What's it worth?

[JonathanK]

I've been toying with the idea of swapping my V6 Edition 100 for a Renault Laguna Coupe with a 235bhp V6 diesel. Kids have departed and I don't really need a 4 door saloon but I like V6 diesels as a daily driver.

What has shocked my is the prices I've been offered for my super Superb. With 67k and fsh one dealer offered me £2600 against a £15k 23k miler Laguna and another £3.5k against a slightly older £12k 23k miler.

Intersestingly there is an exact replica of my Superb on Autotrader but with 47k instead of 67k http://bit.ly/11TdEJb.

[Robbo Cop]

Jonathan, you're probably better off selling privately ... 

 

Best of luck,

 

Rob

[JonathanK]

I thought times in the motor trade were tough. Can my Superb be worth so little? For that kind of money I might as well keep it until it dies. Unfortunately, I've had it 5 years and I get bored easily. Given that these things seem to go on forever, at 56 it could be the last car I ever own.

[jimbof]

a lot of money to get into a car which isn't really any "better"!

[ericsuperbee]

Unfortunately you are trying to trade in a large engined, obsolete model with a hefty RFL and insurance cost - not the sort of thing a dealer can move on quickly. I guessed / knew I would be in for a depreciation hammering when I bought mine nearly 7 years ago - but for the motoring pleasure it's given me I don't regret at all.

If you want to console yourself a little - check out prices on Phaetons - then you will really know what depreciation is!!

[Sheldon.Cooper]

Stay well clear of Renault Lagunas.

 

You will be VERY sorry if you change your Skoda for one of those.

 

Lots of toys, good looks but THE worst reliability ever.

 

THEY ARE 3 YEAR, 30000 MILE CARS

 

GET RID OF THEM WHEN THE FIRST ONE OF THESE MILESTONES IS REACHED

[thescudd]

i would have to agree with the above statement, Renault must be the worst car on the road.

[Steven89]

In my opinion... It's French ? Why would you jeopardise the reliability of a skoda over 2 less doors ?

[rotodiesel]

Compare the change in market share in the UK of Renault and "Skoda" (brand name of VAG) and consider carefully why Renault are virtually doing no useful business now in the UK. (clue: unreliable).

 

The Mk1 Superb was a lemon of a model and was really only of any use at all as a 1.9 diesel - and then only if you had the right job for it. The petrol cars are really a joke now in terms of total running costs and are worth little more than their scrap value. A good 1.9 diesel is a useful motorway hack/towcar.

 

rotodiesel.

Edited 27 July, 2013 by rotodiesel

[Ser3J]

Wow rotodiesel.  That is not a very balanced appraisal.

 

JonathanK - very frustrating but as suggested, the big engined Superb has a limited market but so I suspect does the V6 Laguna.  If you enjoy your car and it is a 'good' one (i.e. little rust and design flaws sorted) then the best value by far would be to keep it until it becomes uneconomical to repair.

 

I chose a 'lemon' Mk1 Superb because it is a well built car (For its budget), easy to work on, large enough to occasionally tow my Midget/Trailer (about 1100kg) to track days in addition to being comfortable/safer than the midget in the worst winter weather.  Thus I picked an unloved engine (1.8T) since the relative lack of fuel economy dropped the price of a nice 8 year old car to something I was happy to pay.  It could just as easily have been the V6 diesel except those cars still hold more (Albeit falling) value.  I admit that I represent a tiny proportion of the used car market since I do not commute to work and only use a car for pleasure or at weekends for shopping/visits etc so that is why your/my car is 'worth' so little to the majority.

 

I do agree that the 1.9 Tdi is a very robust/long lived engine (Normal caveats of correct servicing etc apply) however, they are noisy, somewhat crude and have achieved a cult status that keeps the price now artificially high.  The petrol engines are smooth, quieter and despite being thirsty are far from being a 'joke'.

[rotodiesel]

Backed up by the relative resale values.

 

Remember that since the last B5.5 Superb was built, the politicians have increased both fuel duty and VED for high emission vehicles. This has the effect of distorting market values disproportionately as vehicles get older. Pound/dollar movements have further increased the cost of fuel.

 

I've driven all of the variants of the B5.5 except the 2.0 (why did they bother?). At a steady 70 mph with cruise selected on a flat motorway with no headwind, my 1.9 PD will do a genuine 55 mpg - brim to brim. Tyre noise is well above the level of engine noise.

 

The marketplace now knows this - and what happens to the other diesel engine options (oil pump drive or VP44, take your pick). You can't fool the Trade, even if there are some less well informed purchasers around.

 

rotodiesel.

Edited 27 July, 2013 by rotodiesel

[Ser3J]

I am not knocking your clear passion/knowledge/bias for the 1.9 PD - as I said it is a strong engine.  I also agree that the 2.0 was released with an unacceptable built in flaw.

 

But righting off all other variants without taking into account age/condition use of the prospective vehicle is simply not a balanced view.  A pre '06 1.8T doesn't get hammered on RFL and is cheap to service.  I have agreed that it is thirsty but it is also much cheaper to buy at this stage than the equivalent 1.9 PD.  

 

A minimum of £1000 difference buys a a fair bit of extra required unleaded in a car that has probably seen less use to start with.  Perhaps I am simply part of the less informed purchasers?  All kidding aside, I suspect we are thinking along similar lines; you have provided a great deal of superb technical assistance in this forum but you must admit that such strong generalisation shows less knowledge than you usually provide?

[Gaz]

I love my Lemony V6  :sun:

 

It's all a bit subjective really.  There are good cars and there are bad cars.  My next door neighbour has a 1997 Megane.  A car I wouldn't waste spit on if it were alight.  It's been possibly one of most astonishing cars for reliability in the 13 years I've known it.  Even 'orrible cars can be great, and great cars can be lemons. 

 

On topic, the risks in my opinion are high if you go for a Laguna, but it's your choice.  There's nothing wrong with being bored, stick with it, there are worse things than being bored with a car.

 

Just my tuppenyworth and of no particular value.

 

Gaz

[jimbof]

I've driven all of the variants of the B5.5 except the 2.0 (why did they bother?). At a steady 70 mph with cruise selected on a flat motorway with no headwind, my 1.9 PD will do a genuine 55 mpg - brim to brim. Tyre noise is well above the level of engine noise.

At the risk of taking this off topic - is this allowing for a warmup at the beginning / end and time off the motroway, or between service stations on the motorway once the car is warmed up already?

Kind of academic - we don't have motorways in Norfolk, heck we've only just got diesel... I can get 53-54 indicated on the trip at 70 (1mpg out against brim to brim) - but as soon as I hit one of the few hills or have to stop for the A11 roundabouts'o'fun I'm way down.

Oh for some road investment :(

[rotodiesel]

You will never get anything like the economy of a manual transmission with a slushbox auto. Hence the DSG - when they get it to work reliably and properly under all conditions such as reversing slowly uphill.

 

My figures were measured on a London - Birmingham - London trip (one way loaded) along a quiet M40 with minimal driving in Birmingham and a refuel in London. Summer diesel was used in cool, still weather conditions.

 

rotodiesel.

Edited 30 July, 2013 by rotodiesel

[jimbof]

Well I guess I can't complain too much about the slushbox... did 48MPG easily today (70mph where allowed) on the following route: http://goo.gl/maps/h2U0

Worth the few MPG for the relaxing experience.