5K to spend - suggestions?

dodzy

Hi folks,

a friend asked me so I said I'd tap into the fountain of knowledge here. He's getting out of a 2003 1.0 3 cyl SEAT so anything really will be a decent upgrade. 2 kids now so I'm advising him on a bit of comfort, and a bigger car. Very little driving distance (a Donegal trip a couple of time a year but aside from that it's all short hops to/from work & shops so diesel is out). Any suggestions ? I was thinking a 1.4 focus or a 1.6 Mondeo might suit.

Idbatterim

Honestly people with five k budgets , probably better off keeping what he has or getting into a 2009 /2010 bangernomic for two k...

bazz26

Petrol Focus and Mondeo died off after 2008 because they became too expensive to tax on the newer Co2 based system.

A Toyota Avensis petrol would do the job but you need to look for the newer model from mid 2009 onwards as the older model came with high road tax on the new system.

Something like this but either it's a very late old model or the tax rate listed is wrong:

https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2560533&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D88%26o%5B%5D%3D726%26f%3D1%26yn%3D2009%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0

selectamatic

08/09 1.8 civic saloon.

570 tax a year, Good fuel economy, very reliable and 140bhp so plenty useable.

You'd get one for 2-3k easy

dodzy

Thanks lads, yes, he is unfortunately screwed for yearly road tax with the ever common €570 capturing the small petrol motors. Must have a look at the civics. Nice bus. Reliability would be key here.

colm_mcm

1.8 civic hatch is €390 tax post 08.

Better boot than the saloon, more economical and available with more extras.

almostover

Buy something like this and use the leftover from the 5k to pay the tax bill for the next 5 years!

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/honda-civic-2009-only-78-000-miles/25295451

If you want lower tax get a corolla:

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2008-toyota-corolla-1-4-petrol-low-kms-nct-02-21/25217022

Stay with Japanese or Korean cars for a reliable petrol motor and you won't go far wrong.

bazz26

That Corolla is ridiculously overpriced.

Old diesel

Civic suggestion is probably as good as it gets tbh.

With Focuses - the Mk 1 is partial to a bit of rusting and most Irish Mk 2s are a bit meh - especially as most are either 1.4s or diesels.

dodzy

colm_mcm wrote: »

1.8 civic hatch is €390 tax post 08.

Better boot than the saloon, more economical and available with more extras.

Unfortunately with 2 baby seats, rear doors are a must. Shame about the corollas with their ridiculous road tax. Shameful really.

Old diesel

dodzy wrote: »

Unfortunately with 2 baby seats, rear doors are a must. Shame about the corollas with their ridiculous road tax. Shameful really.

Those Civics come with 5 doors handles are built into the doors.

colm_mcm

Old diesel wrote: »

Those Civics come with 5 doors handles are built into the doors.

I will concede that the hatchback doors aren’t ideal for getting kids into seats as they’re on the small side.
There’s tonnes of room inside though.

Shefwedfan

dodzy wrote: »

Thanks lads, yes, he is unfortunately screwed for yearly road tax with the ever common €570 capturing the small petrol motors. Must have a look at the civics. Nice bus. Reliability would be key here.

If the car is prefect why spend a load of money just to remove a couple of hundred off the car tax?

colm_mcm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

If the car is prefect why spend a load of money just to remove a couple of hundred off the car tax?

If it’s a 3 cylinder seat it’s only 1.2 so even less tax than that.

Shefwedfan

colm_mcm wrote: »

If it’s a 3 cylinder seat it’s only 1.2 so even less tax than that.

OK but spending 5k to reduce by 2-300 means you have to keep the car for how many years to actually make the saving??

colm_mcm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

OK but spending 5k to reduce by 2-300 means you have to keep the car for how many years to actually make the saving??

I agree with you, but I think you’ve picked it up wrong. My interpretation is that they have cheap tax now, but the cars he’s looking at are €570.

Shefwedfan

colm_mcm wrote: »

I agree with you, but I think you’ve picked it up wrong. My interpretation is that they have cheap tax now, but the cars he’s looking at are €570.

Maybe, you could be right....

Idbatterim

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/honda-accord-2-2-ctdi/25302224

2.2 accord on E390 tax, asking 2200... from the bangernomics thread...

almostover

Idbatterim wrote: »

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/honda-accord-2-2-ctdi/25302224

2.2 accord on E390 tax, asking 2200... from the bangernomics thread...

Given the OPs driving profile, diesel is best avoided.

dodzy

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Maybe, you could be right....

Apologies lads, he is currently in a 03 seat cordoba but he wants to change. He never mentioned road tax costs as a driver towards a particular brand/model - he's reasonably open in terms of what he would consider. I advised against diesel due to very low mileage week to week. And in relation to the whole tax thing, I'm simply trying to avoid 570 plus band (2010 avensis I think is 390). Obviously, this will not be the deciding factor - if we find a minter, be it corolla or whatever, then the tax will not be the deciding factor. Liking the look of the 1.6 avensis. Nice one up on adverts - from a seller (non-dealer) with solid feedback.

Edit:He shook on a deal for a corolla with Manorfield Motors. Thanks for the input folks.