Car advice

[Granny Danger]

1 minute ago, thistledo said:

100% accurate. 

Good to know.  If United continue to play as they have been I may start staring at brake lights.

[alta-pete]

Anyone used WBAC/ Arnold buy my car or the likes recently and able to tell me who gave them the best price/closest to their online valuation?

Be meticulous about declaring every dent/scrape, service history, etc and you’ll not go far wrong at WBAC. Try and (even innocently) misrepresent the condition and they’ll pillage their original online offer.

[die hard doonhamer]

3 hours ago, alta-pete said:

Be meticulous about declaring every dent/scrape, service history, etc and you’ll not go far wrong at WBAC. Try and (even innocently) misrepresent the condition and they’ll pillage their original online offer.

And don't accept their first offer. They'll give you a pitch about having to call their manager to authorise any more but they do go up 2 or 3 times.

[die hard doonhamer]

13 hours ago, thistledo said:

I do, even if I come to a complete stop on the motorway, has stopped me from hitting the car in front after a bit of a pile up behind me. Also at night you don't blind the people behind you with your brake lights by using the handbrake. Question really is who wouldn't drive like this? 

I agree when I'm driving my car that has an electric handbrake. Less so with the manual one.

The best way to avoid being shunted in to the car in front is to leave an appropriate gap, of course.

[RandomGuy.]

Folk are heavily over estimating the ability of a handbrake here, I've been sat in traffic, in neutral, with the handbrake on, and been shunted almost ten yards. It depends entirely on how fast you're hit.

Fiat 500s have drum brakes on the back too (although I see the words Abarth, so that'll be disk), which makes the handbrake even worse.

[The new Kia Ceed]

6 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Folk are heavily over estimating the ability of a handbrake here, I've been sat in traffic, in neutral, with the handbrake on, and been shunted almost ten yards. It depends entirely on how fast you're hit.

Fiat 500s have drum brakes on the back too (although I see the words Abarth, so that'll be disk), which makes the handbrake even worse.

Any civilised ( Asian ) cars still using drum brakes or timing belts ?   

[Ludo*1]

I know nothing about cars. I'm very much an A to B person. I've been needing to upgrade upon my heap of a 2008 Corsa for a while. I've been looking to get a new car, but I don't have a completely unlimited budget either. Really like the look of this:

https://www.arnoldclark.com/new-cars/mg/zs/1-5-vti-tech-excite-5dr/0/ref/blk_iy4c5e33d70qwooe

Question is, are MG still a half decent name? Is this a good car? Is this a good deal?

Set me straight please lads.

My requirements if willing to offer an alternative are:

No more than £250 a month. Preferably new. Happy to pay a deposit. A 1.6 is ideal, but flexible. Other than that, I've absolutely no restrictions and I'm completely open.

[alta-pete]

I know nothing about cars. I'm very much an A to B person. I've been needing to upgrade upon my heap of a 2008 Corsa for a while. I've been looking to get a new car, but I don't have a completely unlimited budget either. Really like the look of this:
https://www.arnoldclark.com/new-cars/mg/zs/1-5-vti-tech-excite-5dr/0/ref/blk_iy4c5e33d70qwooe
Question is, are MG still a half decent name? Is this a good car? Is this a good deal?
Set me straight please lads.
My requirements if willing to offer an alternative are:
No more than £250 a month. Preferably new. Happy to pay a deposit. A 1.6 is ideal, but flexible. Other than that, I've absolutely no restrictions and I'm completely open.

Chinese. Make your own mind up on that.

How many miles you do a year?

[alta-pete]

I know nothing about cars. I'm very much an A to B person. I've been needing to upgrade upon my heap of a 2008 Corsa for a while. I've been looking to get a new car, but I don't have a completely unlimited budget either. Really like the look of this:
https://www.arnoldclark.com/new-cars/mg/zs/1-5-vti-tech-excite-5dr/0/ref/blk_iy4c5e33d70qwooe
Question is, are MG still a half decent name? Is this a good car? Is this a good deal?
Set me straight please lads.
My requirements if willing to offer an alternative are:
No more than £250 a month. Preferably new. Happy to pay a deposit. A 1.6 is ideal, but flexible. Other than that, I've absolutely no restrictions and I'm completely open.

Chinese. Make your own mind up on that.

How many miles you do a year?

[Ludo*1]

Just now, alta-pete said:

Chinese. Make your own mind up on that.

How many miles you do a year?

Not a great deal to be honest, the 6000 limit would be tight but do-able.

[Ludo*1]

Admittedly, it is again Arnold Clark, but I also like the look of this:

https://www.arnoldclark.com/new-cars/mercedes-benz/a-class/a180d-sport-5dr-auto/0/ref/blk_njt39utpb0rpi3q1

I've sent an enquiry asking what sort of deposit they'd like to bring the monthly cost down. I won't go for red, but this looks like a go-er.

[welshbairn]

4 minutes ago, Ludo*1 said:

Admittedly, it is again Arnold Clark, but I also like the look of this:

https://www.arnoldclark.com/new-cars/mercedes-benz/a-class/a180d-sport-5dr-auto/0/ref/blk_njt39utpb0rpi3q1

I've sent an enquiry asking what sort of deposit they'd like to bring the monthly cost down. I won't go for red, but this looks like a go-er.

I'd be a bit wary of diesel if you're not doing much mileage, they tend to get clogged up pootling around town. And you hear mutterings about banning them.

[DublinMagyar]

Forget the MG, I know from bitter experience that Chinese made motorbikes are made from chocolate and QC is non existent

[Forest_Fifer]

Bit late to the party, but folk looking for a car with lots of bootspace should stare at a Mk3 Octavia. In terms of "litres" the hatchback is bigger than a Golf estate, while the estate version is obviously bigger still, to the point people have claimed to get two adult sized bikes in them. 
I bought a 63plate VRS for ~£10k so a basic Octavia of a similar age should be approaching £7k-8k with highish mileage. 
They're also incredibly easy to f**k about with, mines is standard but a remap has it pushing 330bhp

Had a Mark 1 Octavia, boot was vast and rear leg room was limo-like. Now got a Superb and it's even bigger, just moved my daughter to uni and you would not believe how much I got in it. Had Skodas for 20 years now and wouldn't go anywhere else.

[supermik]

27 minutes ago, Forest_Fifer said:

On 15/08/2018 at 18:25, RandomGuy. said:

Bit late to the party, but folk looking for a car with lots of bootspace should stare at a Mk3 Octavia. In terms of "litres" the hatchback is bigger than a Golf estate, while the estate version is obviously bigger still, to the point people have claimed to get two adult sized bikes in them. 
I bought a 63plate VRS for ~£10k so a basic Octavia of a similar age should be approaching £7k-8k with highish mileage. 
They're also incredibly easy to f**k about with, mines is standard but a remap has it pushing 330bhp

Had a Mark 1 Octavia, boot was vast and rear leg room was limo-like. Now got a Superb and it's even bigger, just moved my daughter to uni and you would not believe how much I got in it. Had Skodas for 20 years now and wouldn't go anywhere else.

 

[RandomGuy.]

1 hour ago, Ludo*1 said:

I know nothing about cars. I'm very much an A to B person. I've been needing to upgrade upon my heap of a 2008 Corsa for a while. I've been looking to get a new car, but I don't have a completely unlimited budget either. Really like the look of this:

https://www.arnoldclark.com/new-cars/mg/zs/1-5-vti-tech-excite-5dr/0/ref/blk_iy4c5e33d70qwooe

Question is, are MG still a half decent name? Is this a good car? Is this a good deal?

Set me straight please lads.

My requirements if willing to offer an alternative are:

No more than £250 a month. Preferably new. Happy to pay a deposit. A 1.6 is ideal, but flexible. Other than that, I've absolutely no restrictions and I'm completely open.

I wouldn't go MG myself, parts can be a bit steep and reliability is poor. 

1 hour ago, Ludo*1 said:

Admittedly, it is again Arnold Clark, but I also like the look of this:

https://www.arnoldclark.com/new-cars/mercedes-benz/a-class/a180d-sport-5dr-auto/0/ref/blk_njt39utpb0rpi3q1

I've sent an enquiry asking what sort of deposit they'd like to bring the monthly cost down. I won't go for red, but this looks like a go-er.

As has been said, diesel with your mileage would probably cause some issues. Ever thought about Fiestas? 

https://www.arnoldclark.com/used-cars/ref/ARNGS-U-263194?utm_source=autotrader&utm_medium=autotrader&utm_campaign=autotrader

Just a suggestion as I've no idea bout your budget or that, but that's almost the top of the range one, you get free road tax, and it's got a turbo so will be fine on motorway journeys. Can get higher CC versions with a touch more power for around the same price, this was just the first one I saw. There will be other colours for the same price too, but worth keeping in mind when gauging how much you'd maybe spend on a different brand of car. 

 

39 minutes ago, Forest_Fifer said:

On 15/08/2018 at 18:25, RandomGuy. said:

Bit late to the party, but folk looking for a car with lots of bootspace should stare at a Mk3 Octavia. In terms of "litres" the hatchback is bigger than a Golf estate, while the estate version is obviously bigger still, to the point people have claimed to get two adult sized bikes in them. 
I bought a 63plate VRS for ~£10k so a basic Octavia of a similar age should be approaching £7k-8k with highish mileage. 
They're also incredibly easy to f**k about with, mines is standard but a remap has it pushing 330bhp

Had a Mark 1 Octavia, boot was vast and rear leg room was limo-like. Now got a Superb and it's even bigger, just moved my daughter to uni and you would not believe how much I got in it. Had Skodas for 20 years now and wouldn't go anywhere else.

I love them, just a total all rounder. I got a three drawer chest in without folding the seats down, to my own amazement. Heard the Superbs are incredible inside but haven't seen the new ones. 

Edited September 16, 2018 by RandomGuy.

[welshbairn]

33 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

 

https://www.arnoldclark.com/used-cars/ref/ARNGS-U-263194?utm_source=autotrader&utm_medium=autotrader&utm_campaign=autotrader

Just a suggestion as I've no idea bout your budget or that, but that's almost the top of the range one, you get free road tax, and it's got a turbo so will be fine on motorway journeys. Can get higher CC versions with a touch more power for around the same price, this was just the first one I saw. There will be other colours for the same price too, but worth keeping in mind when gauging how much you'd maybe spend on a different brand of car. 

 

 

Half the price of a new one, 3 years old and low mileage. Don't know why people go for new unless they're leasing.

[RandomGuy.]

Just now, welshbairn said:

Half the price of a new one, 3 years old and low mileage. Don't know why people go for new unless they're leasing.

Absolutely agree. A lot of folk seem desperate for the new plate sitting at their door though. 

[wellfan09]

Quite keen on my Mrs getting a vrs estate now that we have a big lump of a dug, 4 months old and already about too big in the back of her corsa! Not to mention the corsa is so shit to drive and although its a 13 plate it feels about 20 years old inside.

Also tempted by a bmw 335d estate but dont know if its daft to get a 14/15 plate one of those with about 50k ish on it.

Decisions decisions

[derrybiy]

My situation is a slightly similar to Ludo's. I know next to nothing about cars. My girlfriend is looking for a car and she knows she only judges based on looks so I've been tasked with helping her pick a decent one. She's looking for 5 doors but small and she has a basic wish list (bluetooth, USB, DAB radio, folding wing mirrors and not leather seats). She originally said audi, volkswagen or mini's. She's ruled out mini's based on reliability (someone said their shite?) and she's decided she doesn't like golfs. She'll be looking for PCP's with a max of £250 a month and 10,000 mileage. What's better between VW polos or Audi A1's? A quick google shows the Audi A1 is more reliable. Any alternative suggestions that I can point her towards, including other makes?