Recommendation wanted for a family saloon/hatch

Kashkai

I want to change up from my four year old Laguna to a 1 or 2 year old car. While my Laguna is fault free, economical (averages 5 litres/100km), has all the bells and whistles, it has been discontinued and I feel if I don't trade up now, I'll be stuck with her until she runs into the ground. I've been looking around but nothing else really appeals as the alternatives I've looked at dont have all my cars features.

What would you go for bearing in mind that my must haves are economy, low road tax, reliable, roomy and high spec. My budget would be around €10-12,000 plus the Laguna for a 2011/2012 car.

colm_mcm

What features are we talking here?

bazz26

Mazda 6:

http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Mazda/Mazda6/2.2D-Sport/33213602782280520/

Kashkai

colm_mcm wrote: »

What features are we talking here?

My Laguna is the Privilege model and has:
Keyless entry/exit (brilliant for when I'm carrying kids etc)
6 speed gearbox (the reason I get great economy out of a large car)
Semi automatic handbrake
Cruise control/Speed Limiter (great for long motorway journeys when I'm working down the country)
Dual zone automatic climate control
Auto folding door mirrors
Alarm/Immobiliser
4 electric windows
"See me home" headlights
Four 12v charging points (keeps the kids happy with their gadgets being charged)
iPod connectivity (must have for my iPhone where I store all my music - who uses CDs anymore?)
Automatic headlights
Automatic windscreen wipers
Half leather interior.

In summary, it's got a lot of goodies, which while not absolutely necessary, are nice to have. I'd feel I'd miss them if I traded to a lower specc'ed car.

I was looking for another Laguna but they are as rare as hens teeth (Renault garages admitted the Fluence took a lot of sales from the Laguna), and the few that are available are looking for top money for a car that has gone out of production. I know a lot of people don't like Renaults but of the 8 I've owned,only one gave me trouble and that was with the electric windows. They were all mechanically sound and totally reliable. I don't like Japanese cars as they are fairly basic inside and the one I owned (a Toyota) was unreliable and expensive to maintain.

So what's out there to replace my Laguna? Insignia, C5, I40, Mondeo, 605 etc etc

245

Something like this (with lower mileage)?

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Skoda/Superb/1.6TDI-E/33413625028968520/advert?channel=CARS

rocky

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

While my Laguna is fault free, economical (averages 5 litres/100km), has all the bells and whistles, it has been discontinued and I feel if I don't trade up now, I'll be stuck with her until she runs into the ground. I've been looking around but nothing else really appeals as the alternatives I've looked at dont have all my cars features.

I'd keep the Laguna, you can sell anything for the right price - you won't get stuck with it...

MuppetCheck

If the Laguna is running well then keep it. I'm assuming it's a few years old already as they didn't really sell as well as they should have. You're not going to lose as much as you would on a new car. There is no value to trading up bar the satisfaction you get from the newer car.

Mazda 6 sport SE like the one above will have all the spec you want bar the follow me home lights. That one is well over priced however. You can currently buy that exact car new for a shade over 26k...

Kashkai

Thanks lads. Thing is, I love my current car, best car I've ever had tbh and I am in two minds about trading her in.

I'd buy another Laguna but if you do a quick check on Carzone, you'll see that they are very overpriced, especially for a now defunct model. The couple of Renault dealers I went to with a view to buying their sole second hand Laguna on sale weren't interested in taking mine for a trade in despite it being immaculate and low mileage, 82,000 km for a 2009 1.5 diesel. If they won't take her as a trade in now, what hope have I trading her in next year?

colm_mcm

How about a higher spec seat exeo?

245

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

The couple of Renault dealers I went to with a view to buying their sole second hand Laguna on sale weren't interested in taking mine for a trade in despite it being immaculate and low mileage, 82,000 km for a 2009 1.5 diesel. If they won't take her as a trade in now, what hope have I trading her in next year?

There's been a noted reluctance on the part of Renault dealers to take earlier Lagunas as trade-ins because they were a risky bet but your model is much more sorted. The problem is that if the good news hasn't spread to Renault dealers then its likely to be an issue with dealers of other marques. Bottom line is that it might be one thing to pick out something that you want and another thing to find a dealer who'll deal. The danger is that the only dealer who'll deal will require a compromise and that's one thing you shouldn't do. Assuming that you know your car, its serviced up to date and has no issues then I wouldn't be in any rush to give it away. Supposing its worth roughly 10k and you reckon there's another
four more or less trouble-free years left in it, what have you got to lose by hanging on to it? If you don't have a good indy mechanic then find one and anything that crops up should be economically solveable.

unkel

22-24k for over 2 year old mediocre cars, that's crazy!

Keep your car, Dave. You like it and it has served you well. Do not start wasting money on even more (useless) depreciation, spend the money on nice things for your young family instead

Photoshop

bazz26 wrote: »

Mazda 6:

http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Mazda/Mazda6/2.2D-Sport/33213602782280520/

Having driven both, Honda Accord is far better car.

Alot more comfortable, way more gadgets ( gps, reversing cameras etc , also had the smoother engine and felt much better built inside, nicer material and dash.

I would guess it's more reliable and holds its value better too.

Mazda 6 doesn't seem to hold its value too good and the 130bhp engine was nothing to write home about.

Photoshop

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

What would you go for bearing in mind that my must haves are economy, low road tax, reliable, roomy and high spec. My budget would be around €10-12,000 plus the Laguna for a 2011/2012 car.

I would buy a brand new Mitsubishi Lancer.

22k for below.




150bhp with over 300nm torque and Mitsubishi are offering 8 year/ 100k miles warranty on the 2013 model.



http://www.mitsubishi-motors.ie/WEB/GET-8-YEARS-PEACE-OF-MIND-MOTORING-WITH-MITSUBISH
Must be pretty confident on it's reliability.

If that doesn't float your boat, maybe a 2 year old Accord.

KenSwee

In my opinion, there is no debate here.
It's got to be a Skoda Octavia.

Great specs.
Nice design both in and out.
Has all the best bits from the VW parts bin.
Incredibly reliable.
Huge Boot.
Hatchback.

Have had a few of them and I have to say, I hate to part with each of them but at least I know I'm replacing them with another of it's kind.

Class car.

JohnBoy26

Photoshop wrote: »

I would buy a brand new Mitsubishi Lancer.

22k for below.




150bhp with over 300nm torque and Mitsubishi are offering 8 year/ 100k miles warranty on the 2013 model.



http://www.mitsubishi-motors.ie/WEB/GET-8-YEARS-PEACE-OF-MIND-MOTORING-WITH-MITSUBISH
Must be pretty confident on it's reliability.

If that doesn't float your boat, maybe a 2 year old Accord.

More like they are trying to gain some lost ground in a market they are being squeezed out of due to not having a competitive edge in their vehicle line up in comparison to most of their rivals.

The extended warranty is offered my Mitsubishi Ireland and not Mitsubishi themselves and thus carries some stringent terms and conditions.

bazz26

Photoshop wrote: »

Having driven both, Honda Accord is far better car.

Alot more comfortable, way more gadgets ( gps, reversing cameras etc , also had the smoother engine and felt much better built inside, nicer material and dash.

I would guess it's more reliable and holds its value better too.

Mazda 6 doesn't seem to hold its value too good and the 130bhp engine was nothing to write home about.

OP is looking for a 2011/2012 car though, you will not get a decent 2011/2012 Accord in the OP's budget. Accord's 2.2 DTEC engine only puts out 150bhp also which is hardly earth shattering either.

Stallingrad

You Laguna is a nice car, came very close to buying one myself a few years ago. I would suggest the new Passat. Feels very premium, well equipped in Comfortline, it will feel like a step up. Have you considered petrol? Mine does 7l per 100 which is fine by me.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Passat/1.4TSI--/34613656399749720/advert?channel=CARS

MuppetCheck

KenSwee wrote: »

In my opinion, there is no debate here.
It's got to be a Skoda Octavia.

Great specs.
Nice design both in and out.
Has all the best bits from the VW parts bin.
Incredibly reliable.
Huge Boot.
Hatchback.

Have had a few of them and I have to say, I hate to part with each of them but at least I know I'm replacing them with another of it's kind.

Class car.

And a smaller car than a Laguna. Despite them throwing a bit on the back it's basically a Golf and from a class down. It's also well past its sell by date and not as great as it's made out to be.

Qualitymark

What's the motor tax (or rather, carbon tax) on the various models? And is there a diffference in insurance on them?

Kashkai

My Laguna is in band B. It was €156 a year in road tax when I bought it in 2011 but its now €270 a year thanks to our lovely Government.

Never owned a VW as I always thought they were very spartan inside compared to other makes. Don't think I'd go back to petrol as my 1.5 diesel Laguna does 5 litres/100km whereas my old 1.4 litre petrol megane only managed 7 litres/100km.

The Laguna is very roomy inside, front and rear, and the boot is quite spacious too. That's why I find the alternatives to her wanting in many respects. At this point, I'm finding more reasons to keep her than trade her in for another make.

MuppetCheck

bazz26 wrote: »

OP is looking for a 2011/2012 car though, you will not get a decent 2011/2012 Accord in the OP's budget. Accord's 2.2 DTEC engine only puts out 150bhp also which is hardly earth shattering either.

Mazda might surprise in terms of performance. The 129bhp has put out closer to the Accord on dynos, plus it's a very light car for its class.

OP you seem very happy with your car, think your mad if the only reasoning is to change to avoid depreciation which isn't going to happen.

Matthewjohn

How about a Volvo S60?

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volvo/S60/D3-2.0-D/34813658648629330/advert?channel=CARS

heathersonline

Matthewjohn wrote: »

How about a Volvo S60?

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volvo/S60/D3-2.0-D/34813658648629330/advert?channel=CARS

I test drove that very car a couple of weeks ago. It's lovely but not near as big as I was expecting inside. Centre console & controls are a bit all over the place too

245

Matthewjohn wrote: »

How about a Volvo S60?

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volvo/S60/D3-2.0-D/34813658648629330/advert?channel=CARS

If you can live without a spare wheel its not a bad car. If you need to travel 60km to the airport at 5 in the morning then sometimes an inflation canister just doesn't cut it in countries with potholes and subsequent sidewall damage.

Qualitymark

I notice that most of the cars being recommended seem to be saloons; on the continent, hatchbacks and estates are almost universal now - we're lagging.

Kashkai

I like Volvos, even though I never owned one. Perhaps, like the now defunct Saab, they were "different" to the more popular marques. However if that S60 is smaller than my own Laguna, it would put me off tbh.

And yes, I also prefer hatchbacks as they are far more practical for "family loads".

Guess I'm pretty much stuck with my own car as nothing else really appeals, and when I say "stuck", I don't mean that in a bad way as she's a great car.

Tea 1000

Photoshop wrote: »

Having driven both, Honda Accord is far better car.

Alot more comfortable, way more gadgets ( gps, reversing cameras etc , also had the smoother engine and felt much better built inside, nicer material and dash.

I would guess it's more reliable and holds its value better too.

Mazda 6 doesn't seem to hold its value too good and the 130bhp engine was nothing to write home about.

You need to compare like with like. That model 6 was a lot cheaper than the Accord new, and the Accord with GPS etc were obviously not standard. You could get a 185bhp 6 with even more equipment than an Accord in it too.

Dave - I'd also keep the Laguna I think. You're going to lose money one way or another on it.
If you were to replace it though, the Peugeot 508 is probably the best step up from it.

_Kaiser_

Qualitymark wrote: »

I notice that most of the cars being recommended seem to be saloons; on the continent, hatchbacks and estates are almost universal now - we're lagging.

Wouldn't say that. There's plenty of hatchbacks around, but personally I think most estates look nowhere near as good as their saloon counterparts (there are exceptions of course).

Zubeneschamali

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

I'll be stuck with her until she runs into the ground.

Would that be so bad?

I like to buy new or newish, but then it seldom makes financial sense to change. I only change when the current car doesn't suit any more, or it's clapped out.

I currently have an 08 and an 06, and there really isn't anything out there to tempt me, bar newer more powerful versions of the same cars.

Qualitymark

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Wouldn't say that. There's plenty of hatchbacks around, but personally I think most estates look nowhere near as good as their saloon counterparts (there are exceptions of course).

I wouldn't be so worried about looks as about the ability to throw a wardrobe in the back if I wanted to!

ronaneire

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

I want to change up from my four year old Laguna to a 1 or 2 year old car. While my Laguna is fault free, economical (averages 5 litres/100km), has all the bells and whistles, it has been discontinued and I feel if I don't trade up now, I'll be stuck with her until she runs into the ground. I've been looking around but nothing else really appeals as the alternatives I've looked at dont have all my cars features.

What would you go for bearing in mind that my must haves are economy, low road tax, reliable, roomy and high spec. My budget would be around €10-12,000 plus the Laguna for a 2011/2012 car.

I don't think it is http://www.renault.ie/offers/laguna.jsp

_Kaiser_

Qualitymark wrote: »

I wouldn't be so worried about looks as about the ability to throw a wardrobe in the back if I wanted to!

But then you wouldn't be buying a saloon anyway? Maybe most people here aren't planning to carry large furniture much?

GavMan

ronaneire wrote: »

I don't think it is http://www.renault.ie/offers/laguna.jsp

I'd say they're selling from stock. I don't think the Laguna is in production anymore.

I would imagine they will replace it with something.

OP, I'd consider holding fire until we see what that might be.

If you can't wait, consider going Korean. i40 or Kia Optima are nice buses with all the toys. Budget could be tight though if you want new. ex demo could be an option though...

Qualitymark

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

But then you wouldn't be buying a saloon anyway? Maybe most people here aren't planning to carry large furniture much?

Ach, there's always the time you buy an armchair or sell a table on adverts.ie or something and need to bring it home or away.

Zubeneschamali

GavMan wrote: »

I'd say they're selling from stock.

I'd say you can't have one - they announced no more RHD Lagunas or Espaces back in Dec. 2011, I think they stopped making them in Feb 2012.

GavMan

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

I'd say you can't have one - they announced no more RHD Lagunas or Espaces back in Dec. 2011, I think they stopped making them in Feb 2012.

Indeed they did and actually with no plans to replace when I looked it up.

What I meant was, the distributor might have unreged stock that the offer posted applies to.

Zubeneschamali

GavMan wrote: »

the distributor might have unreged stock that the offer posted applies to.

16 months later?

ronaneire

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

16 months later?

Joe Mallon's have or had one in their showroom as of two weeks ago.

bazz26

There will be a new Laguna on the way but it is going to be a crossover type vehicle and no indication if Renault will build a RHD version yet. Anything new you see around now in dealerships are just unsold old stock.

R.O.R

Renault didn't stop building RHD Laguna's, they just stopped producing them (and the Espace/Grand Espace) for the UK market.

Still available to order, but they've recently announced new pricing and discounts for them that more or less say "we don't want to sell any Laguna's".

Zubeneschamali

R.O.R wrote: »

Renault didn't stop building RHD Laguna's, they just stopped producing them (and the Espace/Grand Espace) for the UK market.

So what market is taking RHD Laguna's now? The Japanese?

MuppetCheck

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

16 months later?

They stopped making Primeras in late 2006 and there are a few 11 reg ones floating around!

ba_barabus

MuppetCheck wrote: »

They stopped making Primeras in late 2006 and there are a few 11 reg ones floating around!

There was a few Vectras registered like that too

JohnBoy26

ba_barabus wrote: »

There was a few Vectras registered like that too

And some Rovers as well, although the latest I have seen is an 08 reg.

ba_barabus

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

And some Rovers as well, although the latest I have seen is an 08 reg.

And it was an MG ZT CDTI in black.

There are still some unregistered including a V8 Rover 75 which in in Holland.

I love my BL and MGR shyte

Qualitymark

If I could have the car of my dreams, it'd be a Prius.

unkel

Qualitymark wrote: »

If I could have the car of my dreams, it'd be a Prius.

And your dream job would be working in McDonalds?

Qualitymark

unkel wrote: »

And your dream job would be working in McDonalds?

What's the connection? I'm sure this is a clever comment, but I don't understand it.

Stallingrad

Qualitymark wrote: »

What's the connection? I'm sure this is a clever comment, but I don't understand it.

I think he means aim higher.

renofan

My advice is keep the Laguna. Its a great car and hasn't given you any trouble. Why give it to someone else for a bargain price and you lose out financially? There are better things to spend money on than depreciation and you'll get a few more years out of it yet. So what if its an older reg, imo if the car is fine and you're happy with it keep it. I know that's what I'd do.

Stallingrad

renofan wrote: »

My advice is keep the Laguna. Its a great car and hasn't given you any trouble. Why give it to someone else for a bargain price and you lose out financially? There are better things to spend money on than depreciation and you'll get a few more years out of it yet. So what if its an older reg, imo if the car is fine and you're happy with it keep it. I know that's what I'd do.

+1. You could spend a heap of money and end up with a lesser car. Still think you should try a Passat though...