FOAK:Cars

I'm trying to wean my wife off expensive German cars (Beemers, Audis, VWs
etc) but she's got it in her head they are the only cars that will guarantee
our kids' safety in the event of a crash.

So we've been looking at various 5-6 year old A4 Avant TDIs which are all
the wrong side of £6k for my liking - even accepting the fact we're only
going to get a high-mileage model for our money.

I'm a bit clueless but can't help thinking there must be some really good
quality alternatives.

Our main requirements are a) space (prefer an estate) b) safety c) economy
(diesel?) d) reliability & e) build-quality.

Can anyone suggest something that fits the bill?
Which manufacturers come close to BMW/Audi/VW build quality & reliability?
Presumably Saabs are in the same price bracket.

I'm not too proud to have a Skoda if they're any good!
A Japanese car would be fine if it was roomy enough. Some sort of newish
Mazda estate just drove past the house and that looked quite tasty.

Any advice gratefully received.

 

Something on this list with a 5 star safety rating:

http://www.euroncap.com/content/safety_ratings/ratings.php?id1=3

 

Skoda Octavia. You'd only get an old shape for that money, but they're
not a bad car.

Alternatively, a Passat. Not too pricey these days with the new model on
it's way soon, I've been incredibly impressed with mine, 135k miles up
and feels as tight as my boss's 6 month old example.

<dons flameproof jacket>

Alfa 156 JTD Sportwagon

You may have heard horror stories about the petrol versions, but these
are mainly brought on by numpty owners - the JTD is utterly reliable.

Honda Accord Estate, VW Passat, possibly a MkIV Golf Estate, Skoda
Octavia Estate. Saabs are OK, but for £6k you'd be getting something
based on the MkIII Cavalier floorpan, I think. Volvo V70s are huge,
reliable and have enough prestige to replace an Audi.

But what do I know, I still drive a shite old Alfa 75.

 

No, they're not: they're way, way cheaper.

A really good late 9000 (1998-ish) will rush you maybe 4k. As for safety
- they're incredibly solid.

At The Doctor's last hospital, there were three consultant orthopaedic
surgeons and they *all* drove Saabs because they'd seen the results of
crashes involving Saabs: Saab drivers lived and stayed out of Stoke
Mandeville.

This wasn't necessarily the case with people driving, for example,
Citroens.

Early 9-5s are within your budget but this cues the endless "Is a GM
Saab any good?" argument.

I liked my old Saab 9000. Incredibly reliable, incredibly comfy, well
equipped, cavernous boot, cavernous fuel tank. *Slightly* pricey to run,
mind (fuel, insurance, servicing - but an independent specialist can
alleviate this last).

 

Champ fumbled, fiddled and fingered:

AOL


--
Steve Parry

http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk

http://www.arrivedeprived.org.uk/

K100RS SE
F650
(not forgetting the SK90PY)

 

err Ovlov?

 

*No* car can Guarantee safety in the event of a crash!

 

Really?! Damn.

 

You'd get a decent few year old Octavia Estate for your budget which should
be solid enough for your liking.
Something like this one for example
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=18275&item=4519610945&rd=1
A lower spec one would be fairly easy to find with a lot less miles for the
same price.
Only downside is that the rear legroom isn't great.
I had someone drive into the back of mine at about 25 mph at the point of
impact and all things considered there was very little damage.

Couldn't say the same for the front of his astra which was a complete mess.
--
Alex

Hermes: "We can't afford that! Especially not Zoidberg!"
Zoidberg: "They took away my credit cards!"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk
www.sffh.co.uk
www.ebayfaq.co.uk

 

Try this argument: Nothing will. There is no car on the market that
guarantees absolute safety in any circumstances. Just try not crashing,
and see how that goes. Alternatively do not carry the kids in the
car...

 

I know this, thanks. I was attempting to be facetious.

 

Because the Octavia's a Golf clone not a Passat clone.

 

In

Saab 9-5s are very good indeed. I had about 20 of them on fleet in one place
I worked. They all racked up monster mileages with no problems apart from
one muppet repeately blowing turbos by not letting the engine idle after a
motorway thrash. Nice cars, I'd have one.

You could possibly get a slightly older E class Merc for that money, but
beware of major rust on 95-98 ones.


--
Pete M

Mercedes 260E
Ford Capri (ressurection started)
"Never moon a werewolf"

COSOC #5
Scouse Git extraordinaire. Liverpool, Great Britain

 

take a trip to your local library and look at Which? magazine's annual
cary-buying guide, which includes the secondary safety of cars. That way
at least you can make an informed decision together rather than relying on
German marketting.

 

Looking at autotrader, 6k shows a Seat Toledo Tdi SE, X reg. Seat's
now part of the VW group, so make of that what you will. Might be
worth looking at because of the economy - 65mpg on motorways, just over
40 in town.

Bit more info:
http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-tests/S/seat/toledo99-/toledo99-.html

 

Coincidence?

 

But... Haven't they got the same floor pan? Ho ho ho.

 

Seat Toledo = Seat Leon = VW Golf = VW Bora = VW Beetle = Skoda Octavia
= Audi A3. Or thereabouts.

I managed to get 34 MPG on a 30 mile jaunt in my 1.9TDi tonight. I was
trying to average 60 on the cross country trip home from the folks. Only
managed 58; I was held up by a taxi.

 

I don't think clone is quite the right word as the end result is very
different , but they do have the same wheelbase as the golf.

If rear legroom is a priority then a superb would suit , but I doubt they
can be had for 6k yet

--
Alex

Hermes: "We can't afford that! Especially not Zoidberg!"
Zoidberg: "They took away my credit cards!"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk
www.sffh.co.uk
www.ebayfaq.co.uk

 

If this one kicks off, you're on your own. Je ne bite pas.

Autotrader shows them starting at the mid 7's on an 02 plate. For a long
wheel base Passat that isn't bad.

Thinking about it, as it's the rear room that's extended, all those
un-strapped-in kids will have more time to slow down before they hit the
screen. G'wan Sorby, you know you want to. And you can sell it to the
missus on Safely grounds ;-)