Looking to change,seeking advice.

Dcully

Ok im looking at changing my current 99 toyota avensis 1.8.
Great car never gave a single bit of trouble,still drives as new today.

Yesterday was my first day of shopping around.
Lookes at and can get a 2006 Seat Altea early Jan next year [you know the new mpv] lovely machine,spacious well built etc can get for 17,500 with trade in,21,000 is full price.
New seat Leon is very same car only lower down like a conventional car,same price same offer but with 2 kids the altea is more attractive.

OR

2005 Avensis 1.6 [its the high spec model with allows,foglamps etc] 17k on the clock,stunning drive,really really nice car for 19,500 with trade in,full price is 24,500 [think it is 26,000 new].

Having never had a seat before im wondering how reliable they are.
Obviously coming from a rock solid toyota it be nice to get some Seat feedback.
The Altea is really a lot of car for you money and if shes reliable like a toyota id be tempted as id gain a year on the 05 avensis and save 2,000 in the process.

Im off to another toyota dealer today to view the Corolla Verso [mpv]along with other marques/dealers also but i do like the 2 above who were clearly the pick of day 1.

bazz26

The Seat dealer is only allowing you €3.5k on the 99 Avensis. Shop around I think you can do better than that. Also did you look at buying a 05 Altea rather than a new one?

There are a few here:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=306116
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=286652
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=305478
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=286781

The Seat Altea is based on the MKV Golf and uses most of the running gear. In recent surveys Seat and Skoda have faired better in reliability than parent company VW and I have heard no nightmare stories about them. The only thing I didn't like about the new Leon and Altea is that the dashboard area around the stereo looks very bare imo. There is alot of blank plastic there.

Dcully

Cheers.
Had a look at a 04 Avensis 24k on the clock,17,000 with my own.
Also a 05 Corolla with 9k on the clock 15,900 with my own.

Checked with guy i bought current car from and he had 2 04 Avensis with low mileage and wanted 17,000 with my own also but said to get back to him and hed sharpen his pencil so to speak as he spun me the typical "i dont want to lose you"

05 Focus,9k on clock 18,500 is asking price will get back to them on trade in.

All 3 were lovely cars,very solid on the road.
Was very noticeable how much quicker the 1.4 corolla saloon was compared to 1.4 focus hatchback.

Tbh dropping down to 1.4 corolla with regard performance wouldnt be a big deal as this was very very quick for a 1.4 and incredibly spacious.

bazz26

The Corolla sounds like a good deal alright if you don't need a 1.8 anymore.

I had a 99 Avensis 1.8 like yours at one stage also and currently drive the 1.8 version of the new model since 2003.

I sat in the current Corolla and found that there wasn't much of a compromise in space either with the old Avensis. Granted there was a bit more legroom in the Avensis and the split folding rear seat was also an advantage plus some of the creature comforts were not found in the Corolla. But this was to be expected considering it was a less expensive car.

I'm not a fan of the look of the new Focus but I do like the dashboard design, the aluminium inserts look nice and the plastics have a nice soft touch about them. I heard alright that the 1.4 Focus is a bit underpowered and probably more suited to urban driving than motorways.

Dcully

At this moment im tempted to go with an Avensis,either a 04 or 05,just such a lovely car in every way.
Last night i had a chat with a friend whos bro in law owns a Suburu dealership and reckons he can get me one of 3 Imprezas i was looking at from 25,000 with 2-3 k on the clock down to 20,000 and lower if i trade in
Its the 1.6 im looking at with full kit etc etc.
Looks just like the 20 litre Turbo breed of Scoobys.
I must admit im tempted as its a beauty and is practical.

Ivan E

It might be slightly out of your budget and I don't know if you'd be interested in a upping to a 2.0l, but of you are, check out the Saab 93.

The new model from mid '02 onwards. It's a saloon and probably matches what you need. Very good looking car, seems to be economical, very safe and very reliable.

I don't drive one myself but my Dad has since 1985 changing roughly every 3 or 4 years. He changed his '02 model a few months ago for a new one and I have to say I was very impressed with it. The last one looked a bit dated but was the fastest one he's ever had for some reason. The new one is slower, no idea why but it is far better looking and the design inside is much nicer.

A bit plasticy inside but well equipped. I'd recommend a look if you are willing to move up in engine side.

milltown

These two points are (believe it or not) unrelated...

I have had two Seat Ibizas and one Leon ('87, '97 and '02) and they never let me down once. The '87 Ibiza did have a bit of a fondness for WD40 during the winter months when the air was damp but I put that down to the technology (!!?) in the engine being almost obsolete when the car was built. I had almost forgotten how to change points/rotor arms/distributor caps until I got that car!
97 Ibiza and the Leon were bulletproof. I just don't like the look of the new Seats. Leon, Altea and Toledo all look the same to me.

Secondly, my brother manages a Seat dealership and may be able to improve the deal if you go that route. PM me if you want details.

If it was me I'd probably be going for the Avensis though. Ugly as sin on the outside but nothing to fault it on the inside, where you'll be sitting.

$lash

Go with the Subaru - bullet proof reliability, practical and a good drivers car

Dcully

Had a look at a few webbies including that honest johns site and some of them say subaru are consistently in bottom 3 of drivers satisfaction survey the last few years.
I was shocked tbh as 5 or so years ago subaru were consistently in top 10 along with toyota.
I really like subaru but its put a seed of doubt in my head now.

unkel

Dcully wrote:

some of them say subaru are consistently in bottom 3 of drivers satisfaction survey the last few years

I've never seen a result like that. Which ones say that? Any links? Subarus might look like sh!tty 13-in-a-dozen jap boxes with crap interiors, but their reliability should be great. If ever a car does what it says on the tin. The WRC version of the Impreza is most capable

Having said that, a bog standard BMW 1-series 5 door family hatch craps all over the Scooby and, provided the supply of excrement is sufficient, will do same for the likes of the so-called supercar Honda NSX, Nissan Skyline GTR V-Spec, Subaru Impreza GT Turbo, Porsche 996 Carrera, Brabus-Mercedes Benz CLK 5.8, Honda S2000, Aston Martin DB7, Audi S3, Audi S4, Lotus Exige

I haven't a clue why?

bazz26

Well a 1 series with a 3.0 V6 squeezed under the bonnet is hardly a bog standard small family hatch now.

That's like calling the Clio V6 a supermini. :eek:

Plus the Honda NSX is now 15 years old so the Bavarians were bound to catch up eventually.

Dcully

Ok ive decided not to spend as much after all.
I shouldnt be doing huge mileage either but do want a reliable machine.

How do the following sound guys?
03 SEAT Toledo 1.6 17k on the clock for 9,950 with my own.

02 Toyota Corolla 1.4 [new model] 42k on clock 9,950 with my own

01 Passat 1.4 60k on clock 9,950 with my own

Passat is nice but still overpriced imo,slightly tempted.

Corolla is lovely to drive,plus id be sticking with a toyota which i know myself to be super reliable ,very tempted.

What do yas say about toledo guys?
Drives and feels like Passat,is a passat in reality?
Low mileage,nice car,one lady owner,seems high spec with air con,spolier etc but are these reliable?
Sorry to drag this on lads but i want to be sure to be sure