Help choose car

_feedback_

Hi guys,

Have been driving company cars for years and now with a job change I will be buying again (no trade in). I'd really appreciate any ideas you have to recommend a car with the following criteria. I was thinking a Honda Accord myself.

- €8K max
- 35000km per year approx (600km a week commute on open road)
- Petrol or Diesel?
- Large car (I'm tall)
- Decentish to insure (Lost my no-claims as a result of being on company insurance)

punisher5112

Depending on year accord is 2.2 so high tax.

Skoda superb/ Octavia, ford Mondeo, Audi a4/a6, Toyota avensis, BMW 3 or 5.

Bigger usually means more comfortable so your choice.

Try out a few to see difference in insurance.

Diesel would suit your needs.But I'm doing similar in a 2.0 vRS petrol. Only maintenance of normal nature.

No issues such as injectors, egr, dpf and other major issues that arise from diesels.

colm_mcm

Were you named on the company policy?

_feedback_

colm_mcm wrote: »

Were you named on the company policy?

No I wasn't named on it.. The insurer I was last with told me my no claims would last either 2 or 3 years (can't remember) and be gone after that

punisher5112

_feedback_ wrote: »

No I wasn't named on it.. The insurer I was last with told me my no claims would last either 2 or 3 years (can't remember) and be gone after that

It only last 2.

If it were to happen again it would be a good idea to buy a sh1tbox insure 3rd party and park up.

_feedback_

Thanks for your help guys - any more suggestions? What are your thoughts on dealer v private? I'm attracted to the dealer warranty but there seems to be much nicer cars available privately

bazz26

On a 8k car the warranty might not be all singing and all dancing. For example if the same car was costing you 7k or a bit less privately then that 1k difference could be put towards the cost of potential repairs.

Joeseph Balls

I was in your position recently, it was between a 08 2.2 dtec accord or a 09 2.2 mondeo.
In the end I chose the mondeo, a tiny bit better spec wise, but whilst the accord was the cheap tax bracket, the mondeo is 570 and a year younger. Something to watch out for.

Anyway couldn't fault either car, but I'd defo do a history check. I was going to Dublin with cash one day until I did the check and seen that the last MOT reading was 380k and not the 150k advertised :O

madds

I have a 08 Executive 2.2 Accord. The only problems it has given me in the 7 years I have it are the headlights bulbs that keep blowing once every 6/8 weeks and it's thirsty if you drive it hard. Other than that it's a great drive and comfortable.
I notice you said you are tall which is why I have replied here. I'm 6'2" and find that the rear view mirror obscures my vision when looking towards the left hand side of the windscreen. I've learned to live with it and subconsciously deal with it but just something to note.

_feedback_

Thinking of going to have a look at this during the week

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/honda-accord-2-2-diesel-nct-01-19/14120288

Is 200km too high mileage for me if I'll be putting 70k on it in two years and reselling? Anything to look out for on this model I have posted?

_feedback_

Guys have really had no luck dealing with used car sellers in the past couple of weeks. Bad experience after bad experience!

Due to view a 131 ex-fleet Insignia this morning with 185000km on it. Am I mad?

grogi

_feedback_ wrote: »

Guys have really had no luck dealing with used car sellers in the past couple of weeks. Bad experience after bad experience!

Buying a used one takes patience. And I always avoid (I admit that - it is often unfair) small time dealers like a plague. Just saves me a lot of time...

Due to view a 131 ex-fleet Insignia this morning with 185000km on it. Am I mad?

IMHO yes.

_feedback_

Yeah it's becoming a bit urgent. Have been driving company cars for years and changing job forcing me in to this. Need it asap.

My experience with fleet cars and how they are looked after in terms of repairs etc. is why I didn't run from this ex-fleet one yet. What's the main reason to avoid? (There's not an online ad for it)

grogi

_feedback_ wrote: »

Yeah it's becoming a bit urgent. Have been driving company cars for years and changing job forcing me in to this. Need it asap.

My experience with fleet cars and how they are looked after in terms of repairs etc. is why I didn't run from this ex-fleet one yet. What's the main reason to avoid? (There's not an online ad for it)

Famous oil pump sealing rings... That itself is not a big issue - but what Opel did to mitigate it is a disgrace (updated the software not show early symptoms).

I am not sure if that was still the case with 131, but that is enough for me to avoid Insignia. Plus M32 gearbox (revised in 2011 apparently, but they keep failing). I'd rather go for an ex-fleet Mondeo 2.0 TDCI, you should find plenty of them.

bazz26

Citroen C5:
http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Citroen/C5/2.0-HDi/7464301762383832502/

The Renault Fluence is also within your price range:
http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Renault/Fluence/1.5-DCI/4696112128643715332/