Dad wants a new car - in Cyprus - 25k - ideas?
Dad wants a new car - in Cyprus - 25k - ideas?
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Prinny

Original Poster:

1,669 posts

117 months

Wednesday 21st June 2017
quotequote all
This is my first ever thread, so please be gentle!

The situation is this. Dad is a 15+ year Greek Cypriot resident. Partner & he retired there, and under the schemes then, picked up a 2001 lwb Shogun, and then later we added a 2004 Fiesta. He's still active, sailing and cycling, though he "gave up" the motorbike last year as his partner was getting afraid he'd be killed, every time he went out on it.

Usage will be like your typical retiree, going out to meet friends, shopping, airport runs. The idea is not to get rid of either current car (both are mechanically fine, but have typical Cypriot grazes & scuffs from the lackadaisical attitude to parking & road manners that is prevalent there, along with the 'creative' road maintenance!), but to, in his own words, "this is the last car I'll ever buy, so I want something nice".

We've talked on & off for a good while (about 5 years!) about this now, and I'm hoping to get some fresh ideas from the knowledgeable participants of this forum!

We have considered (and his quotes);

1 - New (current Fiesta ST) - good deals coming up as new model on the way, but "too sporty - there's nowhere to use it"
2 - Used 2014 (or so) BMW 640D - has to be the diesel due to tax, and "it's a stunning looking car"
3 - Used 2014 or so BMW 335d estate - again diesel tax, "your 335 was nice"
4 -Boxster/Z4/Elise/S2000 - basically any 2dr convertible of last 15 years - sadly, at 6'4" he doesn't fit, or when he does, it's too low/difficult for his partner.

I have been unsuccesful in my aims of getting him to buy an Ariel Nomad or a Sherp (if you don't know, google it - you will want one).

I have a sneaky suspicion that a 640D convertible 'might' be the answer - if such exists (I have not looked at time of writing)

There are certain conditions / things to view in consideration.

UK or CY registered cars are fine.
Budget around £25k (but can be flexible - I may drive it too)
Must be under 150g/km CO2 (otherwise tax in Cyprus is extortionate)

http://www.cyprusdriving.net/documents/Road_Tax_Cy...

Vehicles first registered in Cyprus from 1st January 2014 will be charged road tax based on CO2 emissions.
The new road tax will be charged as at the following rates:
vehicles emitting 120g/km, €0.5 per gramme,
121g/km – 150g/km, €3,
151g/km – 180g/km, €3,
over 180g/km, €8.

It gets expensive compared to the UK very quickly, for 'interesting' cars!

Also upon importing a car there's fees. These can be age-deprecated - see the excel calculator here: http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/customs/customs.nsf/All/...

And finally, there's shipping fees (call it around 1000GBP - it can be cheaper, but experience says you get what you pay for).

So, all in, for around 25k, what would you suggest, & why please? I'm hoping someone can come up with something inspired that I hadn't thought of - I will be linking him this thread. wink

If you've made it this far - thanks for your time. I will try to answer questions as & when I can (I travel with work).


gregd

1,774 posts

237 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
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We have a place in Cyprus and have been hiring for years as we don't get out there that often. What I would buy (and may do if we start to use the apartment more) is something I've thought about a fair bit too. Considering the rugged nature of some of the roads I'd be looking at something like a Subaru Outback. You'd be sailing close to the Co2 limits perhaps but 25K would get you a nearly new one and it should be nice and reliable with enough room for airport runs. Does Cyprus still see as many Japanese used cars coming in as it used to? You might even be able to get a nice rare JDM version of some sort.. Legacy / Forester Sti etc..

Hammy98

871 posts

110 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
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Seems from your post he likes his BMWs.

What about a 330/335d convertible? A late example from just before the F series was released would give you a decent bit of your budget left over.

Or a 4 series convertible of some guise, not sure what the emissions are like but I'd imagine less than the 640. I'd be thinking 430d or 425i.




rufmeister

1,450 posts

140 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
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My old man has an L200, 18 years old, with 220k on it.

If you live in Cyprus, that's all you're allowed to buy, it's the law.


born2bslow

1,674 posts

152 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
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E Class convertible E350 diesel, my father in law has a 2012 one, very elegant.

Wafty roof down class...not sure how it will cope with the rugged bit, but its a nice place to travel about.

User33678888

1,147 posts

155 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
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http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
Shame these are out of budget.
An island with stty roads is about the only place they make sense.

caelite

4,282 posts

130 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
User33678888 said:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
Shame these are out of budget.
An island with stty roads is about the only place they make sense.
Explains why they are so popular in the UK then. biggrin

CypSIdders

1,181 posts

172 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
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User33678888 said:
An island with stty roads is about the only place they make sense.
I'll bare that in mind later this afternoon, when I take my motorbike for my regular hoon around some, lovely smooth, grippy, deserted, Troodos mountain roads!

HTH!