Looking for a Quiet Estate

GTE

Well:

I sat in an 2013 A4 and hated it; too crampted and has 25 large cola bottles less storage than my current Golf which I stretch to the limit with storage.

I sat in a 2013 Passat and loved it as it was much more spacious for the driver and feel so solid, as solid as the A4.

I am leaning towards a Passat overall and I have a UK contact who says I'll get a great ex-fleet car in the auctions with full VW service history.

Next on the list to physically look is the C5, Octavia Mk3 and I've forgotten the rest of the list but I am taking suggestions which meet storage requirements to heart.

Would banks mind if the carloan amount was also used to cover VRT? Would they care that I'm going for an import, full stop?

Will the bank mind if I'm sitting on the money for a few weeks or a couple of months before I commit?

Can't think of other questions.

I can easily get a great example of a 140hp Passat Highline for less than 14000. My contact sells a lot of vehicles to people here as it happens and will sort me out for free. That route would open up more chance of a 170hp model.

Nekarsulm

Of no use to the OP, but the noisiest estate I ever was in was a Subaru Legacy. Boomed like a shipping container.
Although they were probably the lowest spec sold, sound deadening wise, as Subaru built them in Indianna for the US postal service.

GTE

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

I'm sorry...

A quiet estate....



I'm only surprised no one posted it already, given the title of the thread!

Game set and match!

grogi

bbk wrote: »

I am leaning towards a Passat overall and I have a UK contact who says I'll get a great ex-fleet car in the auctions with full VW service history.

If you like the Passat, go for it, especially if you can source one in UK. Do yourself a favour and get an automatic. You'll thank me later...

Personally I've made a promise to myself not to ever buy a VW because of the NOx scandal, but they are great cars. Bentley quality... Almost...

GTE

I do have the DSG in mind on the Twould be Fierce Nice list

PukkaStukka

bbk wrote: »

I do have the DSG in mind on the Twould be Fierce Nice list

I had the use of an Octavia 2.0 TDI 150bhp DSG on holidays a while back. It was utterly fantastic and the DSG is the best auto box I've driven by a long way. Despite some spirited driving, it never once dipped below an indicated 60mpg. It was a well built, comfortable, quick and quiet, and in estate form would probably meet most of your requirements OP.

GTE

Im guessing by 150hp, thats an Octavia Mk3?

It sure would tick the right boxes in the right spec. I was shocked to read that the arm rest is optional in some trims =-O

I want to get a go of one in person to judge the road noise, it should be good.

grogi

bbk wrote: »

Im guessing by 150hp, thats an Octavia Mk3?

It sure would tick the right boxes in the right spec. I was shocked to read that the arm rest is optional in some trims =-O

I want to get a go of one in person to judge the road noise, it should be good.

It is good, but don't be confused by creative Skoda marketing... Octavia is a Golf on steroids, Passat is a class better.

ABC101

grogi wrote: »

Personally I've made a promise to myself not to ever buy a VW because of the NOx scandal, but they are great cars. Bentley quality... Almost...

I thought that too about VW. However somebody posted a link in the VW emissions scandal thread (Forbes), and unfortunately it would appear that it is not just VW who have skeletons in the closet.

selectamatic

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2013-toyota-avensis-t-spirit-diesel-d-4d-top-spec/12225009
Just using this as an example, I wouldn't buy privately with your price range and I certainly wouldn't buy a UK reg car privately in Ireland.

A well spec'd avensis tourer could be an option to consider. It isn't as bland or ugly a thing as some people like to make out and you should be able to get a good example with your budget and especially with your UK contact. Comfy and quiet (engine is a bit loud but only from outside) big interior luggage space at circa 1600L too.

I'd recommend the 2.0d4d for reliability but since you are after a bit more power I feel the 2.2 150bhp engine would be best suited to you. Good reliability post 2012 much better than the early 180bhp variant which had some teething issues and it's more economical.
Overall a nice car for the money and generally good resale value which is an important enough factor.

GTE

The only "worry" about the UK option is that he says to go through the auctions as they are much more reputable than they used to be and that the ex-fleet stuff will be very well and fully serviced.

So no warranty as such and it may need a few euro spent on a nice body and interior detailing to get up to a standard which dealers over here would have the car at, perhaps a general service depending on where it is on the interval. That said, I saw some imported cars 2013 today and they were damn shabby in terms of tidiness. They were not in bad condition, but they were screaming out for a good clean so it could be something I would end up doing anyway, if I bought in Ireland.

Id still be saving a good chunk, Id imagine and I do not mind spending a bit of money if I am ultimately saving it

Thanks for the Toyota suggestion, I actually really like the look of those and totally forgot about them!

PukkaStukka

bbk wrote: »

Im guessing by 150hp, thats an Octavia Mk3?

It sure would tick the right boxes in the right spec. I was shocked to read that the arm rest is optional in some trims =-O

I want to get a go of one in person to judge the road noise, it should be good.

Yes, a Mk3 (late 2014 model). Road noise was not intrusive at all and I'm like you in that I do like my cars to be refined. This one was the Elegance so had all the bells and whistles. I almost forgot one gripe with it and it was a biggie. When needing to get out of a tight junctions on busy roads, the reaction of the stop start was very disconcerting so I left it off.

Oh, and I also had use of an Avensis estate after I had the Octavia. The Avensis was massive in size but the Octy was still the better car. The Avensis struggled to better 50mpg and was some way off the consumption of the Octy even though it wasn't driven as hard.

GTE

Would it be worth holding off until the UK calls article 50 for Brexit? Someone mentioned that it may be confirmed to happen in January, and that the drop in Sterling value could be fun for my situation.

I am in two minds, as I think it the shock has happened already. All speculation of course.

Does anyone have advice for the auctions, if I go down that route?

PukkaStukka

bbk wrote: »

Would it be worth holding off until the UK calls article 50 for Brexit? Someone mentioned that it may be confirmed to happen in January, and that the drop in Sterling value could be fun for my situation.

I am in two minds, as I think it the shock has happened already. All speculation of course.

Does anyone have advice for the auctions, if I go down that route?

Gosh here's a conincidence! First we look at similar cars and now it looks like we are both eyeing up similar buying strategies.

I was thinking myself that the actual trigger of Brexit due in the new year will push the prevailing rate down in our favour, but in the days following that, it's possible that the rates would see Sterling recover some ground. Since the Brexit vote the Euro rose from 78p before, to 82p just afterwards, and has bobbed between 83 to 86p since. But if for some reason the exit trigger is delayed, it might cause Sterling to recover ground which wouldn't be what we'd want either

To be honest, if the right car came along and I could afford it, I'd try tie up a deal there and then if I could. The laws of averages would be somewhat stacked against trying to get the right car at the right money on a day when the rates have peaked favourably.

One question, can I ask which auction group you are looking at purchasing through in the Uk? The reason I ask is some are much better than others in terms of their stock quality and buyers fees

GTE

PukkaStukka wrote: »

Gosh here's a conincidence! First we look at similar cars and now it looks like we are both eyeing up similar buying strategies.

I was thinking myself that the actual trigger of Brexit due in the new year will push the prevailing rate down in our favour, but in the days following that, it's possible that the rates would see Sterling recover some ground. Since the Brexit vote the Euro rose from 78p before, to 82p just afterwards, and has bobbed between 83 to 86p since. But if for some reason the exit trigger is delayed, it might cause Sterling to recover ground which wouldn't be what we'd want either

To be honest, if the right car came along and I could afford it, I'd try tie up a deal there and then if I could. The laws of averages would be somewhat stacked against trying to get the right car at the right money on a day when the rates have peaked favourably.

One question, can I ask which auction group you are looking at purchasing through in the Uk? The reason I ask is some are much better than others in terms of their stock quality and buyers fees

Thanks for the post. Im just on this quick but to answer your question; I don't know yet. My contact is a family friend in the business and I'm in a position to trust him. That said, I'm early enough into the process that Ill know a lot more in time.