I need a cheaper car to run

obi_waynne

obi_waynne

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Deal, Kent UK
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A3 1.4 TFSI 150 COD
I'm going to have to sell the A4 Quattro before I get pulled under with the running costs!

Fuel/Tyres|Brakes/Insurance/Clutch/Cambelt etc.... plus road tax are all killing me financially.

The question is what to get next? Something older and lower milage or newer and higher milage?

I'm thinking of a 170bhp Diesel A3 with 17 inch rims with road tax £100 a year less but will it save me that much money?

What are my other options? Thankfully I can drop cash if I have to when buying but in the long term I'm hoping to save.

Then what model do I go for? Golf, A3, A4, Passat, Leon, or ummmm .... Skoda :eek:?

I want to stay VAG group if I can, I know the weak spots and what to look out for and quite like them.
 
Very sorry to hear the Quattro will be going Waynne, I think your first choice of car is a good call, lets see what the others suggest.
 
Sell it to me then Adam, 170 TDi 0-60 8.3 seconds and 49.6 mpg urban! If it beats that then it's shortlisted.
 
Ive just got a diesel scenic a s a runaround .

Compared to previously (2003 1.7 auto civic coupe) it is briliant. So much so that I am now looking at other diesel options as in a bit more sporty.


yes I know ive only just realised yours was a diesel waynne
 
Annually a diesel will save me around £1000 on fuel costs! 32 vs 49 mpg! Even with the price differential.

We should compare notes then Sleeper!
 
waynne said:
Sell it to me then Adam, 170 TDi 0-60 8.3 seconds and 49.6 mpg urban! If it beats that then it's shortlisted.
Click to expand...

Is that what the A3 is putting out mate?
The only thing I would say is the focus would be higher mpg, prob lower insurance, and cheaper initial cost and maintenance.
Don't think it will be the same sort of power or as good badge but depends what you want.
I'm looking at focus for a replacement family car at the moment. Can get a 2 litre with top spec interior for a decent price. Much cheaper than the equivalent Audi or BMW.
 
The stats are very similar to the A3 on the Leon.

I like VW and Audi because they tend to hold their value quite well. I could probably go out and buy a new Focus or Clio but in 3 years time i'd have lost half the money on an older Audi I'd be down about 20-30% of the price! They do cost a bit more to buy but I think it pays off in the long term.

I'm very open to suggestions though. I'm also thinking of buying quite old and low mileage - perhaps a 2005 model or older this time round.
 
waynne said:
The stats are very similar to the A3 on the Leon.

I like VW and Audi because they tend to hold their value quite well. I could probably go out and buy a new Focus or Clio but in 3 years time i'd have lost half the money on an older Audi I'd be down about 20-30% of the price! They do cost a bit more to buy but I think it pays off in the long term.

I'm very open to suggestions though. I'm also thinking of buying quite old and low mileage - perhaps a 2005 model or older this time round.
Click to expand...

In that case... A Golf GTD? There very quick, great on fuel and VAG reliability!
 
I'd be looking at a Golf GTD myself perhaps with the excellent DSG gearbox, love them. I was looking at changing the Fiesta for one this year but with the house bleeding us dry and wanting to get the FRS mapped it will have to wait until next year.
 
MasterAuron said:
I'd be looking at a Golf GTD myself perhaps with the excellent DSG gearbox, love them. I was looking at changing the Fiesta for one this year but with the house bleeding us dry and wanting to get the FRS mapped it will have to wait until next year.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a handful mate! I suppose parting with the FRS isn't even an option? :blink:
 
Not sure mate. It sounds like you want something that is not available.

Reliable - Tick
Cheap - Tick
Fast - Tick
Goot MPG - Tick
Cheap parts - Tick
Large enough for a normal size person - Tick

Usually, with reliable, cheap is removed. Fast, and good MPG is removed. Cheap parts and reliable is removed. Its all a catch 22.

1.8 3/5 series. Pre 2005 model. Less electrical components to go wrong. Pay an extra £500 for a full service history. Thats my advice. :blink1:
 
I think the A3 would be better for you Obi Waynne, did you not need a slightly larger car for carrying around a relative? Might be wrong but I thought this was one of the boxes that needed ticking when you first bought the Quattro.
 
It was T9 but the interior space is exactly the same in the A3 and A4! I wish we'd known that when we'd got it. The extra boot space was handy for a potential wheelchair but we're not there yet and I do have to think about staying in the black and running a big car is just not worth the hassle if you can live happily with something a little slower and more modest!

I think the 170 TDi is a great mix of economy and power, this should increase with a remap so it shouldn't be much slower than what I have now but I will miss the Quattro system!
 
sorry to hear about the Quattro will be going Waynne, I think your first option of car is a excellent contact, allows see what the others recommend . . . . . . .
 
the A3, Leon, Octavia, Golf and jetta are all the same car underneath as you know waynne.

when i was looking i wanted the 170 engine doen some research and found that there was some issues with the 170 PD version with regards to the injectors and the DPF blocking up easy as the PD engine wasnt designed to run with one. VAGs fix for this was to underpower the cars to produce less smoke so you might well not end up with an actual 170 down that route.

i looked at all 4 of the above cars and the difference in price was outstanding. the golfs and a3s were holding there price much better than the rest to the point where a 06 plate A3 with high milage was demanding around £4k more than 09 octavia.


to give you real specs dont expect the 49mpg unless your on the motorway alot. since fixing the EGR probe im now sitting around 43-44 mpg long term average going up to 48-51 on the motorway providing i sit at a sensible speed. start going up to 80 and itll start to drop. remember that im in the country and start stop traffic doesnt really exist out here
 
Really helpful feedback there PG, thanks! I've read about the DPF issues and injector issues. Most dealers seem to imply there was a recall that fixed the injectors and if I get the DPF issues I'll just pull the thing off and get it mapped out.

I think a remap is definitely on the todo list - it should yield a bit more MPG. I'm hoping for mid 40mpg's which should save me around £1000 a year! Any more is a bonus.
 
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