Getting new car

whydoibother

I must get a new car this year. My old 2006 VW Passat is on its last legs.

Just wondering if I could get advice. I have NO idea what to get. My VW is top of the range, so I would not like to get anything below 1.9 diesel or equivalent... I have saved money for a new car so thats not an issue.

I started looking at new diesels, but I see that cars changed a LOT in these 20 years, so I am not sure should I get a diesel or a hybrid petrol, or electric... I really like diesels but I normally keep cars for ages and I am not sure we'll be having diesels on the road for much longer?

So, I was looking at whats there. I like the Prius but never tried it, so I phoned a few Toyota garages near me and none of them have one just now. But would I really be happy with a Prius? It does not seem to have as many technical stuff as new VW... I am not sure... My partner would like to get a Diesel Golf... I am not sure, I really have no idea...

Could you give suggestions of the best cars for sale now? New or used. I don't really mind.

Thanks,

RD

Buddy Bubs

What's your budget?

What type of driving do you so?

Do you need big saloon or would smaller hatchback do?

If you liked the passat and want something similar from the vw group I'd be advising to look at Skoda superb, another passat, audi a4 or a6.

whydoibother

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118722941#Comment_118722941

My max budget would be 40K - perhaps a bit more, but I have been looking at cheaper cars that I like too.

Well, my life's changed. I used to drive a lot when I was working in recruitment but then I gave up that job and now I mostly work from home, so I don't think Ill need to be doing a lot of driving anymore...

I love the saloons but my partner would prefer a hatchback. At this stage of my life, I don't really mind as long as it's a good car. But I do not like those cars below 1.0 or petrol - I would at least need 1.8 to 2.0

Thanks for advising the superb and the Audis. I already checked the a3 and a4 and liked both, especially the a4 because its got more stuff.

Thanks

bazz26

Unfortunately new cars have gotten very expensive these days so 40k doesn't go as far as it did a few years ago. If your working from home then I think it's best to give a modern diesel a wide berth. Diesel engines are more complicated these days than your 1.9 TDi and have the likes of a diesel particulate filter and AdBlue to make them cleaner. However if they are not driven as intended then these systems can develop problems and are costly to fix.

You could go with petrol or even a hybrid. If you have the ability to install a charger at home then you can include a plug in hybrid or even full EV. There is even a grant of €600 towards the installation of the home charger from the Government and 5k off the price of a brand new EV upto the value of 50k. Downside is that brand new cars are in very short supply due to the microchip shortage so actually finding a brand new car in stock is very challenging.

If you are interested in something used and want something now rather than waiting months or longer for a brand new car then you have a few more options out there:

VW Arteon:

https://www.carsireland.ie/3014116

The Arteon is basically a current model Passat but in a fancier dress, mechanically they are the same. It's a fastback rather than a saloon so more practical. 1.5 litre engine looks too small on paper but it's turbo charged with 150bhp and has more power than your current 1.9 TDi. Not the fastest car but certainly well able to handle overtaking. They are better equipped than an A4 and a bit less common.

If you want something a bit newer then you have the likes of the Toyota Camry:

https://www.carsireland.ie/3032237

A bit dull but a very comfortable car to be wafting around in, it's a self charging hybrid so need for a home charger. Even though they have a 2.5 litre engine they are quite frugal and probably as reliable as you can get these days and backed up by a Toyota warranty.

If these cars are too big for you then you could look at the likes of a well speced petrol VW Golf or self charging hybrid Toyota Corolla hatchback like these:

https://www.carsireland.ie/2986583

https://www.carsireland.ie/2936451

If you want to go full electric then VW have the ID.3 which is similar in size to the Golf:

https://www.carsireland.ie/3014618

whydoibother

Thanks for your suggestions Bazz. I’ll discuss this tomorrow with my partner. We were thinking of a brand new car because all our lives we had used cars.

whydoibother

BTW, if I order a brand new car, how long do you think I'll be waiting for it? My sister in law told me she was waiting 4 months for her VW...

bazz26

Long waiting times for most brands especially the European ones. 4 months for a VW would probably be very optimistic now, some dealers won't even encourage ordering certain models as there is no delivery eta. Korean and Japanese brands are probably your best bet. It's only going to get worse now I fear as Russia is one of the largest suppliers of aluminium to car makers so that's stopped now.

CreadanLady

Leave off the prius. If it is any more than 4 or 5 years old the battery will be profoundly degraded and you will be driving on the engine 95% of the time. Might as well buy a regular petrol car at that rate.

Similarly, if you are buying eclectic, you have to buy new as anything more than a couple of years old will either have an older tech lower capacity batter, or the battery will be degraded and won't hold charge, or both. If you are buying new budget for replacing the car in 5 or 6 years time with the car at scrap value as the battery will be degraded at that point and despite what they say, the reality it is not economic or practical to replace batteries. The way to look at it is this, electric cars are far far cheaper to run but the savings are offset by tremendous depreciation owing to a) battery degradation and b) technology rapidly improving meaning car with hi tech battery today is obsolete in 4 or 5 years and almost valueless.

I know of a local authority who had to return their fleet of electric car/vans to hyundai because at barely a year old, the range was falling very far short of what they were supposed to be capable of. I think if buying electric, you should take the real world range as 2/3rds of the advertised range, and then reduce by a further 10% per year old.

One thing is for sure, you never hear people saying the car went further than the advertised range! It is always shortfalls.

Electric cars are more or less a disposable/expendable item now. When they break or degrade, it is a case of replacement rather than repair or refurb. Some electric cars, like Tesla, are in practical terms largely non-serviceable. Tesla support is geared toward warranty repair by god like authorised dealers. Tesla won't sell parts or service information to third parties and there are no spurious parts available. Tesla don't care anyway because their market is the luxury sector targeting high earners. A car being written off for want of an unavailable part after the warranty period is over isn't a concern for them or a wealthy owner - they just buy again.

pjdarcy

If you're working from home I assume you're not doing much mileage so opting to move to fully electric could be worth considering (especially with the cost of diesel these days).

The Kia e-niro is worth a look (very happy with mine) as is the VW ID.4. If you want to go hybrid, I'm told that the Volvo hybrid range is worth a look (haven't driven one myself though)

whydoibother

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118724616#Comment_118724616

I love the Honda e but I’d be afraid because of the battery. I think one charge only lasts 180km… if I needed to go to Dublin, that’s nearly 400km so I’d need to charge it a few times and then according to the specialists the battery shouldn’t live for longer than 8 years?

VW advised my sister in law not to get electric because they’re giving trouble. Now, since this is Irish sellers, we know that they will try to sell what suits them more than tell the truth, so one never knows what’s best. I find it very hard to meet honest dealers in ireland, that’s why I started this forum.

im in love with the Honda e but afraid it won’t last…

Gael23

Would look at a new petrol Seat Leon

pjdarcy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118729411#Comment_118729411

Yeah the Honda e only has a 35kWh battery so it's really not a suitable choice for long drives. Looks cool though

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118729546#Comment_118729546

18 month lead time at the moment.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118729411#Comment_118729411

What specialist is telling you the battery won’t last 8 years?

oinkely

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118724606#Comment_118724606

Wowsers, I would take 99% of that advice with a giant pinch of salt.

The prius bit might be accurate in some cases but the rest is pure rubbish.

An EV is not a disposable vehicle and useless after 8 years. There's hundreds of 8 year old EVs in daily use around the country, and 2 on my driveway, saving me a fortune in daily running costs. I've a tiny by today's standards Citroen Czero with an 18 kw/hr battery and it's still good for a 60km round trip commute and some short local journeys also (and more in summer as the heater is very power hungry). That's pretty much what it was capable of when it was new in 2012. Our Leaf is a 24kw one from 2013 and most recent battery check gives 84% state of health. These are small battery vehicles with many many charge cycles completed and still in perfectly usable condition vs when they were new.

A newer EV with a bigger battery will have far less charges cycles in the same time frame so I would speculate that battery degradation will be negligible on most in 8 or 10 years time.

Add in the reduced running costs, far superior drive, quietness and power and a newer BEV with a larger battery is a way better option for most people over a diesel. There is the issue of getting your hands on one though, but that may be the same with pretty much any new car these days.

I would take what any dealer says under advice too - they will want to sell what they can get their hands on quickly.

The local authority that i work for has a fleet of electric vehicles and is delighted with the reduced running costs vs the earlier petrol and diesel fleet.

Lantus

Don't get distracted by engine sizes. Modern engines are smaller turbo charged units that deliver a range if power. For someone who drives very little is it a key priority?

You need to identify what features and style of car you want.then see if that matches a power source like petrol or elec.

If it's a big saloon then a superb or another passatt may do but by the sounds of it any car do?

mailforkev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118729411#Comment_118729411

I have a Honda e, can unfortunately confirm that it probably wouldn't work for you, 180kms is about right in the current weather.

It's brilliant but the only things that make it work for me are rarely having to leave the greater Dublin area, and the XC60 parked beside it.

Whatever you do, don't test drive one or you'll find yourself doing all sorts of man-maths to try and make it work.

whydoibother

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118730223#Comment_118730223

do you mean it takes 18 months for a buyer to get the car?!?

whydoibother

Thanks to all for your advice. I do love the Honda e - never seen a car like it, but if I am not able to drive it to Dublin once a month, then it's no good to me because I never know what life has in store for me and I might be working for a Dublin employer again... This would apply to all electric cars. So, I am thinking of a hybrid or a diesel. Thank you for helping me decide. Hopefully I can find a nice looking car thats got a lot of technology. I don't mind about the size anymore (saloon, hatch, etc).

I could go for a Golf but I don't like the materials in the Golf. I know it's a good car, but since I am buying a brand new car I would like something that I am happy with for a long time. I like the Honda Civic but I wonder would I be better off with a better car? I hear Mazdas have better material inside... And then there's the Toyota Prius...

whydoibother

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118730270#Comment_118730270

I must have heard that on one of the YouTube Channels. Glad to know it's not true.

whydoibother

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118731557#Comment_118731557

Yes.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118732998#Comment_118732998

Yes

whydoibother

I’m just wondering now with Russia stopping to send us oil for God knows how long, should I not just consider a fully electric car because petrol and diesel may become a thing of the past quicker than we thought…

bazz26

We get most of our oil from the UK, not Russia.

miamee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118754039#Comment_118754039

You should visit the EV forum for some realistic reviews and real experiences of electric cars if you are seriously considering one. We are a 2 EV household, one Kona, one 28kw Ioniq. Regularly drive Sligo-Dublin in both and would have to charge once on the way with the Ioniq but we're used to that now and factor it into our journey. Kona doesn't need to stop if charged enough, has a range of 400kms or thereabouts.

https://www.boards.ie/categories/electric-vehicles-hybrids

AMKC

Hyundai Ionic 5 or Kia E-Soul are both good cars. Both very cool and both in your budget and both have good range too.

Citroen C4-E if you want something comfortable and more kinda normal. It's a hatchback.

Skoda Octavia not sure if it comes in electric but it's a very stylish,classy car.

AFOL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118723858#Comment_118723858

I would say you are probably looking at up to a year wait for a lot of models now. Some dealers are not even taking orders again until 2023.

whydoibother

Yes, there’s an electric Skoda Octavia. I am actually considering it at the mo. Thanks for your suggestions.

bazz26

There is no fully electric Octavia. There is a plug in hybrid model which will give an electric range of about 40km from a small motor and battery but it still has a 1.4 litre petrol engine under the hood.

Lantus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118759121#Comment_118759121

Skoda are phasing out all their phev models and they will be obsolete soon. VW have just announced same. They were designed to get around regulations but keep the profitable combustion engine.

Just something to be aware of before you drop a lot of money on one.

whydoibother

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118760953#Comment_118760953

what type of car is worth buying now then? Full Hybrid or full electric?

Lantus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118762615#Comment_118762615

I don't think there is any wrong type of car if you make good decisions. I have friends with phev and it suits them very well. I would be happy to get a pure petrol car if it met my needs also. The phev elec isn't very fast and often limited to 80 km/h so not an especially exciting drive for the few km you do each day. But very green. Is that what you want?

Ideally a full elec is the way forwards. It's still an expensive game but better value than the phev in many cases as it's often 4k more than the petrol equivalent. The ev is a better long term approach.

You say you are driving very little. So more money on a nice auto petrol cruiser could be money well spent.

Equally good long term ownership on the right ev could be a nice experience.

Killer K

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118760953#Comment_118760953

That is interesting re VW and PHEVs. I would imagine in their position they need to do radical prioritisation at the moment as they are struggling to get cars out to dealerships.

However, don't see how they will be obsolete. It is not like they will no longer be making and supplying parts or that their resale value will be impacted - particularly the way the market is.

whydoibother

I’ve been considering 2021/2022 used cars now because of the issues with time getting new ones and I’m a bit confused because for most car brands (and I do check on their own websites), I notice that used cars are actually more expensive than new ones?!?! Does this make any sense??? This is especially the case for VWs and Toyotas.

Lantus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118766237#Comment_118766237

The car market has been turned upside down with the chip shortage in the last 2+ years causing these issues. The events in Russia won't help either.

But when things stabilise it will return to the way it was or something like it. Buying an overpriced car today on credit could be problematic if prices drop in 1 to 2 years faster than the debt you carry and you need or intend to trade.

If you are going to keep for 7 years then not so much of an issue but you are still paying more than the new car as you say! But the new car may be unavailable for months or even years.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118766237#Comment_118766237

People would rather pay more for a car they can purchase and drive away today instead of waiting up to 12 months for a brand new one.

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118766237#Comment_118766237

It does make sense. Think about it, it's a case of supply and demand. They have a car available right now that you would have to wait at least 12 months to get brand new. People will pay more if they really want the car right now rather than wait at least 12 months for one.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118766237#Comment_118766237

Maybe check out some Kia's and Hyundai's, Renaults maybe Citroen and Peugeot as well. They all have nice cars.

...Ghost...

Stay away from Diesel if you keep your cars long term. I also think "mild" hybrids are a waste of time. If going hybrid, it should be plug-in petrol hybrid. The Hyundai Tucson is well within your budget and covers 50km on electric mode and anything further on the petrol. My Dad has one and it's quite nice to drive. I drive Full EV myself and that's what I recommend if it works for you. Superior drive, lower tax, cleaner, little to no servicing and far cheaper to run. I would personally choose Tesla Model 3 or Hyundai Ioniq 5 with the Tesla far in the lead. If you are ok with lower range, the likes of the Nissan Leaf 40 is a solid and reliable car....basically same as the previous L24/30 model with a big facelift and some new tech. New from as little as 28k I think.

PatrickDoherty

A Tuscon being described as quite nice to drive is hilarious, compared to what a 98 Carina.

bazz26

Nissan Leaf is obsolete now given the competition and will be replaced soon. There is a reason Nissan are giving 0% finance on them.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118775637#Comment_118775637

It shouldn't surprise you that not everyone shares your preference of vehicle. I wouldn't personally choose a Tucson, but it is a nice drive, as in comfortable with plenty of space and does the job on our roads be it city, or country or motorway driving. It's a good mid-level choice IMO. You're entitled to yours too.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118776242#Comment_118776242

I don't know the future of the Leaf, but I know that right now, they are a decent enough and well proven EV at a low enough price point with a range to suit most drivers on most journeys.

bazz26

Well the way EV battery technology and range is evolving you should try to future proof yourself somewhat when buying a new EV. The Leaf was bit of a pioneer when it was launched but now it's overshadowed by much better competition. You need to think about tomorrow, not just today when buying as you have to sell it at some point and if battery tech and range standards are better then people won't want something obsolete.

Snugbugrug28

What's the obsolete part though?

whydoibother

I absolutely love the Honda e but I’m not sure it’s for me because I live in the countryside. Of course, now that I am at home most of the time, I only drive to town once a week and that’s a short drive (20 to 30 min).

The other options I’m thinking of are the hybrid cars like the Toyota Corolla, the Kia Sportage or the Tucson. I know that the Corolla is on a different level but it has everything I need, it’s just that it’s not as advanced as the others from what I see on YouTube. And both the Sportage and Tucson are for families and we’re just two adults… I wish Kia had a car as nice as the Sportage but smaller.

My partner would like another VW but I’m not sure as I don’t want to go diesel again. I keep cars a long time and diesels are on the way out… Also, VW only have fully electrics (no hybrids) and not as attractive as the Honda e. If I was sure I’d want to go fully electric, I’d definitely get the Honda e. I’m just not sure about electric cars yet. Suppose that in the future we all have electric cars, how is the ESB going to handle that!

kanuseeme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118812078#Comment_118812078

The Tiguan

Change trim

1.4 TSI Plug-in-Hybrid 110 kW (150 HP) 6 speed DSG (auto) | Petrol | Consumption: 1.5 l/100km ⁠1 and Emission: 35 g/km ⁠1 | Electrical | Consumption: 15.2 kWh/100 km ⁠1

https://www.volkswagen.ie/en/build.html/__app/the-new-tiguan/tiguan-life.app?category-app=private&carlineId-app=31102&exteriorId-app=F14+5K5K&interiorId-app=F56+++++HJ&modelId-app=AX13ZY%24GRBDRBD%24GWN3WN3%24GYOSYOS&modelVersion-app=0&modelYear-app=2022&salesGroupId-app=38092&trimName-app=Tiguan+Life&buildabilityStatus-app=buildable

whydoibother

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118812331#Comment_118812331

That’s a plug in hybrid, not a hybrid. It’s not the same thing. Thanks

Toyotafanboi

I think buying a new EV at present is pure madness.

The market has never been higher in terms of pricing and with advancements in technology and range, the cars become undesirable and prices plummet fairly lively. Just ask anyone who bought an E-Golf in the last 5 years, for example. You'll end up paying top dollar for something that is highly likely not to retain its value that well.

If you aren't doing huge mileage, you should look at new or nearly new, solely petrol vehicle, i think they are a good shout. You'll have no issues with range, most have decent fuel economy, low road tax, the technology is reliable and can be repaired anywhere, the fuel is readily available and will be for years to come, they aren't too bad for the environment locally or globally, they are nice and quiet to drive and you're not paying for lip service hybrid system adding weight and complication to the vehicle for something that you would never see a return on the investment value of anyway.

Toyotafanboi

Reading back on the thread (and i do be hesitant to recommend certain things as to not look too biased, but...) you really do have a petrol Octavia written all over your list of requirements.

It's still a VAG product so you wont feel lost coming from a Passat and it would feel similar in size too.

You'll get plenty of tech with the big infotainment display, virtual cockpit, keyless, apple car play/ android auto, radar cruise, lane assist, park pilot, auto lights and wipers etc.

the 1.0 TSi makes about as much power as an old 1.9 Passat and will do mid 40's mpg wise without and hassle, 50's if you push it.

You'd get into something less than 12 months old with plenty of manufacturers warranty left for around €30k, so well under your max budget and the difference would buy enough fuel to do around 60,000 kms.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/skoda-octavia-style-1-0tsi-110hp/30657887

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118812358#Comment_118812358

Complete rubbish, EV,s are holding their value extremely well

Gael23

With the increased price of used cars, are dealers offering better trade ins or pocketing extra for themselves?