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.
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
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! 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 carJohnny 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 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 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. 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.
That's a very good piece of advice and I don't think he does have one particular make or model in mind really
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. 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?
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 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!
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 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
Edited by Farmer Geddon on Friday 28th August 22:53
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! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Renault-Laguna-2-0dCi-15...
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.
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