Deciding on new car, need advice

If my dad handled insurance, then I'm sure I'll be paying considerably less than R1000 for insurance. He is 60+ years old and at the moment he is covering insurance on my Corolla, which is like R300. If I had to insure the car myself I'm sure it would cost a lot more than R300.
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I'm afraid it doesn't work that way necessarily - I am almost your dad's age in a verrrrry small town with an alarmed garage and no other drivers and cannot get better than 725 for a 200k car...
 
I'm curious hey, can you maybe give us a little longer writeup when you get the chance? Details like which model Lexus was it? IS 250 standard or SE, manual or auto etc? and a bit more detailed comparison to the 320i, how you think the interiors compare for example?
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The IS250 I demoed was the standard model. The interior quality is definitely a big step above the BMW 320i but at the same time its also a little drab. I kind of wanted the two tone color --black and beige leather combo that I see on the more expensive models. The one I demoed was basically all black but still, it looks more attractive inside than the BMW.

The seats are simply more comfortable compared to the BMW which aren't bad at all. Now looks-wise, I just prefer the IS but that's personal preference. I think both are good looking cars but the edge for me goes to the IS. So out on the road. When I was driving the car I just kept thinking how quiet it was, the road noise, cabin noise, heck, the engine noise; all these things were clearly less noticeable on the road. As I mentioned, the seats were more comfortable for me as well, so all these things contributed to my overall impression. The overall fit and finish was amazing.

The car was so silent when on the road that I forgot I was doing 160km and then immediately slowed down so the noise levels, or lack thereof, just gave the impression of less speed. But overtaking was easier with the Lexus versus the BMW. The only issue with the Lexus is that the engine just doesn't scream when pushed. It's just very composed, pretty the entire time. So overall, between the two cars, I choose the Lexus. Now obviously I only spent like a 45 minutes with the car and I'm sure that the BMW does certain things better, like the steering feel, I suppose I felt more in control with the 320i but then at the same time the steering felt heavy. Mind you it's no where near as bad as my Corolla.

I haven't taken ownership of the car yet because I'm just working out my finances right now but I think it's safe to say that the Lexus is my car. :)
 
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Oh, its a manual. I know, I know, people complain about the clutch. But I don't really know any better. :) I can't see how anyone would choose the all black interior in my opinion. It's just too, I don't know, ordinary ?

The car itself is a silver color which I like. BTW, concerning the LS range, I do remember the now ancient LS400. It was by far the quietest car that I had ever experienced. I mean, you didn't even know the car was on, it was so silent inside. I saw a 1998 model on Gumtree for like R85k. Now that is an idea. Nahhhh..... It has like 300000km+ on the clock, I think I'll give that one a miss. ;)

BTW, I also like the 3 series coupe. The rear end looks 100 thousand times better than the blocky triangle lights on the E90. I don't mind the front end of the E90, in fact I think its a very attractive car from the front and sides, but the rear is just horrible in my opinion.
 
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The owner of the IS250 told me that he is paying R450 for comprehensive insurance using Outsurance. Also, he has extended the motor plan to 2012 and he said that to extend it a further two years would cost R4650. This is not bad at all for 2 years of extension ! I'm a little surprised at the insurance cost. I was expecting it to cost a lot more than that. The guy is 40 years old+ :)

Just a question. He told me that the motor plan would cover everything. But is that true ? Do motor plans cover tires, servicing, etc ? Or is servicing independent from a motor plan ?
 
Give a Lexus dealership a call and check how their motor plan works - each manufacturer is slightly different. They'll also be able to give you an indication of how realistic the R4650 for two years extra is - in my experience that is very cheap - too cheap in fact, so I'd want to check it first if I were you.
 
Hucklebury said:
The owner of the IS250 told me that he is paying R450 for comprehensive insurance using Outsurance. Also, he has extended the motor plan to 2012 and he said that to extend it a further two years would cost R4650. This is not bad at all for 2 years of extension ! I'm a little surprised at the insurance cost. I was expecting it to cost a lot more than that. The guy is 40 years old+ :)

Just a question. He told me that the motor plan would cover everything. But is that true ? Do motor plans cover tires, servicing, etc ? Or is servicing independent from a motor plan ?
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Please do m e a favour and ask the owner to show you the Outsurance paper work...

Let's just take my situation into account and then work from there.

My car - 2006 Subaru Outback retail 200k locked and alarmed garage normal car anti theft system ex factory. In addition I have not asked for radio or mag wheel cover, I have also been with Outsurance for 12 years and have an Advanced driving certificate, and I live in a small town that doesn't feature on the danger list....all of which reduce the premium.

I have also linked my car and household insurance, and the bit that I pay for the car comes to 725 more or less - I can give you exact figures if you wish.

If your 'owner' is coming out more than 200 LESS than that number for a Lexus IS250, I would please like to know the name of the agent because that means that I am being ripped off completely.

Please PM me the details if you have them.

Thanks.

PS I am 61 years old.
 
Fazda said:
Please do m e a favour and ask the owner to show you the Outsurance paper work...

Let's just take my situation into account and then work from there.

My car - 2006 Subaru Outback retail 200k locked and alarmed garage normal car anti theft system ex factory. In addition I have not asked for radio or mag wheel cover, I have also been with Outsurance for 12 years and have an Advanced driving certificate, and I live in a small town that doesn't feature on the danger list....all of which reduce the premium.

I have also linked my car and household insurance, and the bit that I pay for the car comes to 725 more or less - I can give you exact figures if you wish.

If your 'owner' is coming out more than 200 LESS than that number for a Lexus IS250, I would please like to know the name of the agent because that means that I am being ripped off completely.

Please PM me the details if you have them.

Thanks.

PS I am 61 years old.
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One thing that can drive down insurance is all the 'extras'.

He might pay significantly more excess than you for starters.

He might also not have access to a rental car might even be liable for all towing costs.
 
Fazda, I'll try to get that information for you. I'm just learning about this stuff now because my dad used to handle all insurance related matters. My dad kept on telling me that the motor plan would not cover the services and then I see that it does, which is a great plus. I just expected the extension on the motor plan to cost considerably more than R4500+ for two years.

Concerning the insurance amount, well, I don't have reason to think he is lying to me. He may be paying considerable excess for all we know. But he seems like a trustworthy guy. When he first arrived with the car for the demo his family was there, got out of the car and then told me to take the car for a drive and for me to be comfortable. I never expected that. He literally was just going to wait outside with his wife and two kids, while I spent an 30min-1hr driving his car. I never felt comfortable with that arrangement because it seemed far too casual, so I insisted he come along for the ride. :)
 
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Pyro said:
One thing that can drive down insurance is all the 'extras'.

He might pay significantly more excess than you for starters.

He might also not have access to a rental car might even be liable for all towing costs.
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Great, thanks, just to clarify. I don't pay a cent for towing, my excess is fixed at 2000 - not as a percentage of the value of the car, that is the case with most insurances, but can be waived with Outsurance, and I have chosen not to take a rental car - which would have increased my premium, not make it less.

I really don't see the benefit of paying less every month, and then facing 5 to 10 k for an excess, which "sort of" happens if you don't specify it.
 
I also need advice on buying a new car.

Is it possible to, say, go to a Ford dealership and order a Ford Figo today, Pay the deposit and everything else such as the "on the road fee", take ownership and start driving the car in 2 weeks after it has been delivered and then start paying my first installment at the end of October? Or end of November? Is it possible to negotiate with the dealership and have my first installment paid after 2 months, or even 3 months.

I'm just wondering if that's possible or not.
 
Alright. So I can't really afford the Lexus IS250 anymore. :( I phoned Budget Insurance and Outsurance and both quotes were over R1100 (comprehensive). There is no way I can afford that. I was hoping for R600-650 for insurance. I have to come back to reality. As painful as it is, I think I'm going to have to go for like a 2008 1.6 Corolla (heck, maybe even a 1.4) and then just sell it after 3-4 years and then get a newer Lexus model. The resale value on Corollas are fantastic so at least I'll get a decent return at the end of the 3-4 year plan.

It actually sucks because I really wanted the Lexus. Now I have to settle for second best although second best is still 10x better than what I've got. Still disappointing. Perhaps the guy who claimed R450 for insurance was talking **** to begin with because although he is older, I can't imagine I'll be paying more than DOUBLE what he is paying. It's ridiculous.

I'm wondering which car will have better resale value after 3-4 years, the Corolla or the Ford Fiesta (2008 or 2009 ) ? I'm banking on the Corolla.
 
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That sux Huckelbury. Nothing as bad as having to let go of something you have set your heart on.

I would think the Toyota would have the better resale value.
 
From a financial point of view, why not hang onto the car you've got now, and save the money you would have been spending on the Lexus. Then you can put down a bigger deposit on a Lexus in a few months time, and drive the car you want sooner. And you can convince yourself to put up with the old corolla because you're doing it for a limited time, with a specific goal.
 
The reason why I'm thinking of buying the Corolla is because I can afford it (and the insurance) and I know the resale value will be great. Heck, I paid something like R80k for my 1.4 Corolla 3 years ago (2003 model) and yet people are putting them on Gumtree for R58-62k ! One car dealer was willing to give me R50k for it (without AC). So I really can't go wrong with the brand.

I'm not sure if I could keep my existing car and just save for a 1 year or 2 years. I would rather have a much better car, drive it for 3-4 years (I'll probably pay it off in 2-3 years) and then sell it for 90-100k as a deposit for a Lexus 2007-2008 when it's time to sell and then my car repayments will be significantly lower overall.

Also, keep in mind my car does not have air con and that sucks. I've been driving the car for several years and I've had enough of that. : ) Heck, after driving the Yaris sedan a few days ago, I was very happy with the comfort and drive quality (cabin noise was low), so the Corolla 2008/2009 should be a little better.

I'm actually going for a test drive on the Ford Fiesta 1.4 today. I've never driven a Ford but I've been told that the new Fiestas are great to drive, handle very well, etc. I think those also have excellent resale value but they are much smaller than the Corolla, therefore lighter and quicker.

Just a question since I'm bouncing ideas now. Anyone here driven the Auris ? Anyone driven the Auris automatic with paddle shift ?
 
Colin62 said:
From a financial point of view, why not hang onto the car you've got now, and save the money you would have been spending on the Lexus.
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That's a good point. But if I keep my car for another 2 years I'm going to make next to nothing on my existing Corolla if I sell it, so then I'm back to square one and the money saved up most likely won't cover the depreciation. I think I would be better off keep my monthly payments down on a good car, like a Corolla/Auris (Fiesta), pay it off quickly, then sell and use that as a big deposit. In 2 years time, I'm sure a 2008 Lexus will probably cost in the region of R160000-180000.
 
Hi Remus,

Thanks. I think I need to get real because the car repayments including insurance for a Lexus is just too expensive (for me). I was just so excited about everything but the reality is I can't afford it when all is said and done. :( It's not bad, because I can drive a better car now, then get the Lexus I want in a couple years. At least my car repayments will be low, insurance should be low too and maintenance will be more affordable. Also, I'll have a motorplan of around 3 years or more as well.

My target for the Lexus was a maximum of 3k for car repayments over 48 months including insurance. Obviously that's not going to happen. Bye, bye, Lexus, see you in 3 years. :)
 
there is no comparing the lexus is250 which is a 6 cylinder ( and pretty much packed with the creature comfort extra's even as a base model ) with a 320.
believe me: rather stick with ur 140 rolla... yes i know, u need to drop to 3rd gear to overtake and the engine gets buzzy etc... but i drove a runx 140 for a while and i really liked it!
recently wrote off my honda so i'm in the market for a car again... will def. be looking at a runx 140 or rolla 140.. or maybe even 160..wife drives the golf 5 gti and we both are always complaining how uncomfortable it is compared to the runx i had!
the runx/rolla seats are nicer ( i prefer nicely padded cloth iseats to the hard leather cardboard feel of the golf 5 gti seats anyday!), plus its easy on the pocket wen it comes to maintenance etc..

actually if i had to stretch and consider anything else for our 2nd car but a 140/160 rolla/runx... it wud be the 180 runx/rolla... everything keeps going right.. right?

also: there are alot of good honda's that will come in at R3k per month incl. insurance. but before u even shop around for a car: list ur options, and get insurance quotes. do the homework to prevent the surprises!
honda civic
kia cerato
hyundai i20
jetta 5 ( what a car-- one of the best value for money cars out there!)
there are alot of alternatives!

if u absolutely have to jump into the premier segment: why not consider a 2005ish merc. u wud get a Kommpressor model, that wont be as asthmatic as the 320 ( and if u in GP, a non turbo/kompressor car will always suffer coz of the altitude!!)
mercs mobilo plan is to 120 000 so u bound to end up being better covered and less exposed to potential howlers in maintenance etc! plsu u get insurance with them and its probably less than brokers etc..


all in all: good financial sense says keep ur car. invest the extra money u want to pay towards the car : into decent savings/investments till u can afford the car u want cash! and even then do not buy brand new, buy a demo / good 2nd hand with low miles.. like 20k kms etc.
i wrote my honda off in may, its coming up end of august now: and i have had to wake up and exra 30mins early in oen of our coldest winters to be able to share one car with my wife! she works 12kms away from me so its not too much of an inconvenience!
in the 3 months tho, i've saved almost 20k in installments, insurance and fuel costs...
i'm gonna hold off for a while till i get atleast R40-50k.. then scan the autotrader, junkmail,gumtree etc.. there are a few now, and there will be alot later... decent 2003 rolla 140i for around 50k. cash paid. no sweat!
 
Also, I've been in a new 330i (2008) and that is probably the most uncomfortable car ever. 120 km of rock-hard seats = pain.
 
pboy said:
mercs mobilo plan is to 120 000 so u bound to end up being better covered and less exposed to potential howlers in maintenance etc! plsu u get insurance with them and its probably less than brokers etc..
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Yes, but you start paying a percentage of costs after a while. between 75 000 and 125 000 you pay 50%, which can be a lot of money.
 
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