What would you recommend?

[Forza_Roma]

Hi PH!

Thought I'd seek some advice from you all. My company has some rules on what characteristics a car needs to have in order to be eligible for our car scheme. What would you recommend if your restrictions were the ones listed below? I do 15000 miles a year probably, and currently run a Panda 100 which I love but which is approaching the five year mark and will need to be replaced.

The motor must:

Be five years old or less if the engine is <2L
Be seven years old or less if the engine is >2L
Have less than 100,000 miles on the clock
Have four or five doors
Not be a convertible

Budget is 8000..

Thanks :-)
FR

[Shaw Tarse]

Change job?

[Kiltox]

Would you get away with sticking a private plate on the Panda providing it's clean looking ? Heard of people doing that in the past.

[blearyeyedboy]

Buy my 55,000 mile petrol Octavia vRS Mk2?

Seriously, I'm not selling mine right now but you'll get one easily for that price, maybe even 7k if you're fortunate.

[AndyBrew]

Shaw Tarse said:

Change job?

Spat my Tea out LOL!

[Forza_Roma]

Good shout Mr. Tarse :lol:

What sort of age VRS can you get for 7-8k b-e-b?

The private plate idea is a stroke of genius but these guys ask for MOT certs etc

[Kiltox]

Forza_Roma said:

The private plate idea is a stroke of genius but these guys ask for MOT certs etc

That's a shame

Company I work for are less strict - my snotter is too old, too high mileage and doesn't have enough safety equipment to be used for business

[Forza_Roma]

Kiltox said:

That's a shame

Company I work for are less strict - my snotter is too old, too high mileage and doesn't have enough safety equipment to be used for business

Let's hope they don't use PH :-D

[blearyeyedboy]

Forza_Roma said:

What sort of age VRS can you get for 7-8k b-e-b?

Well, mine's on a 56 plate, registered October 2006. It's done 55,000 miles and has a full service history. According to my homework (because I've been looking at trade ins for a Z4 coupé!) suggests I'd get 6k as trade in, retail £7-and-a-bit thousand. Somewhere in between for a private sale, I'd guess- but I imagine your bosses would want a dealer sale rather than a private sale?

There are some 07 plate ones in that budget too, though not many. Make sure the cambelt has been done though- it should be at 80,000 miles or 4 years, whichever is sooner.

The diesels are either very miley or not in your price range, but console yourself that averaging an indicated 36mpg (real 32-33mpg ish) on a long trip is realistic.

I'd avoid DSG's too- the manual's a lovely box and you don't need to take the risk of the DSG not being maintained well. That could be a world of pain and expense...

[Forza_Roma]

Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely check one out :-)

[davepoth]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

And see how long it takes for them to ask you to turn up in your Fiat instead.

[Kiltox]

davepoth said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

And see how long it takes for them to ask you to turn up in your Fiat instead.

Is it wrong that I ......... never mind, yes, yes it is,

[havoc]

Can you get a 5y.o. 330i within budget? Keep it for 2 years, then replace...

(If mileage was lower I'd suggest looking for a nice V8 saloon...but 15k in a V8 would be expensive!)

[rallycross]

not seen a car allowance policy like that but seems quite reasonable.

Bmw 330 would be my choice, or 530/535 if also needed for towing;

[Hell27]

Full Fat Subaru Forester?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

[littlebasher]

davepoth said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

And see how long it takes for them to ask you to turn up in your Fiat instead.

And that's a CAT D!!

Jesus, what nobber would take that on and repair it!

[davepoth]

littlebasher said:

And that's a CAT D!!

Jesus, what nobber would take that on and repair it!

In fairness I think a Cat D on one of those could be conceivably fixed with T-Cut.

[Kiltox]

davepoth said:

In fairness I think a Cat D on one of those could be conceivably fixed with T-Cut.

Couldn't possibly take much to write one off anyway - weren't these about £5000 new ?

[chrisispringles]

How about these:

Ford Focus ST

Saab 9-3 Aero

Vauxhall Vectra VXR

HTH

[Kiltox]

Damn - Vectra VXRs are cheap now!