New car advice?

[Jawloms]

Following on from my bump a couple of weeks ago, I am still trying to find a new car. One salesman I told I would like an economical diesel estate for about £5k replied with "Oh, you mean a unicorn?". I'm looking at this Fiat 500L but don't know much about them. Anyone got one? Any good? Any horror stories? Two staff here have one, the diesel one loves it and the petrol one not so much. I'm slightly concerned as to why this appears to have not been sold for about six weeks though......

 

Thank you

 

Stuart

[Dos_Box]

Are you bothered about size as there are some very good larger cars which are very economical.

If so, I'd recommend a Skoda Superb (yes, I have one, not an estate though). Just don't get an automatic as they will go wrong, but you get all the toys with an Elegance trim model and can whack in a cheap Android head unit that has Android Auto/Apple Car Play on it for all your in-car entertainment needs.

Also the Skoda badge gives your car a cloak of invisibility and it will always be where you left it, untouched.

 

[3s-gtech]

In that price category, you are struggling against the very dealers you're looking at buying from. Their margins are low, their warranty concerns are high (older cars that will probably break) and much of the newer stuff in this price bracket will either have moon-miles or be undesirable.

 

The 500L is a tool - not exciting, the engine is decent enough, and there's nothing exciting about it at all. Resale values are low.

 

Superb isn't a bad shout. I'd say the same for the mk4/5 (not the mk3!) Mondeo 2.0 diesel, which is a cracking car and the engine is a peach. Worth buttons. Plenty of estates about, and you can fit an entire house in the back and still get 40+MPG.

[Oaktech]

I can't speak from personal experience but I have 3 friends who have, or have had 500L and their experiences have not been positive.

 

They've all experienced electrical issues: One just got her money back from the dealer after it repeatedly went into limp home during their 30-day no quibble warranty period; one has a periodic niggle where the entire dashboard and centre console goes non-functional with no warning, but recovers after an engine restart and another has an occasional issue where when you park up and lock it, the interior lights and parking lights come on after 5-10 minutes and stay on flattening the battery.

 

The one with the lights issue has also had issues with the boot lid requiring multiple adjustment to lock correctly. The one with the dash issue has also had problems with fuel economy which seems to have been solved by a trip to the main dealer and a ECU update - they couldn't reproduce the dash fault so that is still an issue.

 

I wouldn't personally

[Dos_Box]

In that price category, you are struggling against the very dealers you're looking at buying from. Their margins are low, their warranty concerns are high (older cars that will probably break) and much of the newer stuff in this price bracket will either have moon-miles or be undesirable.

 

The 500L is a tool - not exciting, the engine is decent enough, and there's nothing exciting about it at all. Resale values are low.

 

Superb isn't a bad shout. I'd say the same for the mk4/5 (not the mk3!) Mondeo 2.0 diesel, which is a cracking car and the engine is a peach. Worth buttons. Plenty of estates about, and you can fit an entire house in the back and still get 40+MPG.

 

I had a Mk4 Modeo before the Superb and I loved it. Right until someone pulled out in front of me in late May and wrote it off!

The Superb, IMO, is another level above the Mondeo and is way better in the reliability stakes. I wouldn't balk at the Ford though should I need a new car in the future.

The price of small cars is way up atm and bigger ones (still with great fuel economy) can be had for similar amounts. I only pay £30 road tax for my Superb Greenline and it does between 60-70 mpg on the motorway and is ULEZ exempt. My week pottering around Yorkshire on A and B roads and over the Pennines gave me an average of 54 mpg, which I was very happy with

[Andycat]

My 2009 Passat Estate (2.0 TDi) does over 50mpg combined, is at 136,000 (I've done 90,000 of those in the last 4 years) and is sweet as a nut with basic maintenance. Nicest car I've ever had, and relatively cheap compared to small cars at the mo.

[Jawloms]

I'd be very happy with a Mondeo, or another Insignia. I'd get around 52mpg out of my previous one. Useful to hear about the 500L issues. I'll certainly look for them!

 

I know it's wrong, and I know they're good cars (VWs basically!), but I'm mid 40s, I remember all the jokes, and I just can't get past the Skoda name and badge.......

 

I owned a 2000 Passat a few years ago and was very happy with it. The issue is not what to get though, the issue seems to be that there just isn't anything around along those lines (around here anyway!) so would this 500L do? I am unfortunately on a time frame as the insurers want the hire car back in a few days.

 

Thanks for all the replies, useful as ever!

 

Stuart

[andy_b]

Two Brand of Cars that come with Umbrellas in the door - Rolls Royce and Skodas! (tbf mines under the seat now - previous was in the door).

 

On my second Octavia and love it. It probably has more road noise than a VW or Audi, but is better spec'ed for the money.

[Jaan]

I am unfortunately on a time frame as the insurers want the hire car back in a few days.

 

Stuart

 

they shouldn't be rushing you to return the hire car! its part of a on going claim..... esp if you were not at fault (not sure if that is the case in your senario). My bro got rear ended and he got a payout..... they wanted to car back and he said no, i haven't found a suitable replacment yet...... 3 months he had it (bmw 3 series)

[jmak]

 

I know it's wrong, and I know they're good cars (VWs basically!), but I'm mid 40s, I remember all the jokes, and I just can't get past the Skoda name and badge.......

 

 

I love people with your biases - keeps them nice and cheap for people like me [emoji16]

 

I've had two Superb estates and was very happy with both of them.

[Sharkman]

I've driven a Fiat 500 XL (not L) and that was nice - ours had an issue where the engine smelt like those corn nuts you can get in Tesco, though. I've driven a Fiat Tipo hatchback and that was great, a really fun car to drive. They do it in Station Wagon form too, so might be an idea to look for something like that too? Other than that, I'll echo what's been said about the Mondeo and the Superb - can't go wrong there either

[Andrew_C]

How long before you're told you need to buy a Plaid Tesla?

 

 

 

That Fiat is only "sort of" an estate car, so I'll stick a Honda Civic* in the mix. 60k on the clock, 64 plate, a bit more than your £5k, but nearly 70mpg on long runs. £0 tax.

 

*I don't know about the estate version - not seen many about, but the normal shaped one is flexible.

[jmak]

I've driven a Fiat 500 XL (not L) and that was nice - ours had an issue where the engine smelt like those corn nuts you can get in Tesco, though. I've driven a Fiat Tipo hatchback and that was great, a really fun car to drive. They do it in Station Wagon form too, so might be an idea to look for something like that too? Other than that, I'll echo what's been said about the Mondeo and the Superb - can't go wrong there either

That must be engine sensitive - I had one as a hire car and I was changing down to 3rd to keep up speed on motorway inclines!

[Sharkman]

That must be engine sensitive - I had one as a hire car and I was changing down to 3rd to keep up speed on motorway inclines!

Which one, the 500XL or Tipo? I can't say I drove the XL much but the Tipo was really quick, even stock

[jmak]

Which one, the 500XL or Tipo? I can't say I drove the XL much but the Tipo was really quick, even stock

The Tipo - the hire car had a small petrol engine.

[sigma]

I bought mine in Leicester it was "a lot" cheaper than for similar in Suffolk.

[Sharkman]

I've driven the 1.4 petrol. It tells you to shift up a bit early but if you make it clear you're still accelerating, it lets you go and tells you when to actually shift up. It took a bit of getting used to for me but now I know to ignore the marker until it goes and comes back. Flies off then

[Jawloms]

Got a 10 year old Astra Estate in the end. Not the most exciting car I've ever owned, but it's returning 67mpg which is nearly as good as the hybrid I was loaned as a courtesy car from the insurer!