New car reccommendations

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d7e7r7

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Hey guys,

So I'm starting to look for a new car to replace my Citi Golf.
My budget is around R85 000...

Was hoping to get a double cab bakkie but they quite pricey, so been looking at cars for the time being.
It'll be financed, so can't be older than 8 years if it's a private deal and 10 years if though a dealer.

So far I've bookmarked the following:
Volvo S40 T5
2005 Volvo S40 T5 A/T
Honda Accord 2.4 Type S
Honda Accord Executive 2.4 Auto
Audi A4 1.8T Multi-tronic
Audi A4 Avant Multitronic

I'm quite liking the Volvo S40 T5 at the moment but am yet to test drive one.

Whatever I choose must have the usual safety things like power steering, abs, airbags, etc as well as cruise control.
I'm also looking pretty much only at automatic vehicles.

Any sage advice, recommendations, tips, etc would be welcome. :)
 
My advice would be to to manage your expatations. For your budget you really shouldn't be looking at the cars you're looking at. Those cars at that price usually have a lot of km on the clock.

Any decent car for that price won't really be an upgrade. I say keep your current for another year so you can save up a bigger deposit.

If you positively have to buy now though, definitely the Honda reliability wise.

Edited: only saw now you looking at automatic cars. Definitely save more.
 
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I would stay as far as possible from Volvos, the cars aren't too good and after sales service is down right disgusting. Just read through previous customer ratings which various car magazines publish to see for yourself. The Hondas are rock solid cars no matter which model you choose from what I have experienced.
 
Qwikslver said:
My advice would be to to manage your expatations. For your budget you really shouldn't be looking at the cars you're looking at. Those cars at that price usually have a lot of km on the clock.

Any decent car for that price won't really be an upgrade. I say keep your current for another year so you can save up a bigger deposit.

If you positively have to buy now though, definitely the Honda reliability wise.

Edited: only saw now you looking at automatic cars. Definitely save more.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your advice...
What's considered a lot of km's?
What would you say in your own opinion is a good budget to start with?

Mzakes said:
I would stay as far as possible from Volvos, the cars aren't too good and after sales service is down right disgusting. Just read through previous customer ratings which various car magazines publish to see for yourself. The Hondas are rock solid cars no matter which model you choose from what I have experienced.
Click to expand...

I thought that Volvo's got quite good reviews, car wise, not sure about after-sales service...
 
Seems weird to see such a small budget on the one hand with the types of cars you are looking at on the other hand. If I had a budget of 85k I would be looking at a new(ish) vehicle in that price range. To buy a car that is already 7 years old & is out of motorplan is crazy.

If you going to buy such an older vehicle with high KM's for 85k you better have a lot of money put aside for maintenance, thats if you going to do it properly. My wife drives a 2006 TDi & the clutch went & it cost almost 18k for a new one with fitment. It was still on a motorplan If that was your situation you would be paying almost 25% of the entire vehicles value just to replace your clutch.

Just give it a bit more thought before buying such an older car. They payments are the easy part but the maintenance is another story cos its not like R500 here or R1200 here. When it comes it comes in BIG amounts.
 
Mzakes said:
I would stay as far as possible from Volvos, the cars aren't too good and after sales service is down right disgusting. Just read through previous customer ratings which various car magazines publish to see for yourself. The Hondas are rock solid cars no matter which model you choose from what I have experienced.
Click to expand...

+1. You really don't want to buy a car with that high mileage.
 
With that budget you should be looking at an old Fiesta or Polo. Out of the cars listed the Honda is by far the safest bet but still with such a big car with many KM on it you are going to be forking big time as parts inevitably need to be replaced.

Audi Multitronic gearbox goes for R100k or so and not too many of the older ones get to 200 000 KM.
Good luck.
 
D3x said:
...snip...
Click to expand...

If you want to buy an older car, do your research. (also look at older than 10 years)
Mileage don't matter anymore. Service history, condition of the car, amount of previous owners matter more.
Also look at what issues other car owners had with similar models. (Like if your looking for a E39 BMW 540i, the best is a 2001-2002 model.)

Why do you want(need?) to replace the golf? (worst idea ever.) Rather safe money and buy a second car. Your golf is still going to be more reliable & cheaper than any of the cars mentioned in this thread.

Don't buy volvo, anything french or anything with a multitronic/triptronic gearbox.

...edit...
talking about high mileage, my golf's engine (1800, rebuild twice) currently has a total of about 500 000km on it.
I still get the feeling that the new cars are not designed to to do more than 100 000km/5yrs.
 
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As said above; rather keep the golfie and save for a second car. That’s what I am doing. The golf's just last (assuming its a MK1). I have thrown everything I can at mine and it just laughs it off. It feels to me like the newer cars are made of more and more plastic. I think the engines are even made of the stuff... ok gold infused plastic if one goes by the price of parts...

That golf is going to be your rock. Keep it till it falls apart or just explodes. I plan on blowing mine up when the time comes. I love it so much I want to put it down one day like an old faithful dog... not sell it off like a pedigreed horse.
 
Solid advice here. Cheap is expensive in the long run. It might be nice to drive a nice luxury sedan like a Volvo or Honda or Audi, but imagine the first time something breaks, you are going to fork out so much money. Just for starters, the sensors on those cars will set you back R10k on a bad day.
Some guys here bashed Volvo. I'd buy a Volvo, but only a nearly new one still in a motorplan. With R85k you're about R200k short of a nearly new one, so stay away... Those T5's are amazing, the drive is a lot of fun. I had one, but sold it as soon as the plan expired. Chances are those turbos (on any brand - VW / Audi / BMW etc) might need replacing soon on the 2nd hand high mileages models.
For R85k, you're a few thousand short of a demo model of A-segment cars - Ford Figo TDCI, Polo Vivo...
 
I would be looking at a second hand Hyundai Getz, Polo Vivo's, maybe Fiat Palio's, Kia Picanto's.
If your budget is R85k then that means you dont really have the extra bucks for repairs and services for those older models. I'd look elsewhere.
 
d7e7r7 said:
Was hoping to get a double cab bakkie but they quite pricey, so been looking at cars for the time being.
It'll be financed, so can't be older than 8 years if it's a private deal and 10 years if though a dealer.
Click to expand...

10 years through dealer ? I believe its 5.
 
d7e7r7 said:
Someone sent me this car to also consider: 2004 Peugeot 407 2.0ST Comfort

It's in price range and doesn't have that many km's on the clock - no one answered my earlier question regarding km's.... :erm:
Click to expand...

Peugeot is not a good idea either. OK cars but their service in SA is not known to be decent and parts are moerse expensive and take long to get here as they come from France. A gentle fender bended could be enough to write that car off...

Regarding KM, 20 000KM per year is average however on anything over 100 000 other than the Polos, Figos, Hyundais etc will cost an arm and a leg to maintain as parts are expensive. I.E R30k for turbo, R30k for gearbox etc. If you only have R85k (and financed) you will be taking a massive gamble on an older more expensive car. Imagine sitting with an Audi with a blown Turbo (R30k) but still being paid off.. Ouch..
 
dont want to really get into the dont buy 2nd hand luxury cars debate..
all i can say is that with ur budget, and ur intentions: honda accord type S is the clear winner.
i've got a 2005 for 5 years now. servicing may get pricey at dealers, but its rock solid otherwise!
 
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