New Car Suggestions

HorseField

Hi Everyone, I haven't posted in years so apologies if this is in the wrong place. I received great advice from this community in the past.

Just looking for suggestions on what car to go for next. Recently paid off the mortgage so I will have a few extra quid every month that I want to put into a car.

My partner is driving a 2021 Audi A6 (the family car) and I have an older A5 that I'm looking to get rid of.

I'm in my mid thirties and I have 2 young children. It's probably a midlife crisis but I want to get something fun (a convertible/sporty/muscle/classic) but I have no idea what to go for. I have to drive 30 mins to work and occasionally to Dublin from Limerick (once or twice a month) so that would need to be taken into account I have also put together some savings over the last 12 months after paying off the house.

I don't want to go too mad and get into too much debt. I was looking at second hand A7s, Ford Mustangs, Dodge Challengers, polestars or a brand new Hyundai Iconiq6. Are these realistic? How much would it cost to bring in a muscle car/electric from the UK? I couldn't use the VRT calculator for the Challenger for example.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated as I don't know where to start. Thanks in advance.

Buddy Bubs

Muscle car with high emissions from UK, forget about it.

I wouldn't get an A7 because it's the same car as your A6 with a hatchback. Bit boring.

You'll be charging pretty much any EV in public network on return leg of your Dublin limerick trips, not a problem but just be aware. Not a full charge, just a top up to get you home.

After that, we don't know your budget really so hard to recommend anything.

kirving

What's your budget?

You mentioned the Dodge Challenger twice - to be honest I think that's a nuts idea. They're not spacious at all for what they are, bad quality interior, right hand drive only, enormous exterior, and insane VRT. And noone will buy it off you.

A 5.0 Mustang makes perfect sense in comparison!

https://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/ford/mustang/fpa/3649754?journey=Search

HorseField

Cheers mate, I'm not sure where to go budget wise either. I've never bought a car new and I've never gone into finance to buy a car. I bought the A5 with a Credit Union loan a number of years ago second hand and the missus bought her car using money left to her from a relative and a CU loan. (Neither are HP or PCP)

With the mortgage out of the picture and no other debts currently I could afford around a €1500 a month on a car after savings, bills etc. are all taken care of but I'd prefer to get something for around 800 per month is that realistic for an 'fun' motor? I also have just under 20k in savings but I'm hoping to put this into some home improvements.

Again any advice is greatly appreciated. I saw a tempting 2018 Ford Mustang going for €39k down the country but the thought of filling it with Petrol fairly calmed my jets. I'm all over the place at the moment but I'm excited about getting something unusual like a convertible or a sporty yoke. All joking aside, maybe I am having a midlife crisis, I've been looking at cars for months at work! haha

Buddy Bubs

Audi Etron GT or Porsche Taycan used suit your fun, EV and budget

Even the cheapest ones are top end of budget but worth looking at.

HorseField

Cheers mate, I was looking at that before as well as a cheaper 2018 model. Any advice on the Mustang? How practical are they day to day. That would be right in my ideal budget of under a grand a month as well. How much are ya talking for fuel a week and would the insurance be massive? I rang my insurer about the A7 last year (going from a 2L A5 to the 3L) and my insurance went up more than I was expecting. 5L might be a touch too far. Is the 2.5L petrol Mustang any good?

Cheers again for the advice.

prawnsambo

I see you mentioned the Polestar. I have a 1 year old LRDM with the performance pack. Completely mad yoke that's actually well behaved when you want it to. As the old Alfa ad used to say 'It's a pussy cat until you step on it'. Still a few models available direct from them with a full range at very good prices.

https://www.polestar.com/ie/preconfigured-cars/polestar-2

They also have a BST 270 pre-reg knocked down 25k from the new price if you really want to go mad.

HorseField

I saw the Etron before but I thought that It would cost way to much. Do you know how much you'd be paying per month? Cheers

HorseField

Thanks for this, I was looking at getting a second hand Polestar in the UK as I was under the impression that the VRT would be very low for an electric. How much are you talking per month for LRDM with the performance pack? Thanks again for the advice.

kirving

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122083287#Comment_122083287

I think you need to have a loooong think to be honest. You'd consider a Challenger buy don't want to fill a Mustang?

Also, don't think of anything special as a Per Month cost. You can do that leasing a Corrola, knowing that the market is stable and you're getting out the other end of the deal having paid €X for 3 years motoring.

Anything special could hold value, or drop like a stone the week after you buy it. You could be very deep into a loan with a car worth far less.

A few convertibles that shouldn't totally bankrupt you…

https://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/mercedes-benz/sl-class/fpa/3705918?journey=Search

https://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/bmw/4-series/fpa/3642153?journey=Search

https://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/mazda/mx-5/fpa/3700957?journey=Search

https://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/mercedes-benz/slc/fpa/3705363?journey=Search

HorseField

Thanks for all the advice lads, lot's to think about over the next few months. I'll defo let ye know what I went for once I pull the trigger. I'm all over the place at the mo changing my mind every 5 mins. The missus is trying to get me to hold off until the current yoke starts to act up or to throw money into upgrades on the house, but life is short! Haha

HorseField

Thats some great advice. I've never been in a challenger let alone drive one so I'm not sure why it made such an impression on me. I've driven Mustangs before while on the states.

After speaking to the lads and lassies here I think I'm done with the Dodge TBH no one has mentioned anything positive about them.

Great options here, a lot to think about over the next few months.

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122083336#Comment_122083336

If you click that link I posted and pick out a car from the list (you can filter for the performance pack) it will then let you work out whatever finance deal suits you. Lots of ways to tailor it - duration, deposit etc.

Also you really should take a test drive. Very easy to set up.

HorseField

After reading all your advice I've been steered away from the American Muscle cars so I'd say that it's between the convertibles that were suggested and the Polestar/Etron electric cars.

Regarding the electric cars I have put the Etron through the VRT calculator and it's only 6-8k altogether. Is it worth getting the Polestar/Etron in the UK? Would you save any money this way? My A5 was brought in from the UK before and I saved a good bit of money but that was before the Nox tax etc came into the VRT and before sterling recovered.

Thanks for everything lads, I'm really glad that I posted now. Far more clarity going forward. Have a good evening.

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122083425#Comment_122083425

Regarding the electric cars I have put the Etron through the VRT calculator and it's only 6-8k altogether. Is it worth getting the Polestar/Etron in the UK? Would you save any money this way?

Depends how much they are in the UK. Polestar with all the packs (performance, pilot lite and plus) stands 59k here from their available cars. They're normally 75k, so that's a good haircut for what is effectively a new car. Only reason they're that bit cheaper is the new model is coming in. Bear in mind that the performance pack reduces the range, but I think it's still a bit better than the eTron. I'm coming in around 350km in winter mode. Closer to 400 in summer.

HorseField

Thats exactly the knowledge I came here for. Thanks again.

Both cars seem to be a similar price in UK which surprised me, so I'll be picking them up here.

Time to crunch the numbers, approach the missus and go to a few dealerships.

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122083570#Comment_122083570

I think after brexit, European cars are actually costing a bit more in the UK. Certainly seems as though the new prices there are not much different from here any more. That's just my impression, haven't crunched any numbers on it, but what you say there seems to bear that out.

Always better to buy here if there's not much in it. Makes it easier if something goes wrong.