New car, am I being too fussy?

I Was VB

Looking at getting a new car to use as taxi as my current taxi is dead (low compression) and not worth fixing.

I've a budget of 17K to spend on something that has to be Diesel and automatic and be a good sized saloon, no older then a 12.

Looking at a few Auto Superbs online and they all have well in excess of 100K miles no service history and questionable salesmen (one particular garage was raided on Tuesday where a Superb automatic i was looking at) Did a company check on said company and it was only registered as a company two months previous, I couldnt stomach handing over thousands to a flyby night company and If/When it needed warranty work they were out of business

Would like a E-Class but they all come in excess of 100k miles and again no service history and over my budget.

colm_mcm

I Was VB wrote: »

Looking at getting a new car to use as taxi as my current taxi is dead (low compression) and not worth fixing.

I've a budget of 17K to spend on something that has to be Diesel and automatic and be a good sized saloon, no older then a 12.

Looking at a few Auto Superbs online and they all have well in excess of 100K miles no service history and questionable salesmen (one particular garage was raided on Tuesday where a Superb automatic i was looking at) Did a company check on said company and it was only registered as a company two months previous, I couldnt stomach handing over thousands to a flyby night company and If/When it needed warranty work they were out of business

Would like a E-Class but they all come in excess of 100k miles and again no service history and over my budget.

Forget the warranty. For a taxi it's likely to have a short mileage limit anyway. Look in the uk

Eric Cartman

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201609097611751?make=mercedes-benz%26model=e-class%26utm_source=Email_a_Friend%26utm_medium=Email%26utm_campaign=Email_a_friend_car

E220 , diesel, auto, leather, under 50k miles.

cleared and all for under your budget

porsche boy

If I can offer a word of advice. The Mercedes is going to cost considerably more to maintain then the Skoda.

Saw the garage you mentioned being raided. Unusual for the boys to go so far from Ballymount but then I suppose shady dealers werent always going to stay within the confines of the Ballymount triangle to be identifiable.

With sterling/euro being so close go shopping on usedcarsni.com or similar English sites and grab a nice clean good spec one. Check vehicle spec cairfully though, friend got a superb for taxying and had to replace some windows because of factory tints were too dark...

punisher5112

Would you consider changing to a wheelchair accessible vehicle or are you set on saloon.

If saloon you should think of estate or saloon size hatch.

As colm says search UK yourself as that's what most of these dealer types are flogging off

punisher5112

Also to help your search on UK vehicle use mot check UK as it will give you mileage record if car has had mot obviously if newer won't have but search for an example with service history.

100k miles on a well maintained diesel is nothing so don't let that our you off but do realize resale value if you sell on will be low.

Joeseph Balls

Eric Cartman wrote: »

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201609097611751?make=mercedes-benz%26model=e-class%26utm_source=Email_a_Friend%26utm_medium=Email%26utm_campaign=Email_a_friend_car

E220 , diesel, auto, leather, under 50k miles.

cleared and all for under your budget

Is there a way to search on that site without putting in a postcode?

Eric Cartman

Joeseph Balls wrote: »

Is there a way to search on that site without putting in a postcode?

SE10AB

Joeseph Balls

Eric Cartman wrote: »

SE10AB

Gentleman. Am on the search for a clean mondeo titanium x. That should help

Austin1

Eric Cartman wrote: »

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201609097611751?make=mercedes-benz%26model=e-class%26utm_source=Email_a_Friend%26utm_medium=Email%26utm_campaign=Email_a_friend_car

E220 , diesel, auto, leather, under 50k miles.

cleared and all for under your budget

I would take that mpg claim with a pinch of salt. I traded down recently from a 2011 Merc E220 to a 2011 1.5 Renault Fluence. I can literally cover twice the mileage on a full tank of diesel now. Sure, I miss the power of the bigger engine but believe it or not the Fluence has a lot more gadgets and gizmos than the well specced Merc had!

Cee-Jay-Cee

Austin1 wrote: »

I would take that mpg claim with a pinch of salt. I traded down recently from a 2011 Merc E220 to a 2011 1.5 Renault Fluence. I can literally cover twice the mileage on a full tank of diesel now. Sure, I miss the power of the bigger engine but believe it or not the Fluence has a lot more gadgets and gizmos than the well specced Merc had!

..,but they look absolutely horrible.

Austin1

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

..,but they look absolutely horrible.

True, but I can't tell from the inside when I'm driving it ;-)

Idbatterim

just saw this, going for auction at 10:30am today. 2011 auto E220cdi


http://www.merlin.ie/cardetails#/?make=MERCEDES-BENZ&pageSize=10&sortBy=make_asc&page=1&page=1&id=344290&pagesize=10&no=7&totalcount=12

Marcusm

Eric Cartman wrote: »

SE10AB

Interesting choice of postcode; I used to get my cars washed there.

R.O.R

http://www.newlandscrossmotors.ie/viewanad.php?ad_id=1609211&r=

Just popped up in my FB feed, as someone I know likes their page, and as he used to sell off all the cars from a rival fleet company and has been around the motor trade all his life, I'd say they are kosher enough.

Only trading since Feb 2016, but they are in the Autokey building at Newlands Cross (used to be Newlands Renault) so I guess there's some sort of tie up between the 2, and Autokey have been around a long time.

Only downside to that as a Taxi is the Alcantara, which is probably a nightmare to clean puke off.

logie101

I can't understand why more taxi drivers don't drive estate cars.
Surely estates would be much more practical as a taxi.

halvis

A Volvo S60 D2 (economical) or D3 (more fun) could be a good bet. Very comfortable, leather in most models and if from the UK very well priced with good spec.

Walter2016

halvis wrote: »

A Volvo S60 D2 (economical) or D3 (more fun) could be a good bet. Very comfortable, leather in most models and if from the UK very well priced with good spec.

Probably a little small for a taxi. The superb has massive room in the back - hence a favourite of taxi men all over Europe due to the comfort it gives passengers.

I Was VB

R.O.R wrote: »

http://www.newlandscrossmotors.ie/viewanad.php?ad_id=1609211&r=

Just popped up in my FB feed, as someone I know likes their page, and as he used to sell off all the cars from a rival fleet company and has been around the motor trade all his life, I'd say they are kosher enough.

Only trading since Feb 2016, but they are in the Autokey building at Newlands Cross (used to be Newlands Renault) so I guess there's some sort of tie up between the 2, and Autokey have been around a long time.

Only downside to that as a Taxi is the Alcantara, which is probably a nightmare to clean puke off.

Thats a beauty! Been doing my homework in the UK and I can get a 2015 SE spec Superb landed in Ireland with the VRT paid for a shade over €19K, gonna exhaust all avenues in the UK.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201609177847495?onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&transmission=Automatic&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=year-desc&make=SKODA&price-to=13000&radius=1500&postcode=bt350as&model=SUPERB&page=1

bazz26

Try and get a UK equivalence of the Elegence spec we have here. The full leather seats are very comfortable and leather is alot easier to keep clean especially in a taxi than the half leather ones.

torqtorq

How does the Dacia Logan mcv fair as a taxi.

They are 16,000 euro brand new and have the Renault 1.5 diesel engine and are very easy on juice.

Dacia are a subsidiary of Renault.

mickdw

VB must have had a brain transplant or something.
What happen all the toyota love?

I Was VB

mickdw wrote: »

VB must have had a brain transplant or something.
What happen all the toyota love?

LOL, was seriously looking at the Prius 2011 model, but far too small for the job.

As i previously posted was looking at 2012 E Class but the cost didn't justify it, one of the lads has a 2010 paddy spec superb and they are a fine motor.

colm_mcm

torqtorq wrote: »

How does the Dacia Logan mcv fair as a taxi.

They are 16,000 euro brand new and have the Renault 1.5 diesel engine and are very easy on juice.

Dacia are a subsidiary of Renault.

You'd lose the will to live, surely!

I Was VB

bazz26 wrote: »

Try and get a UK equivalence of the Elegence spec we have here. The full leather seats are very comfortable and leather is alot easier to keep clean especially in a taxi than the half leather ones.

The Elegance is about €2k more on the vrt then the SE spec, for what i'd be spending on a 2015 SE spec id be upto a 2013 Elegance, and if i really lost my marbles or sense I could go for L+K but then id be down to a 2012.

torqtorq wrote: »

How does the Dacia Logan mcv fair as a taxi.

They are 16,000 euro brand new and have the Renault 1.5 diesel engine and are very easy on juice.

Dacia are a subsidiary of Renault.

I spend 12 hours a day 6 days a week in the car i want a bit of comfort, the MCV will appeal to a certain driver but not me.

bazz26

torqtorq wrote: »

How does the Dacia Logan mcv fair as a taxi.

They are 16,000 euro brand new and have the Renault 1.5 diesel engine and are very easy on juice.

Dacia are a subsidiary of Renault.

Other than a practical boot being an estate they are based on a supermini so interior space including leg room would not make them very useful or comfortable as a taxi I'd say. I wouldn't fancy spending my working day in such a basic car built to a budget either.

I Was VB

bazz26 wrote: »

Other than a practical boot being an estate they are based on a supermini so interior space including leg room would not make them very useful or comfortable as a taxi I'd say. I wouldn't fancy spending my working day in such a basic car built to a budget either.

AFAIK they're based on a Renault Clio

bazz26

I Was VB wrote: »

AFAIK they're based on a Renault Clio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacia_Logan

jca

Would you consider an Avensis saloon or estate? Suspension wise, they'd be a lot more robust than the Superb.

colm_mcm

I Was VB wrote: »

AFAIK they're based on a Renault Clio

They pass the suitability test for space though.

I Was VB

jca wrote: »

Would you consider an Avensis saloon or estate? Suspension wise, they'd be a lot more robust than the Superb.

I've been behind too many pissing out smoke in town, 2.2 DCat is generally know to be ****e

colm_mcm

What about a Prius+ ?

I Was VB

colm_mcm wrote: »

What about a Prius+ ?

Too under powered, took one on a test drive (Prius Gen 3) up the Dublin mountains and it was far too under powered (I work in a very Hilly area)

jca

colm_mcm wrote: »

What about a Prius+ ?

Or an Auris hybrid Tourer? Certainly a lot quieter than any diesel. Would the Lexus ct200H pass suitability?

Austin1

Austin1 wrote: »

True, but I can't tell from the inside when I'm driving it ;-)

the inside of a Fluence is rank too.

Brian Scan

Austin1 wrote: »

I would take that mpg claim with a pinch of salt. I traded down recently from a 2011 Merc E220 to a 2011 1.5 Renault Fluence. I can literally cover twice the mileage on a full tank of diesel now. Sure, I miss the power of the bigger engine but believe it or not the Fluence has a lot more gadgets and gizmos than the well specced Merc had!

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

..,but they look absolutely horrible.

Austin1 wrote: »

True, but I can't tell from the inside when I'm driving it ;-)

Augeo wrote: »

the inside of a Fluence is rank too.

That's you told.