Petrol automatic

fishy_fishy

Hi,

My mum's looking for a new car (not sure why as her current one is nice).

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a petrol engined automatic transmission car? Budget about €35k. Don't want a big barge of a thing. Currently drives a 118i manual transmission. Don't know why she wants to change but that's another matter..

Many thanks

bmwguy

fishy_fishy wrote: »

Hi,

My mum's looking for a new car (not sure why as her current one is nice).

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a petrol engined automatic transmission car? Budget about €35k. Don't want a big barge of a thing. Currently drives a 118i manual transmission. Don't know why she wants to change but that's another matter..

Many thanks

Does she want a new car? Audi a3 might be worth a look . Available in hatchback or saloon. I think they are nice. Some decent engines a 1.4 tfsi probably the one to go for.

jca

I'm currently driving a 1.4 TSI DSG Octavia which I'm replacing with a new 1.0 TSI DSG I can't fault them in any way. If the 1.4 was available here I'd go for it although I found the new 1.0 very capable.

grogi

fishy_fishy wrote: »

Hi,

My mum's looking for a new car (not sure why as her current one is nice).

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a petrol engined automatic transmission car? Budget about €35k. Don't want a big barge of a thing. Currently drives a 118i manual transmission. Don't know why she wants to change but that's another matter..

Many thanks

Does it need to be petrol? If she doesn't do longer trips, electric might be an excellent option...

jca

grogi wrote: »

Does it need to be petrol? If she doesn't do longer trips, electric might be an excellent option...

Or hybrid.

fishy_fishy

Thanks,

Yes, she's looking for something new but is also considering second-hand cars 1-2 years old. . Ideally petrol, hybrid at a push if the car was right in every other respect. Realistically though an electric isn't an option being considered.

I'm a big fan of the A3 myself but apparently the boot isn't stylish enough!!!! (Headwrecking complaint, I think it's a lovely looking car!).

I was inclined to tell her to consider manual transmissions also, but she thinks the clutch on her 4 year old car is going (having burned through the clutch on her last car in about 6 years) so I think automatic probably is better.

Bronco Bullfrog

Wow, burned through a clutch in 6 years, I have a 14 year Peugeot and a 19 year old Skoda still on their original clutches. I must drive like Cinderella!

fishy_fishy

Bronco Bullfrog wrote: »

Wow, burned through a clutch in 6 years, I have a 14 year Peugeot and a 19 year old Skoda still on their original clutches. I must drive like Cinderella!

My 15 year old Clio is on its original clutch...

colm_mcm

What about an is300h?

CiniO

Bronco Bullfrog wrote: »

Wow, burned through a clutch in 6 years, I have a 14 year Peugeot and a 19 year old Skoda still on their original clutches. I must drive like Cinderella!

fishy_fishy wrote: »

My 15 year old Clio is on its original clutch...

Clutch is element which wears with mileage, same as brake discs or pads...

You can have 50 year old vehicle with original clutch if not driven much, but you might wear a clutch within a year or two if you do astronomical mileage.

Most clutches won't last more than 200k km, and doing 200k km in 6 years is not a bother.

Also worth remembering that clutch will surely wear quicker if car is used mostly in city traffic, comparing to motorway or/and longdistance driving.

bazz26

Mercedes A Class:


http://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=1822594&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D53%26o%5B%5D%3D442%26f%3D1%26t%3D2%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0

kermitpwee

CiniO wrote: »

Clutch is element which wears with mileage, same as brake discs or pads...

You can have 50 year old vehicle with original clutch if not driven much, but you might wear a clutch within a year or two if you do astronomical mileage.

Most clutches won't last more than 200k km, and doing 200k km in 6 years is not a bother.

Also worth remembering that clutch will surely wear quicker if car is used mostly in city traffic, comparing to motorway or/and longdistance driving.

Depends on the driver sometimes, my dad has Carina e 1996 287000 miles original clutch

DaveyDave

With €35k I'd take a 1.4 DSG Golf Highline over an Audi A3, although the A3 has a 1.5 engine I'm assuming that's the new Evo engine that the Golf is supposed to have that they said Ireland isn't getting? Could he wrong though.

Throw in a sunroof, leather electric seats, LED headlights, running indicators etc.

She needs to go for some test drives

turbostan

Toyota C-HR might be worth a test drive if she likes the look of them?
1.8 hybrid auto, around 30k ish for a well specced new one.

Leonard Hofstadter

CiniO wrote: »

Clutch is element which wears with mileage, same as brake discs or pads...

You can have 50 year old vehicle with original clutch if not driven much, but you might wear a clutch within a year or two if you do astronomical mileage.

Most clutches won't last more than 200k km, and doing 200k km in 6 years is not a bother.

Also worth remembering that clutch will surely wear quicker if car is used mostly in city traffic, comparing to motorway or/and longdistance driving.

Clutches can last a long time with the right driver, my Dad's 2010 diesel Avensis is on nearly 190,000 miles and it's still on the original clutch!

In the OP's case the fact that it's a BMW means it will have a clutch delay valve, which of course wears out the disc faster (it also makes smooth take offs harder and changing gear is less pleasant), 10 minute job to remove it and it makes a whole heap of difference to the driving experience and saves money in the long run as it extends the life of the clutch.

OP, why not get another 1 series if she's happy with her current one?

Shefwedfan

fishy_fishy wrote: »

Hi,

My mum's looking for a new car (not sure why as her current one is nice).

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a petrol engined automatic transmission car? Budget about €35k. Don't want a big barge of a thing. Currently drives a 118i manual transmission. Don't know why she wants to change but that's another matter..

Many thanks

It could be anything to be honest. Would need more information. There is loads of petrol cars out there in the price bracket. Everything from Hyundai i10 upwards.

So she drives a BMW currently but does she want to stay in premium brands? BMW Merc etc?

The budget is big enough to assume she could stay in those brands.

Would she prefer to stay in similar styling to current car? Does she have any requirements for car seats etc in them? Or is it just a run around for herself?

What type of mileage is she doing? I guess with petrol she is probably living in Dublin and just running around, local shops etc?

walus

Lexus CT200h.

grogi

walus wrote: »

Lexus CT200h.

CT?! IS300h is three times the car...

walus

grogi wrote: »

CT?! IS300h is three times the car...

It is also much bigger and more expensive. CT is probably more on par with what she is currently driving...On top of that one would get a fully kitted out CT new for less than 35k.

DaveyDave

grogi wrote: »

CT?! IS300h is three times the car...

It starts from €39,950 though and you'd need to go up in spec to get similar features on top spec cheaper cars such as dual climate, heated seats or a rear armrest. The S-Design with these features is €41,950. Lovely looking car though. We still have little information to go by though, other than wanting petrol and auto.

Mooooo

Merc a or b class have petrol autos, b class would be easy to get in and out off as well for her

fishy_fishy

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, have shown them all to her this evening but no decision yet! It might be a case of wandering around showrooms until something takes her fancy and ticks all the boxes.

I personally like the Lexus IS300h but I don't know if I can sway her that direction!