All knowing car Gurus, going car shopping this weekend please help me choose.

Psygnosis

Hi,
I am going car shopping this weekend and need some advice.
I have 7K to spend plus a trade in of a 01 Seat Leon 55K (valued at 2K by calling garages)

I am looking to by a mid size saloon which will get high MPG a Diesel and be V reliable with less than 60K on the clock.
So far I have narrowed it down to
1 Mondeo
2 Avensis
3 Octavia
4 Vectra (not sure what they are like)

The car I have my eye on is
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/2.0-TDCI/200902191413042/advert
Do you think I could reasonably expect to get it for 6.5K plus trade in.
Looked up north as well but can't see the point with VRT


Any help boys and girls would be appreciated.

Mr Benevolent

It's a good price considering the year and mileage, and probably the best example on Carzone. €500 off it might be possible, seems like a high spec model (Zetec?).

Berty

Confab wrote: »

It's a good price considering the year and mileage, and probably the best example on Carzone. €500 off it might be possible, seems like a high spec model (Zetec?).

Mid range model. That model went LX - Zetec - Ghia - Platinum.

The zetec model from Ford has always(in Mondeo's case) been a good spec for its money.

On the Northern thing. VRT is only an obstacle but the benefits of buying from the UK are much higher than battling a deal here. You get a higher spec.

Exampe the Zetec Mondeo in the UK would have cruise control and a multi function steering wheel whereas the Irish(Paddy Spec) would not.

I was perusing the details of a 06 BMW 320CI for €14,995 in South Tipperary on yesterday. Imported from the UK. The deals are there to be had.

Psygnosis

Hi Berty,
Thing is with a trade in its quite tough to find anything in the north. If push came to shove I could hold to Seat Leon and do a cash deal for around 9k.

We have a second car 96 almera which we could get rid of and keep the leon as the second car.

Psygnosis

For a cash price how much would you say I could get this for
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/2.0-TDCi/200915192406661/advert

Also this is defo in my price range its the Steel spec which I was told is the lx model should have 115bhp what do you think?
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/Steel/200917192601954/advert

ninty9er

That one you've your eye on looks a fairly good deal with the 130 engine adn multi function wheel.

Realistically. It's a Mondeo, does what it says on the tin and will pull along fairly well with that engine. Go for it.

Keep the Leon and drop the Almera. Safety came a long way in those 5 years!

groupb

+ 1 on the mondeo. The best car in its class at the time.

Psygnosis

I'm thinking same do you think I'd get it for 8K

Atomic Pineapple

Psygnosis wrote: »

I'm thinking same do you think I'd get it for 8K

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/2.0-TDCi/200915192406661/advert - this one for 8k?

I'd say 10k minimum

Graham_B18C

draffodx wrote: »

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/2.0-TDCi/200915192406661/advert - this one for 8k?

I'd say 10k minimum

I think the 8k quote was about the 130 Zetec one, the Platnium one would be lovely though, don't forget to remind em the new model came out in 07 and try knock a few more quids off!

Atomic Pineapple

Grahamo999 wrote: »

I think the 8k quote was about the 130 Zetec one, the Platnium one would be lovely though, don't forget to remind em the new model came out in 07 and try knock a few more quids off!

Thanks for pointing that out! knocking off 900 hundred would be handy enough especially if your going for a straight sale

Psygnosis

Thanks for that guys
How about any other models or would I be better sticking with the Mondeo

R.O.R

Psygnosis wrote: »

The car I have my eye on is
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Mondeo/2.0-TDCI/200902191413042/advert

Can't quite make out the reg in the first pic, but I wouldn't be surprised if that was a swimmer - I don't think Ireland got the option of the 130ps engine in the Zetec spec.

LX - 90 & 115
Zetec - 115
Ghia/Exec - 130
ST220 - 155

Might have changed towards the end of the run though.

bazz26

I would avoid the Steel model, it replaced the LX as the base model in the Mondeo range in 2006. Minimum spec you should be looking at is Zetec/Platinum or Ghia.

The first Mondeo link looks clean but it is a UK import so make sure to do the usual HPI checks on it, etc. Also don't focus on the sticker price of the car, with a trade-in those prices have very little relevance. The price you need to focus on is the cost to trade up price. And you need to compare against similar year, spec cars from different garages to see where you are getting the best deal.

Psygnosis

Ok guys so went to see the 07 Mondeo today and got it for 8.5K with my Seat as a trade in. Needless to day I'm a very happy camper. The car is spotless one thing though in the ad he got the miles and k/m's mixed up it hass 44K miles on the clock. Still though I was happy to do the deal as the Leon was starting to cost money.

bazz26

Psygnosis wrote: »

Ok guys so went to see the 07 Mondeo today and got it for 8.5K with my Seat as a trade in. Needless to day I'm a very happy camper. The car is spotless one thing though in the ad he got the miles and k/m's mixed up it hass 44K miles on the clock. Still though I was happy to do the deal as the Leon was starting to cost money.

Sounds like a good deal. Best of luck with it.

Graham_B18C

Good buy, enjoy all those lovely extras!