New daily driver for around £20k

[last_round]

I’ve been driving for 20 years and have always talked myself out of getting a nicer car, sticking to something more basic, like a C2, Fiesta and Yaris. I’m shopping around as I need something new and am considering finally treating myself to something I actually want this time (I mean new to me, but I’d be buying something approx 2-3 years old, pref with no more than 30k miles).

The options I’m considering are an Audi A1 S-line or a Merc A180/A200. The ones I’m looking at are around the same price, so I’m struggling to choose between them. I feel like I want the Audi a bit more, but that’s just based on personal feeling rather than anything tangible. After doing a bit of research, the A-class seems like a better option in terms of performance, build quality, etc. and I’ve seen a few comments that an A1 might as well just be a Corsa, but I’m not sure how accurate that is.

I was just hoping for some opinions to help me decide. The ones I’m looking at are around £20k – are there any other similar options that might be worth considering? I'm leaning towards the Audi because I like the look of it, it comes in the colour I like the most, and something on the smaller side is suitable because I rarely have more than 1 passenger. I've been looking into other factors, such as reliability, maintenance costs, etc. but haven't found much helpful. Also not sure if I should wait a bit longer as used prices still seem very inflated, so not sure if the recession will reduce demand.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Edited by last_round on Wednesday 21st December 11:52

[CG2020UK]

last_round said:

I’ve been driving for 20 years and have always talked myself out of getting a nicer car, sticking to something more basic, like a C2, Fiesta and Yaris. I’m shopping around as I need something new and am considering finally treating myself to something I actually want this time (I mean new to me, but I’d be buying something approx 2-3 years old, pref with no more than 30k miles).

The options I’m considering are an Audi A1 S-line or a Merc A180/A200. The ones I’m looking at are around the same price, so I’m struggling to choose between them. I feel like I want the Audi a bit more, but that’s just based on personal feeling rather than anything tangible. After doing a bit of research, the A-class seems like a better option in terms of performance, build quality, etc. and I’ve seen a few comments that an A1 might as well just be a Corsa, but I’m not sure how accurate that is.

I was just hoping for some opinions to help me decide. The ones I’m looking at are around £20k – are there any other similar options that might be worth considering? I'm leaning towards the Audi because I like the look of it, it comes in the colour I like the most, and something on the smaller side is suitable because I rarely have more than 1 passenger. I've been looking into other factors, such as reliability, maintenance costs, etc. but haven't found much helpful. Also not sure if I should wait a bit longer as used prices still seem very inflated, so not sure if the recession will reduce demand.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Edited by last_round on Wednesday 21st December 11:52

I think at the end of the day if you prefer the A1 then that is what you should get.

All cars now are great as you won’t be disappointed in either. Yes the A1 is a size down on the Merc and will be made to more of a budget but it’s still a good car.

Regarding the A1 being similar to a Corsa, the new Corsa is actually really good and even though the Fiesta is a more basic car it’s a bloody brilliant.

[georgeyboy12345]

You can do better than an Audi A1 - these are much more exciting for similar money, in my opinion

Mini JCW
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208098...


Ford Fiesta ST
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202203043...


Abarth 595
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212062...


Peugeot 308 GTi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212202...


Seat Leon Cupra
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212152...


VW Polo GTI
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208198...

[fflump]

You’ve got a decent budget I’d take a bit of time to expand your search and test drive some cars in other size segments. Maybe an A3 or a 1/2/4 series BMW. You may like the ride better and perceived interior quality. Your other choice the A class definitely test drive to compare and there’s other stylish options on that platform like the CLA.

[blueg33]

Slightly higher mileage and slightly older, but if you like driving your budget just gets you into an Alfa Giulia Veloce.

It’s a very good drivers car, much more fund than a front wheel drive warm hatch

[ZX10R NIN]

last_round said:

I’ve been driving for 20 years and have always talked myself out of getting a nicer car, sticking to something more basic, like a C2, Fiesta and Yaris. I’m shopping around as I need something new and am considering finally treating myself to something I actually want this time (I mean new to me, but I’d be buying something approx 2-3 years old, pref with no more than 30k miles).

The options I’m considering are an Audi A1 S-line or a Merc A180/A200. The ones I’m looking at are around the same price, so I’m struggling to choose between them. I feel like I want the Audi a bit more, but that’s just based on personal feeling rather than anything tangible. After doing a bit of research, the A-class seems like a better option in terms of performance, build quality, etc. and I’ve seen a few comments that an A1 might as well just be a Corsa, but I’m not sure how accurate that is.

I was just hoping for some opinions to help me decide. The ones I’m looking at are around £20k – are there any other similar options that might be worth considering? I'm leaning towards the Audi because I like the look of it, it comes in the colour I like the most, and something on the smaller side is suitable because I rarely have more than 1 passenger. I've been looking into other factors, such as reliability, maintenance costs, etc. but haven't found much helpful. Also not sure if I should wait a bit longer as used prices still seem very inflated, so not sure if the recession will reduce demand.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Edited by last_round on Wednesday 21st December 11:52

They're a class apart in terms of size so you'll need to remember that when comparing the two, the A Class is a very good option & you'll land an A220 AMG Line 190 for your budget but it'll be 3 years old.

A220 AMG Line:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210110...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206267...

If you can live with four years old then the A250 is an option:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211181...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212202...

A1 wise the S Line Competition is worth a look:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209300...

I will say that if you're treating yourself & you can stretch the budget by 1k, you'll get a 2018 M140 Shadow Edition which is a very good car & a bit more special than the two cars above:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209260...

[Gunk]

Mk 7 Golf GTD, all the car you’ll ever need

Bought mine new in 2015 and now it’s been passed on to Mrs Gunk. I’ve been driving it the last couple of days and forgot what a fantastic little car it is. The DSG version IMO is better than the manual. The later 7.5 versions come with everything you need. They’re just a brilliant, complete car, much more subtle and understated than an A Class.

Edited by Gunk on Friday 23 December 17:32

[last_round]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. There are some good options suggested that I hadn’t considered, especially the Cupra. I really like the look of it, but can’t help thinking that after a few months of driving it, I’ll start to wonder whether it’s worth the extra running costs. Going to consider the options and try to find the balance between something fun that I like, but not the worst on the fuel economy, and I’ll test drive some as suggested.

I’ve never test drove a car that I wasn’t planning to purchase, so not sure about the best way to approach this. Will dealerships be funny about me going to test drive if I let on that I have no intention of buying anything? Not sure whether I’ll have to pretend I’m more interested than I actually am.

[iphonedyou]

last_round said:

Thanks for the advice, everyone. There are some good options suggested that I hadn’t considered, especially the Cupra. I really like the look of it, but can’t help thinking that after a few months of driving it, I’ll start to wonder whether it’s worth the extra running costs. Going to consider the options and try to find the balance between something fun that I like, but not the worst on the fuel economy, and I’ll test drive some as suggested.

I’ve never test drove a car that I wasn’t planning to purchase, so not sure about the best way to approach this. Will dealerships be funny about me going to test drive if I let on that I have no intention of buying anything? Not sure whether I’ll have to pretend I’m more interested than I actually am.

Not sure if serious.

Either way - don't test drive a car you've no intention of buying. That's right up there with not leaving the shopping trolley back, as tt markers go.

[jdoubleu]

iphonedyou said:

last_round said:

Thanks for the advice, everyone. There are some good options suggested that I hadn’t considered, especially the Cupra. I really like the look of it, but can’t help thinking that after a few months of driving it, I’ll start to wonder whether it’s worth the extra running costs. Going to consider the options and try to find the balance between something fun that I like, but not the worst on the fuel economy, and I’ll test drive some as suggested.

I’ve never test drove a car that I wasn’t planning to purchase, so not sure about the best way to approach this. Will dealerships be funny about me going to test drive if I let on that I have no intention of buying anything? Not sure whether I’ll have to pretend I’m more interested than I actually am.

Not sure if serious.

Either way - don't test drive a car you've no intention of buying. That's right up there with not leaving the shopping trolley back, as tt markers go.

What a peculiar choice of benchmark.

[Marc p]

iphonedyou said:

last_round said:

Thanks for the advice, everyone. There are some good options suggested that I hadn’t considered, especially the Cupra. I really like the look of it, but can’t help thinking that after a few months of driving it, I’ll start to wonder whether it’s worth the extra running costs. Going to consider the options and try to find the balance between something fun that I like, but not the worst on the fuel economy, and I’ll test drive some as suggested.

I’ve never test drove a car that I wasn’t planning to purchase, so not sure about the best way to approach this. Will dealerships be funny about me going to test drive if I let on that I have no intention of buying anything? Not sure whether I’ll have to pretend I’m more interested than I actually am.

Not sure if serious.

Either way - don't test drive a car you've no intention of buying. That's right up there with not leaving the shopping trolley back, as tt markers go.

Yep, can’t see the point of test driving a car you have no intention of buying, bar just wasting peoples time.

In regards to your criteria, why nothing older than 3 years with no more than 30k miles? With the cars you’re suggesting, they will have horrendous depreciation, if you got something 7-8 years old, you could be in a much nicer car with far more spec and minimal depreciation along with a lower purchase price.

[last_round]

Marc p said:

Yep, can’t see the point of test driving a car you have no intention of buying, bar just wasting peoples time.

In regards to your criteria, why nothing older than 3 years with no more than 30k miles? With the cars you’re suggesting, they will have horrendous depreciation, if you got something 7-8 years old, you could be in a much nicer car with far more spec and minimal depreciation along with a lower purchase price.

My thought about test driving some different options was just based on some suggestions I'd seen on here. It seemed as though test driving some different options to help narrow down the search options was a normal thing to do, but I guess I must have been mistaken if that is frowned upon. I'll try to narrow my search down as much as possible, and won't go to test drive until I feel like I've settled on one.

My search criteria of 3 years/30k miles was just to get something relatively new compared to what I have now that I'd stick with for a while. My current car is about 9 years old and is developing all kinds of problems, mainly with the electrics. I just figured something newer might help reduce the potential of encountering those types of issues, as opposed to getting something that might already be approaching 100k miles. Please feel free to tell me if you think that logic is flawed though.

[ZX10R NIN]

When you're down to a top 3, I would thoroughly recommend test driving them as that's where you'll workout which one suits you best.

[LightningBlue]

last_round said:

Thanks for the advice, everyone. There are some good options suggested that I hadn’t considered, especially the Cupra. I really like the look of it, but can’t help thinking that after a few months of driving it, I’ll start to wonder whether it’s worth the extra running costs. Going to consider the options and try to find the balance between something fun that I like, but not the worst on the fuel economy, and I’ll test drive some as suggested.

From my experience VW TSI engines are very good on fuel considering the power and drivability

[Marc p]

last_round said:

My search criteria of 3 years/30k miles was just to get something relatively new compared to what I have now that I'd stick with for a while. My current car is about 9 years old and is developing all kinds of problems, mainly with the electrics. I just figured something newer might help reduce the potential of encountering those types of issues, as opposed to getting something that might already be approaching 100k miles. Please feel free to tell me if you think that logic is flawed though.

The issue with newer cars, especially with smaller engined hatchbacks like you’ve mentioned, is they are generally becoming less and less reliable as the engines are pushed closer to their limits due to regulations requiring them to be more ‘efficient’.

Unfortunately the most reliable stuff is from the 90’s-mid 00’s, which I appreciate they may be a bit too old for you.
I don’t know what requirements you need from a car or if it needs to be ULEZ compliant, but for example, for a good chunk less than your budget, you could have something like this, which providing they are serviced regularly, should give no problem(a friend of mine has one thats been racking up the miles and now has 234k on the clock and bar giving it an oil and filter change every 10k, it’s not wanted for anything):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-7-Series-SE-Exclusi...

I appreciate it may be something that would not be practical for yourself, but an example of something that will depreciate far slower, likely more reliable and a far nicer place to be on a drive.

[Legacywr]

Marc p said:

The issue with newer cars, especially with smaller engined hatchbacks like you’ve mentioned, is they are generally becoming less and less reliable as the engines are pushed closer to their limits due to regulations requiring them to be more ‘efficient’.

Unfortunately the most reliable stuff is from the 90’s-mid 00’s, which I appreciate they may be a bit too old for you.
I don’t know what requirements you need from a car or if it needs to be ULEZ compliant, but for example, for a good chunk less than your budget, you could have something like this, which providing they are serviced regularly, should give no problem(a friend of mine has one thats been racking up the miles and now has 234k on the clock and bar giving it an oil and filter change every 10k, it’s not wanted for anything):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-7-Series-SE-Exclusi...

I appreciate it may be something that would not be practical for yourself, but an example of something that will depreciate far slower, likely more reliable and a far nicer place to be on a drive.

What the….

[iphonedyou]

Marc p said:

The issue with newer cars, especially with smaller engined hatchbacks like you’ve mentioned, is they are generally becoming less and less reliable as the engines are pushed closer to their limits due to regulations requiring them to be more ‘efficient’.

Unfortunately the most reliable stuff is from the 90’s-mid 00’s, which I appreciate they may be a bit too old for you.
I don’t know what requirements you need from a car or if it needs to be ULEZ compliant, but for example, for a good chunk less than your budget, you could have something like this, which providing they are serviced regularly, should give no problem(a friend of mine has one thats been racking up the miles and now has 234k on the clock and bar giving it an oil and filter change every 10k, it’s not wanted for anything):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-7-Series-SE-Exclusi...

I appreciate it may be something that would not be practical for yourself, but an example of something that will depreciate far slower, likely more reliable and a far nicer place to be on a drive.

Mental. Absolutely mental.

[last_round]

LightningBlue said:

From my experience VW TSI engines are very good on fuel considering the power and drivability

Thanks, I looked into the VW options a bit more after you said that. Someone further up recommended the Polo and I really liked the look of it. It became one of the frontrunners, but then I realised the fuel economy looked very poor which put me off. This was the one, which Autotrader lists as being 39.80mpg

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208198...

I looked into them a bit more and found some others which Autotrader says have better fuel economy, but they look the same to me. I can't figure out what the difference is between them. This one says 47.90mpg combined, which is more in-line with others I'd been considering

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204285...

Anyone know how the two of them differ, or are the details in one of the listings just incorrect?

I now notice it's automatic though, so that might have put me off it again

[CrippsCorner]

Parkers says 39.8-41.5 mpg, but yes they all seem to be autos.

[SiT]

Why not go a size up and look at a 7.5 Golf GTi?

Si