Car for my 61 year old mother €10k to 15K Range

TrustedApple

Hi Guys my mothers 10 year old 320D BMW is basically now starting to cost to much to repair and she is looking at replacing it. AS she had it since new and has over 470,000K put on to it and it owes her notting at this stage she looks the car but i think needs more then 4 or 5k to be spent on it now and the mother and father think its pointless.

She is looking at something that wont cost her to much to tax and she does a fair bit of driving as you can tell.

What kind of year Mini Cooper D or VW Golf D would be looking at ?.

Or would she be crazy to be looking at a 08+ 520D or 318D ?.

Before the 320D she had a 318ci for 5 years and loved that car like a baby. Would A5 coupe or a 320D coupe be in her price range with the cheaper tax ?.

What other kind of cars would she be looking at ?.

Basically we are thinking Another BMW, A Audi coupe, A golf or a Mini Cooper D

What should we be looking out for in these 2nd hand cars ?.

Soarer

What about a Lexus CT200h?

TrustedApple

Soarer wrote: »

What about a Lexus CT200h?

Are they all Autos ?. AS she cant really drive them at all. As my father Has a Jaguar XJ and she has no clue how to even turn it on never mind how to drive it ha.

So something simple will suit her.

George Dalton

What is the budget?

realdanbreen

Out of curiousity why mention her age?

TrustedApple

10 to 15k is her budget and closeist to 10k the better ha.

I say her age as i wont to see about a car that she is able to understand and use as she is not very very tech heavy and if loads of fancy stuff into she wont have a clue how to use it sadly.

What about the Mini Country man 1.6D are they any good ?. As she does like the look of the mini jeep

Nuw

Mini wouldn't be the most comfortable cruiser out there, nor the 1.6d the best engine to have in it.

I second the Lexus CT200h, brilliant car, bulletproof, easy (very easy) to use, won't break the bank on either tax, petrol nor insurance.

bazz26

Mitsubishi ASX might be worth looking at. They are a pretty old school design with no real mod cons but should serve her well and have a higher driving position if she fancies a crossover. 1.8 MIVEC diesel is the ASX's best point, a nice engine with decent enough power and torque, should be pretty reliable too so running costs should a bit lower than the MINI Countryman.

For example:
http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Mitsubishi/ASX/1.8-Diesel/1279355126205732344/

TrustedApple

bazz26 wrote: »

Mitsubishi ASX might be worth looking at. They are a pretty old school design with no real mod cons but should serve her well and have a higher driving position if she fancies a crossover. 1.8 MIVEC diesel is the ASX's best point, a nice engine with decent enough power and torque, should be pretty reliable too so running costs should a bit lower than the MINI Countryman.

For example:
http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Mitsubishi/ASX/1.8-Diesel/1279355126205732344/

She is kind of fussy on the badge sadly as she has had a BMW for the past 15 years but does not wont a biggish car is the long run.

She mini wise my sister has a Mini Cooper 1.6 for the past 8 years from new and has giving no issues what so ever and she has wonted one of them for the past few years.

Thats why saying the Mini jeep might be good for her as she will have 4 door and that will suit her as she does shopping just for herself and she has dogs that would be brought in the car fairly often.

Lexus Are they all Auto ?. As i said she wont drive one at all.

Also the small Valvos the V30 are they any good ?.

Atlantic Dawn

realdanbreen wrote: »

Out of curiousity why mention her age?

Gives an idea of what might appeal to her, unlikely she is going to want an Impreza WRX for example.

TrustedApple

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Gives an idea of what might appeal to her, unlikely she is going to want an Impreza WRX for example.

My dad had one of them before ... Impreza WRX STI and he got it re mapped he was in his mid 40s at stage ..... All i can is midlife criss ......

Idbatterim

Hi Guys my mothers 10 year old 320D BMW is basically now starting to cost to much to repair and she is looking at replacing it. AS she had it since new and has over 470,000K put on to it and it owes her notting at this stage she looks the car but i think needs more then 4 or 5k to be spent on it now and the mother and father think its pointless.

what needs to be done with the car? I know places that you could easily spend that kind of money getting it done, luckily for me, my learning curve with mechanics and bmw's in particular was pretty quick...

does it have nct? if not, put it though and find out what it fails on...

unless you go new, you are again buying a used car, that may require new tyres and money put into it. I dont see where in gods name 4-5k could be coming from on an 06 or 07 bmw. I put my 325 through nct today, handbrake needs attention and one break line allegedly corroded and one tyre and its a 2003. Ill have the work done by the neighbour mechanic for next to nothing...

TrustedApple

Idbatterim wrote: »

what needs to be done with the car? I know places that you could easily spend that kind of money getting it done, luckily for me, my learning curve with mechanics and bmw's in particular was pretty quick...

does it have nct? if not, put it though and find out what it fails on...

unless you go new, you are again buying a used car, that may require new tyres and money put into it. I dont see where in gods name 4-5k could be coming from on an 06 or 07 bmw. I put my 325 through nct today, handbrake needs attention and one break line allegedly corroded and one tyre and its a 2003. Ill have the work done by the neighbour mechanic for next to nothing...

split differential, Injectors, Clutch, Gearbox, and rear axle. All need to be changed in it. It nearly has 500K on the clock and the mother and father wont to replace it now at this stage as it has brooking down 4 times in the last 3 months. I think the Turbo is a bit ehh at the moment to as it was fitted about 200k ago.

Near 500k on the clock its near 300k miles on the clock the car owes them notting at this stage. they paid i think 56k for it new back in 2006 and are delighted they got this long out of it.

The mother wonts something is going to be cheaper to run in the long run with tax and fuel and tires.

Idbatterim

does she need a diesel?

TrustedApple

Idbatterim wrote: »

does she need a diesel?

I say so. She would drive to work 3 to 4 times a week and its 60KM each way. I think she drives about 500KM a week or so.

Idbatterim

is it a one car household? a leaf might do the trick, E120 motor tax, no service costs, if it could do trip to and from work on one charge, could save a lot in diesel...

TrustedApple

Idbatterim wrote: »

is it a one car household? a leaf might do the trick, E120 motor tax, no service costs, if it could do trip to and from work on one charge, could save a lot in diesel...

2 car. Father has a Jaguar XJ that he wont let her near.

No good sadly as its 60KM there and 60KM back from work and then should drive another 80KM down and another 80KM to visit me and my sisters. So a easltic would sadly be a a huge no no Tesla yah if they were 15 grand she would go for one of them haha.

logie101

Over the last 10 years your mum has averaged quiet a lot of miles per year. If she is going to continue with this level of mileage a diesel is definitely in order.
Why not go for another 3 or 5 series?

By the way your spelling and grammar is terrible. Try reading your posts before posting.

TrustedApple

logie101 wrote: »

Over the last 10 years your mum has averaged quiet a lot of miles per year. If she is going to continue with this level of mileage a diesel is definitely in order.
Why not go for another 3 or 5 series?

By the way your spelling and grammar is terrible. Try reading your posts before posting.

Have deslexa sadly can't help it and has not stopped me ever in my life.

The father is think a 2010 318d or 520d is there any issues in them models to look out for?

logie101

TrustedApple wrote: »

Have deslexa sadly can't help it and has not stopped me ever in my life.

The father is think a 2010 318d or 520d is there any issues in them models to look out for?

Ah right, sorry, me putting my foot in it about the dyslexia. Fair play.

If she is used to BMW and likes the way they drive go for another one. She had quiet a large budget last time round. Perhaps if she could up the budget a bit a good low mile 3 to 4 year old 320/520 would be in budget.

What about an E class Merc coupe? I always that is a graceful car for a lady in her 60s.

Why is she so against auto's? I find modern diesels much better suited to autos. Once people get used to them they never go back.
When My father in law first drove an auto he said he didn't like it at all as "it was very jerky". Turns out he was using his left foot to brake! Crazy...

The Diddakoi

Has she driven a mini?
I only ask as I have one. It is great fun to drive, but the ride can be a bit rough, and the clutch can be very stiff on them. Ok when you are younger, but can be hard work as you get a bit older.

TrustedApple

Like that's what the father is thinking when I was speaking to him to get another BMW as long as it's D model as she has driving them for 15 years. But sadly there pushing it at the max 15k cash on a car as they don't won't to have to go anymore as at there age they don't won't to get a loan out for the car.

That could be a idea as my dad used to drive Marcs for on and off for 25 years but my mum never liked them for driving. As before the 318ci they had a E240 and she hated it. As was to big for her.

She just does not like driving them never has. For some reason while my father loves them and would not drive a car any other way as he does crazy amount of driving and loves it with curse control.

She has drivin a mine my sister has a mini Cooper and she does like it but being honest she is going to find it a bit to small when she is bringing 3 dogs with her in the car.

logie101

If she has 3 dogs she could definitely do with an estate.

AMKC

Why not look at a Mercedes C class then as you say the E is too big but the C class is a nice size. There is always the B class as well. Surely no harm in her trying one now and she might if like them now if its a Manuel and has what she wants in a car.

selectamatic

Post 2008 mercedes c-class pretty compact in size and fairly reliable and has the all important badge factor.

Mercedes supposedly had gotten their act together again after the disaster years of the early to mid noughties so build quality is good and I think they're a very good looking car.

The 2.0 diesel bmw's in her budget are slap bang in the timing chain problem era (n47 engine code). Her 06 bmw would have had the last of the m47 engines which were a much more reliable engine.

Tax will be 570 on the mercs I think

James Bond Junior

Volvo S60 might be a nice change. She could easily pick up a 11/12 for that kind of money.

TrustedApple

selectamatic wrote: »

Post 2008 mercedes c-class pretty compact in size and fairly reliable and has the all important badge factor.

Mercedes supposedly had gotten their act together again after the disaster years of the early to mid noughties so build quality is good and I think they're a very good looking car.

The 2.0 diesel bmw's in her budget are slap bang in the timing chain problem era (n47 engine code). Her 06 bmw would have had the last of the m47 engines which were a much more reliable engine.

Tax will be 570 on the mercs I think

I have sent her on photos of what the merc is like and she does like a lot and the father wants to buy one again as I think he has 6 of them himself over the years all the pre 00 ones he never got the e class that came after his one as everyone he knows who got one hated them and loved them more then a BMW. But not as much as he loves his jag xj.

Is there much between a c180 c 200 and c 220 in desail other the power?. As what one would be the easiest on fuel?.

I know dam well the 2010 + BMW 320d/520d is crap and my dad does to as well knows countless people who barely had them a year.

We are thinking the c class now for her and she said now she will drive a auto. Also we are looking at the import route would there be much duty on one?

selectamatic

They'll all be pretty similar on fuel in the real world. Autos will be more common but there's still manuals to be got she should test drive both and see what suits her. Mercedes are usually well suited to autos though and they're generally reliable.

Vrt won't be too cheap best check the calculator on the website, but if ye get a car at the right price in the UK or up the North it'll probably still work out cheaper. The main thing is the better selection of cars so just make sure ye do all the checks and make sure everything adds up. I'd recommend going for one with the amg pack as they look excellent.

Zurbaran

James Bond Junior wrote: »

Volvo S60 might be a nice change. She could easily pick up a 11/12 for that kind of money.

This is a great shout. But seeing as there's dogs involved how about a v40?

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volvo-v40-2-0-d3-se-150ps-200-euro-road-tax-reve/13747319

Reckon you would get that for 15 or under handy enough. And as far as I know they are more reliable than other premium brands.

James Bond Junior

Zurbaran wrote: »

This is a great shout. But seeing as there's dogs involved how about a v40?

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volvo-v40-2-0-d3-se-150ps-200-euro-road-tax-reve/13747319

Reckon you would get that for 15 or under handy enough. And as far as I know they are more reliable than other premium brands.

It's rare to see a Volvo with aftermarket wheels like those on them. I wonder is it something nefarious?

TrustedApple

Zurbaran wrote: »

This is a great shout. But seeing as there's dogs involved how about a v40?

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volvo-v40-2-0-d3-se-150ps-200-euro-road-tax-reve/13747319

Reckon you would get that for 15 or under handy enough. And as far as I know they are more reliable than other premium brands.

Going to send that on to her there and see what she thinks about it.

As the dogs are not big dogs at all. There only 2 Yorkies and a Maltese. But they would be seat Belted into the car thats why the back doors are needed so she can easily take them in and out.

But the merc i think is what she wonts. As i sent her a picture of the very sexy looking AMG sport model and she loves it and can see herself driving it. But i need to get her to drive one 1st to see what she thinks compare to the BMW 320D.