How new...

[basskiddanny]

Hi guys,

 

Well my escort is about 8 years old now and has always been reliable in the 3 years I have owned it. It has never once failed to start or broken down at the side of the road Which I am very pleased about seeing as a lot of people slate the escorts reliability.

 

In the past I have considered a newer car but always held myself back either due to money problems or just not thinking it was worth going for anything else. Well I would like to get something newer now as I am working in a better job and also recently applied to a higher position in another department which I am highly likely to get. So it has got me thinking.

 

I thought I would ask the advise of the wise people on here as to what sort of age car I should go for to make the upgrade worth while? Basically I am not going for something faster, if I was I would go for something around the same age or slightly older. Nope I want something similar or less to insure and run than my 1.8 Si.

 

I would like to spent £5000 but would be willing to get a personal loan (As long as I got a decent rate) if it is worth spending more. A brand new car kind of crossed my mind (on finance) but you have to pay a lot once you add all of your options etc and there is the sudden loss in value that you suffer. Advantages are not MOT for 3 years and all brand new parts etc...but expensive.

 

My real question is for £5000 can I really get anything new enough to be worth it? And exactly how much newer does it have to be to be "worth it". Am I just thinking too much about the age as opposed to the build quality and model of car?? In a newer car I would like it to be safer, have better handling, and be of similar or slightly slower performance than the escort. I would like peoples opinions on the "how new is new enough" question and some ideas of what sort of cars would miss the spec of being (compared to a 1.8 SI MK6):

 

- Better Handling

- Better Safety Features (My Si has 1 airbag, no ABS etc, and escorts are generally not considered to hold up well in accidents)

- Slightly more refined, not too important but I would expect a newer car to be more refined in general in terms of road noise, and how it feels on the road etc

- Similar performance figures, but not too important. More for my own comfort than to be "fast" as a 1.8 MK6 aint fast I like the power in the Si overall, but I dont race or anything

 

Cars that instantly spring to mind are:

 

MK1 Focus 1.6

MK4 Golf (These are like 97 onwards right?), probably wouldn't be newer than the escort for 5k? But again maybe the better quality makes up for "age"?

MK4 Astra 1.8 (Considered a weaker overall car than the MK1 focus by the motoring press etc??)

 

Those are the only 3 that spring to mind quickly as anything else costs more than the approx £5k target.

 

One question particularly about the MK1 focus is how did the spec change over the years? If I can spend less than £5k and still get a half decent MK1 I would probably be happy, but by paying extra for a newer one do you get any extra things like did certain features become standard, extra cup holders for example?

[AndyCanning]

dont be such a fag danny... go an trade the escort in and get a 170, you have been dying to since i got mine!

[Mike C]

Golf, ALL day and night

[Trig]

Golf, ALL day and night

Nah, get a skoda Fabia

[basskiddanny]

dont be such a fag danny... go an trade the escort in and get a 170, you have been dying to since i got mine!

 

No we can't all splash out on the top model! (not counting the rs) lol. I don't really want to have the associated insurance costs etc that come with an ST170 either, and they are expensive for me

 

I am deeply considering a golf because the build quality is meant to fantastic. One thing I noticed about a friends one is how when you open the escort glove box and let it drop it just bangs down, on the golf it slowly glides into position haha.

 

Is a MK4 golf (for about £5k) going to be as good as say a focus for £4.5k ish.

I haven't had much of a look around the MK1 focus and never paid too much attention to my friends MK4 golf. Obviously need to test drive some cars but want to see what I can afford first before I go getting all excited and test driving stuff.

 

Golf, ALL day and night

Nah, get a skoda Fabia

 

lol like this Trig?

 

[Guest gti.tom]

I can see what you're getting at................

 

But,

 

I just dont think you can concentrate on age that much. Every car ages differently, and you're not always safer buying newer.

 

Put another way,

 

My Gti, was an R Reg, and cost me almost nothing in repairs.

 

My ST200, was W Reg, and needed no major repairs.

 

My Alfa was also W Reg and cost me nearly £3000 in repairs.

 

And my RS, was made in 2003, and may, require a new steering rack, £1300. (Fingers crossed though)

 

If I was you, I'd work out an upper budget for car cost and car insurance. And then make a list of possibles.

 

You're obviously not too fussed on speed, so you have so many cars to choose from.

 

As some have already said, Golf's are good, just a bit dull.

 

Edited August 16, 2007 by gti.tom

[Hezz]

what about a 2.0 esp focus?

[basskiddanny]

I can see what you're getting at................

 

But,

 

I just dont think you can concentrate on age that much. Every car ages differently, and you're not always safer buying newer.

 

Put another way, My ST200, was W Reg, cost me £5500, and needed no major repairs.

 

My Alfa was also W Reg and cost me nearly £3000 in repairs.

 

And my RS, was made in 2003, and may, require a new steering rack, £1300. (Fingers crossed though)

 

If I was you, I'd work out an upper budget for car cost and car insurance. And then make a list of possibles.

 

You're obviously not too fussed on speed, so you have so many cars to choose from.

 

As some have already said, Golf's are good, just a bit dull.

 

 

Thanks for the advice, I am really taking my time with this to be sure I don't make a mistake. My first car was a MK4 Escort and cost me £300 with 12 months MOT, when that ran out I sold it for £150 because it needed lots of welding. So I had some spare money and bought a MK6 1.8 Si for my second car and it was 8 years newer and a much better car. I got it because I liked my MK4 at the time and the MK6 was the best looking car for the money I had (£1500 3 years ago). So I didn't really have much choice, especially since back then I want something with a 1.8 litre engine.

 

Now that I have more choice I am trying to think of more manufacturers too rather than JUST sticking to fords. The MK1 Focus 1.6/1.8 are the most likely candidates still though

 

The golf as you say can seem a bit dull and I wouldn't really be interested in modifying what I get this time around unless its stuff taken from higher spec'd models. Not sure what engine choices I would have with the Golf either so I will need to look into that unless somebody already knows whats available.

 

Bluliz has shown me a few good MK1 Focuses though for about 4.5 - 5k for an 03, but as you say maybe not get so hung up on the age.

 

 

Is ESP Electronic Stability Programme or something like that? lol. I wouldn't mind one of those with the quick clear front screen and air con I will have to look at some prices on autotrader now. But if anybody has looked at prices for certain cars lately feel free to post here as it could give me some ideas or general advice.

[bluliz]

As said loads of good Foci out there.

 

and test drive, test drive, TEST DRIVE. drive the lot, Golf Astra Focus, maybe try the Seat Leon too.

[basskiddanny]

Yes my next few weekends coming up to my holiday will probably be spent test driving lol. I plan to test drive as much as possible to make a good decision. Too many times with other things in life have I rushed in lol.

[Trig]

Good point Rob, consider the seat Leon, like the Skoda I mentioned, it is made by the same people that make VW, Audi, Bentley, just those marques dont have the same Kudos at the German brands, spares come in the same packets, at differing prices depending on which is the better brand.

 

I once ran a skoda felicia for a few months, it was one from when vw took over skoda, it was built like a tank, ran forever, economical. It had been neglected its whole life and only cost a battery and alternator in repairs in the 3 years that my girlfriend, then me had it. it wasnt serviced once! i tok it off the road when i got my gti going, and i thought, might as well shove it in for a test before I scrap it, see how bad it is. It only went and passed. Didnt even need a bulb (in the previous 2 mot's it needed a head light bulb for one test, side light for another test).

 

3 years, 2 bulbs, 1 alternator and a battery. happy days.

 

the moral of my story, dont disregard them because they are 'crap' brands, they can be extremely good value for money

[basskiddanny]

Good point Rob, consider the seat Leon, like the Skoda I mentioned, it is made by the same people that make VW, Audi, Bentley, just those marques dont have the same Kudos at the German brands, spares come in the same packets, at differing prices depending on which is the better brand.

 

I once ran a skoda felicia for a few months, it was one from when vw took over skoda, it was built like a tank, ran forever, economical. It had been neglected its whole life and only cost a battery and alternator in repairs in the 3 years that my girlfriend, then me had it. it wasnt serviced once! i tok it off the road when i got my gti going, and i thought, might as well shove it in for a test before I scrap it, see how bad it is. It only went and passed. Didnt even need a bulb (in the previous 2 mot's it needed a head light bulb for one test, side light for another test).

 

3 years, 2 bulbs, 1 alternator and a battery. happy days.

 

the moral of my story, dont disregard them because they are 'crap' brands, they can be extremely good value for money

 

I actually think the Skoda Fabia VRS is a nice looking car, couldnt get one though anyway. I had thought about a Seat Leon, so I am going to look at the engine range and prices. The Cupra and Cupra R are very nice, but obviously out my range lol. Maybe Seat do a decent diesel or a 1.6 petrol maybe, I will definitely consider it.

[ScORTED]

as above go and try everything, even if you fall in love with something, there may be something even better out there,

the focus esp is insurance group 9, not bad on fuel, loaded with spec (usually) an allround good car, comfortable, modern safe! also apart from the 2.0 badge on the back and the 16" instead of 15" wheels theres no real clues its anything more than a 1.4 or a 1.6

 

my friend bought a slightly modified one from a dealer for about £5000 (04 plate IIRC) last year he sadly crashed it and wrote it off, he didn't have as much budget to buy its replacement, byut we found a standard damaged repaired one (totally repaiered) for £3400 on a 54 plate... but it was blue and he would have prefered any other colour. one is easily within your budget

[gers1873]

you could do a lot worse than a seat leon, our family car is a 1.6 se on an 03 plate we bought for £4700 2 1/2 years ago, nice car, plenty spec, ultra reliable, I know its a disgrace but never spent a penny on it in all that time, never serviced or fek all, and just sailed through its 2nd mot

 

you could do a lot worse than a seat leon, our family car is a 1.6 se on an 03 plate we bought for £4700 2 1/2 years ago, nice car, plenty spec, ultra reliable, I know its a disgrace but never spent a penny on it in all that time, never serviced or fek all, and just sailed through its 2nd mot

 

sorry told a lie, electronic throttle sensor packed in just after we got it, replaced at main dealer for £70 still not bad!