Been roped in to helping step son get a decent car
Discussion
Hello pistonheads,
Exactly what one should be doing on a Friday night - trawling the classifieds for a car for my wife's lad.
As the 'car bloke' in the family, people always seem to ask for my help when buying cars, but in truth all I'm good at is changing the oil or brakes really! Nonetheless, I am tasked with helping my stepson to look for and view cars.
He's 23 so wants something a bit stylish, as they do. He's had a few bigger and powerful cars, not the typical young lads car history, so suggestions other than hot hatches welcomed and encouraged here. He's very picky and has so far turned down my suggestions so perhaps you lovely people can help out.
Criteria:
Fair few miles per week so needs to be comfy, possibly auto,
Refined and quiet,
Good enough street cred for a young lad,
Reliable - not necessarily cheap to maintain but something that won't leave him stranded,
Preferably petrol,
Max 5.5k although I may be able to help him out with a little more if the right car came up, this being said, he's keen to spend less than the budget.
So far he's only seen a 55 plate Audi A6 3.2 FSI that he likes - and it does look rather smart but I'm a bit of an audi/vag reliability sceptic myself.
My suggestion of a golf gti didnt go down well and my suggestion of a Mondeo was laughed at, for obvious reasons...
5 series was given a thumbs up but let's be honest a 5 series at this budget will probably be at an age or mileage where stuff will need doing and need some money spending, as will the audi no doubt
Thanks in advance for your suggestions and I will of course update the thread when he buys something with pics.
Exactly what one should be doing on a Friday night - trawling the classifieds for a car for my wife's lad.
As the 'car bloke' in the family, people always seem to ask for my help when buying cars, but in truth all I'm good at is changing the oil or brakes really! Nonetheless, I am tasked with helping my stepson to look for and view cars.
He's 23 so wants something a bit stylish, as they do. He's had a few bigger and powerful cars, not the typical young lads car history, so suggestions other than hot hatches welcomed and encouraged here. He's very picky and has so far turned down my suggestions so perhaps you lovely people can help out.
Criteria:
Fair few miles per week so needs to be comfy, possibly auto,
Refined and quiet,
Good enough street cred for a young lad,
Reliable - not necessarily cheap to maintain but something that won't leave him stranded,
Preferably petrol,
Max 5.5k although I may be able to help him out with a little more if the right car came up, this being said, he's keen to spend less than the budget.
So far he's only seen a 55 plate Audi A6 3.2 FSI that he likes - and it does look rather smart but I'm a bit of an audi/vag reliability sceptic myself.
My suggestion of a golf gti didnt go down well and my suggestion of a Mondeo was laughed at, for obvious reasons...
5 series was given a thumbs up but let's be honest a 5 series at this budget will probably be at an age or mileage where stuff will need doing and need some money spending, as will the audi no doubt
Thanks in advance for your suggestions and I will of course update the thread when he buys something with pics.
How much space does he need / want seeing as you are looking at A6s and 5 series?
Had my E46 328i since I was 19, 23 now, and it has been brilliant so what about something like a 330i Sport? Could get a lovely one for that money and change.
That money will get you a very nice E39 530i as well, and they are generally pretty reliable if you get a good one.
Had my E46 328i since I was 19, 23 now, and it has been brilliant so what about something like a 330i Sport? Could get a lovely one for that money and change.
That money will get you a very nice E39 530i as well, and they are generally pretty reliable if you get a good one.
He doesn't actually need any space at all to be honest! I think he's gone for saloons in the past for refinement and motorway cruising more than anything
He's not a fan of the older bmw's. I've got an E39 and he says 'it's got a whiff of polish factory worker about it'
Charming....
But the newer 5 series aren't that great for the money, it's not what I would spend my 5 grand on that's for sure.
All suggestions I will put forward though, so thank you.
CLK might be a good shout
He's not a fan of the older bmw's. I've got an E39 and he says 'it's got a whiff of polish factory worker about it'
Charming....
But the newer 5 series aren't that great for the money, it's not what I would spend my 5 grand on that's for sure.
All suggestions I will put forward though, so thank you.
CLK might be a good shout
As above. My first thought was a clubsport http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...
Pyrolysis said:
As above. My first thought was a clubsport http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...
Good choice definitely, as I mentioned though he seems to have an issue with the older shape bmw's, not sure why really as they were and are bloody good!groundcontrol said:
XJ of some sort.
Personally I love these! I didn't think of suggesting them to him because I don't know what they're like reliability wise, do you have any experience of them? Also I reckon he may think he's too young for a Jaaag, but after sitting in one or driving one I'm sure it'll be a different story! Pretend to be ill, leave home or something
I stopped helping people years and years ago
What I saw as a decent car would be laughed at
What they thought was decent was usually a POS, which I would tell them
They would ignore me, buy the POS then 3 months late blame me or expect me to fix it.....
I stopped helping people years and years ago
What I saw as a decent car would be laughed at
What they thought was decent was usually a POS, which I would tell them
They would ignore me, buy the POS then 3 months late blame me or expect me to fix it.....
Skyedriver said:
Pretend to be ill, leave home or something
I stopped helping people years and years ago
What I saw as a decent car would be laughed at
What they thought was decent was usually a POS, which I would tell them
They would ignore me, buy the POS then 3 months late blame me or expect me to fix it.....
I think a lot of the time a young lad will never want to hear about good cars if they don't look the part... My dads got a mondeo and it's fantastic! Refined, drives well, reliable, loads of kit, and cheap. Perfect for my needs, and if I was sensible if of bought one. But because I'm 23 I didn't and won't, because it's a mondeo. I stopped helping people years and years ago
What I saw as a decent car would be laughed at
What they thought was decent was usually a POS, which I would tell them
They would ignore me, buy the POS then 3 months late blame me or expect me to fix it.....
Back to the original post, the a6 perhaps has the same lump as the r32 golf? If so it's meant to be a good engine, maybe that's not such a bad idea - and being an audi it'll be acceptable for him to drive around in as opposed to some of the more mature cars suggested. With any auto car though a gearbox oil change is always a good idea if it hasn't been done already
Skyedriver said:
Pretend to be ill, leave home or something
I stopped helping people years and years ago
What I saw as a decent car would be laughed at
What they thought was decent was usually a POS, which I would tell them
They would ignore me, buy the POS then 3 months late blame me or expect me to fix it.....
I know, I know.... I was stupid for agreeing to help - however I've made it clear that it has nothing to do with me I'm only giving the best advice I can - although I'm sure it'll come back to bite me at some point. The only thing I can do is be the voice of reason about service history and pointing out some potential Bork if I know about anyI stopped helping people years and years ago
What I saw as a decent car would be laughed at
What they thought was decent was usually a POS, which I would tell them
They would ignore me, buy the POS then 3 months late blame me or expect me to fix it.....
Ghost91 said:
I think a lot of the time a young lad will never want to hear about good cars if they don't look the part... My dads got a mondeo and it's fantastic! Refined, drives well, reliable, loads of kit, and cheap. Perfect for my needs, and if I was sensible if of bought one. But because I'm 23 I didn't and won't, because it's a mondeo.
Back to the original post, the a6 perhaps has the same lump as the r32 golf? If so it's meant to be a good engine, maybe that's not such a bad idea - and being an audi it'll be acceptable for him to drive around in as opposed to some of the more mature cars suggested. With any auto car though a gearbox oil change is always a good idea if it hasn't been done already
It's pretty much this in a nutshell, it's got to have the right image as well as be reasonably quick, good on the motorway and all the other million things on the list of criteria from a fussy youngster! The Mondeos are good and would do the job but I suspect he doesn't want to be turning up to take a girl out on a date in a mondy that looks like it's probably his dadsBack to the original post, the a6 perhaps has the same lump as the r32 golf? If so it's meant to be a good engine, maybe that's not such a bad idea - and being an audi it'll be acceptable for him to drive around in as opposed to some of the more mature cars suggested. With any auto car though a gearbox oil change is always a good idea if it hasn't been done already
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 f
king 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. king carGassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff