I think im going to start saving for a Cupra

[Benji]

I've been thinking and wandered what is a sensible amount to spend on a car?
That would ultimately come down to how big my wallet is, but i'd like to think and plan on keeping this car for a long time.
It's big enough for a small family, got all the power i need and is a looker, so why not?

I'd take into consideration it's age, the mileage, condition aswell obviously.

Also i'd been considering a diesel as a lot of people say they'll go on forever?

I'd been thinking £6000 should get me a good one, Just wandered what your thoughts are?

 

[Skint]

£6000 should buy you a nice facelift cupra, but don't expect to have much left over if you buy the diesel as they hold their value a lot better than the petrol. Do expect however to pay about half as much on fuel if you buy the diesel, and the insurance would be cheaper.
My recent situation sounds very similar to yours, i'm 22 and just bought outright a facelift cupra paying about the same insurance. I got mine, an 03 20vt with loads of spec and 60k on the clock for £4.5k and it was definately worth it. Just make sure you wait for the right one and get it checked over before you buy it.
Next job: wait until my insurance goes down far enough to be able to afford to get a remap.

 

[Nabraxas]

Definately not too young - I'm 21 now and bought my Leon Cupra R when I was 20.

Insurance on the first year was £1,300 with 3 years no claims - this dropped to £800 a year when I was 21 with 4 years no claims.

If that's your goal then go for it... if you're anything like me then you won't settle until you actually get it!

I'm currently saving for a BMW M3 and won't be happy until there's one sitting on my drive

 

[speedinsaxo]

I saved for a new LCR for 3 years and bought it outright when I was 23.
I jumped from a 75bhp saxo to 225bhp in the LCR. But if you drive it sensibly then this power increase is not an issue - in fact sometimes I think it is more dangerous going the other way. So many times when driving hire cars with much less power I have been in trouble and needed more power but nothing happens when you put your foot down!
I would never buy a car on finance, if you want it that badly then save for it.
Get more insurance quotes also, what you are paying does seem expensive.

 

[Dyscontinued]

Nabraxas, who you insured with?

I'm 27 with 5 years NC and it's £560 for my 04 Cupra TDi...

 

[Nabraxas]

Can backup what you say about hire cars - I often get hire cars and due to my age they always give me a 1.2 Corsa or something similar - after coming out of a 1.8T this can often come as a surprise when joining roundabouts, etc.

I'm insured with Norwich Union through Adrian Flux - they originally quoted me over £1,000, however, elephant.co.uk were doing a far more competative quote, Adrian Flux say they'll beat anybody's quote and they did!

 

[Dyscontinued]

Ah right cool, will keep in mind for April..

 

[Benji]

£6000 should buy you a nice facelift cupra, but don't expect to have much left over if you buy the diesel as they hold their value a lot better than the petrol. Do expect however to pay about half as much on fuel if you buy the diesel, and the insurance would be cheaper.
My recent situation sounds very similar to yours, i'm 22 and just bought outright a facelift cupra paying about the same insurance. I got mine, an 03 20vt with loads of spec and 60k on the clock for £4.5k and it was definately worth it. Just make sure you wait for the right one and get it checked over before you buy it.
Next job: wait until my insurance goes down far enough to be able to afford to get a remap.

I think £6000 is a good amount, not a fortune but an amount that should get me a good car.
I think diesel would be a good choice, but i am very much undecided to be honest.
The only thing with a diesel is that i dont do that many miles really, my work is 2 minutes away so i'll do on average i'll do about 50 miles a week. Not really the amount to get the benefits of the diesel economy.

Modern day diesel's are supposed to be pretty impressive though and that makes me interested.
There all racing with them at the Le Mans 24 hr aren't they!
I just dont think i'd be doing the car any favours as my engine is not at all warm when i get to work, and also if its cold then how would a diesel do? Slow to start?
Diesel burn's at a higher temperature doesnt it? So surely it would be a bit poor on those cold mornings?

 

[Curious Chris]

i bought mine just before my 20th birthday and paying monthly for insurance (29.9% apr) was a killer it worked out at £2400 for the year, although for the car that your in its a small price, you just feel more upper class (and safer) than your mates in their saxo vtr's

 

[Benji]

What are people's thoughts on the diesel cupra? I'm undecided between the petrol or diesel to be honest. I think the diesel would be a good long term choice of car, but if there's no real difference between the two then i'd opt for the diesel.

I'd like to know how diesel's fair on those cold mornings? Also baring in mind i live about 2 miles away from work, so the engine wont be warm at all, and i wont be making the most of the economy.

With regards to remap's aswell, is there a difference between the two with potential performance?
I heard that the diesel has a lot of torque aswell, which is something that interests me.

Petrol's are cheaper, but if i buy a diesel it would feel a more worthwhile purchase i think.

 

[smokescreen]

What are people's thoughts on the diesel cupra? I'm undecided between the petrol or diesel to be honest. I think the diesel would be a good long term choice of car, but if there's no real difference between the two then i'd opt for the diesel.

I'd like to know how diesel's fair on those cold mornings? Also baring in mind i live about 2 miles away from work, so the engine wont be warm at all, and i wont be making the most of the economy.

With regards to remap's aswell, is there a difference between the two with potential performance?
I heard that the diesel has a lot of torque aswell, which is something that interests me.

Petrol's are cheaper, but if i buy a diesel it would feel a more worthwhile purchase i think.

The Diesel PD lumps whilst not the most refined units, are particularly reliable and particularly frugal. However they have entirely different power deliveries indeed.

Diesels take a *lot* warmer to warm up so 2 miles wont do it justice at all. If your doing less than 12k a year, better off with the 1.8T.

Should mention, the 1.8T with a remap delivers a heck of a lot of torque - plenty of pull in even 6th gear (ratio'd about 25mph~ per 1000rpm). Not sure you'll get ensured with a remap at your age, though.

 

[Benji]

If your doing less than 12k a year, better off with the 1.8T.

That was my biggest concern with the diesel.
I wont be getting the best out of those two good plus points...economy and power.
I do nowhere near 12k a year. More like 5-6.

 

[smokescreen]

That was my biggest concern with the diesel.
I wont be getting the best out of those two good plus points...economy and power.
I do nowhere near 12k a year. More like 5-6.

No brainer in that case, that and Cupra TDi's often come with a higher than average price tag which can wipe out the cost savings.

I worked out the cost difference for 12k/year between a 30mpg petrol and 48mpg diesel was about £40/month running on super unleaded. And the 1.8t on a good run can so easily do 35mpg, even at speed.

 

[Benji]

No brainer in that case, that and Cupra TDi's often come with a higher than average price tag which can wipe out the cost savings.

I worked out the cost difference for 12k/year between a 30mpg petrol and 48mpg diesel was about £40/month running on super unleaded. And the 1.8t on a good run can so easily do 35mpg, even at speed.

That's quite an impressive mpg for a turbo!
The TDi's on auto trader are pretty expensive compared to similair 1.8T's. They say diesel's aren't 'broken in' until 100K and the way im going, it would take me 20 years to do 100K! They seem like they need to really be driven going by that information.

It doesn't make sense at all then in me getting a TDi, if i was doing the mileage then it would, but i wouldn't be doing the car any justice
Thank's for clearing that up

 

[Hobbiniho]

1300 for an se tdi? corrrh your getting robbed!
im 20 and im payin 600 a year with 2 years ncb (3 years driving - no crashes!)
and thats with 20k mileage a year (also on se tdi)
my mate (also with se tdi) paid 1100 at 20 with no ncb as we has on his parents policy.

in reply to earlier threads - yes there should be a noticeable reduction between 20 and 21 as you move into a lower risk catagory, and also again at 25.

just to add to this im paying just over £1700 for my insurance on an 04 plate se tdi 130 1yr ncb 5points nd iv had a 1yr ban aswell oh yeh and im only 20 some people might say that £1700 is a lot of money but when you consider that for me to insure a basic 1.4 was going to be just over £1100 the insurance for the tdi seems somewhat cheap compared to the difference in spec.

as has been already said its a buyers market out there and dont be scared to haggle if you dont get the price you like tell them you will find another and walk away, if they really want the sale they will chase you and offer a better price, i really wanted to get a cupra but the insurance was going to be completely silly money so i opted for the se tdi and i also do 40k+ miles a year so fuel costs was a big deciding factor, hope you find a car that you really love and have a great time driving it

 

[Benji]

just to add to this im paying just over £1700 for my insurance on an 04 plate se tdi 130 1yr ncb 5points nd iv had a 1yr ban aswell oh yeh and im only 20 some people might say that £1700 is a lot of money but when you consider that for me to insure a basic 1.4 was going to be just over £1100 the insurance for the tdi seems somewhat cheap compared to the difference in spec.

as has been already said its a buyers market out there and dont be scared to haggle if you dont get the price you like tell them you will find another and walk away, if they really want the sale they will chase you and offer a better price, i really wanted to get a cupra but the insurance was going to be completely silly money so i opted for the se tdi and i also do 40k+ miles a year so fuel costs was a big deciding factor, hope you find a car that you really love and have a great time driving it

It looks like you have got yourself quite a good deal there, that show's the price difference to insure a diesel to a petrol!
Yeah you're getting the best out of the diesel there mate with running costs and insurance.

I didn't haggle when i bought my car, they taxed it for 6 months and gave it an MOT but i still think i could've got it cheaper.
I've since found out that some parts have been sprayed, because the paint is a different texture and when i PC'd the car last spring the only area that paint went onto the pad was the back. If i was a little more clued up on paint and detailing back then, i might've spotted it and got the car cheaper.

I'd like to say i'd definately haggle but it's always easier to say it than actually do it.
I would like to take my uncle along to view some cars as he did with my brother and he haggled then, also he runs his own business so gets haggling customers a lot of the time! As you say it is a buyers market so i'd be a fool not to haggle!

Thanks mate, if i save up a good amount then hopefully i'll find a gem!

 

[Benji]

I've worked out that it should take me roughly 40 weeks/ around 10 months to save up around the£4000 mark. So i might be able to get a £6K with a trade for mine.
All about the patience! It's hard though!

 

[LEE69]

Shame you got no cash now i know of a 1.8 T facelift with 140k on it for £1500.

 

[Benji]

Yeah it is a shame! I'd be looking at much less miles than that though Lee.

I keep going on autotrader which is good for incentive, but bad for patience!
There's a few stunning onvi yellow 180's on there, one has 1 owner from new, about 36K on the clock and they want under £6K for it.

Like i said...good for incentive but bad for patience!

 

[lee_woollett]

My cupra only cost £2200 for a 2001 (x-reg), with the second hand market prices dropping through the floor because of the current economic climate, now is a good time to start buying. Its in good condition with 80k on the clock (less than my previous car which was 6 years older). I had a 6 year old BMW 525 sport when i was 21 and that cost me 1200 fully comp with 2 years ncb so all in all you've not got a bad price. As long as the car has been looked afer well and serviced regularly then there is no reason not to buy a car that is a few years old and save yourself some money.