Budget 1500

BronsonTB

I'm in the market to replace my car. (Full lic & full NCB)

Budget is 1500

Thinking a 02-04 Passat.

Must be diesel & no bigger than 2lt

Manual preferred

Ideally above 120 bhp...

So far most seem to have mileage 200+ Would I be mad to buy with that mileage?
(Most don't seem to have decent service history)

I do about 25-35k per year.

Atlantic Dawn

Any preference for manual or automatic or either? Does it have to be saloon or hatch or either? Here's a few...

BMW 320D
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/bmw320d/11328555

Saab 93
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/05-saab-9-3-1-9-dieselnct-10-20166-speed/11338423

Volvo S40
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volvos40/11417138

bazz26

In that price range its going to be hard to find anything VAG diesel with less than 200k miles on it.

I'd look at something like a Peugeot 406, great car in their day and tend to be alot cheaper than VAG stuff of similar age.

For example:
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/peugeot-406/11075079

BronsonTB

Never taught of a Saab 93, looks well spec'd.....Are parts still readily available?

aerofoiled

I'm selling my Citroen Xantia - 2.0 HDi with 122k miles. Only 90bhp but they're nippy enough and 700miles from a full tank. Timing belt, water pump was done 6k miles ago.

I've done 10k trouble free miles in the 6 months I've had it.

BronsonTB

aerofoiled wrote: »

I'm selling my Citroen Xantia - 2.0 HDi with 122k miles. Only 90bhp but they're nippy enough and 700miles from a full tank. Timing belt, water pump was done 6k miles ago.

I've done 10k trouble free miles in the 6 months I've had it.

Thanks but don't like the look of the Xantia's.

BronsonTB

Took a test drive in a 2004 Avensis & actually really liked it...

StereoSound

BronsonTB wrote: »

Took a test drive in a 2004 Avensis & actually really liked it...

Suppose you can't go wrong with a Toyota, abit boring looking but will surely be a nice runner.

kermitpwee

BronsonTB wrote: »

Thanks but don't like the look of the Xantia's.

First fatal mistake when on a limited budget like you. @1500 euro the look is irrelevant, buying on that basis you need a greater budget or you will get a pup. Only exception is if your a young lad that's worried what others think and need to get the Passat to fit in. The 406 is your man at that money, if you look out for one in silver with allolys and fogs they look way better than the Passat, nice interiors as well, stand out man!

BronsonTB

kermitpwee wrote: »

First fatal mistake when on a limited budget like you. @1500 euro the look is irrelevant, buying on that basis you need a greater budget or you will get a pup. Only exception is if your a young lad that's worried what others think and need to get the Passat to fit in. The 406 is your man at that money, if you look out for one in silver with allolys and fogs they look way better than the Passat, nice interiors as well, stand out man!

Like this? https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/peugeot-406/11466151
IMO, not so sure it's nicer than a Passat to look at but thanks for your input.

kermitpwee

Options

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/seat-toledo-with-full-years-test/11436215

Good lookin car

kermitpwee

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/seat-toledo/11450271

JohnBoy26

kermitpwee wrote: »

First fatal mistake when on a limited budget like you. @1500 euro the look is irrelevant, buying on that basis you need a greater budget or you will get a pup. Only exception is if your a young lad that's worried what others think and need to get the Passat to fit in. The 406 is your man at that money, if you look out for one in silver with allolys and fogs they look way better than the Passat, nice interiors as well, stand out man!

Is it though? They are overrated on here imo. They get really rough as they age. Build quality is poor on them and the electrics aren't their strong point. A guy I know had a facelift hdi version which burned to a crisp last year due to wiring issues. Aparantly it's common enough issue too.

http://www.scoobynet.com/other-marques-33/251425-peugeot-fire-hazard-on-watchdog.html

I'd take a Passat any day over one tbh. At €1500 it will be difficult to find a clean one but not impossible.

Seweryn

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Is it though? They are overrated on here imo. They get really rough as they age. Build quality is poor on them and the electrics aren't their strong point. A guy I know had a facelift hdi version which burned to a crisp last year due to wiring issues. Aparantly it's common enough issue too.

http://www.scoobynet.com/other-marques-33/251425-peugeot-fire-hazard-on-watchdog.html

I'd take a Passat any day over one tbh. At €1500 it will be difficult to find a clean one but not impossible.

I would take a 406 over a Passat for the following reasons:
- galvanised body,
- great handling and comfort with cheap to keep up suspension if needs to be serviced,
- very good HDi Diesel engine, smoother and quieter than in a VW.

I don't see the electrics being any better or worse than in a competitive car.

JohnBoy26

Seweryn wrote: »

I would take a 406 over a Passat for the following reasons:
- galvanised body,
- great handling and comfort with cheap to keep up suspension if needs to be serviced,
- very good HDi Diesel engine, smoother and quieter than in a VW.

I don't see the electrics being any better or worse than in a competitive car.

The 406 isn't galavanised. It has an e zinc coating just like any other car. The peugeot galavanising thing is a myth. The same is said about the 306s and they rust badly in places too.

From my own experience I actually found the passat to be more rust resistant than a 406. The Passat of that era, as with the golf of the same era not only has excellent rust protection but they also have the most thorough undersealing I have seen on any car.

All of the chassis from the bulkhead back is fully sealed, and sealed very well. They are one of a very few cars where you can still find many with absolutely zero rust underneath.

Handing in the 406 might be a little better but in reality the difference is small. The suspension is actually easier to keep good on a Passat as it uses a twist beam rear suspension which is more straight forward than the multi link used in the 406. Comfort isn't much different between the two of them tbh.

When the 406 gets on in the years and up in the miles they get very tired. A relative of mine had one back in the day and every week there seemed to be a new bushing or link gone in it.

The Passat is no where near as bad in this case. It mightn't be a paragon of reliability bit it's still a pretty reliable and a very decent car in terms of high miles and wear and tear.

As for the engines the hdi isn't really that much quieter or smoother than the TDI. On the road the difference is unnoticeable. The hdi is also more complex and more difficult to put right if it develops any electrical issues. It's also a less robust unit imo.

The PD engine in the Passat is pretty robust and is capable of very high miles.

Everyone is different but as I said if the two were put in front of me I'd choose a Passat all day long.

sergiut11

Why don't you go for a 1.9 TDI skoda octavia? most people i know they have up to 500,000 miles on them and still running. they last long time family car too..

BronsonTB

Update: Purchased a 2003 Passat TDI 5 speed - Comfortline spec - So far so good (touches wood)