Family car

gaillimhabu

My wife and I are expecting our first child soon and looking to upgrade our main car which is a 2011 Ford Focus Saloon (new model) EDGE 1.6 TDCI 95PS M6 STYLE 4DR. It was bought new, diesel and fairly basic spec wise but a few extras were bought at the time like bluetooth, windscreen demisters.

The main reasons for deciding to upgrade is due to the high mileage my wife does and also the depreciation of the car the longer we leave it. About 31,000 km per year with the main mileage being the 70 km daily commute Mon-Fri.

The Focus has 141,000 km on it now and the first garage we tried at weekend has offered us €9,6K trade in. We will probably get more for it if we sell it private but will see over the next few weeks what the other dealers think it's worth.

Btw the garage we tried first was opel and looked at the new Opel Astra Saloon 1.6 CDTi 136ps ecoFlex S/S 6 speed with a couple of extra for €25600. Nice looking car. The hatchback has too small a boot. Other than that the only other possible option for that brand would be the Insignia 1.6 CDTi 136ps ecoFlex S/S which was around €31k new but we would be looking for one a few years old to bring down the price to the €25k mark. Might test drive them during the week to see what they are like....

Here are the focus areas to narrow down the search:
* €20k - €25k budget in total including the trade in. So our budget is really €10-15K plus the €10k we hope to get for the focus.
* Not sure if we should buy new but are kinda swaying more towards a used 1/2/3 yr old car
* Diesel due to the high mileage.
* Decent spec would be nice e.g. parking sensors, dual climate control, cruise control (not hugely important as the daily commute is not on motorway)
* Cheap tax (€190 for focus)
* Good MPG
* Good boot space for buggy/baby stuff. Maybe bigger than the focus since it will be our main car.
* Doesn't have to be a saloon as sometimes find the opening a bit restricted when trying to fit bulky items.
* Brand not important but reliability is
* Safe/Sturdy vehicle
* Isofix child seat anchor points

Sorry about the long spiel. Would love to hear some opinions and advice. Thanks for reading

walus

Honda Civic Tourer 1.6 I-dtec. You will be future proof when another baby comes around... Very spacious car and super efficient engine.

listermint

What about the I40 Tourer,

My sister just got one pre christmas, and loves it.

On a personal note anyone i know what bought new Opel (Insignia / Astra) both had issues with them. Thats first hand.


http://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/hyundai/i40-tourer

Along these lines or newer obviously

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/hyundai/i40/used-2013-131-hyundai-i40-sold-sold-s-dublin-fpa-201614440518887070

Alot of car for the money. and spacewise well it speaks for itself.

gaillimhabu

Test driving a Kia Ceed SW i.e. estate and the Kia Sportage this weekend to see how they feel. The same dealer has Volvo, Peugeot and Citroen brands too so any pointers on those would be great.

We will probably try the hyundai dealer too and try out the i40 tourer

Have decided against Opel Astra/Insignia due to reading lots of bad reports. Can also probably get more bang for my buck in other car makes

gaillimhabu

Never test drove Kia Ceed SW or Sportage in the end as our little man decided to come a few days early. I've discounted Ceed SW now due to lack of spec but sportage is still in the mix

At weekend, looked at these cars in two local dealers

* Avensis. Prefer Luna over Aura as better specs. Test driving it tomorrow hopefully. ~€31k from new. Will defer judgement till then.

* 141 Skoda Octavia - Executive model so came with parking sensor, dual climate control that I'm looking for. Lovely car to drive
* 131 VW Passat - Didn't feel as good to drive after Octavia. Still a decent machine though.
* 08 Ford Mondeo (newest used one they had) - ok to drive. Expect the newer models to be a lot better feel wise
* 09 Nissan Qashqai (newest used one they had) - Didn't enjoy it at all. Hopefully it was just a bad one and newer models are a better drive.

One thing I learnt is it helps to drive a few makes straight after each other on the day as it's good to get to compare the drive feels of various makes

Anyhow hope to go to Kia and Hyundai dealer this week. Need to start narrowing down my search

finalfurlong

The golf Sv is an excellent car-neat but spacious and cant go wrong for easy day to day ownership.only out last year but a low mileage one in comfortline spec would be good bit less than 31k avensis and as good if not better

Matthewjohn

Have you checked out the Ford Cmax? It's quite similar to your focus only with more room and a big boot. A new one could easily be got for €25000.

Or these?

Mazda 6

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/mazda/mazda6/used-2015-151-mazda-mazda6-2-2-execut-galway-fpa-201314538566144680

Seat Leon ST
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/seat/leon/used-2015-151-seat-leon-st-fr-150bhp-galway-fpa-200914495162681840

Skoda Yeti
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/skoda/yeti/used-2015-151-skoda-yeti-outdoor-2-0t-galway-fpa-200814532246175050

Matthewjohn

Have you checked out the Ford Cmax? It's quite similar to your focus only with more room and a big boot. A new one could easily be got for €25000.

Or these?

Mazda 6

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/mazda/mazda6/used-2015-151-mazda-mazda6-2-2-execut-galway-fpa-201314538566144680

Seat Leon ST
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/seat/leon/used-2015-151-seat-leon-st-fr-150bhp-galway-fpa-200914495162681840

Skoda Yeti
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/skoda/yeti/used-2015-151-skoda-yeti-outdoor-2-0t-galway-fpa-200814532246175050

Casati

If you are happy with the Focus then buying a new one isn't a bad idea but if you could stretch to it a new shape Mondeo http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/ford/mondeo/used-2015-152-ford-mondeo-1-6-tdci-st-wexford-fpa-201014416311684810

A year old like this should be yours within budget and the 5 door hatch has tonnes of room. The engine has 120bhp and feels a nice bit more powerful than your Focus

colm_mcm

The avensis is quite old now.despite getting a facelift. it wasn't a class leader in 2009.

gaillimhabu

Test drove the new Avensis Luna few days back. Plastic on dashboard didn't look right and the 1.6 diesel felt underpowered. I also tried the 141 aura 2.0 diesel and felt a lot better to drive and even better looking. I mentioned €31k above from new but that was trade in price so he would do it for €28.5k for a straight deal. However looking elsewhere again after reading some more reviews and your suggestions above indicating I can get a better car for my budget

Yesterday then tried out these makes
* 151 Kia Sportage Platinum - Loved this car after test drive. I think platinum is the GSE model with the top specs i.e. leather seats, dual climate control, sat nav, rear view camera, parking sensors, privacy glass, glass roof. Owner even added €3k extras according to the dealer at the time with wind deflectors, step bar, upgraded alloys, chrome to front and back bumpers. Has 18000kms and he mentioned €27k as the first price so above my budget unless I try and make a deal to try get closer to €25k which is unlikely I'd imagine
* 141 Hyundai ix35 - Felt there was high engine noise and wind noise when driving, pick up only ok and taking corners not as smooth as sportage for example. Counting this out
* 11 Hyundai i40 tourer - Nice drive especially after the ix35 so could get a 141 with good specs I'd say for under €25k

As for suggestions above:
* Golf Sv - Will try a test drive when I get to a VW dealer along with Passat
* Mazda 6 - Lovely looking car. Concern might be with DPF and timing chain issue I've read on this forum
* Seat Leon ST - Think VW dealer does Seat too so will try then but always thought Seat as unreliable for some reason
* Skoda Yeti - Looks a bit boxey to me and not great looking
* Mondeo, CMax and Honda Civic Tourer 1.6 I-dtec will be done together in same dealer

For now the sportage is top of my list albeit way over budget with the i40 tourer or saloon 2nd

gaillimhabu

Anyone know why it's so hard to find a Honda Civic Tourer 1.6 I-dtec?

None available new/used in the main dealer locally even though they have loads of hatchbacks. Only 3 available on DoneDeal. Sounds like there is no demand for them

We've discounted these cars after having a look at them
* Golf Sv - Didn't test drive. Have had golfs before. Feel there is better out there for our money
* Skoda Yeti - Didn't test drive. Looks a bit boxey to me and not great looking
* Ford CMax - Test drove a 141. Exact same feel as driving a Focus but higher up. Need a change I think. Nothing wrong with car per say
* Hyundai ix35 - Felt there was high engine noise and wind noise when driving, pick up only ok and taking corners not as smooth as sportage for example
* Toyota Avensis - interior is lacking
* Kia Ceed SW - Lack of spec
* Opel Astra/Insignia - Reliability issues

Still in the mix:
* Kia Sportage - Test drove the platinum with top spec. 151 available for ~€27k
* Hyundai i40 tourer or saloon - Need the mid range executive model to get the spec we are looking for. 141 for ~€25k
* Seat Leon ST - Still to test drive. Looks an impressive machine from viewing in VW dealer
* Nissan Qashqai - Test drove a 141. A lot better than the 09 I drove few weeks back. Think need the SV model to get the specs we need
* Mazda6 - Nice drive but unsure as heard of reliability issues with DPF, rust, timing chain
* Ford Mondeo - Prob Zetec or Titatium 14,15
* Honda Civic Tourer 1.6 if I can get a 1/2 yr old one although not many in market
* VW Passat - Plenty of boot space in saloon or estate. Still deciding if I like it. Can probably get a better specced SEAT or Skoda that have VW engines for a lot less money
* Skoda Superb or Octavia - Still to test drive but they fit the bill by the looks

Which one would you choose to help me trim down my list

colm_mcm

The civic tourer is quite expensive, most people spending that money would sooner get a Qashqai or something more mainstream.

bazz26

The Irish don't really have a thing for estate cars, especially medium sized ones. They prefer Crossovers these days. Honda Civics don't sell in huge numbers either and the estate is not cheap. Civic estate was only launched about 2 years ago too.

vistaphotos

I know you discounted the ix35. It's since been replaced by the new Tucson, not sure if buying new is within budget with the current €4k scrappage offer running until Feb 29, or whether you'd even consider compared to the Sportage. Sister companies so you'd suspect mechanicals are similar under the skin.

gaillimhabu

@colm_mcm & bazz26 - When you say expensive is that compared to similar specced estates and crossovers. It looks like a 2014 one with sport trim and low mileage would come around €24k. That seems reasonable to me but maybe in comparasion to an i40 tourer it's a €1k or so dearer. Am I missing something

@vistaphotos - I think the new Tuscon is out of my range as going over the €30k mark. I've a 11 focus to trade in valued at about €10k. Not sure how the €4k scrappage scheme works with that?

colm_mcm

Civic is in the focus/golf/Corolla segment
I40 is in the mondeo/Passat/Avensis segment

Civics were never cheap, that's why you don't see loads of them around.
Also, it looks a bit weird, which limits already limited appeal.

Scrappage deal won't really work that well on your focus.


There is a Toyota Auris sports tourer thingy. Might fit the bill, interior better than avensis. Also try Hyundai i30 estate as I think they do a specced up version.

bazz26

What about the Megane estate?

15 reg is within budget, ok they are being replaced with a new model later this year but there should be good deals to be had on current models and they are well equipped for the money.

http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Renault/Megane/ESTATE-GT/201114464806744970/

gaillimhabu

Ah thought the civic tourer was in the same segment as the i40 tourer. Agree that hatchback looks weird but thought estate looked ok. Anyhow time to move on from it.

I'll have a think about auris and i30 estate.

The megane estate didn't come to mind as I've always heard it was grand to buy Renault new but problems do occur a few years down the line. Is it really reliable enough? It's at a great price and spec is top notch but wondering whether I'll be throwing money at it down the line.

ForestFire

gaillimhabu wrote: »

@colm_mcm & bazz26 - When you say expensive is that compared to similar specced estates and crossovers. It looks like a 2014 one with sport trim and low mileage would come around €24k. That seems reasonable to me but maybe in comparasion to an i40 tourer it's a €1k or so dearer. Am I missing something

@vistaphotos - I think the new Tuscon is out of my range as going over the €30k mark. I've a 11 focus to trade in valued at about €10k. Not sure how the €4k scrappage scheme works with that?

You should be able to get approx. €3,500 off the Tuscon with a cash deal. For me this involved trading a car for the 4K deal and buying it back again for €500. In the end I did not go for this out due to having an uncomfortable feel in the drivers seat.

Was going to go for a Honda HRV and looked at a lot of Crossovers over the past few months.

In the end the main draw back from the crossovers for us was the space between the rear seat and the front seats (When putting in a child seat and 2 year old kicking the front seats.) and the availability of the HVR

In the end I have just placed an order for a Skoda Combi Combi with 0%PCP and a decent cash discount with some extras now for free. The main benefits for us were:-

1. VW family car on MQB platform
2. Boot space much better than any of the crossovers
3. Rear seat space best of any car tested
4. Very good online reviews

Just to note, these were all tested in the galway city region

bazz26

gaillimhabu wrote: »

Ah thought the civic tourer was in the same segment as the i40 tourer. Agree that hatchback looks weird but thought estate looked ok. Anyhow time to move on from it.

I'll have a think about auris and i30 estate.

The megane estate didn't come to mind as I've always heard it was grand to buy Renault new but problems do occur a few years down the line. Is it really reliable enough? It's at a great price and spec is top notch but wondering whether I'll be throwing money at it down the line.

There is a 4 year warranty remaining on that Megane, that model Megane is as reliable as most other cars out there. It's the model before that one that earned the bad reputation for reliability.

gaillimhabu

This is the Sportage I was on about last week.151 Kia Sportage 1.7 Platinum 4DR. However it was already sold when my wife and I went in for a 2nd test drive.

However we drove a 141 Kia Sportage 1.7 LXE which has excellent specs too like sat nav, dual climate control. reversing camera, rear parking sensors, bluetooth, cruise control, fog lights, privacy glass. The only issue I can see is the mileage is at 36,464 mi or 58,683 Km

Was priced at €24,500 and he brought it down to €23,500 for a straight deal. Told we'd think about it without even haggling but seems like a decent option for what we are looking for...Seriously tempted as already spent a month trawling for the perfect car for our needs :eek:

bazz26

36k miles is hardy something to be concerned about on a 2 year old diesel car.

gaillimhabu

That is true I suppose. Might try an offer of 23k to see if it seals the deal

vistaphotos

gaillimhabu wrote: »

@vistaphotos - I think the new Tuscon is out of my range as going over the €30k mark. I've a 11 focus to trade in valued at about €10k. Not sure how the €4k scrappage scheme works with that?

Scrappage won't really work to your advantage. My screw up for missing you had a Focus with a bit of value in it, sorry should have read from the start. Best of luck with the 141 Sportage

bazz26

The scrappage deal only works if you have a low value trade-in worth less than the 4k being offered. It's designed to get people with old or low value cars into a new car. Your not going to get 14k trade-in allowance on a Focus worth 10k.

ForestFire

vistaphotos wrote: »

Scrappage won't really work to your advantage. My screw up for missing you had a Focus with a bit of value in it, sorry should have read from the start. Best of luck with the 141 Sportage

bazz26 wrote: »

The scrappage deal only works if you have a low value trade-in worth less than the 4k being offered. It's designed to get people with old or low value cars into a new car. Your not going to get 14k trade-in allowance on a Focus worth 10k.

As I said in previous post, this is not entirely true.

Hyundai offered me 3500 off on a cash deal, using my car for the 4K discount and selling it back to me for €500, even though it is worth a lot more.
OP could get 3.5K off and then sell his 10K car privately.

Ford offered me the full 4750 off the Kuga for a cash deal.

Others did not make this offer, so not every dealer is the same but worth checking these options