New Cars?

[Joe 90]

Right, me and my dad are now looking for a new car. Company car, so list is limited and i've been trying to pull out the best options. Its not as good as the list was a few months ago - but i guess it serves me right for looking at it before we're due for a change!

So, basically dad wants ~2.0 Diesel for purposes of expense claims and 'making money' as he calls it ;)

I've got a short list;

Audi A3 1.9 TDie Sptback 5Dr Sport Diesel
Mazda 6 2.2 d DPF 163 Hatch 5Dr TS Diesel 6sp
Peugeot 308 1.6 HDi FAP 110 Hatch 5Dr SR Diesel 6sp
Renault Megane 1.9 dCi FAP 130 Hatch 5Dr Dynamique Diesel 6sp
Seat Leon 2.0 TDi Hatch 5Dr SE Diesel 6sp
Seat Leon 2.0 TDi Hatch 5Dr Sport Diesel 6sp
Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI PD Hatch 5Dr Elegance Diesel 6sp
Volvo S40 1.6 Sal 4Dr R DESIGN Sport
VW Golf 2.0 TDi CR DPF 110 Hatch 5Dr SE Diesel
VW Jetta 2.0 TDi CR DPF 140 Sal 4Dr SE Diesel 6sp


As i say, there was a pretty big list, any other cars anyone can think of i'll see if its on the list.
And if anybody knows owt about these, it'd be a great help :)

[leowyatt]

My boss took delivery of a 1.8T Petrol A3 S-Line trim and it is very nice :) I know you've listed the diesel but the build quality seems spot on. His 1.8 has lots of beans if you press the loud pedal but fuel economy is rather poor coming from his 320CD.

[Burble]

I'd avoid the Golf because it's slow enough to get overtaken by the grass growing. I'd avoid the Peugeot because they're slow, horrible inside, NOISY and hideously ugly (I certainly wouldn't FAP over it).

The rest of them are worth a test drive. The 140bhp lump in the Jetta is pretty good but the DPF has been known to cause problems if the car doesn't do the odd decent length journey. The PD engine in the Skoda is a bit rattly and loud but solid. I don't know what the Seat is like but it shouldn't be massively different from the VW & Audi.

[Joe 90]

Yeah i really like the styling of Audi, but the performance and usual lack of anything 'extra' on that A3 kinda put me off.

So far my fav is prob the Seat Leon, pretty decent performance, and a nice looking car inside. With a few 'extras' like the USB/AUX ports and the touch-screen radio (it looked touchscreenish)

I also just noticed the 308 SR has sat nav (or so it says on the full spec) but don't know a lot about the Peugeots.

and i don't like VW anymore, and dad agrees... they just seem boring. we used to have a decent 1.9 Bora which was awesome. Don't know whats happened to them.

[leowyatt]

Yeah Audi shaft you with a big stick on extras. It's amazing the difference in spec between his old BMW and the new Audi. I think all he got extra was the parking assist, but it was crazy what you had to get as an extra you'd have thought would come as standard.

[Joe 90]

oo.. missed the Skoda Superb off there.

Not a fav of mine, but dad likes it, its an old mans car with the umbrella in the back door etc :p
although i've got used to an old mans car after driving a Saab for the past few years.

[Burble]

105bhp in a car the size of the Superb? No way.

[Joe 90]

105bhp in a car the size of the Superb? No way.

haha, i thought that. few options that i got rid of straight away were similar

*missed the Mazda 6 as well!!

[Burble]

I don't know what the Mazda is like but the Ford lump under the bonnet is pretty good - a bit gutless low down but fine once the turbo is doing its stuff.

[Feek]

Not on your list but I drove a new Mondeo diesel in a reasonably high trim level when I was in Edinburgh earlier this year, it was surprisingly nice and didn't seem to be lacking anything much really. Admittedly I only had it for three days but I'd be happy to drive one for longer after that short period.

[leowyatt]

The fella with the A3, his dad has a new Mondeo and really likes it. I'm pretty sure it's a 2.0L Diesel too :D

[LeperousDust]

The Skoda isn't a bad choice tbh, get more for your money and reliable as hell really, see loads of skoda taxis! :p

[Joe 90]

yeah there aren't any Fords on the list. Don't know why, but there has been a delay on them. Looking forward to getting them to see what our options are.

I'm starting to think just going with the Civic 2.2 ES might be an alright option - not the EX we originally had available, but i'm a civic fan tbh.

gonna have to go around a few garages this week. make some comparisons.

[Burble]

Civics are a bit marmitey - personally I couldn't live with the looks (both inside & out) but you can't argue with the way the Japanese screw the things together.

[Will]

My father has the Octavia TDi Sport (I think it's got the 140 or 150 lump in it), with the DSG gearbox. It's not pretty, but it's comfortable, has satnav and all the toys you'd want and returns over 50mpg on the extra urban run. It's pretty good, but does have the image/styling issue.

I really like the Civic 2.2 - a friend has one with all the works and it's pretty rapid, looks amazing (subjective obviously) and has all the toys as well.

[Joe 90]

bit of an eventful day today.

Started out with our Saab not starting! RAC came, decided the alternator had died. That spent a few hours in the local Saab dealer, and was thankfully ready when we just happened to be over the road looking at Renaults. I thought it rather amusing it developed a fault for the first time in nearly 4 years, on the day we were to decide on it's replacement.

Finished up in the Honda dealer, picked up the card for their corp sales guy, and passed that on to dad to make the call when this guy is back in on Monday to sort out what kind of deal he can do for us. Maybe for the list price, they'll throw in some extras.

[Joe 90]

we final got speaking to the guy at our local dealer. not good news :( the lease company's owner, Arnold Clark (http://www.arnoldclark.com) also owns 3 Honda dealers, and basically will want to use one of said dealers for any honda purchases.

Is there any easy way to find out which dealers these might be? I've no idea, and the local dealer didn't want to provide said information.

[cheets]

Diesel, cant he just get a petrol, he is saving money by having a company car so can spend the savings on a petrol car?

[Joe 90]

ha. the performance doesn't outweigh the MPG tbh. nowt wrong with diesel.

60mpg vs. 40mpg. and dad say's he'll get 70 out of it. so i'll have to see how low i can get it \o/

[cheets]

When did diesel suddenly become better than petrol in terms of GRUNT

muwahahaha

[Joe 90]

ha, i didn't say that. but they're not slow any more, and although its not the same, its still not enough to switch back. we've been driving diesel for years now :o

[cheets]

I just find it funny when numbers and litre size is banded about, its diesel, its slow for a reason.

[Joe 90]

Finally got our order signed today.

Black 2.2 Civic ES - should be with us towards the end of July. Awesome :D