Been roped in to helping step son get a decent car

[bockaaarck]

Might get an early (03 - 05) 350Z with 50-60,000 miles. Bullet proof engine, decent pace, cheap servicing, good cruising potential and good fun to drive. Only 2 seats but then it doesn't sound like he needs a saloon.

[Digitalize]

Z4?

[danzman1991]

Lexus RX

[Johnny 89]

For some reason that I can't quite grasp, VAG saloons are the stuff of dreams for people in their 20s. I can only imagine it offers an executive look which makes them look successful and then has become fashionable because of this.
Anyway, I don't have too much to add only at that age I bought a TVR, perhaps he might be tempted by something different like that?

[carinaman]

What sort of MPG would be acceptable to him? He has £5.5K to spend but would like to spend less. Does he pay for his own petrol or is it on expenses?

I think rather than settling on a particular model is it just as much about choosing a few likely models and picking a good example. I think used car buyers need to be a lot more flexible and open to compromise.

Setting your heart on a particular model and then buying a POS that ticks the box of being the correct particularly model can lead to heartache, moodiness and wallet emptying.

[Farmer Geddon]

350z, good call! Hadn't thought of that one.

Lexus RX is that the 4x4 one?

I think the z4 may be a little too bumpy for the long trips

[carinaman]

What's the car used for?

A fair few miles weekly is commuting to and from work or Uni?

Do a list of requirements with weighted priorities?

The second requirement besides getting him from A to B is to be some kind of lifestyle accessory?

[Farmer Geddon]

Johnny 89 said:

For some reason that I can't quite grasp, VAG saloons are the stuff of dreams for people in their 20s. I can only imagine it offers an executive look which makes them look successful and then has become fashionable because of this.
Anyway, I don't have too much to add only at that age I bought a TVR, perhaps he might be tempted by something different like that?

You've probably hit the nail on the head about the 'executive' look

[carinaman]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

I can't see any 5 door IS300 Sporthatches on Autotrader.

[Farmer Geddon]

carinaman said:

What sort of MPG would be acceptable to him? He has £5.5K to spend but would like to spend less. Does he pay for his own petrol or is it on expenses?

I think rather than settling on a particular model is it just as much about choosing a few likely models and picking a good example. I think used car buyers need to be a lot more flexible and open to compromise.

Setting your heart on a particular model and then buying a POS that ticks the box of being the correct particularly model can lead to heartache, moodiness and wallet emptying.

No expenses or anything but mpg isn't too important, he does alright, and is self employed and can offset a certain amount of mileage against tax etc.

That's a very good piece of advice and I don't think he does have one particular make or model in mind really

[Farmer Geddon]

carinaman said:

What's the car used for?

A fair few miles weekly is commuting to and from work or Uni?

Do a list of requirements with weighted priorities?

The second requirement besides getting him from A to B is to be some kind of lifestyle accessory?

It's used for commuting to work and wherever else he goes, it varies but he did stipulate nice on long journeys, and auto might be nice.

I don't think the requirement is just a-b, it's a-b in comfort and with a good turn of pace. But yes it probably does have to say something about the type of person he is - I.e it probably wants to look a bit flashy. Champagne car for lemonade money springs to mind a little here I guess.

[carinaman]

Looks slammed? I love the exterior colour, not sure it works with beige leather:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-IS-300-SPORTCROSS-...

If you can change brake and oil you can put it back on standard springs?

I bought a series of lemons as a youngster. I then went a couple of years without a car.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-Peugeot-407-3-0-V6-...

That may munch miles but I don't know about reliability.

Edited by carinaman on Friday 28th August 22:38

[carinaman]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Renault-Laguna-2-0dCi-15...

[hornetrider]

Alfa 159?

[Farmer Geddon]

carinaman said:

Looks slammed? I love the exterior colour, not sure it works with beige leather:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-IS-300-SPORTCROSS-...

If you can change brake and oil you can put it back on standard springs?

I bought a series of lemons as a youngster. I then went a couple of years without a car.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-Peugeot-407-3-0-V6-...

That may munch miles but I don't know about reliability.
The Lexus suggestions are great - and from a reliability point of view brilliant!

Edited by carinaman on Friday 28th August 22:38

The pug is very nice indeed I myself was watching a red one of these on eBay for a while - they have a lot of kit and look very comfy! Have forwarded those links

Edited by Farmer Geddon on Friday 28th August 22:53

[Farmer Geddon]

carinaman said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Renault-Laguna-2-0dCi-15...

I had no idea how cheap these had become!

[Farmer Geddon]

hornetrider said:

Alfa 159?

Lovely looking cars, a friend of mine has one and tells me the handling is lovely because of the independent rear suspension, and the leather looks great!

[Efbe]

Farmer Geddon said:

KAgantua said:

Fair play for helping your step son - I assuming its because he has profound learning difficulties and that this is the reason he cant choose his own fking car

No need for that really is there? I'm trying to help him not buy a complete dog of a car, we were all young once and often blinded by something nice and shiny instead of looking at it with a sensible head on. I'm not going to make the choice for him but hopefully make sure he buys something half decent. I don't think it's an uncommon thing to take a parent with you when looking at cars at this age, it also helps being taken more seriously by the car dealer/seller.

No, He is right.

You need to stop right here.

Whenever you hand something on a plate to someone, they don't appreciate it. If you spend hours researching a car, then you ill appreciate it, but he will never bond with it, never understand why that car, or why not another.
He will blame you for everything that goes wrong with it, and will turn to you for every decision ever in life.

Children need to be given the freedom to chose, and make mistakes. What you need to give them is advice on how to choose. what to look for, even where to look.

[carinaman]

Farmer Geddon said:

Lovely looking cars, a friend of mine has one and tells me the handling is lovely because of the independent rear suspension, and the leather looks great!

Agreed, they look the part. I'm not prepared to pay the RFL for the V6s.

The 159 Estate looks better than the saloon IMO.

[Farmer Geddon]

Efbe said:

Children need to be given the freedom to chose, and make mistakes. What you need to give them is advice on how to choose. what to look for, even where to look.

I'm sorry, have I logged on to mumsnet by mistake??

This is exactly what I am doing, as well as suggesting some decent motors to him to consider. Thank you for the parenting tips, but he isn't really my child.... an adult by all accounts, with a job and a mortgage, and is a functioning human being in all aspects but is mechanically useless and as a car person I've been asked to go lend some advice. He can't think of what else to look for and my suggestions weren't well received so I just thought I'd see what PH thought - and there's been some great suggestions neither I or he thought of, and wouldn't of thought of.