Not sure what car to get in 09

maxwell smart

Need some advice on this one. Replacing company car end of January. I've get 28k in value to spend. (Not retail price point - so if I can discount on retail I still have €28k)

Have been thinking about the following:
Mazda 6 diesel
Opel Insignia diesel
Skoda Octavia vRS diesel
Skoda Superb
Toyota Avensis (new)

I'm drawn to the Skoda vRS for some reason.....any advice folks?!?!

R.O.R

maxwell smart wrote: »

Need some advice on this one. Replacing company car end of January. I've get 28k in value to spend. (Not retail price point - so if I can discount on retail I still have €28k)

Have been thinking about the following:
Mazda 6 diesel
Opel Insignia diesel
Skoda Octavia vRS diesel
Skoda Superb
Toyota Avensis (new)

I'm drawn to the Skoda vRS for some reason.....any advice folks?!?!

Stick with your gut instinct in my opinion

Darragh29

maxwell smart wrote: »

Need some advice on this one. Replacing company car end of January. I've get 28k in value to spend. (Not retail price point - so if I can discount on retail I still have €28k)

Have been thinking about the following:
Mazda 6 diesel
Opel Insignia diesel
Skoda Octavia vRS diesel
Skoda Superb
Toyota Avensis (new)

I'm drawn to the Skoda vRS for some reason.....any advice folks?!?!

Does it have to be a new car??? You could do serious damage at an auction for 28k!

GERMAN ROCKS

opel insignia diesel. at the end of the day a skoda is still a skoda.

bazz26

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

opel insignia diesel. at the end of the day a skoda is still a skoda.

And an Opel is still an Opel. So what difference does that make.

Cyrus

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

opel insignia diesel. at the end of the day a skoda is still a skoda.

even when its a volkswagen

Cyrus

does it have to be diesel, can u get the vrs petrol?

BnA

The only thing that would put me off the Octavia a bit is the look of it hasn't changed that much in about 10 years. That said, the VRS is quite handsome and from the list above it would probably be my pick too. We had a petrol one for 5 years as a family car and it served us well.

I haven't been doing much reading or browsing lately (new baby in the house) and I don't know much about the Insignia but if I was in your position, I would at least look into it more.

I wouldn't be mad about any of the rest of the cars you named out. Another car I would consider (if it's in budget) would be the Mondeo.

Or, one you might not have considered - a Hyundai Sonata. I was in Kavanaghs in Charlieville yesterday for work and I was having a look around the Hyundai showroom while I was waiting. I couldn't get over how well the Sonata looked. Definately looked like a car that would cost a lot more. Don't know what it's like to drive etc. I know one of the big problems with buying new Hyundai's in the depreciation. But, hey, when it's a company car.....let the Man pay for it...!!!

Anyway, to summarise, if you put a gun to my head right now and siad I had 5 seconds to pick, I'd take the Octavia VRS too.

Cookie_Monster

Is the octavia not due to change soon?

What about an Legacy if you want to stretch a little bit?
Insignia looks like a nice car, I'd say you have to spend 32k+ on one of them to get a decent specced/engined one though

R.O.R

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Is the octavia not due to change soon?

Facelifted models are in the country, if not in the dealers yet. Not sure if that includes the VRs, but definately the other models in the range (have a facelifted L&K Combi and Elegance hatch coming in Jan).

Biro

Octavia's are as common as shít though, that's the problem. VRs is a good car for the money for sure, but not even the extra 20bhp would tempt me to it away from the Subaru Legacy. Thinking outside the box is what I like to do.

Drummerboy08

But the man has 28k to spend - not 30k, so the Subaru is out.

The Insignia is a decent car - massive boot, nice comfortable car to drive, the 2.0CDTi 130ps (base Model) is a good engine too - the car is not slow. The S model only has steel wheels, they look lost in the massive arches - that said there is an option to ungrade the wheels to 17" alloys, and front fogs for €700.

The skoda is a great car to drive, the looks are dated at this stage, the facelifted model doesnt look as nice imo, but its a cheap car for the money.

The Supurb is a decent car too - not too sure of the looks - but if you want a big comfortable car with a bit of spec they are great value for money.

New Avensis wont be around for a while yet according to a guy in Toyota Ireland i was speaking to yesterday - there is still too many of the old models in the yard over there - that said they are going cheap too - 24k for a decent specced Diesel Avensis? Cant really go wrong there.

I wouldnt really rate the 6 either, nice car to look at and all, but i think they are a bit boring to drive, and come across to me as an old mans car.

A 1.8TDCi Econetic with the upgraded alloys would be a decent option, look too at the 1.9tdi Passat - they are being sold off with a 3k discount on them at the minute to make way for the new engine - you should pick up a Sportline model for 28k.

Anan1

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

But the man has 28k to spend - not 30k, so the Subaru is out.

maxwell smart wrote: »

I've get 28k in value to spend. (Not retail price point - so if I can discount on retail I still have €28k)

I think this means that the OP can spend up to the €28k, ie if the Subaru could be got for that then it's a runner.

Drummerboy08

My bad sorry -

Im just checking there, i worked out a price on a legacy there, inc metallic. If someone came to me looking for one at a push i could do it for around the 28k mark so it is possble i guess.

maxwell smart

Just to clarify I can spend 28k max, has to be new as it will be a business lease. Resale is not a consideration and if I can get any car discounted to €28k then its a runner.
I've been shopping around and its amazing the difference in garages, example. Joe Duffy Mazda I can get the 6 Exec SE for €28k. Tried PG Duffys in Newbridge and they are loking for €29k.
Also looked at the C5 but nobody (so far) will go below €28.5k.
The new Avensis looks good for CO2. 134 I think in the lower power diesel model. So with the BIK changes that should mean no increase for me.
Its a very difficult choice to be honest!

Drummerboy08

Are you going to get the car on Contract Hire or Lease Purchase, or is it just going to be a straight deal?

maxwell smart

luckily our accountant looks after that, so not 100% sure but my present car is on a contract lease of 115k or 3 years whichever is first.....its the mileage.

Drummerboy08

So really you need to -

Get the maximum monthly budget including maintenance and VAT from your accountant

Call a few Fleet Management Companies, tell them your budget

They will come back with a few cars and a price that includes services, tyres Road tax etc, or you can just ask for the monthly price for the car itself if you'd prefer to look after the servicing end.

PM me if you have any questions relating to this, i'll steer you in the right direction.

E92

Toyota Ireland are releasing "new prices" for the Avensis on January 21 - I could be wrong but I'm 99.9% certain that these prices are for the outgoing Avensis because Toyota's website has "TBC" for all Avensis prices now and my Toyota dealer told me that the new model won't be here until March or thereabouts, depending on how quickly they can get rid of the last of the old model(well he didn't say those exact words but that's how I have decided to interpret what he said;)).

I would be having a serious look at the Insignia.

The 160 diesel S is €27,995, but I'm sure it wouldn't be beyond the bounds of possibility to get a 160 diesel SC for €28k, especially as Opel are doing their 50:50 offer for the Insignia already even though the car is brand new.

As the 160 bhp diesel is only €500 more than the 130 bhp diesel, I can't see any reason not to go for the more powerful model.

maxwell smart

We have a seperate maintenance contract with a local garage, so that won't be in the price.
I might not be explaining the way we purchase cars correctly. We will not use a Fleet management company due to various procedures of our (foreign) holding company. And the monthly amount we pay is also irrelevant, as long as the car itself is max €28k and its no greater than 2 litre (which is the limit for my level of management).
I had a look at the new Octavia, its similar to the Superb in front end design. The vRS won't be getting the facelift. I also rang Toyota Ireland today and they won't have any info on the new Avensis until end Jan. Something to do with Irish spec cars not being available. When I asked if it was anything to do with stock of the old model the silence was deafening!

E92

maxwell smart wrote: »

I also rang Toyota Ireland today and they won't have any info on the new Avensis until end Jan. Something to do with Irish spec cars not being available. When I asked if it was anything to do with stock of the old model the silence was deafening!

Lol, why am I not surprised:D? I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that conversation, particularly as Toyota UK are advertising the new car heavily now and have all the prices, specs etc up on their website.

I don't know if you'll be missing out on much by not going for the Avensis though - it's been slated in Autocar, Car and the Sunday Times9it would appear that Toyota is the new Volvo over there for a bad stereotype), in fact the only car mag thus far that's been positive about it is What Car?

Cyrus

maxwell smart wrote: »

We have a seperate maintenance contract with a local garage, so that won't be in the price.
I might not be explaining the way we purchase cars correctly. We will not use a Fleet management company due to various procedures of our (foreign) holding company. And the monthly amount we pay is also irrelevant, as long as the car itself is max €28k and its no greater than 2 litre (which is the limit for my level of management).
I had a look at the new Octavia, its similar to the Superb in front end design. The vRS won't be getting the facelift. I also rang Toyota Ireland today and they won't have any info on the new Avensis until end Jan. Something to do with Irish spec cars not being available. When I asked if it was anything to do with stock of the old model the silence was deafening!

if you get promoted can you get a bigger engine :P

R.O.R

With aggresive negotiation a 160bhp 5dr SC Insignia would be an option.

You should be able to get a C5 1.6Hdi Dyanmique for under €28k

If your company has more than 10 cars then a Mondeo 1.8TD Zetec should be an option.

Sonata 2.0D Deluxe if you want interior spec and couldn't care less about re-sale.

Mazda 6 Executive would probably be as high as you can go. If you have a great negotiator then an Executive SE might just come in.

Legacy is pretty well specced and sounded quiet at idle.

Possibility an Octavia 2.0Tdi L&K might squeeze in if the dealer is desperate, but with the price increase I doubt it.

Given the choice of all of the above, it would still be an Octavia VRs for me.