What family car for 28k (sorry!!)

[DuncsGTi]

Im looking to spend up to 28k ish on a family car and am open to suggestions of what to get.

So far I have looked at the 320d touring, A4 avant, RR Evoque and Alfa 159 SW which they cant supply any more

It has to be brand new as I will be buying it as a "tax free export" due to my job so no suggestions of a second hand M3s etc

I will also be running a 106 GTi as a runaround so this car will be used mainly for long autobahn trips etc.

[DuncsGTi]

Re milage: Prob only about 12k?

One deal I have been offered is a 320d touring "Sport plus?" for £24300 with guaranteed buyback in a year of £23300 which is an absolutely blinding deal but Im still not dead set on a BMW, just trying to think what else is out there in that price bracket?

[DuncsGTi]

It's offered to HM forces stationed in mainland Europe, the nato status of forces agreement means that you do not pay VAT in the country you are stationed in meaning that I can buy a 30k car for 24k otr and sell it after a year for practical the same.

US forces based in Britain have the same sort of system.

[DuncsGTi]

Not a huge fan of mercs and either is the wife.

Mondeo, never thought of them, just specced the titanium X sport and it came in at 29ish so it could be a contender, thanks

[DuncsGTi]

The reason I'm still looking is there may be more deals like this around, for example, I can get a specced up insignia SRI 160 diesel for around 14k but im not sure of the residual value. Regardless, the car will be traded in at the 1 year point for a new one.

[DuncsGTi]

Blown2CV said:

but surely you would pay VAT in UK on import?

Not if I own it for a year. Its one of the very few "perks" left in the forces and it will no longer be available when we are all shipped out of Germany in the near future

[DuncsGTi]

300bhp/ton said:

Is the £28 including or excluding the tax?

Have to say I think a nice high up 4x4 makes a wonderful family car. Loads of room, go anywhere ability (even if its just pulling up on the bank at the side of the road in some remote part of the UK). The high seating position means kids get to see more out of the windows and over hedges, walls, fences and other cars. The higher up access also makes loading (babies or luggage) in and out easier too.

Maybe something Disco 4, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Freelander wise would fit the bill?

The 28k is including tax

SWoll said:

Don't like Mercs, not sure about deal on BMW for effectively £90 a month but would consider spending 29K on a Mondeo that will depreciate like a stone?

Not seeing any logic there at all, but good luck with whatever you go for.

The mondeo is not something I have looked into yet, there may be substantial discounts available (for example, a friend bought a focus st3 for 16k with 14k buyback 2 years ago)

Bullett said:

Octavia VRS - Brilliant family car, I paid around 18k with every toy they did except satnav.

Another good suggestion, just had a quick look on one of the tax free websites and the vRS saloon is only 13k!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.griffintaxfree.com/skoda-military-diplo...

[DuncsGTi]

Right, just spoke to the wife, Alfa only have 2 159 sw left in the uk but both are the 1750 petrol and not in the spec I was after

They have a white turismo for 16.5k with cloth or a black lusso with leather for 18k

[DuncsGTi]

Thanks to everyone for the advice/ideas, I have just (in true PH style) ignored my head and bought with my heart. I'm collecting a 159 saloon in alfa red next weekend

[DuncsGTi]

Just to put an end to this thread, I collected this earlier today

[DuncsGTi]

I decided to cut my budget a little in the end, got the alfa for £16700 including continental and uk spec headlights. I think the full price before discounts/tax off was around £23k