Looks Ok then eh!!! Nice one.

I think you also lose the rear door pins, and the alarm may now be Thatcham Cat1 - I forget when that changed.

I'm probably being really thick, but what are "rear door pins"?!?

I'm probably being really thick, but what are "rear door pins"?!?

The little silvery bits sticking out of the rear doors, allowing you to lock them from the inside They're still on my March 2004 model

For info I have got one-touch indicators, so they came in earlier than the facelift models.

Steve

Fuel economy is important to me - so does the new models closer ratio mean that fuel conomy is worse than in the older models ? Is it just the final gear ratio that is different?

Apparently the new model is slightly worse for fuel economy (because of the gearing), but -having said that- my dad used mine for a long motorway journey last week and he managed to average 60mpg!

As far as I know Stu. All 2005 models are Thatcham Cat I. All others Cat 2

AFAIK cat2 only applies to immobilisers. If it's a linked alarm/immobiliser then it's cat1. Think the real issue is whether the early ones were thatcham approved, not whether they are cat1 or 2.

This is a really interesting thread actually as the missus is hopefully going to order a new vRS within the next couple of months (hopefully once she has a drive she'll realise it's worth the extra over an Ibiza sport! )

As someone said, the prices of used ones are astronomical so it actually makes more sense to buy new, assuming you get a bit off list!

centre 3-point seat belt standard from '04 onwards also.

makes a huge difference in everyday driving - fuel economy is better, car is MUCH faster through the corners etc,etc i wouldnt be without the little cloth strappy fella!

spose what i'm trying to say is (apart from the gear box ratio) all of these subtle tweaks to the spec dont mean jack to the average driver and whatever model/year VRS you buy you'll get a good car (older ones are cheaper remember also).

Steve

You say that, but since residuals are very high at the moment, the diff between a brand new one (with discount) and an average used one from late 03 is only about 800 quid, so im a bit in two minds as to what to do !!

Steve

You say that' date=' but since residuals are very high at the moment, the diff between a brand new one (with discount) and an average used one from late 03 is only about 800 quid, so im a bit in two minds as to what to do !![/quote']

A new one will mean you have to wait 10 weeks or so, maybe more if you want specific options. You can have a second hand one now. However, residuals aren't going to stay this strong for long as the second hand market gets inundated with 3 year old models in a year's time. You have to ask yourself will you lose more on a used car or a new one

Chris

Steve

You say that' date=' but since residuals are very high at the moment, the diff between a brand new one (with discount) and an average used one from late 03 is only about 800 quid, so im a bit in two minds as to what to do !![/quote']

If its only 800 squid you really ought to get a new one, then you have a car that will be worth more when you come to sell it. Say you keep it for 3 years, you will be selling a 3 year old car instead of a 5/6 year old and will probably recoup that 800 extra anyway.

hmm do i make sense?

absolutely, makes perfect sense.

I have a couple of other variables in my equation though:

1) I have a

I'd take the 53. In fact I did. I was going to get a new one as I wanted Black Magic, but went for the Red 53 (this was last year) as it was cheaper, sitting there ready to drive off*, had some extras which would have been more in a new car, and because my car at the time had no head gasket and I wanted to drive ASAP.

I see the new ones and it doesn't make me wish I'd got one new. I know I may make more cash back if I had had a new one, but I don't intend to sell it after 3 years. I'll probably keep it until it's literally not working anymore. I'd rather buy a house now than a new car.

*not quite true, as the battery was flat and they had it in the garage chaging it but, hey, it sounds good

as for how long i keep the car - I'd likely keep a 53 plate for 1 year. Assuming 18k on the clock now, that would in a year be around 46-48k, and there will be around

however if I kept the 53 plate for 2 years again there would be little or no finance to settle, but the car would be 3 1/2 years old and have 74-78k on the clock.

arghhhh

When I picked my car up ('05 VRS) the salesman at Simpsons said that the updates were :

Non-Reflective Coating on the top of the Dash

Wider Track Rear Suspension with revised damping

Different Lights.

Not sure if anyone else has heard about the suspension revisions?

centre 3-point seat belt standard from '04 onwards also.

and with that comes a yet another new bleep and light on dash if seats are folded!

Wider Track Rear Suspension with revised damping

Not sure if anyone else has heard about the suspension revisions?

Very interesting - anyone with further info ?

Ta

Ben

I think the new is the better option and as long as you are flexible with spec you can usually find a car in the UK. My local dealer makes regualr orders to keep the flow coming and it seems to work. Both ours were available at short notice.

There aren't many cars where you will find yourself saying it's better to buy new as depreciation is so heavy but while depreciation on the Skuds is low it has to be the way forward.

Ive just done the sums in a bit more detail, and making some estimations wrt depreciation and cant see much in it either way now....need to think on this one some more....