Insearchofaskoda

But it's Southampton ... google maps reckons 2 hours but I remember travelling that route years ago and in real life the haul down the M40 and then A34 used to be brutal.... still it could be an interesting day out even if I don't buy.

Impressive! Perhaps a cheaper start is simply the way to go? i.e. there's a 230 with 16K miles on the clock that's peaked my interest that's in my budget range and could probably stand to have a few quid knocked off.. which I could use on a subtle remap .. doesn't need to be 329bhp though... that is really impressive.

Hi Yes am getting the sense that I'm gonna have to spend some time on the road to get what I would like. The rest of the gang have me thinking I should wait on a 245 model but I'm not sure if the extras are worth waiting on a better specced car that will inevitably command a premium. I've seen a DSG 230 same colour as yours in my budget that looks like it may have a few pounds left could be knocked off the price. So given your remap what does your 230 turn into?

Thanks I acknowledge that in that price bracket there are many more 245s to choose from, trouble is, it's not my price bracket 🙂 My max is hovering round the 17k mark and that's a little more challenging. It's also especially frustrating when you investigate further and look up insurance quotes by registration only to be told that the car your interested in is worth many thousands of pound less in value than it is being advertised for sale..... not a few pounds less but many thousands less. Further investigation has WBAC telling you the same. Now I acknowledge that a dealership needs to make some profit but we're talking 3 to 4 and 5k in some instances and when you see that cars displayed... their condition belies the value being asked in most all cases.

Thanks Scott, I'm staying clear of leasing or PCP financing and simply using a good old personal loan. Plan is to keep the car for a good many years as my mileage these days is going to be between 5000 and 8000 miles perhaps even lower. While I appreciate I could probably get a PCP for a new car at similar monthly payments it does mean that I never own the car... and I'm at the point where I'd like something I own at the end of my payment period. Net result I'm looking to maximize what I can get and still afford the payments. The other advice I've received from everyone is to Test Drive a car.... easier said than done these days. There are so few available that I have to make an appointment to drive something that's miles away from where I live and may not be the car I'm interested in. It doesn't feel right to mess about a dealer but I'm not sure how else I achieve a test drive. I can actually see why a load of people are buying cars without test driving them... while there is some excitement in a car purchase.... the logistics side is certainly not it.

Thanks Kenai Yes what you say makes sense. Am not really in a hurry, however , I do note that the cars coming up you mention are pricey. There is a red one done 41000 miles that’s a reasonable £16.2k but I can also get a 230 that’s done 16000 miles for £15.4k. To me a car that’s done 41000 miles has done close on 5 years worth of travelling (in my hands). While I like the idea of a 245 the 19” wheels scare the hell out of me..... expensive to replace and hard on the ride.... would prefer the 18s but frankly at the right price I’d accept the 19s and replace them. (Have a family member has a golf R on 19s and its a terrible ride). I do like the idea of some of the other standard equipment but there are precious few to choose from at the moment so will need to be very patient. First time without my own car for more years than I’d like to admit.

Hi - yes thanks I've seen both of your posts thanks. I've been scouring the likes of Autotrader, CarGurus and Heycar. There is one I've got my eye on... but given the weird position we're all in right now I can take my time and wait if I need to. There-in lies part of the problem... do I wait.. see how the market plays out and see if the market drops off a bit or do I fill the rectangular space on my drive with something now.

Hi Folks Need a new (to me) car. I think I have narrowed it down to a Skoda Octavia VRS Petrol and I think I'd like it to be a facelift version. The search is quite an interesting one given when you look at how many are available they are like hen's teeth scattered around the country. Additionally they seem to be quite pricey so finding something is proving a challenge. I think my budget has to be between 15 to 17k (the lower the better though) or at least that budget seems possible...though restrictive. Would like an auto, Colour could be grey, black, blue or red (so fairly flexible on colour). Ideally the red stitched interior over silver but frankly if the car was auto, had decent low mileage then I think anything else on top would be a bonus. Wheels, while I like the 19's I think the 18's would be better to live with and more economical in terms of running costs? So - while it looks like most in that budget are 230hp, there are a few 245's that pop up from time to time but mostly manuals. Is it preferable to take a low mileage 230 or a higher mileage 245? Or simply wait and stretch to top end of budget for a 245? Also, I've no idea what dealers are like these days on their prices, I've not had to buy a car for so long. Is the advertised price the price I pay... or can I realistically expect to negotiate a few pennies off? What are you views? Thanks for your feedback Phil

Afternoon all, So the username says it all. I'm a long time company car driver, unfortunately the company ditched the scheme and now have to find my own. Have been fortunate enough to drive a few company cars over the years starting with a Vauxhall Vectra (okay okay just remember it was a company car), then a few Ford Mondeos, followed by a 320D BMW, then a brilliant Golf GTD followed by a few BMW330e's. In fact the last 330e went back last week leaving me car-less. I fancied a VAG product as while the BMW 330es were great they're frankly impractical beyond driving 4 people around albeit quickly and in some instances very cheaply, the flexible little Golf GTD had me looking for something like the GTI but bigger and on a budget and so here I am. I hope you won't mind me asking some silly questions narrowing down my search. Regards Phil