A4 isn't exactly Georgia Salpa to be fair though....

colm_mcm

Looks are subjective of course, personally I think the accord looks great but you can't be expected to buy something you don't like.

Slattsy

I think the 3 series coupe is the Heidi Klum of cars. For my budget!!
I also think the A4 looks good without it being a stunner. But it's good in the sack if you get my meaning.

colm_mcm

If we're going down that (admittedly dodgy) road, then if we're basing it on how good it is to go, then the A4 might make breakfast for you the morning after but that'd be the highlight,

Fizman

Slattsy, I suggested it in another thread of yours but it does look like importing is the only way to tick all of your boxes. Ireland simply does not have the high specced petrol cars that the rest of Europe possesses. A '08 or '09 2.0Tfsi A4 would be a cracker to own.

Slattsy

It's a dodgy road I'm sorry I've brought the tone of the thread down.
I do like a decent breakfast though.

I've done some research and the A4 seems to get some very good scores.

colm_mcm

To be fair I've only driven the current model with the 2.0 TDI

Fizman

UK A4 2.0 Tfsi

There's a fantastic spec that could be landed over here for about 17k or thereabouts, including VRT.

Slattsy

Fizman wrote: »

Slattsy, I suggested it in another thread of yours but it does look like importing is the only way to tick all of your boxes. Ireland simply does not have the high specced petrol cars that the rest of Europe possesses. A '08 or '09 2.0Tfsi A4 would be a cracker to own.

Yes you did good man.
And I've been looking for one since.

However I think the 1.8 tfsi 170bhp would be ideaI for me as the 2l 211bhp would be more expensive to tax and run and possible out of my budget.
As for import one I just wouldn't know where to start. I'd be top far out of my comfort zone.

Fizman

Slattsy wrote: »

Yes you did good man.
And I've been looking for one since.

However I think the 1.8 tfsi 170bhp would be ideaI for me as the 2l 211bhp would be more expensive to tax and run and possible out of my budget.
As for import one I just wouldn't know where to start. I'd be top far out of my comfort zone.

Well I've news for you there mate, that car that I've linked would cost you €330 to tax per year. It just about falls into tax band C with 154 g/km. It's also very economical for the performance you get. It really is a fantastic engine. (I have the slightly older 200hp version and can back that up).

There would be little or no difference in the cost of running it to be honest, except that insurance would obviously be a little higher.

Re importing, there is a monster thread here on the whole importing scene. A quick 20 mins reading through it and you'd be surprised how quickly the idea could come into your comfort zone.

Slattsy

Fizman wrote: »

Well I've news for you there mate, that car that I've linked would cost you €330 to tax per year. It just about falls into tax band C with 154 g/km. It's also very economical for the performance you get. It really is a fantastic engine. (I have the slightly older 200hp version and can back that up).

There would be little or no difference in the cost of running it to be honest, except that insurance would obviously be a little higher.

Re importing, there is a monster thread here on the whole importing scene. A quick 20 mins reading through it and you'd be surprised how quickly the idea could come into your comfort zone.

Interesting alright.
I did read somewhere that they are economical and compare well to a diesel. They seem to tick a lot of boxes. For me anyway.

Will try find that importing thread and have a proper read and try get up to speed.

As a novice, what the best way to know how much the vrt will be on a particular car?

Thanks man.

bazz26

If your going to the UK then you would pick up a petrol Passat CC for similar money, same engines as the A4. A handsome and rare car:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201230480135669/sort/default/usedcars/fuel-type/petrol/model/passat_cc/make/volkswagen/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/page/1/radius/1500/postcode/w42ud?logcode=p

Fizman

Slattsy wrote: »

As a novice, what the best way to know how much the vrt will be on a particular car?

Thanks man.

https://www.ros.ie/evrt-enquiry/vrtenquiry/vehicle.html?execution=e2s2

The above link has that vehicles details entered, and VRT comes to €3,088 as you should see. To start over, click New VRT Calculation and play around.

Slattsy

There's not one petrol cc in Ireland for sale so I assumed they didn't come in petrol.

Lovely car, had a passat for a while before.

Fizman

bazz26 wrote: »

If your going to the UK then you would pick up a petrol Passat CC for similar money, same engines as the A4. A handsome and rare car:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201230480135669/sort/default/usedcars/fuel-type/petrol/model/passat_cc/make/volkswagen/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/page/1/radius/1500/postcode/w42ud?logcode=p

Just to point out, the engine in that particular car is the older 2.0 Tfsi (200hp - think MK5 GTI), as opposed the the newer (MK6 GTI, Scirocco, A4).

Slattsy

Fizman wrote: »

https://www.ros.ie/evrt-enquiry/vrtenquiry/vehicle.html?execution=e2s2

The above link has that vehicles details entered, and VRT comes to €3,088 as you should see. To start over, click New VRT Calculation and play around.

Importing may well be my only option to get the car I really want.
I have some homework to do now.

Top man.

bazz26

Passat CC was never sold here in petrol as there is no demand for them here. Passat CC is also available in 1.8tsi in the UK.

Idbatterim

op whats your budget and what mileage do you do?

Slattsy

Idbatterim wrote: »

op whats your budget and what mileage do you do?

20k budget.
About 12k km

colm_mcm

Would you not just buy an A5 then? I'm seeing a lot of 08s and an 09 you could afford

Slattsy

colm_mcm wrote: »

Would you not just buy an A5 then? I'm seeing a lot of 08s and an 09 you could afford

You know that never crossed my mind. But certainly a smashing looking car.
Don't know much about them though?

colm_mcm

It's basically an A4

bazz26

Mickdw on here has one, don't think he would recommend the fwd version though.

Slattsy

colm_mcm wrote: »

It's basically an A4[

Just had a wee look there. Jeez they're lovely. Serious car. I dot know why they never crossed my mind.
Must do some research on them.

I'm so easily swayed, head is like a box of frogs..

bazz26

2008 within budget:



http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Audi/A5/COUPE-1.8TFSI/201234209672660/

bazz26

How about a Merc CLK?


http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Mercedes-Benz/CLK-Class/AVANTGARDE-SPORT/29413488221019290/

Slattsy

bazz26 wrote: »

2008 within budget:



http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Audi/A5/COUPE-1.8TFSI/201234209672660/

Smashing car, very sexy.

Not such a fan of the Mercedes though. They just don't appeal to me.

Slattsy

I am all over the A5's !!!!!