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I'm thinking about getting a new car. I like Estates, their utility is handy. I've had diesels for years now and my new job is seeing me travel regularly around the Country, so I'd probably stick with a diesel unless there's a convincing argument to go for petrol. I've been eyeing up Passats and have seen one, 2019, with 78,000 miles on it for £14k. Is there any reason why I shouldn't get it? I've always tended to go for couple of year old, low mileage cars, but they are prohibitively expensive these days. It's the leap to the higher mileage that I'm concerned about. So any pointers would be handy. The wife likes heated seats and her car has adaptive cruise too, which I do like, a lot. He ce why I'm looking at Passats as Golfs don't seem to be all that common.
I love my Skoda Superb from the same family as the Passat, SEL exec trim gets heated seats and adaptive cruise, but when I bought it had less of a VW tax so better value. Huge boot.
It’s the leap to the higher mileage that I’m concerned about.
Age is much more important for most stuff. At that age it'll feel mint, go for it.
SEAT Leon estate.
I'd rather have a high milage diesel with service history than a low miler that's done mainly short journeys. I bought my current van at 2 years old with nearly 50,000 on it. Kept up with decent servicing, it's at 110,000 now just over 6 years and has never let me down.
*touches wood.
I had a 2015 Passat for 5 years and I never had any real issues, it was a good car. It did seem to need front tyres and new brake pads and discs fairly regularly, but I think this is pretty normal for a big front wheel drive car.
what about a Kia? you get the added bonus of the (remainder) 7 year warranty. lot of car for the cash
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207087610143?advertising-location=at_cars&model=Optima&postcode=ca48lu&fuel-type=Diesel&sort=relevance&include-delivery-option=on&price-to=15000&make=Kia&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&radius=1500&page=1&journey=FEATURED_LISTING_JOURNEY&percentVehiclePriceDeposit=true
The only issue with a £15k s/h car is how much you may need to spend if it has an issue - a really cheap s/h car can be scrapped, a new one comes with a warranty or look for a s/h with a long-term manufacturers warranty (Kia?).
Depends on how you're buying it as well - HP? PCP? Personal Loan? Some manufacturers have decent deals on PCP on new cars but you'll have a wait for it to turn up unless they have stock in the country already.
I moved from a diesel Berlingo that did 45mpg to a petrol Dacia Jogger that does 45mpg - immediately fuel costs have dropped by 15% (ish) because of the price of diesel at the moment. Don't discount small modern turbo petrol engines, yes you need to work them a bit more round town but if you're doing a lot of motorway miles it evens out.
That Kia is nice. Had one of them as a company hire car once, really nice to drive and incredibly well spec'd. Had air conditioned seats!
£12k for an almost 6 year old Kia. The world has gone mad.
I like Estates, their utility is handy. I’ve had diesels for years now and my new job is seeing me travel regularly around the Country, so I’d probably stick with a diesel unless there’s a convincing argument to go for petrol. I’ve been eyeing up Passats and have seen one, 2019, with 78,000 miles on it for £14k. Is there any reason why I shouldn’t get it? I’ve always tended to go for couple of year old, low mileage cars, but they are prohibitively expensive these days.
Diesel Insignia estate here. I'd say better value than VW (well, obviously, I didn't buy a VW).
Our previous car purchase was a 2010 diesel Passat bus - I'm not opposed to VW per se.
Age is much more important for most stuff.
Rubber and rust, yes. But. The things that go round and round a lot, or up and down a lot, which tend to be some of the expensive things, I'd say miles count as much or more. YMMV. Of course.
£12k for an almost 6 year old Kia. The world has gone mad.
But based on the others (click "See Results" on the link) it's got plenty of life in it - look at the blue ones, up to 194k.
I like Estates, their utility is handy.
👍 Agreed. Plus better economy, better handling, (arguably) look better and handle better.
I’d probably stick with a diesel unless there’s a convincing argument to go for petrol
I am continually surprised at our new to us Leon estate 1.4 TSI 150bhp petrol compared the last car a V70 D3 135bhp.
The new petrol is faster, quieter and, here is the good bit, significantly better on mpg. Volvo around town = 35mpg, 50pmg on a run. Leon around town = early 40mpg, on a run I have had mid 50's regularly. It took four of us from Scotland to Spain this summer - averaged 44mpg fully loaded and 4 bikes on the back there and back.
It warms up faster. Feels different to a slug of diesel torque, nicer somehow.
It is of course not going to fall foul of emissions restrictions as quickly.
2019, with 78,000 miles on it for £14k.
That is what our Leon is on, ours is DSG auto 2017 and 66k when we bought in April it cost £12,500.
But based on the others (click “See Results” on the link) it’s got plenty of life in it – look at the blue ones, up to 194k.
I get that, it's the current market rate, but it's lots of money for a six year old car.
I get that, it’s the current market rate, but it’s lots of money for a six year old car.
Yes, yes it is.
But that seems the market.
I am continually surprised at our new to us Leon estate 1.4 TSI 150bhp petrol compared the last car a V70 D3 135bhp.
The new petrol is faster, quieter and, here is the good bit, significantly better on mpg. Volvo around town = 35mpg, 50pmg on a run. Leon around town = early 40mpg, on a run I have had mid 50’s regularly. It took four of us from Scotland to Spain this summer – averaged 44mpg fully loaded and 4 bikes on the back there and back.
It warms up faster. Feels different to a slug of diesel torque, nicer somehow.
It is of course not going to fall foul of emissions restrictions as quickly.
Similar experience here but with a newish Skoda Octavia - same platform as the Passat and (I think?) the Leon. I've mostly had Diesels before but this is a petrol 1.5 TSI 150 hp. It's quiet, nippy, responsive and frugal on the juice - mid 40s to mid 50s. We do go through phases of mostly short journeys so there is the added bonus of no anxiety over coked up DPF and blocked injectors I've had with previous diesels.
As above - don't rule out the VW 1.4Tsi engine. My Superb Estate (which was £18k new in 2018) does high 40s mpg at 75mph. On A roads at 60-65 it gets over 50mph. Pulls well from low revs.
Cambelt needs changed at 5 years 50k miles so factor that in if not done. Possibly around a £500 bill.
I also feel £14K for a 4 year old car with 78k miles is carzy but I guess that is the market just now.
I'm looking at similar cars and was wondering what the load size is like across golf estate, octavia and passat. On paper they all have a fair amount of luggage space but we all know that doesn't always translate into usable space especially when transporting bikes etc - so anyone care to compare the 3 above? especially wondering if agolf sized car would be 'big enough' or if a passat would be the safer choice.
Passat is big. Voluminous, even. Bike in the back with nothing taken off, sort of big.
The Golf is shorter. As is the Octavia. A Superb is larger than the Passat?
I also feel £14K for a 4 year old car with 78k miles is carzy
I see what you did there.
On topic, other brands are available.
I had a 2016 2.0 diesel Passat for three years, I put about 75000 miles on it mainly by going up and down the A19 five days a week (good old pre-covid, pre-WFH days!). It wasn't an exciting car in any way but it was incredibly good at doing those journeys in comfort, and at being a capable family car (it did a couple of fully loaded, roofbox on trips to France without missing a beat). When I sold it with c. 90000 miles on it was still in great shape, it neither looked nor drove how you might think a 90000 mile car would. So I wouldn't worry about the mileage. Check it's had cambelt and water pump done (at 60000 miles I think?) otherwise that's a £500+ bill and a sign it maybe hasn't been properly looked after.
I had a mk2 Octy before the Passat, Passat is a bit wider and longer in the boot but not massively more, but had noticeably more knee room in the rear, useful if kids are getting toward teenage years say.
We do go through phases of mostly short journeys so there is the added bonus of no anxiety over coked up DPF and blocked injectors I’ve had with previous diesels.
You can have coked up inlet manifold anxiety instead.
Diesel Insignia estate here
When my previous Vectra fell apart (literally) in the middle of the road, I decided to treat myself to something newer. Cue the Insignia 4x4 Country Tourer (2014). It was lovely. Comfy; decent boot; great performance; towed the caravan perfectly. Well, it was lovely until the engine decided to eat itself. In the end, the warranty company and Vauxhall had to replace the engine. When it broke down again, I ended up sending it back to the dealer for a full refund, and now have a Passat. Its nice as well, just doesn't drive as nicely as the Insignia. The Passat was cheaper than the Superb, and had a higher kerb weight which was important to us given we tow.
You can have coked up inlet manifold anxiety instead.
May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits and may your towels always be damp.