Can't decide what car..
Discussion
I'm currently in the market for a car and am having trouble deciding what to go for. It must be a 4 (5) door, either a hatchback or salooon (though I could live with a 3 door hatchback). I play the drums so if its a saloon I need the back door so I can put the bass drum on the back seat! It won't fit through the hatch of most saloon boots (it's 20" in diameter).
My shortlist is:
BMW 3 series (325i M Sport), E90 (more refined than E46?)
BMW 3 series (325i M Sport), E46 (cheaper)
Ford Focus (Maybe the ST model)
Ford Mondeo (Maybe the ST model)
Audi A3 (had a 99 model, engine went due to oil pick up pipe - prefer it to the newer models though).
Audi A4
Seat (Leon?)
Alfa Romeo 159
VW Passat (though not overly keen on the looks, CC model too expensive currently)
Okay that is not so short a list! I had my heart set on a BMW at one point, but I'm fed up of every saying "Oh no!" whenever I say I'm thinking of a BMW, and not sure I can handle the stigma (as pathetic as that sounds - I normally don't worry about what other people think, but it might not be the best choice for the area I live in and there's only so much sneering someone can take) - plus right now with everything that's going on in the UK, people seem very bitter towards people buying anything percieved as expensive or reflecting some kind of status. I do see some E46 models around, maybe that would seem less like I'm posing. The reason I like the BMW however is the way it drives, and the RWD - I loved the test drive in an E90 I had some time back. The none folding rear seats are a bit annoying though (optional extra!). The thought of a relatively powerful 6 cylinder though.. it does sound nice and it put a big smile on my face on the test drive when he said I could put my foot down (I've never had more than a 1.8).
I drive around 15K miles per year so need something that puts a smile on my face really!
Focus would obviously be great for practical reasons, being a hatchback - good for karting band gear around, and the ST version doesn't look too bad. Passat and Mondeo are also roomy for a Saloon. For some reason though none of these really appeal to me a huge amount - I find it hard to get excited about buying one.
Then there's Audi - I loved my 99 A3 1.8 SE, until it blew up. It's still sitting in my drive after 2 years of down-time; I just can't bring myself to sell it. The steering on the newer Audi seems a bit numb; I'm not so keen on the huge grills either, but I don't mind them. They also have less of a stigma over here (yes I know it's silly to keep going on about that). I do hate the chinsy day-time LED things around the headlights though. Very chav.
I'm basically thinking of spending around 6.5 to 7k (that's what I've got saved up right now at least unless I wait until the end of the month again). I need something reliable too especially as I'm wanting to take some trips to Europe soon (by myself), so I worry about the Alfa Romeo 159 stranding me in the middle of nowhere very far from home. I know they have improved but they still seem to have problems and be at the bottom of the league tables for reliability. It's a shame because I probably would go for one otherwise. I was looking at the 2.2 JTS engined version, but then I find a huge thread on the alfa website about the hesitation problem with the 2.2 JTS.... there's always something!! The Brera looks great but there's no room in the back for passengers.
There's no family to worry about right now so it is just me, but still I do cart people around from time to time, so I do need reasonable back seats. I would also like to cart my mountain bike around at times too, but I can always stick a roof rack on, or a boot rack (I used to use the Thule rack on my A3 which worked perfectly).
So with all that in mind.. any thoughts? Are there any cars I've missed out from my short list that might fit the bill?
For some reason I do not like Mercedez - but I'm still open to suggestion. I'm 34 if that makes any difference to the suggestions, not that it should really I suppose.
Thanks all.
My shortlist is:
BMW 3 series (325i M Sport), E90 (more refined than E46?)
BMW 3 series (325i M Sport), E46 (cheaper)
Ford Focus (Maybe the ST model)
Ford Mondeo (Maybe the ST model)
Audi A3 (had a 99 model, engine went due to oil pick up pipe - prefer it to the newer models though).
Audi A4
Seat (Leon?)
Alfa Romeo 159
VW Passat (though not overly keen on the looks, CC model too expensive currently)
Okay that is not so short a list! I had my heart set on a BMW at one point, but I'm fed up of every saying "Oh no!" whenever I say I'm thinking of a BMW, and not sure I can handle the stigma (as pathetic as that sounds - I normally don't worry about what other people think, but it might not be the best choice for the area I live in and there's only so much sneering someone can take) - plus right now with everything that's going on in the UK, people seem very bitter towards people buying anything percieved as expensive or reflecting some kind of status. I do see some E46 models around, maybe that would seem less like I'm posing. The reason I like the BMW however is the way it drives, and the RWD - I loved the test drive in an E90 I had some time back. The none folding rear seats are a bit annoying though (optional extra!). The thought of a relatively powerful 6 cylinder though.. it does sound nice and it put a big smile on my face on the test drive when he said I could put my foot down (I've never had more than a 1.8).
I drive around 15K miles per year so need something that puts a smile on my face really!
Focus would obviously be great for practical reasons, being a hatchback - good for karting band gear around, and the ST version doesn't look too bad. Passat and Mondeo are also roomy for a Saloon. For some reason though none of these really appeal to me a huge amount - I find it hard to get excited about buying one.
Then there's Audi - I loved my 99 A3 1.8 SE, until it blew up. It's still sitting in my drive after 2 years of down-time; I just can't bring myself to sell it. The steering on the newer Audi seems a bit numb; I'm not so keen on the huge grills either, but I don't mind them. They also have less of a stigma over here (yes I know it's silly to keep going on about that). I do hate the chinsy day-time LED things around the headlights though. Very chav.
I'm basically thinking of spending around 6.5 to 7k (that's what I've got saved up right now at least unless I wait until the end of the month again). I need something reliable too especially as I'm wanting to take some trips to Europe soon (by myself), so I worry about the Alfa Romeo 159 stranding me in the middle of nowhere very far from home. I know they have improved but they still seem to have problems and be at the bottom of the league tables for reliability. It's a shame because I probably would go for one otherwise. I was looking at the 2.2 JTS engined version, but then I find a huge thread on the alfa website about the hesitation problem with the 2.2 JTS.... there's always something!! The Brera looks great but there's no room in the back for passengers.
There's no family to worry about right now so it is just me, but still I do cart people around from time to time, so I do need reasonable back seats. I would also like to cart my mountain bike around at times too, but I can always stick a roof rack on, or a boot rack (I used to use the Thule rack on my A3 which worked perfectly).
So with all that in mind.. any thoughts? Are there any cars I've missed out from my short list that might fit the bill?
For some reason I do not like Mercedez - but I'm still open to suggestion. I'm 34 if that makes any difference to the suggestions, not that it should really I suppose.
Thanks all.
wow long post OP, didn't get to the end of it.
How many band miles do you do? And would it not be better to just buy a cheap van/estate car to lug the gear in? When I was in a band we bought a £180 Transit from the auctions for just such a purpose. So much easier than faffing about with multiple cars all the while to get the gear to a gig.
If you did the above, would you still need a 4/5 door or a hatch? Your budget seems enough to have quite a choice of some very nice cars.
How many band miles do you do? And would it not be better to just buy a cheap van/estate car to lug the gear in? When I was in a band we bought a £180 Transit from the auctions for just such a purpose. So much easier than faffing about with multiple cars all the while to get the gear to a gig.
If you did the above, would you still need a 4/5 door or a hatch? Your budget seems enough to have quite a choice of some very nice cars.
@MonkeyMatt: Haha - well who knows.. details?
@xreyuk: Aren't they 2 seater?
@Krikkit: I'll have to lookup what a Mountune tickle is. Sounds good though ;-) True the Focus ST and 3 series are very different cars, but they do somehow both seem to fit the bill.
@300bhp/ton: Yes sorry it is long! I type fast (I'm a software engineer) and probably say a lot of unneccessary stuff. But basically.. I don't do enough band miles to warrant a van, plus the singer has a van. It is just often times I only have to take my "breakables" (snare drum, cymbals) - but even my whole drum kit isn't that big really (1 bass drum, 2 toms and a snare drum, cymbals + stands). It all fits in a boot fairly easily except the bass drum, so that would sit on a rear seat (assuming non folding rear seats).
Having said that I have considered 2 cars (1 practical, 1 fun).. If I had lots of money I would have several cars ;-)
@xreyuk: Aren't they 2 seater?
@Krikkit: I'll have to lookup what a Mountune tickle is. Sounds good though ;-) True the Focus ST and 3 series are very different cars, but they do somehow both seem to fit the bill.
@300bhp/ton: Yes sorry it is long! I type fast (I'm a software engineer) and probably say a lot of unneccessary stuff. But basically.. I don't do enough band miles to warrant a van, plus the singer has a van. It is just often times I only have to take my "breakables" (snare drum, cymbals) - but even my whole drum kit isn't that big really (1 bass drum, 2 toms and a snare drum, cymbals + stands). It all fits in a boot fairly easily except the bass drum, so that would sit on a rear seat (assuming non folding rear seats).
Having said that I have considered 2 cars (1 practical, 1 fun).. If I had lots of money I would have several cars ;-)
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