I need advice on new car - sorry!

[carlo]

OK, I've spent about a day and a half on researching and looking at new cars (all right, it was quite enjoyable), but I really need some guidance here from anyone who has the sort of thing we need.

 

Mrs Carlo really needs to replace her Panda diesel which she loves, with an automatic now, and I can only drive an automatic, so the plan is to buy a new car but keep my 405 as the more occasional car.  This will have the added benefit of reducing the amount of miles it does so I can keep it even longer (and I'm sure I'll still prefer it to any modern rubbish).  So, we need an automatic which must be small enough for the missus to reverse up and down the Devon lanes, economical, and not so revolting that I can drive it without getting too depressed.  We'd like to keep this car for a good while, so I'm looking for tried and tested mechanicals.

 

Requisites are:

 

Small car

Automatic

as low a tax brand as possible/economical

good enough for the occasional motorway jaunt

cruise control (this is where things get tricky)

 

Have developed a sort of shortlist, but I have a real preference for conventional automatic gearboxes - very hard to find in small cars:

 

Skoda Fabia TSI Auto (but I've heard horror stories about DSGs)

Ford Fiesta 1.0 Powershift (same type of 'box and bloomin expensive, but seems a nice car)

Toyota Yaris 1.3 Auto

Kia Venga 1.6 Auto (conventional 4 speed auto and lovely big sunroof - big plus for me!)

Suzuki Swift Auto (again, nice conventional 'box)

Mazda 2 TS2 1.5 Auto (I really thought this might be the perfect car, but can't get cruise control on it.  Balls!!)

 

Anyone any experience of any of these in automatic form, or could offer any other suggestions?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Volksy]

New new, or nearly new, or 'not that old'?

[carlo]

Really thinking new new, but it's a question of finding the right car.

[Sloth in a bowl]

Sticking this combination into Autotrader to look for local nearly new deals.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/search/used/cars/postcode/pl23dq/radius/50/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/maximum-mileage/up_to_20000_miles/body-type/hatchback/price-to/10000/transmission/automatic/sort/default/page/1

 

I would be tempted to have a test drive of the Suzuki Swift for a few notes under £8000 from Dales (on page 4) and see what you think. Even if you end up buying new, you will get a feel of how it will wear.

 

The Kia Rio from Marsh Kia would be on my list to try as well.

[eddyramrod]

Suzuki would be top of that list for me.  Skoda, being a VAG, would be hanging off the bottom by a fraying thread, but that opinion does come with a certain amount of bias...  I've driven the previous model of Mazda in auto form, as a rental in Malta, but you don't get to go very far or fast there.  Round town it was perfect, if that's any help.

On the whole, I think if you stick to the Orientals you shouldn't go far wrong.  Start at Suzuki, go via Mazda and Toyota, and wind up at the outlying discounters like Kia and Hyundai if you still haven't chosen anything.

[skattrd]

Is there any particular reason you're looking at a new car?

What you ask could be found relatively easily in a used Japanese imported motor as they prefer auto's and lots of the cars come quite loaded, even the smaller ones.

[Cavcraft]

On that list the Yaris would top it for me, followed by the Kia. Both should be utterly dependable and in the case of the Toyota hold bloody good residuals too.

[carlo]

Is there any particular reason you're looking at a new car?

What you ask could be found relatively easily in a used Japanese imported motor as they prefer auto's and lots of the cars come quite loaded, even the smaller ones.

 

I suppose it's not essential, just fancy a nice long warranty on it.  Going to look at the Venga and Suzuki tomorrow.  

[Jim Bergerac]

Swift and Venga are both good cars. I'd include the Fiesta in that but a) I find the interiors on them utterly horrible and b ) I don't know how durable the Turbo Triple will prove.

[carlo]

I'm quite drawn to the Yaris but I think they've all got stop and start on them which would really piss me off.

[nacho man]

The mother in law has one you can turn stop start off.

[mike13]

Nissan Note,not the brand new one,conventional box,cruise control.1.6  petrol

[Pillock]

I'd probably go for whichever one has the closest dealer and the longest warranty. I tried a Skoda, Fiesta and Kia and they all seemed perfectly adequate with nothing to offend.

[Mr Lobster]

Personally I'd go for the Suzuki or Mazda. I'd consider the Fabia too - I drove the Greenline version a while back and was surprised how good it was.

[willswitchengage]

Yaris would be the thinking man's choice, don't they still do a five year warranty on these? A friend of mine has a Swift, the interior quality is good but he's paying a lot in service bills and bits going wrong.

 

DSGs are really nice to drive, not necessarily from a "fun" point of view but they just work and are far smoother than a conventional planetary automatic. I've only used a 2.0 TDI though so the little ones may feel different.

[Barry Cade]

Out of all those choices, mine would be another Panda, with a semi auto box. :}

[carlo]

Yaris would be the thinking man's choice, don't they still do a five year warranty on these? A friend of mine has a Swift, the interior quality is good but he's paying a lot in service bills and bits going wrong.

 

DSGs are really nice to drive, not necessarily from a "fun" point of view but they just work and are far smoother than a conventional planetary automatic. I've only used a 2.0 TDI though so the little ones may feel different.

 

I've fancied a Fabia 1.2 TSI DSG for a while now, how fragile are these DSG boxes?

[Barry Cade]

Why not just keep the Panda and employ a Romanian Chauffeur? No worries about changing gear, and he'd clean the windscreen at every set of lights.

[londonm]

New shape Vauxhall Agila/Suzuki Splash. Won reliability ratings, spacious, and a real woman's car with false compartment in boot to hide shopping. GFs got one, it's ok in its own way. Hers is on a 58 plate.

[londonm]

^ 1.0 litre is £30.00 a year to tax also. Slow as fuck, but you get used to it.

[beko1987]

A mate of mine got a (2010) shape Rio with most of the wish list that you had. Cost him 200 a month with Kia throwing most of the book in as well.

 

Not normally a fan of Pcp deals but it was a good little car, drove fine, was fine to sit in and such.

 

They any good second hand? Most under 7 years old will have warrantee left too. His never needed anything in its 40k life with him. Bonnet only lifted for screenwash or by Kia for servicing

[Inspector Morose]

SWMBO has a Panda diesel too. They're good things, cheap and relatively simple. Really we could spend pages suggesting a car but the only way she'll be happy is to drag her kicking and screaming round the dealers to try a few and see how she gets on with them/her reaction. Shame they don't do a Panda diesel auto as one of those would be my choice.

[Junkman]

New? As in 1987?

[Rocket88]

My mum has a Panda auto, the gearbox is awful,,,,,,,,"Ther're all like that" apparently. She also tried an Aygo, which was worse,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I've fancied a Fabia 1.2 TSI DSG for a while now, how fragile are these DSG boxes?

I know two people with DSG Passats that are used for airport runs . One, a 58 plate estate,had a problem with vibration at about 150,000 miles and had a replacement under warranty, the new box is up to about 150k so he's getting rid while it's still OK. The other is an 11 plate new shape that's done over 200k and given no problems.

[Rocket88]

DSG boxes seem ok as long as you adhere to maker's fluid change intervals..............it's fiddly, so most people don't bother.......

[cort16]

I'd get on the venga bus as those new kias are nice and have great warranties. Not quite as cheap as they used to be mind you but the did come with a 1.1 diesel for shite credentials.

[cort16]

Still with 5 years warranty, save £s

 

http://mobile.motorpoint.co.uk/VehicleAdvert/KIA/VENGA/446777

[purplebargeken]

Hyundai i10. Nippy around town, plenty of go on the motorway, toys, auto, decent room and comfy driving position, 5 year warranty, cheapish RFL. I like mine quite a lot. 

[carlo]

Just had a look at the Kia Picanto and was quite impressed, seems a nice comfortable thing inside.  Suzuki Swift also looked a nice bit of kit but over £15,000 for the top one with cruise if you please.  I reckon when we get round to a test drive or two they'll all feel remarkably similar, and all have a bone hard ride no doubt.