I’m in the market for a new car: a semi-enforced change. I mentioned some time ago about my back pain, and I’m finally admitting defeat: the urban crawl in a manual car is doing me in. So then, once more unto the breech with the scum. Given my list of requirements (VAG, shortish, Diesel, Auto), the likely ones are a Seat Leon or VW Golf TDI DSG. I’m ruling out an A3 on cost basis, and while a BMW seems like an option if the seats were better and it wasn’t petrol, enough people think I’m a twat already without giving more ammunition.
Crikey, car salesmen are twats, aren’t they? Or at least some. We had the “how much do you want for your Skoda” ploy, and the “I’ll talk to the manager and get you the very best deal” ploy in one place. FAIL.
Full marks so far to the Seat salesman who knew what he was selling, made a sane part-ex offer, and had the car at a believable price too, and sorted out a test drive. The DSG is marvellous- full auto or tiptronic, lighning fast changes, no torque converter slushing about.
Car shopping is tedious, especially when you don’t *really* want to change.
Oh, and a quick ping to Hoipoloi (as I don’t have your email)- get yor new car yet? How is it?
Greetings master, I’ve noticed those salesmen around 25-30 years younger than me generally give me an easier time. And know more.
No new car yet but it’s only a few weeks away now. We had to buy another second-hand car meanwhile, a Rover 45, in order for us to get us to the Med and back. We had to get the air-con re-charged which was a necessity given the journey ahead of it . One thing it has confirmed in SWMBO’s mind is that black cars are out. They get dirtier than white ones.
We keep coming back to the 7 seater C4 having checked out the competition several times. We even considered the Dodge Journey! I know, I know, but it DID have all the kit at £1,000 less. Don’t worry, we’ve since woken up.
Good luck in your search.
Your thoughts on semi-personal registration numbers?
Place down the road form you wasn’t bad – I just went in with the line “I don’t care how much you give me for the Mondeo, I’ll tell you what I’m prepared to pay”. And we sorted out a deal. I got my Skoda for 900 less than its original asking price. They need the business at the end of the day and they have a big marhin that you need to eat into.
I agree though, buying a car is a bloody in.
@hoipoloi
One of the cars I’m looking at is black :-(. I like black, but dislike the cleaning and invisibility.
Considered the Mazda 5? MarkyB has one as a company car. very good by all accounts.
Personal plates: it depends. If it’s actually meaningful (e.g: initials) without illegal spacing or bits of tape etc, then OK. Otherwise, naff.
@Bumpkin
Indeed, cost to change is the key. I don’t think the small traders will have what I want though, and to some degree I want the main dealer backup and warranty, as I’m purchasing some insanely complicated gearbox. Also, all the suitable cars are quite new…
The Mazda 5 is ace….It’s black but not VAG or short. Hard to justify 7 seat option for carrying a cat!
Pop round for a test thrash. Not sure of the auto options.
C4 Picarsehole has a neat auto option….still not short though (although you dont have to have 7 seat option).
The Mazda 5 only has a 2.0 in the diesel range (not as economical as the C4 and in the next road tax bracket as well). Looks nice though 🙂
We are at the stage of considering a plate that will be easier on the eye, owner initials or something simple. Mind you, those seem to have gone up since the last time I looked.
Yep, there’s the thing with plates. Anything you’d actually want costs.
@Marky
Hoipoloi doesn’t share my VAG fetish or short driveway (I’m going to have to park very carefully with a Leon if that’s what I get!). He was looking at the semi-auto in the C4 though. It’s not DSG (so only one clutch and slower changes), but similar otherwise, and it seems quite well liked.
No really, I DO like VAG, I used to maintain a small fleet of various VW vehicles and couldn’t stop enthusing about the build quality and longevity when well maintained. I was particularly fond of my own Passat estate two cars back.
The only VW I’d have now though is an LT45 (in preparation for the revolution and world tour (beds, fridge, kitchen sink, personal cyber cafe etc)).
Yes, the C4 is quite long (6in longer than it’s 5 seat sister) but SWMBO really likes the back end and has plans for taking grandchildren on the next foreign trip.
Ah, but my obsession means that I have little enthusiasm for anything outside the group. I’ve worked around the marques: Only Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborgini to go. What’s the MPG like on a Veyron?
If you’re wooried about fuel returns then you are not really ready for the Veyron. You need to TWAT up like Clarkson a bit