Engaging family car: £2-£5k car vs nicer £8-£10k in 2022/23?
Discussion
BACKGROUND:
Looking for a new family car, but I’m debating whether to get something around £2k-£5k as a cheap - but potentially half-interesting - stopgap for three months or so, or an £8-£10k car that will be quicker, more upmarket and more enjoyable to keep for longer, though I start a new job next month - and who knows how secure they are these days…
What are the odds I can use the current market to my advantage by getting a cheap car now that would hopefully be easy enough to sell when the looming recession has really landed and buying a large, relatively thirsty car four months down the line, when I’m post-probation in the new job I’ve just accepted and those models may have tanked further?
Does either option seem like a better or worse choice to you? Yes, I’m agonising over things more than normal, but having been made redundant recently and found the job market very different to when I last changed jobs, that seems somewhat wise!
BRIEF:
I have a one-year-old son and since he was born I’ve had a 2006 A6 Avant 4.2 V8 and a Passat R36 Estate as a family car alongside my 130i. Love the fast, big-engined, all-wheel-drive, automatic estate/big car format.
I expect to maintain older used cars like these properly and put a bit of money into decent servicing and preventative maintenance for any predictable issues, but don’t want unexpected breakdowns/enormous bills. Wishlist is as follows, though I’d sacrifice niceties like speakers, automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive for something cheap but reliable.
Cheaper options: £2,000-£5,000:
Imagine Avensis should be as reliable as cars come, but don’t think I could ignore a V8 A6 for £300 more, but then the jump from £5,000 to £8,500 doesn’t seem thaaat big.
Do any of those cars jump out to you as particularly good value/reliable or unreliable/easy to sell etc (yes, I realise I’m comparing an Avensis and a V8 A8…)? Help!
Looking for a new family car, but I’m debating whether to get something around £2k-£5k as a cheap - but potentially half-interesting - stopgap for three months or so, or an £8-£10k car that will be quicker, more upmarket and more enjoyable to keep for longer, though I start a new job next month - and who knows how secure they are these days…
What are the odds I can use the current market to my advantage by getting a cheap car now that would hopefully be easy enough to sell when the looming recession has really landed and buying a large, relatively thirsty car four months down the line, when I’m post-probation in the new job I’ve just accepted and those models may have tanked further?
Does either option seem like a better or worse choice to you? Yes, I’m agonising over things more than normal, but having been made redundant recently and found the job market very different to when I last changed jobs, that seems somewhat wise!
BRIEF:
I have a one-year-old son and since he was born I’ve had a 2006 A6 Avant 4.2 V8 and a Passat R36 Estate as a family car alongside my 130i. Love the fast, big-engined, all-wheel-drive, automatic estate/big car format.
I expect to maintain older used cars like these properly and put a bit of money into decent servicing and preventative maintenance for any predictable issues, but don’t want unexpected breakdowns/enormous bills. Wishlist is as follows, though I’d sacrifice niceties like speakers, automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive for something cheap but reliable.
- ISOFIX and sufficient rear-seat room for large child seat
- Big, pram-friendly boot (c. 450+ litres, hatchback useful but not essential)
- ULEZ exempt petrol (ideally 5+ cylinders and interesting)
- Comfy seats (prefer sports seats, but anything other than flat, lumbar-less seats is OK)
- Decent speakers
- Decent headlights
- Decent automatic (though would trust a manual more in cheap car)
- Ideally all-wheel-drive (though would prefer two-wheel-drive in a cheap car)
- Ideally £360 or less to tax
Cheaper options: £2,000-£5,000:
- 2008 Vauxhall Vectra 2.8T V6 Elite: £3,000, 85k miles, full service history (£615 tax) [great £1,995 one just sold]
- 2006 Vauxhall Vectra 2.0T SRi: £3,300, 60k miles, full service history, six advisory-free MOTs
- 2009 Toyota Avensis Tourer 1.8 TR: £4,700, 82k miles, full service history, eight advisory-free MOTs
- 2004 Audi A6 Saloon 4.2 V8 S Line: £5,000, 121k miles, 13 advisory-free MOTs
- 2009 Audi S4 Avant S tronic: £8,500, 125k miles, full service history, 5 advisory-free MOTs bar brake pads
- 2010 Audi A8 4.2 FSI SE: £9,000, 115k miles, full service history
- 2011 Audi S5 Sportback: £11,000, 98k miles, full service history, 3 advisory-free MOTs
Imagine Avensis should be as reliable as cars come, but don’t think I could ignore a V8 A6 for £300 more, but then the jump from £5,000 to £8,500 doesn’t seem thaaat big.
Do any of those cars jump out to you as particularly good value/reliable or unreliable/easy to sell etc (yes, I realise I’m comparing an Avensis and a V8 A8…)? Help!
At the cheaper price point, the 2.5T Mondeo is the pick. They're a bit hard to find though:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210281...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212102...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212012...
E500:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205195...
At the more expensive end I'd be looking at.
Insignia VXR these are a good steer & go well, due to the badge they get overlooked:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212032...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212162...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210030...
Auto:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210230...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210281...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212102...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212012...
E500:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205195...
At the more expensive end I'd be looking at.
Insignia VXR these are a good steer & go well, due to the badge they get overlooked:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212032...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212162...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210030...
Auto:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210230...
ZX10R NIN said:
At the cheaper price point, the 2.5T Mondeo is the pick. They're a bit hard to find though:
E500:
At the more expensive end I'd be looking at.
Insignia VXR these are a good steer & go well, due to the badge they get overlooked:
Auto:
Thanks for those. E500:
At the more expensive end I'd be looking at.
Insignia VXR these are a good steer & go well, due to the badge they get overlooked:
Auto:
I’ve very much considered the Mondeo 2.5T, but all of the ones I’ve looked at had iffy MOT histories - especially compared with the Vectras, oddly. Will definitely consider a Mondeo if I can find the right condition/price one, though. Some of them do seem very good value, too…
Have toed and froed with E350s and E500s many times but think I’d probably choose an A6/A8 every time. Am somewhat tempted by this one (and replacing the hideous wheels), but I don’t think this age of E-Class had ISOFIX, which is bonkers for an expensive family estate: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208198...
Ah yes, the Insignia. I should like it but find the interior hideous and not sure I could stomach paying a potentially higher price - and higher tax for the Vauxhall - compared with the S4. May try one out though, if I can find a reasonably priced local one. Do see the appeal…
Ryan_T said:
I’d be going GS430 / 450H.
Funnily enough, I test drove a couple of £4k GS430s 18 months back. Were nice but a bit underwhelming and boot felt about 20% smaller than A6 saloon/A8 with small opening. GS450h makes sense, too, but boot is a lot smaller again sadly. Appealing option without a one-year-old, but not so practical with him!Mr Tidy said:
I've been running a BMW 330i since 2019 that was towards your lower budget and really like it.
Apart from the 5+ cylinders a Skoda Octavia VRs might work in either budget!
Very capable machine, but would be a bit boring alongside a 130! Previous 130i-A6 combo worked nicely with RWD and AWD, 6 and 8 cylinders and manual and auto all covered.Apart from the 5+ cylinders a Skoda Octavia VRs might work in either budget!
I have a bit of an aversion to the Octavia vRS - don’t find it quite sporty or plush enough. Love the invisible 1.8 TSI models but sadly the older ones don’t seem very reliable and the newer ones are expensive…doh. Yes, I’m picky!
The real issue I have is that the cars I want to check out are across Gloucestershire to Cambridgeshire, up to Middlesbrough and Dundee…Anyone have a helicopter they don’t need for the next few days?
I’ve narrowed things down to a bit of an Audi-fest. Cheaper Audis are probably cheap enough to make going for a similar price sensible car not necessary.
Do any of these models strike you as safer/less safe purchases?
2004 Audi A6 Saloon 4.2 V8 S Line (poorly maintained cars may need a cam chain replacement, anything else?)
2007 Audi A6 Saloon 4.2 V8 FSI S Line (cam chain issues less likely, I think, £630 tax not ideal)
2009 Audi S4 Avant S tronic (S tronic: mechatronic/gearbox replacement sometimes needed, thermostat problems)
2010 Audi A8 4.2 FSI SE: £9,000 (is air suspension problematic, expensive parts?)
2011 Audi S4 Avant S tronic (more robust gearboxes than earlier S4s, thermostat/water pump problems)
Like the idea of the A8, but imagine parts/maintenance costs will be a step up over everything else and air suspension may need changing in the near future. Head is saying cheap A6, heart is saying 2011 S4.
Any thoughts? Thanks.
Do any of these models strike you as safer/less safe purchases?
2004 Audi A6 Saloon 4.2 V8 S Line (poorly maintained cars may need a cam chain replacement, anything else?)
2007 Audi A6 Saloon 4.2 V8 FSI S Line (cam chain issues less likely, I think, £630 tax not ideal)
2009 Audi S4 Avant S tronic (S tronic: mechatronic/gearbox replacement sometimes needed, thermostat problems)
2010 Audi A8 4.2 FSI SE: £9,000 (is air suspension problematic, expensive parts?)
2011 Audi S4 Avant S tronic (more robust gearboxes than earlier S4s, thermostat/water pump problems)
Like the idea of the A8, but imagine parts/maintenance costs will be a step up over everything else and air suspension may need changing in the near future. Head is saying cheap A6, heart is saying 2011 S4.
Any thoughts? Thanks.
GreatGranny said:
With a new job and 1 year old I would hold fire on a V8 until after your probationary period but that's just me being cautious.
Get the Avensis or similar as a stop gap, be boring for a few months then go for the V8 option
Here talks the voice of reason! What you’re saying makes perfect sense and I’m normally pretty cautious. I’m also fed up with being in limbo for the last few months and have an itchy trigger finger…Get the Avensis or similar as a stop gap, be boring for a few months then go for the V8 option
Risk is that if I hold back now, I may have to go wild when I finally get a ‘want’ car. I can feel a Bentley Continental Flying Spur W12 coming on!
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