Rid me of a VAG diesel

[stewies_minion]

Promise this is the last I think about it before I buy..

Just looking for ideas / opinions please.

Currently I have a diesel Passat and a diesel Golf DSG. Love the automatic. Love the space / comfort in the big car. Need to keep the big one really as it's worth £37 and it's perfect for kids etc

I've started a new job and have almost no commute at all, so now's time to have some fun and a VAG diesel is not at all fun. Idea is to sell the Golf for about £7k and not really spend more than a further £7k ish. So I've whittled it down to, in order of preference:

330i sport touring auto
330i sport saloon auto
Golf R32 DSG
Golf Edition 30 + remap DSG
Audi S4
One of those hatchback Imprezas - the subtle kind
Cooper S?!
A fast Focus

I've thought of loads of daft cars, but I need to retain some sense of "sensible" so I need it to be comfy, ideally automatic, RWD would be a pleasant change, 30+ mpg would make it usable near enough all the time.

Head says 330i Sport all day long, but I've not driven one and I'm a bit worried it'll be a tad dull..

I've been through all the daft cars I've always wanted, but:

Needs to be wife friendly.
A bipping noise when reverse parking would be handy for the wife.
Leather is good for when the kids projectile vomit.
I want to be able to afford to use it on longer journies so your 540's & the like are out.
I like toys and buttons to press.

Thoughts / car idea please

Edited by stewies_minion on Friday 14th January 20:20

[Jw Vw]

Audi S3?

[1A]

Howabout this and £6k in the bank?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

[Patrick Bateman]

If it was me 'no commute at all' is the excuse I'd need to be after something with 8 cylinders.

[thinfourth2]

7K is the entry to a world of silly

You have listed deeply unsilly cars

[stewies_minion]

S3 maybe. I'm sure an S3 + remap = weeeeeeeeeee

It's tricky coming from years of VAG diesel to get "silly"

Im afraid I just plain don't like the fast Mazda 6. Not that I don't recognize that it'd be bordering on perfect.

I like the idea of an S3 but I've heard a few horrors about them. Plus I think I prefer an auto. BUT - I've only ever has a VAG DSG - could a modern BMW auto be ste in comparison?

What puts me off the 8 cylinders etc is that this car will get used properly for up to 10k pa and I don't want to resent it and have a misery journey in a Passat for no good reason.

[stewies_minion]

[redacted]

[thinfourth2]

Is the budget 7k or 14k?

14k is an Elise and 3k not very sheddy shed money

[paoloh]

If it is £14k, then it has to be an M3.

[bodhi]

I often borrow a few works VAG diesels for customer appointments, and I must say it is always glorious to get back into the 328i after a day in a Passat, to turn the key and hear that glorious straight six greeting you after a day of listening to a TDi droning away somewhere up front.

I haven't driven the 330i, however as its an evolution of my current steed, I would expect it to be plenty interesting enough if you want freed from the tedium of a vag-dag. The masterpiece up front in the engine bay sees to that. Add in the fact that the E46 is a pretty capable steer, and you can't go far wrong. I'd get a manual though, as the autobox does remove a lot of the fun, as capable as it is. The auto will knock fuel consumption below the 30 mark too (our 320d Auto does 35!).

[oldstripey]

I saw all the Golf and Audi wish list, thought twice and then saw the fast Focus so figured I'd recommend a Skoda Ocatavia (II) VRS 2.0 TFSi, Revo remapped to 260 bhp and enjoy the Q car style and looks and R32 levels of performance. I had one and it was thoroughly absorbing and enjoyable but I appreciate it may not be to everybody's taste.

[stewies_minion]

thinfourth2 said:

Is the budget 7k or 14k?

14k is an Elise and 3k not very sheddy shed money

Sorry - to be clear the budget is the sle price of the Golf + £7k ish of my money. So about £14.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

I had considered an Octavia but kind of dismissed them as they're still VAG and too closely associated to what I've got. They are nice, though.

M3? That was my initial thought way back when but I got put off by the running and maintenance costs. That's what steered me toward a 330i as the next best. Plus I think the 3 door thing would annoy me after a day.

[thinfourth2]

stewies_minion said:

thinfourth2 said:

Is the budget 7k or 14k?

14k is an Elise and 3k not very sheddy shed money

Sorry - to be clear the budget is the sle price of the Golf + £7k ish of my money. So about £14.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

I had considered an Octavia but kind of dismissed them as they're still VAG and too closely associated to what I've got. They are nice, though.

M3? That was my initial thought way back when but I got put off by the running and maintenance costs. That's what steered me toward a 330i as the next best. Plus I think the 3 door thing would annoy me after a day.

Keep golf as its dull with a known history

spend 7k on toy

[stewies_minion]

Keeping the Passat as it's duller and bigger.

Getting rid of the Golf means my £7k on top gets be to a better amount than £7k on top of a worthless 9 year old Passat.

I think I need to drive a few and see what they'd be like to live with.

I've just seen a nice 3 series touring in black with tints and big wheels. Looks good caked in filth.

Someone suggested an s2000 or an Elise. They'd be a giggle but I need a full quota of seats.

[Steameh]

M3 is probably the best option, I can't imagine they cost loads to run.

[martin mrt]

Steameh said:

M3 is probably the best option, I can't imagine they cost loads to run.

Ha ha, you've clearly never owned an M3 then, even good ones can cost thousands in the space of a year. Been there done it got the T Shirt, never again

OP you sound like quite a sensible chap, and I like the idea of the 330i Tourer, I've had 2 E91s (330 & 335d) and they have been brilliant, never put a foot wrong, and kept me entertained when they needed to. A very fine choice.

[carreauchompeur]

Steameh said:

M3 is probably the best option, I can't imagine they cost loads to run.

Obvious troll is obvious

[Steameh]

martin mrt said:

Steameh said:

M3 is probably the best option, I can't imagine they cost loads to run.

Ha ha, you've clearly never owned an M3 then, even good ones can cost thousands in the space of a year. Been there done it got the T Shirt, never again

OP you sound like quite a sensible chap, and I like the idea of the 330i Tourer, I've had 2 E91s (330 & 335d) and they have been brilliant, never put a foot wrong, and kept me entertained when they needed to. A very fine choice.

Equally so can an Audi S4, yet that is in the shortlist?

Maybe my reply wasn't as in depth as it could have been, what I should have said was that the list of cars in terms of running costs has a large gap in it. An S4 is similar in costs to an M3, yet a 330 would be no where near either of them.

Not trying to troll, just trying to understand what the OP classes as high costs.

Edited by Steameh on Saturday 15th January 11:32

[Grey Ghost]

A quick peak at PH classifieds found this:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2351808.htm

Given the current economic climate you should be able to negotiate a deal and it has all the gizmo's you are looking for.....apart from the red leather interior (to me at least) looks a decent shout

[edo]

tada!

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2308433.htm




SMG, nice low miles, full service history, Nav, Harmon Kardon hi-fi...

£13,500

2004 - 04, SMG M3 (facelift) in Metallic Carbon Black with Black Nappa Leather. Very low mileage at 41,500 which shows in the presentation of the car.

Spec is as follows - Electric heated leather seats with lumbar support, 19" genuine m-sport double spoke alloy wheels, Bi-Xenon self levelling headlamps, Harman Kardon uprated sound system, TV/Satnav, Bluetooth phone prep, DVD player, Front centre armrest.

Car is in immaculate condition with full service history including the all important running in service.