Change or buy?

[Gerrycan]

@JohnK I think you are probably making the best decision because of the uncertainty around the WLTP forced changes. Historically the car industries first response to new emission standards are fraught with compromises, or cheats... hopefully history does not repeat itself but the difficulties that companies have experienced with production and publishing results is not a good indicator of a 'seamless' transition.

£6k seems like a good outlay for a good low mileage car with known history which meets most of your needs.

I do have the estate version and that bit of extra room has proven to be really useful on quite a few occasions plus it looks better than the sedan imo

Even so I have toyed with the idea of putting a tow-ball on but the price here is Aus is astronomically high for the Octavia and so I worked around the occasional need, I also rationalise my decision that I am not carrying unnecessary weight around all the time. In your case the sedan/hatchback is still more practical compared to most of its competitors anyway.

 

Be interested to hear how you go with the Kia hybrid but my experience with the Hyundai/Kia brands are that the test drives can be quite beguiling but ownership satisfaction was nowhere near as high as I hoped (others will disagree of course). 

we had a hire Kia 1.6d Ceed hatch in the UK last year. Not a bad package but reversing was a challenge with poor sight lines, distorting wing mirrors, low quality reversing camera and iffy sensors. Having to reverse 200 metres back up a very narrow Cornish road when confronted with a very large tractor and haywain was a daylight nightmare that I would not have thought twice about in my Octavia estate. That is not something you normally pick up during a test drive.

 

 

Edited 25 September, 2018 by Gerrycan

[gRoberts]

The reason I renewed my lease was purely because of how unreliable the used market is right now 

 

All the cars in a similar price range (i.e. 2-4k) despite having FSH, were wrecks.

 

Even with everything going on £4500 for 2 years of trouble free motoring given my past (crap cars) is my idea of Bliss.

[JohnK]

I have to say, having this space to share my thoughts, gather opinions, and make up my mind has really helped. So thanks again everyone

I know it's not a Skoda, but I'll share my thoughts here on the Niro later. The only other car I briefly considered was the Toyota Auris estate hybrid, especially as it's on 0% PCP right now, but I don't think it's right for me.

[threadbear]

36 minutes ago, JohnK said:

I have to say, having this space to share my thoughts, gather opinions, and make up my mind has really helped. So thanks again everyone

I know it's not a Skoda, but I'll share my thoughts here on the Niro later. The only other car I briefly considered was the Toyota Auris estate hybrid, especially as it's on 0% PCP right now, but I don't think it's right for me.

Don’t forget the current Toyota Auris is on the way out soon. I did consider an Auris Hybrid myself but decided against as my driving profile would be mostly on the screaming 1.8 engine climbing a long Hill to the M20 on my journey to work. 

[JohnK]

I decided against trying the Auris, but I have just driven the Kia Niro. Really nice car and very comfortable, but a bit small for my needs. I'll be recommending it to my parents who are after an automatic with a good driving position.

 

Also, my partner - who has recently learned to drive in a little Fiesta - has come to really like driving my car. She was nervous to begin with, but is now doing tricky solo trips around the area. Seeing as we have a car that suits both of us, why change?

[shyVRS245]

29 minutes ago, JohnK said:

I decided against trying the Auris, but I have just driven the Kia Niro. Really nice car and very comfortable, but a bit small for my needs. I'll be recommending it to my parents who are after an automatic with a good driving position.

 

Also, my partner - who has recently learned to drive in a little Fiesta - has come to really like driving my car. She was nervous to begin with, but is now doing tricky solo trips around the area. Seeing as we have a car that suits both of us, why change?

I think you came to the right conclusion for you and your partner plus anything compared to an Octavia seems on the small/less practical side. There is nothing on the market that offers me room for 5 adults plus a massive 590litre boot (hatch). I recently squeezed 7 large suitcases in the car and still had room for myself and SWMBO.

[JohnK]

Back again

I've been pretty happy with my decision to stick with my SE+, but then I had a text notification of a Black Friday Cost Price event at the dealership.

I've done a bit of homework, but I'm not sure what savings to expect or what other things I should be looking out for. Any advice?

As before, I'll be starting from the position that my current car is perfectly fine, so they'll have to have something *really* good if I'm going to change.

[Ootohere]

^^^ Hold off,

see the Asking Prices for Black Friday, see how poor the sales are and wait until they are more desperate to shift cars before the end of the last quarter,

pre Christmas & New Year / 2019.  

They will even more desperate to shift Pre March 2019 and new Reg, and Pre Brexit. 

Edited 22 November, 2018 by Offski

[MarkyG82]

^^^what he said.  Feb is the best time to find a new car deal as they are trying to shift stock before the new plates come in, new financial year starts and in this case brexit. 

[JohnK]

Excellent points both. Thanks

[JohnK]

Well, that was interesting.

 

Basically, I'm being offered an SE L 1.5l estate for £18.6k after the deposit contribution, and with a Winter pack and spare wheel.

 

So still more than the lowest Carwow offer, but with free extras. And the offer is good past this weekend, it seems.

 

My instinct says that it's a pretty good deal, but I'm going to think about it.