Mr

[Michaelski]

Hi guys (& our equally-important "guyettes") I am looking for some advice, based on either experience or just a gut feeling.

 

I'm now 2 years in to a PCP on a Citigo, (it will have around 17k on it when the 3rd year is up) & it's time to start thinking about what I'm going to do when I am approached by the original Stealership - do I pay off the balance: trade it in for another Citigo, or simply hand the car back?

I currently have a 75 bhp Greentech Elegance - the purchase of this being mainly dictated by the fact that when opted for the 75 bhp, I was more ignorant about the (reputedly small) differences between the 60 bhp & the & 75.

 

I do like the car, & it suits our current motoring needs to a "T", BUT which of the 3 options is the best?

1) If I simply hand it back, I'll be out the some-£7,000 that it will have cost me, although I could easily put in another £3-4 k to take out another PCP, possibly for another Citigo, but I'll now be shelling out some extra £500 in RFL over the next 3 years.

 

2) As regards just paying off the balance, I shall be shelling out some £4500, but I'll be left with a 3 year old car, although I WILL benefit from having the current Sat Nav (now discontinued, so I hear) & I won't have to cough up for the newly-introduced RFL.

 

3) The original PCP was made attractive, by: 1) it was a zero rate of interest  - which now seems to have been replaced by a perhaps 3-5% one:  2) there was a £500 fuel card included as part of the deal - which also now seems to have been discontinued: 3) a Sat Nav was included - which also doesn't now seem to be an option (although I could always buy a new TOTR Tom Tom or Garmin).     Also, (& what REALLY niggles me), is that when I bought the car, I was told by the Salesman that I could use the GFV as a deposit on another car - I now gather that all I'll be able to use as a deposit, will be the DIFFERENCE between the GFV & the value of the car at the end of the PCP.  So, I either had a thick, or a dishonest Salesman - both being equally abhorrent to me.   It's this, more than anything, which prevents me from merely tamely lining up for another Citigo - but probably a 60 bhp Greentech, if I went down that route.

 

So, thanks for your patience in reading this, people, and all comments will be welcome.

 

  

[SashaGrace]

Only you can decide whether or not you want a new car but I will say there are some great deals to be had, also the 0% finance is still on the Citigo and the £500 fuel card comes back and forth a few times a year. The dealer will try hard to get a sale from you as a repeat customer so there's bound to be a better deal on the horizon from them if they are a good dealer. First year tax is still cheaper so you're only spending and extra £280 over the 3 years which is small compared to £7000.

 

There are enough new features on the MY17 Citigo to make it feel different and iirc you'll be able to order the MY17.5 model shortly which will be slightly different externally again

 

Good luck making a decision!!

[Michaelski]

Thanks for the imput, Sasha Grace (although "dumb" you ain't), although I haven't noticed any zero APR rates out there at the moment.   I also believed that the RFL was introduced at £120 for Year One, & then £140 for the next 2 years & equates to (unless I am mistaken) £400 over 3 years, in my book.  I agree that the MY2017 is "different" but although there are some aspects that I like - the twin headlights for one, I bemoan the withdrawal of the Sat Nav/trip Computer facility.

 

And your phrase " good dealer" (IS there such an animal out there???) whilst desirable are as rare as Hens' Teeth.

So I'm still none the wiser, really, my heart says get a new Citigo, my head says either hang onto the one that I have, or simply hand it in: walk away & look for something else.

The trouble is, that I actually liked the Citigo - although I DO NOT trust the Stealer.

[Jonny118118]

Shop around if your're wanting a new Citigo. carwow is good place to start. Auto trader have some nearly new Citigos that look good with very few miles on them. You'll find a perfect match in vehicle and finance somewhere 

[SashaGrace]

Visit Skoda finance offers and it is certainly a 0% PCP on a Citigo, I bought mine on a 0% deal

https://m.skoda.co.uk/offers/citigo/

 

You are right about the tax though, when I skim read the chart I didn't see they had changed the bands so I read only the lowest one! £400 isn't a huge amount of money still in the grand scheme of things.

 

There are many good dealers out there who should be able to trade you into a better car. Ideal world sees a customer going from (as an example) an 18 month old car on a 36 month agreement in to a new car of same or better spec on another 36 month agreement with no cash input from the customer and a payment no more than 10% higher than their existing one. A smart dealer using manufacturer subsidies can do this with approx 10% of their captive finance customers at any point in time. That info comes from someone who's been training dealers for years and I've seen it work very well for customers. Skoda are still doing the £1000 deposit contribution as well as 0% PCP on the Citigo so it is possible to get a good deal if you really want a new car.

 

Personally I'd have preferred an MY17 without the PID as mine doesn't work with my phone at all (again) so I'd have preferred the phone holder myself although the PID does look nicer on the dash.

[Jonny118118]

1 hour ago, SashaGrace said:

Personally I'd have preferred an MY17 without the PID as mine doesn't work with my phone at all (again) so I'd have preferred the phone holder myself although the PID does look nicer on the dash.

I disagree, I think my phone would look better on the dash. Not only that but it's easier and quicker than the PID. Saying that though, they'd need to have the app sorted out!! 

[Michaelski]

To both Sasha Grace & Jonny 118118.

Thanks for that guy (& guyess) & it's a great help.  Unfortunately, & it is a beeeeeeeeeeeeg "unfortunately", WHY do most manufacturers have this notion that everyone is motivated by UTD technology - ie. matching their phone up to some geeky whatnot in the car.   Not all of us are techophiles, & as one who has lived out their allotted 3 score years & 10 (plus now running on no more than fumes) I can't cope with anything "geeky" - & neither do I want to.    My Mobile Phone isn't just coal-fired, it's wind-driven, but it does me for precisely what I want from it - I wouldn't have a Bugs' Clue how to stream music or utilise Bluetooth (I don't even understand what BlueT is, least of all how it works) & I'm blissfully happy in my ignorance.   I CAN (now, after a mere 2 years) work the Sat Nav, & that's good enough for me - I don't want & can't cope with any more technology.  If I don't understand it, then I simply tell myself that I don't want it & I don't need it.

 

So, all I have to do now, is to find myself an enlightened Dealer in exchange for the Stealer that I used 2 years ago - Hmmmmmmmmmm!        I would still prefer another Citigo, as it gives me all that I ask for - the days of me spending 40 Grand on various sets of wheels, & then changing them before they blew out the candles on their 2 years' old birthday cake have long gone: it took me many, many years, & loads & load of my shekels before I became one of the enlightened, but once learned, the lesson sticks.   

 

BUT, do I have to bool my car into the same Stealer who I bought it from, or will ANY Skoda Dealer be happy to finalise the termination of the PCP?

[DaveLees]

Whereabouts in England are you?

There are good dealers out there, let people know (roughly) where you are and you will be pointed in the right direction....... hopefully.

I have used Silbury Skoda for my last few cars and they offer good, fair service.

Edited 16 May, 2017 by DaveLees
Added details of dealer.

[SashaGrace]

If you don't want the phone, you don't want the phone! Nothing wrong with that IMO. The target market for the Citigo is people like me and others my age I guess and I prefer my phone to the PID because it's a bigger screen. Some will prefer the phone on the dash, others the PID, it's personal preference

 

Any dealer will take the car as p/x and you should shop around as if your current dealer is poor a good dealer should waste no time helping you get a better deal and move you into a new car should that be what you want. If you want to keep the PID though I'm not sure what I can say other than see if anyone has an MY16 Citigo left in stock unregistered that they'd sell you but I don't know if there'd be any left.

[Michaelski]

Hi Dave Lees,

Am in the East Riding of Yorkshire (general area of York) & in the surrounding area, it seems to be just one Skoda Dealer who has the this area fairly sewn up.    It's a family-owned Group, and hopefully some of their other garages are more ethical & honest than the one that is the nearest to me - but after all, one can hardly visit another garage of the same Group and say "are you as untrustworthy, & lie through your teeth like the XYZ Dealership"?   Or can one???????????

 

& to S G, I would love to have a phone (like you) but I simply DON'T UNDERSTAND how to work them.  As you (so tactfully) pointed out, they're for people like you & others your age, & NOT for a self-confessed geriatric drop-out.   But we "old uns" DO have Mobiles - they're just not permanently glued to our ears.    Not having a PID as standard doesn't really matter, as I could easily buy a new SOTA sat nav from any place like Halfords.    But understanding how it works????????? now there's the rub.

 

But as I said, I have firstly to decide on which option I go down when the PCP expires.

[SashaGrace]

I guess all I can suggest is look at 'Which' guides who do one for iPhone and Android use. I am wed to my iPhone and wouldn't have an Android device but that's just me. The apple running system is straightforward to learn although I understand that depends on your outlook. A Garmin sat nav that isn't a PID would work and look good on the mount and you could mount it on a PID mount with a charge lead plugged into the USB socket perhaps? 

[Michaelski]

1. Hi S G, (& you wouldn't believe just how warmed I am by you implying that I would actually know the difference between an iPhone & an Android)

Not too long ago, I did actually make some enquiries (from a learne`d Geek) about the difference between my wind-driven Mobile, & a modern swipe phone, but all I really gleaned was that these modern (& highly fashionable) phones allowed one to access the Internet at any time & any where???   Well, I have a lap top that does that, & if an email comes when I'm not glued to it, then it waits until I do bother to look.          As far as streaming music (whatever the hell that is) is concerned, I occasionally play CD's in the car, but mostly I observe silence & obey the (constant stream of) orders that emanate from SWMBO.     So yeah, I accept that I live in the prehistoric past, & try to remain totally unconcerned about it all: it's got me so far through life.   But you remain wedded to your phone.

[DaveLees]

Have you looked at the dealer review section on Briskoda, it may be off assistance, and I would have no qualms about using a different branch of the same dealership, it's amazing how different salespeople behave towards customers.

[Michaelski]

Hi DaveLees,

To be honest, No I haven't.  I was idly waiting for the original Stealer to contact me, & try to brainwash me into  buying another Citigo from them.    DID learn that there's as much room inside a Citigo as in a Fabia - the difference in size is basically extra boot room.

 

But on another tack (what is this, a car or a yacht?) I used an independent garage today for my 2 year Service - £86.73, (£14+ of which was down to the Popes' telephone number) & I watched the mechanic giving it a REALLY good going over: all one hour of it.   Put the Main Dealer to shame, as on my (£140) lst Service that they themselves did, I was in-and-out in less than 30 mins: THIS time I read my paper from front to back before I got bored & wandered off to watch the mechanic in action.

 

So, for anyone in the general area of Hull/Beverley etc, I can thoroughly recommend this "Independent". 

[WaveyDavey]

On ‎15‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 18:19, Michaelski said:

3) The original PCP was made attractive, by: 1) it was a zero rate of interest  - which now seems to have been replaced by a perhaps 3-5% one:  2) there was a £500 fuel card included as part of the deal - which also now seems to have been discontinued:

 

  

 

The mrs got a 0% PCP deal of £123 deposit and £120 a month for 42 months on her colour edition last September along with the £500 fuel card. You may find these better offers/deals are available either side of the new reg dates of 1st March & 1st September each year with not so good deals like you mention in between.

[Michaelski]

Hi Wavey Davey,

Interesting to know:  I initially asked to put down the largest deposit possible (about £3,600 was the maximum permissible - so they told me) & I finished up with £93 pm over 36 months. 

I went for a PCP, because I'm now at the age where I'm definitely running on fumes, & as SWMBO doesn't now drive, I thought that having a PCP would be the best answer for if/when I kicked the bucket - when that happened, she could just tell 'em to collect the car & "go screw themselves".

Having zippo RFL was a bonus: having zero-rate interest on the PCP was an even bigger bonus, & the icing on top of the bun, was receiving the £500 fuel card.   If all of these offers have now been withdrawn (well, WE KNOW that Georgie Boy has reneged & screwed motorists over the RFL) but even with the fact that any new Citigo buyer is going to be lining the governments' pockets by £400 over just 3 years, upping the rate of interest on a PCP, & not being given a fuel card, by my calculations means that I would/possibly may have lost out by somewhere in the region of £1,000 over 3 years.

 

OF COURSE, as Georgie Peorgie has now stiffed the very same motorists that he was brainwashing into buying small & clean cars, he may possibly have shot himself in his own Arras.    Without the inducements of paying for a nil/very small RFL, it is highly conceivable that buyers will now decide to move up a size, in order to have the more room & performance, & City cars will lose much of their once-considerable appeal.    Cars are becoming much more fuel-efficient as the days pass, & other considerations apart, eg. low Insurance & ease of parking, the once-mighty City car may well be much less popular.     Manufacturers could well concentrate their technology & marketing on slightly larger cars - we all know that the larger the car, the larger the profit margin - I was once told that in the heyday of the Mini, Blitish Leyland only made a 10/- profit on each car they produced.

Times, they are achanging!     

Edited 17 May, 2017 by Michaelski

[Citigouk]

On 2017-5-15 at 18:19, Michaelski said:

 

1) If I simply hand it back, I'll be out the some-£7,000 that it will have cost me, although I could easily put in another £3-4 k to take out another PCP, possibly for another Citigo, but I'll now be shelling out some extra £500 in RFL over the next 3 years.

 

2) As regards just paying off the balance, I shall be shelling out some £4500, but I'll be left with a 3 year old car, although I WILL benefit from having the current Sat Nav (now discontinued, so I hear) & I won't have to cough up for the newly-introduced RFL.

 

3) The original PCP was made attractive, by: 1) it was a zero rate of interest  - which now seems to have been replaced by a perhaps 3-5% one:  2) there was a £500 fuel card included as part of the deal - which also now seems to have been discontinued: 3) a Sat Nav was included - which also doesn't now seem to be an option (although I could always buy a new TOTR Tom Tom or Garmin).     Also, (& what REALLY niggles me), is that when I bought the car, I was told by the Salesman that I could use the GFV as a deposit on another car - I now gather that all I'll be able to use as a deposit, will be the DIFFERENCE between the GFV & the value of the car at the end of the PCP.  So, I either had a thick, or a dishonest Salesman - both being equally abhorrent to me.   It's this, more than anything, which prevents me from merely tamely lining up for another Citigo - but probably a 60 bhp Greentech, if I went down that route.

 

 

  

As with the posts above the ultimate decision is upto yourself, but i can understand why you are here seeking recommendations.

 

Firstly i wouldn't be afraid of using the process of handing the vehicle back (this is common is there is little or in some instances no equity), my only recommendation is that prior to its return you protect yourself with:
 

1) Bodyshop inspection report that are BVRLA approved to show the car meets the age and condition's

2) Local tyre and brake inspection report to show the amount of life left in tyres and brakes

3) Clean and tidy on collection

 

There is usually 2 options for the vehicle on collection, its performed by an Auction house on behalf of Skoda and taken to the auction.... or Skoda collect it themselves and offer within their dealer partners a month or so later. Its all very dependant on Skoda.

 

In your second option of paying off the remainder £4500, you will essentially be saving your £93 outlay per month but you will have a 3 years old car which will need things like MOT and brake fluid changes and if i remember correctly the largest service.

 

If i was looking at a newer citigo then i would expect the offer to be very tempting, as you note the 0% is no longer around (but skoda were generally clever on the 0% to have the GFV roughly 50% of the original invoice price to avoid VT opportunities) so paying interest seems a worse deal to many previous owners (me included).

 

Would it be worth seeking out a pre-registered Citigo which was registered prior to the VED changes enforced by the government? I'm sure like many car makers there was an artificial registrations that took place to make numbers and provide some prime used stock.

 

We purchased our new citigo in 2014 via Carwow, just when it launched in the UK. At the time we got 10% discount (my local dealer was giving £50), 0% fiance and first 2 services free of charge.... now you know the 0% and the free servicing offers have disappeared but there maybe greater discount to be had dependent on which citigo and options you wish.

 

Once final thing to note, don't just take the PCP option.... most people with the brexit and economic uncertainty are going back to traditional Hire Purchase as the monthly maybe slightly higher but it offers much more flexibility.

 

Good luck

[Michaelski]

Very many thanks for that, Citigouk, it always helps to have another (& intelligent) school of thought on a contentious subject such as this.

 

IF (the operative word being "if") I could get what seemed to be a really good deal on simply swapping the current car for a new model, then I'd probably do that - & shell out for a SOTA Sat Nav to make up the future lack of one.   A PCP does actually make sense to me, as I'm way past my "sell by date" & when I do fall off my perch, all SWMBO will have to do, is to tell Skoda to come & collect their little car & look either happy or unhappy in the process ( I won't be in the position of being able to give a stuff either way): & her not having the hassle of trying to sell it privately, or risking losing more than what we'd already lashed out - this was precisely why we went down the PCP route in the first place. 

 

Handing it back & going elsewhere for another PCP DOESN'T make that much sense to me, as both SWMBO (who has a large, if not a COLOSSAL impact on whatever we eventually do) & we both very much like the Citigo - it does all that it says on the tin, & no other car (possibly the TOTR Hyundai i10 apart) comes anywhere near.    Spending a few quid on the original Citigo (like having rear parking sensors fitted @ £80: fitting HEKO wind deflectors - which stops the rain from forcing its' way in, & shoeing it with Goodyear 4 Season tyres - the factory-fitted ones were ordure) made it into a highly comfortable & desirable little Tonka Toy.    Capable of easily achieving the legal speed limit (+ another 50%) normal mpg in the extremely high 50's (& 70+ on a decent run): very low Insurance, & (currently) zippo RFL makes it extremely good sense.

 

So, it now seems to come down from the original 3 options to just 2, thank you Citigouk - paying off the balloon element, & keeping the car, seems to be a unjustifiable expense & not a particularly sensible option. 

So it seems to be either throwing the car back & going elsewhere, or going down the trade-in route & looking happy (or unhappy, whichever the case may be) in shelling out for another PCP

?

Of course, I COULD always just hand the car back, & then try for another PCP on a Citigo - or perhaps VAG would see their own Arras & refuse me another PCP - can't really see why, as they're the ones who hold out this particular route as one of the 3 options, but who would ever know.

 

But thanks to all of you guys (& guyesses) who have contributed, and given me the benefit of your learne`d thoughts.

 

Floreat nostra Briskoda!

Edited 19 May, 2017 by Michaelski

[SashaGrace]

I'd just like to make it clear again that Skoda have not withdrawn the 0% finance from the Citigo range, the free fuel offer isn't on right now but the 0% finance offer is very much still available. If you want your monthly expenses to remain similar it makes sense to have another PCP, if you are happy with the car you have but don't want to pay off the balance and want a new/newer car, a nearly new car looks like an option worth pursuing. My local Skoda dealer still had an unregistered MY16 Citigo in stock last month which would qualify for 0% finance however the interest on a 6.9% 'used car' PCP may be less money than the extra road tax on a brand new one. Worth noting are the extra touches added to the Citigo since they first came out, both window switches are present on the drivers door now, there's a boot light and parcel shelf strings etc as part of the standard spec.

 

For reference my car, which is a Monte Carlo was £500 deposit and £127 per month. Every £500 extra deposit you put in drops the payments by £12 per month.

 

Please see the attached

 

Edited 19 May, 2017 by SashaGrace
Added picture

[Michaelski]

Thanks for that, SashaG,

In view of what the kind contributors to my initial enquiry have said, I reckon that I'll just have to wait & see what the Stealer has to say when my time up is approaching.   I somehow gleaned the impression that they would make contact with me at some stage very early in the 3rd year (which is due in the next few weeks), and I suppose that will be the time when I find out if I was simply stiffed/lied to by the Salesman when I purchased the car, or whether I may find that I'm agreeably surprised.

I've done quite a fair amount of "homework" & asked a number of people with similar cars, and (& more than anything) based on my experience of the Citigo, I reckon that I would be very hard pushed to buy a better car than it - I find that neither the Mii or indeed the Up actually takes my fancy as the Citigo does.  

But, and as you so rightly point out, in the greater scheme of things, the lack of a £500 fuel car counts for very little, & even paying anything more than a zero interest rate on a PCP (even 3.5%), would only even out at some £20 pm more.  My current PCP is less than £95 pm, but having to be honest, shelling out some £150 pm wouldn't be an intolerable burden.

 

OF COURSE, if there's virtually zippo to lodge as a further deposit from the handing back of my current car, against another PCP then the whole playing field would change.   If I'm left with say just £1,000 excess of trade-in over GFV (which is what I fear could happen), then anything but a zero rate of interest would bring a whole different aspect to the equation - having to take something like £10,000 on a PCP (especially at even 4%) would probably cause me to think again.  

 

My 2015 model already has 2 x window switches on the drivers' door: I purchased (for less than a Fiver) a portable LED Boot Light, & the lack of the "strings" on the parcel shelf doesn't bother me one whit - one only forgets to manually lower the parcel shelf once, & the lesson seems to stay for ever.  

So, we shall see what we see, when we see it, will Skoda be really wanting "repeat" customers, or are they working on the basis that it they lose one mug, there's always another lurking round the corner?

[SashaGrace]

As a repeat customer and with some equity left in your current car it's not unreasonable to expect to be driving away a new Citigo for around the £120 per month marker depending on spec. The offer I can see for a colour edition car right now which is a good standard spec (includes air conditioning, remote locking, alloy wheels, free paint colour choices, tinted rear windows etc) is £751.52 deposit and £135 per month on a 35,000 mile 42 month agreement. That's with no equity in your current car and as a new customer. You should feasibly do a bit better as a repeat customer. 1 months deposit makes it £145 from memory so a straight £145 per month for 36 months.

 

I'm sure you don't forget to put the shelf down after the first time!! I've never done it yet but I know I'm bound to push mine up and leave it there one day soon!!

[Miller73]

Unless you put down a decent deposit to begin with I doubt there will be any Citigo that has any equity in it at the end of the standard 36/42 month PCP agreement....

[Michaelski]

Well, SashaG, Thanks for the info, & indeed every other kind soul who's contributed - everyones' opinion is well worthwhile listening to, & I'll find out the definitive answer in due course. 

The Citigo is not the out-&-out best City car in the world, but it's better than most, & suits SWMBO & myself admirably - 2 of the features that are a "must" in our book, are the heated front seats, & being able to have a 5 door model - both of which the Citigo has.  The Sat Nav (whilst very desirable) can easily be substituted by a SOTA Tom Tom or Garmin, so no great loss there.  On the other hand, the trip computer is extremely handy, but "perhaps"??? that's catered for in the MY2017 model?

 

And don't fret yourself about leaving the shelf up: as you can't not see not nuffinski through the rvm when it is left up, if you're moving off, it entails having to get out: open the boot, & ram the shelf down (together with suitable expletives as matching accessories) & the lesson tends to stick.  

 

& to Miller73, Well yippety-doo for that (although it's not any more than I was realistically expecting) even though I did lodge the maximum deposit allowable - around £3.600 from memory..  But as Sasha G says, the worst (I suppose) is that I'd have to finish up by handing the car back to VAG, & start off from scratch again - although this time, I think that I'd go with the MINIMUM deposit that I could get away with, & pay a higher monthly amount.        Mind you, it makes you think that if the majority of owners who went down the PCP route, lodged the minimum deposit that they could, & therefore have little/no equity in the vehicle at the end of the PCP period, there's gunna be a whole shedload of 3 or 3 1/2 year old Citigo's swamping the garage Parking Lots.   It seems feasible to think that all VAG would do, would be to offload their numerous returned cars to their appropriate Dealers, & tell them to get rid by any means!!!    

[Miller73]

I think minimum deposit is the way to go with any 0% PCP deal, that way you don't have to stump up a chunk of cash upfront for a depreciating asset. Even with only the minimum £100 deposit I put down I'm only paying £117 a month, which is nothing really for 3 years of trouble free motoring. Final payment is £3700, and I would expect its part ex value then would be about £3000 so I will have a decision to make...

Edited 21 May, 2017 by Miller73

[Michaelski]

Hi Miller73,

It sounds as though you have a really good deal - especially as regards the option-to-buy amount.   Although at a quick calculation, you possibly bought at a shade over 8k?   I lodged as much as I was allowed - around £3,600 as a deposit: pay around £94 pm (over 36 months) & the option-to-buy payment is (from memory) £4,600.   Adding that little lot together it totals some £11,600 - which is about what the thing cost overall.    So providing that there's a residual £4,600 value on the car at the expiry of the PCP, there's no way that VAG could actually lose.   One way or another, I will have shelled out around 7 Grand over the 3 years - fair enough in the circumstances, I suppose,  as the rate of depreciation, assuming that I'd bought outright, wouldn't be all that much different.    I suppose that VAG will have done their homework, and calculated that the anticipated value of the car at 3 years old & 19000 miles, will be somewhere around their GFV of £4,600.   I'm just happy that the PCP interest rate was zippo.

I'll just have to wait & see what "deals" are out there when the time comes to make a decision.