Modern help needed

[Ghosty]

It would appear that Mother_Ghosty and Old Man are starting to look into replacing Mother_Ghosty's 9N Polo as it's going on for ten years old. It's a good spec (black 3dr Twist auto, 51,700 miles) - manual ones with similar mileage go for £2750 or so on Auto Trader.

 

The problem is, Mother_Ghosty has a bad back and knee, and absolutely has to have an auto. She likes Polos, Bini Ones, and Fiat 500s. The hypothetical budget is £8k (including sale of the Polo, assuming we can get £2500 for it), and whatever the car is, it has to be 2010 or newer.

 

Other problems:

Old Man doesn't like electronic gearboxes - DSGs etc. But everything has them these days so that can't be avoided.

The car has to be not too low, and comfortable for someone with back problems (Mother_Ghosty carries a cushion round for sitting on hard-backed chairs but doesn't use it in the car).

Mother_Ghosty is a picky bugger and won't drive budget Asian cars, French cars etc. She also is pretty keen on having air conditioning, despite barely using it. She also doesn't like Corsas and isn't keen on Fiestas (though they are good value, they're bland etc). Not a lot is left - she just wants a fairly well specced small car.

Old Man is a cheapskate and advocate of home servicing, so whatever it is has to be easy to maintain and not have any obvious problems. This is part of the reasoning behind his dislike of electronic autoboxes.

Old Man denounces pretty much any suggestion that's not a Polo for one reason or another, but I'm trying to ignore his opinions because they're often daft (he said he doesn't like Zetec engines - didn't Ford stop using them about 10 years ago in favour of Duratorq?)

 

 

Initial research has shown that a Bini is too expensive (7k for an 07 plate), and is out of the question.

The new-style Polo is only just affordable on a 10 or 60 plate - a Polo has to be a 1.4 SE for it to be auto, and it's a DSG, and for some reason she says it would have to be black. So, that's at least £8k, if the old man permits it. 

The 500 1.2 auto seems like a good idea on paper - low tax and insurance, and a generous spec (£8k seems to easily get a Lounge on a 60 plate, and so on).

 

Does anyone have any opinions on the 500 or current model Polo, and/or any other suggestions? Is there anything to look out for/common faults etc?

Any help much appreciated.

[Des]

My mother's keen to replace her 18 year old Golf, with something white and with a sunroof, believes Golfs to be good because hers has been, she was lamenting some gross looking 10K things, about 2 or 3 years old at a dealer, right colour lacked sunroof, one with sunroof was silver, and silver is most unacceptable, I showed her this.

 

 

 

6K and it's brand squeaky spanky new, I pointed out the only difference I can see between it and some contemptable ex lease Volkswanker is the lack of a hubcap sized poserbadge on the grill, she was unimpressed. Now I really don't know if the Dacia would be any good or not, but when I squint at that pic It kind of looks like a car, and I see sensible bumpers and wheels that should be resistant to kerbstones attacking them.

[twosmoke300]

Honda jazz . Just tell her that they are made in Swindon ( well , some are 😃)

[trigger]

Hyundai i20? Your parents might not like Asian cars but don't rule them out, you get a lot of bang for your buck and they are on par with Ford and Vauxhall these days, if not better.

[panhard65]

I just had to sort a car for my dad after he went and bought a golf tdi auto that turned into the car from hell. The dsg gearbox in the golf is pretty good certainly a lot better than the semi auto in the citroen C3. Anyway the golf was just one problem after another so we traded it in. (Found out when we did that it had been a write off. That will teach him to buy a car from a mate in the pub) To be honest it just had to be a Honda for an old giffer. He now owns a lovely '09 plate Honda Insight hibrid. Honda's have a cvt transmission and can be a bit revvy but this thing is so quiet you don't notice it. We went looking for a Jazz which is what he should of had really as the Insight is quite a big car, but never mind he is very happy now. I don't like Jap cars myself but they are just so reliable which is what you want for the older generation. Modern VW's are not what they used to be they built a good rep back in the 70's and 80's which has slowly been going down hill in the last few years. Although it pains me to say it as a french car fan stay well clear of anything made there and I expect the Dacia might not be too good in auto considering it is a recycled Renault. They do look a bargain though.

[Alexg]

Beware with the 500, it has one of those non-giffer-friendly semi automatics that'll just beep at you if you don't select Drive or Reverse in the manner it agrees with, plus will have really jerky gear change. Can be a right PITA.

 

The previous generation Nissan Micra is a good motor, well spec'd, comfortable high-ish seating position and UK built. Stay clear of keyless entry models though, nothing but problems.

 

£7k will easily get you a 2010 last of old shape with low miles, although the 2011 new shape can also be had for this sort of money they're not half the car.

[Jimcit]

Would she go Skoda Fabia?

 

I had one as a hire car when the 2cv collapsed in Germany and couldn't really fault it - did high speeds on autobahn, cobbled streets and across fields - it was fine and comfortable, plus I managed to fit three people with massive arses across the back seat.

 

They come in a nice spec and you can play the 'it's a vw really' card.  There is the problem of it being DSG though...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2011-Skoda-Fabia-1-2-TSI-105-BHP-SE-DSG-Petrol-Red-Automatic-/151208019079?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2334b34487

[beko1987]

My grandparents defected to Kia for an i10 after nearly 4 decades of vauxhalls. Must be something to them for my grandfolks to buy one. They boycotted Safeway back in 1994 when they stopped stocking british uht milk and only french!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

We've got a Fiat 500 ,albeit in Manuel flavour. It's a 1.2 and completely gutless,slower than the 1.0 Arosa or tdi Disco,so I'm guessing the auto would be painful.

It's also built like a Fiat,with all that implies for longevity. I replaced a wing on it recently( 'It wasn't me dad,I just came out of Uni and found it like that!') and it seams most of the strength is in the seam sealer/glue .

[gordonbennet]

You can't let your mum out in one of those shite automated manual or DSG boxes from hell.

 

Unfortunately about the only place you'll find a proper TC auto now in a small car is in a Korean, lovely boxes too the ones i've driven, and yes even the Matiz had a proper TC auto and it was lovely little drive for urban and local work...did i just say that?

 

Toyota have moved away from their own version of satans design...MMT as they called it is now only available in Aygo and i strongly suspect that too will be dropped when the model is replaced...if Toyota can't get automated manual right then what hope anyone else.

 

Toyota are now into CVT's for autos (or hybids of course, now there's a possible, Yaris hybrid?) and they seem to have got it right.

[gordonbennet]

Damn, forgot to say.

 

I used to drive car transporters for a living so got to know automated manuals quite well...absolute rubbish the lot of them.

 

A mate had to load a new Fiat 500 with that box, despite several run ups he got as far as all 4 wheels on the rear deck and thats as far as it would go, just ran put of steam (they all have a stall point, be warned its not great), so we had the precarious job of him sitting in the car with brakes on whilst i raised the rear deck to head height, the when level it was OK, wouldn't enteratin one.

[Joey spud]

Shout out for a Nissan Note,Mothers had 2 auto's now both on motability and we really cant fault them.

The auto box is simple to use and it rips along really well.

 

A big plus is the seat height is a bit higher than most so she can get in and out easy with her back/hip problems and also her mobo scooter fits in the back without having to drop the rear seat.

[Ghosty]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Fabia is a no as it's an 'inferior VW' (we briefly considered the Up but she insisted, if having one of those, that it be an up and not a Seat/Skoda), so if Fabia, she'd insist on a Polo. She also refuses all 5 door cars, which is all Fabias in our price range.

Dacia - no, definitely not. She'd hate it and think it was ugly. There's also a 'nothing French' rule.

Jazz - neighbours have one, so mum won't for image reasons. Also too big/5dr. Insight is too big also.

Micra is not a good looking car to her, also she had a K11 auto for a couple months in 1999/2000and hated it, won't get another based on that.

i20 will probably get called ugly but I'll suggest it. Don't think that's going to get far.

Note is a good idea (aren't they all 1.6 though?) and I'll suggest it to see what response I get.

Thanks for the opinions of the 500 - gutless isn't a problem, and it'll probably take a test drive to see what she thinks of the 'box.

[Jimcit]

Would something like a Volvo C30 be ok? Or would the engine be too big?

 

Not sure what autobox they've got, but I'd guess fairly basic / Ford Focus, they're comfy (seats accommodate the larger derriere and suspension is fairly squidgy), have a bit of badge cache, 3 door, some models had rubberised trim on wheelarches making it a bit more car park proof.

 

Problems being - smallest engines 1.6 I think, might have to go slightly older / slightly over budget.  Changing a rear bulb WILL leave you with a small scar on your knuckle.

 

Here's one in a white room

[dollywobbler]

My grandparents defected to Kia for an i10 after nearly 4 decades of vauxhalls. Must be something to them for my grandfolks to buy one. They boycotted Safeway back in 1994 when they stopped stocking british uht milk and only french!

 

i10 is Hyundai.

[Ghosty]

Forgot about the C30! I'll look into those. Focus is too big, we're looking at Fiesta size cars.

Edit: there's one auto C30 on Auto Trader presently, and it's a 2.4 Sport on a 57... eBay has none in the spec my parents would approve of.

[Alexg]

Watch out, I believe that lumpy 2.4 Volvo is one of the mental £400ish a year tax jobbies.

[Ghosty]

It's fine, my mum wouldn't go anywhere near something like that.

[trigger]

There's always the Toyota Yaris, I think the later ones are a really good looking car, especially the SR models.

[Ghosty]

Very true - but I can only find them in five door, and I've just shown her some pictures of one - the central speedo put her right off (she wasn't keen on it in Binis either when I told her).

She keeps going on about fucking Polos...

[Pillock]

This is why I run away when people ask me for car advice. Even family.

 

I'd just put it down to a few facts. Fiestas don't use Zetec engines, they can have a Polo but it'll be an older one, and the fact the neighbours have a Jazz shouldn't affect anything. In fact, can't they blag a ride in it?

 

As a bonus, the Fiesta auto I looked at wasn't a clever flappy paddle or anything. It just had a stick.

[Justin Case]

Suzuki Swift has a proper autobox, but has five doors. Trouble is so do most small autos; I think she will have to compromise on something, the question is what?

[Mr Lobster]

I reckon she should keep her existing Polo, sounds like the easiest solution.

[Ghosty]

The Kia Rio 2 has been declared as an option that my mum and dad agree on, and a possibility - £9500ish for a 13 plate, 3 door proper auto.

[trigger]

Good choice!

[Vince70]

How about a different badge on the same car but you are paying a premium.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201401010757744/sort/default/usedcars/transmission/automatic/radius/1500/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/make/audi/postcode/br75dj/page/1/model/a1/price-to/10000/image-id/85fd5c1057223f9de0a3f7b962f4491b?logcode=p

[Ghosty]

A1s are Kia Rios? Bloody hell! I'll suggest that, the mother will probably like it.

[Ghosty]

Right - change of circumstances.

 

It would appear that the budget has been raised and we're now looking at new cars.

Also it's possible the Polo is staying in the family and Old Man would get it, and instead his Y-reg Civic 1.4 is sold off. Don't know how likely this is, but it's what Old Man thinks is the best idea.

 

Mother Ghosty and I have been out looking at cars - the Rio has been declared too big, and Picantos are now being considered instead. Compared to what else we've been looking at they feel cheap though, and the auto only comes in five door 1.25 '2' spec - Kia don't offer 3 door autos of either sort - according to the dealer they were probably discontinued on low demand grounds, and you can't even spec a 3 door with an autobox, because it's just a production line job. Probably very low insurance, and £105/year tax. Also, my mum finds the anti-whiplash headrest uncomfortable.

 

We then went to look at the Fiat 500. For not a lot more, it's a lot nicer car than the Picanto and my mum really likes it - we'd be looking at Lounge spec if we got one of those. The only niggle my mum has is the electronic manual gearbox as previously outlined - tax is £30/year, and insurance is low. There's no space in the rear seats, but we hardly use them anyway. Also, on the showroom model we were looking at, the seat got stuck folded forward when I sat in the back, and I couldn't get it back...

 

After this we went to look at Binis out of interest. We really like the One - it has a very high quality feel to it, and is very generous with space and so on - it's probably the only car I've ever been in that's comfortable to sit in the back of. Tax is £105/year, but insurance may be a bit higher than the 500 and Picanto. The mother seems to think she'll get one of these if she likes it, depending on how much money is avaliable to us. Whether it'd be new or a couple of years old is yet to be seen, as well.