Advice needed: seeking comfortable, automatic car ~R100k

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Sodan

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EDIT: Okay, increasing the budget: R200k max, but then the car's gotta last me a long time (8+ years).

Hi guys and girls

So, I'm in the market for a comfortable, automatic (hopefully fuel-efficient) car. Main purpose it to get to work and back (40km round trip).

The criteria, in order of priority (highest first) is:

  1. Comfortable - The wifey has an A4, and I am now simply too spoilt by it. Also, I had an operation on the rear-end earlier this year, so seating comfort is a need-to-have.
  2. Fuel-efficient - 6l/100km and under would be nice.
  3. Can be small - basically just for me. Family trips will be done with the wifey's A4.
  4. Automatic - yaaa.... I'm lazy. EDIT: lowering the priority of it being an auto
  5. Budget: About R150k. (I may be willing to spend a bit more)
  6. Mileage: Say max 120k km (or thereabouts).
 
Last edited:
Sodan said:
Hi guys and girls

So, I'm in the market for a comfortable, automatic (hopefully fuel-efficient) car. Main purpose it to get to work and back (40km round trip).

The criteria, in order of priority (highest first) is:

  1. Comfortable - The wifey has an A4, and I am now simply too spoilt by it. Also, I had an operation on the rear-end earlier this year, so seating comfort is a need-to-have.
  2. Automatic - yaaa.... I'm lazy.
  3. Fuel-efficient - 6l/100km and under would be nice.
  4. Can be small - basically just for me. Family trips will be done with the wifey's A4.
  5. Budget: About R100k. (I may be willing to spend a bit more)
  6. Mileage: Say max 120k km (or thereabouts).
Click to expand...

I think you will struggle to find an auto @ 6l/100km. They're generally higher consumers than manuals.
 
Asking for the moon me thinks.

Perhaps take a look at a Jazz if it's just for you because it's super practical, which is important when the other car in the family is a sedan.

The hybrid may be the only variant to meet those sort of fuel consumption targets, the 1.3 CVT might also get close.
Found you a nice hybrid here http://www.autotrader.co.za/used-ca...-hybrid--fpa-8a81c7db56bc3a330156ea3e8b6337e2

While it's a little far away from you it's a good indication of what you can consider.
 
GMAN03 said:
Asking for the moon me thinks.

Perhaps take a look at a Jazz if it's just for you because it's super practical, which is important when the other car in the family is a sedan.

The hybrid may be the only variant to meet those sort of fuel consumption targets, the 1.3 CVT might also get close.
Found you a nice hybrid here http://www.autotrader.co.za/used-ca...-hybrid--fpa-8a81c7db56bc3a330156ea3e8b6337e2

While it's a little far away from you it's a good indication of what you can consider.
Click to expand...

A bit of a tall order, I know, but a man can try, right? And that Jazz looks like a solid contender :)

Gtx Gaming said:
You can get TOYOTA PRIUS which fit those needs.

https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-cars-ba...oyota-prius-1-5-cvt/1001771437420910360119109

That one is out of your budget but quite low KM.
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Johnatan56 said:
Yeah, was going to say Prius.
Have one in the family, average about 5l/100, 5.6l with my lead foot.
Click to expand...

Holy smokes, that Prius is stunning! R150k is my absolute max, so just stretching it ever so slightly (considering the stupid on-the-road costs, and the cost of getting it to CT).

Since this is in Gauteng, do you know what realistic recourse would I have if something goes wrong once I have it in CT? I've never bought so far away, so not too how that would work.
Also, what's the service fees on your Prius?
And lastly, is the driver's seat nice and comfy? I used to drive a tazz, which I thought was "comfortable enough". But then I drove the wifey's A4 with those soft leather seats, and suddenly a whole new world of comfortable seating revealed itself to me.
 
The Prius pricing and mileage don't match, it seems a bit off.
The Yaris Hybrid, Honda Insight and Honda Jazz Hybrid matches your closet fuel efficient requirement. The Yaris, Picanto, Swift & Jazz are your closet match for automatic petrol fuel efficiency. The Honda Jazz 1.3 petrol or Hybrid would be them most comfortable out of these.
 
Sodan said:
A bit of a tall order, I know, but a man can try, right? And that Jazz looks like a solid contender :)
Holy smokes, that Prius is stunning! R150k is my absolute max, so just stretching it ever so slightly (considering the stupid on-the-road costs, and the cost of getting it to CT).

Since this is in Gauteng, do you know what realistic recourse would I have if something goes wrong once I have it in CT? I've never bought so far away, so not too how that would work.
Also, what's the service fees on your Prius?
And lastly, is the driver's seat nice and comfy? I used to drive a tazz, which I thought was "comfortable enough". But then I drove the wifey's A4 with those soft leather seats, and suddenly a whole new world of comfortable seating revealed itself to me.
Click to expand...

Not sure what the service is, was not involved with that. Seats are quite comfortable, why don't you ask if you can test drive?

Be careful of the mileage, seems fishy for a car from 2008. At a certain mileage, think is was around 150 000 km, you may need to swap out the battery, which can be costly.
(Toyota clearly has confidence in its battery packs, and offers an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty in most states. In states that adopt California's emissions regulations, that rises to 10-years/150,000-miles. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1078138_toyota-hybrid-battery-replacement-cost-guide)
 
W203 Mercedes Benz C180 or C200. Might not get 6l/100km, but hey, it's a beautiful car and should tick all the other boxes.
 
MIA7171 said:
The Prius pricing and mileage don't match, it seems a bit off.
The Yaris Hybrid, Honda Insight and Honda Jazz Hybrid matches your closet fuel efficient requirement. The Yaris, Picanto, Swift & Jazz are your closet match for automatic petrol fuel efficiency. The Honda Jazz 1.3 petrol or Hybrid would be them most comfortable out of these.
Click to expand...

Johnatan56 said:
Not sure what the service is, was not involved with that. Seats are quite comfortable, why don't you ask if you can test drive?

Be careful of the mileage, seems fishy for a car from 2008.
Click to expand...

I do find that other Prius' of similar age have about 200k kms on the clock. But how would I be able to verify that the claimed mileage is indeed correct?

At a certain mileage, think is was around 150 000 km, you may need to swap out the battery, which can be costly.
(Toyota clearly has confidence in its battery packs, and offers an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty in most states. In states that adopt California's emissions regulations, that rises to 10-years/150,000-miles. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1078138_toyota-hybrid-battery-replacement-cost-guide)
Click to expand...

Good to know. I've read up (a little bit) on the Prius, and Toyota does appear to have a lot of confidence in their batteries.

Jewpacabra said:
W203 Mercedes Benz C180 or C200. Might not get 6l/100km, but hey, it's a beautiful car and should tick all the other boxes.
Click to expand...

They do look beautiful! But I'm not finding any within my max mileage, though. The only c180/200s being advertised that specify w203 are from 2003/2004, and have 200k+ kms. Am I searching incorrectly?

Coasti said:
Kia Cerato

http://www.autotrader.co.za/used-cars/kia/cerato/2010-kia-cerato-sedan-1.6-ex-auto--fpa-eb860c820ac4446dbf6d4a0ad116a9d2
Click to expand...

Looking at the gear lever, that looks like a manual?
 
neilronaldson said:
Auto's are not fuel efficient - you lucky to get under 12l/100km in a small engined auto...
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I've come to realize that :(

The hybrids, however, appear to be my best bet. Prius is currently top of the list. If I was prepared to go to R200k (which I'm not), I'd have gone for the ct200h.
Next best is probably Jazz hybrid, though I am yet to determine how comfy the seating is (when compared to the wifey's A4 with soft leather seats).
I am also starting to consider the Honda Insight.

I think those are probably my only realistic options.

(ps: Yaris - I'm rather skeptical about the comfort levels. I used to have a Tazz, and thought it "okay". But then came the wifey's A4, and I realized how uncomfortable I actually was in driving the Tazz)
 
neilronaldson said:
Auto's are not fuel efficient - you lucky to get under 12l/100km in a small engined auto...
Click to expand...

While not efficient, that's a ridiculous figure. I have a 2.0L Avensis auto that avgs around 11l/100km , mostly town driving. Long distance I can work around the 9l/100km mark or less. Smaller engine should be less than that, I'd imagine around the 8-10l/100km mark.
 
Sodan said:
They do look beautiful! But I'm not finding any within my max mileage, though. The only c180/200s being advertised that specify w203 are from 2003/2004, and have 200k+ kms. Am I searching incorrectly?
Click to expand...

Yeah forgot to mention, search for the 2004 and up models (facelift). Regret selling mine for an unreliable Golf :cry:
 
Sodan said:
I found this Honda Insight. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Looks reasonable. I'm not a huge fan of the Insight though, sacrifices some practicality for aerodynamic efficiency over the Jazz IMO.

Seriously, don't underestimate the practicality of the Jazz, I can't imagine how I would get by without being able to borrow my mom's every now and then because my Accord is made for people, not goods.
 
The Insight is comfortable to drive. The ride is smooth and absorbent, the handling is accurate enough and the steering has a positive feel to it. The CVT gearbox is noisy under hard acceleration and some of the interior quality isn't up to the usual Honda standard. Toyota Prius is better. There are other better cars some of the members mentioned but their fuel consumption is higher than the ones I previously mentioned.
 
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