don't know whether to got for a one year old car, still in warranty, or pay less and got for a 2009ish car. Additionally, I've been thinking Micra but then I've read a lot on here about Kia Picantos and Toyota Yaris.
So as you can see I'm pretty much a novice, basically I want a small car, reliable, economical -
Buy a brand new Corsa 1.0 for £9.5k with a lifetime warranty on dealer interest free credit. Suprising comfortable, quiet, 50mpg, 64 bhp engine, £30 road tax, group 1 insurance.
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T
Edited by katieent on 04/06/2012 at 20:46
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Thanks very much for all your advice, I'm going to look round a few places in Leeds today and have a look at some of these cars. And hopefully find someone who'll take my Citroen Relay off my hands!
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Modern Micras are not particularly reliable, unfortunately Renault have had more influence on the partnership than Nissan.
Hyundai i10s can be bought for around £175 PCM new (if you include the amount you have to save to make the second lump-sum payment). Are very reliable and have 5 year warranties. Not much to look at but they are excellent cars - perhaps the best in their class. Due to the demand-driven shortage of second-hand i10s, Hyundai often offer customers of one-year old i10s deals they cannot refuse to exchange them for a new ones!
Second-hand it has to be the Yaris all the way, not the biggest car in its class but they are very reliable and are nice to drive.
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Coincidentally I think I just settled on an i10- they're currently selling the 'Classic' for £6995 brand new - I can't even find a year old one for that price. I test drove it yesterday and it was fine, plus the basic model comes in red - all important! I haven't paid a deposit yet though, though not sure what I'm waiting for....!
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Have you looked on Autotrader to give yourself an idea of used prices, katieent?
Also, just for your information, Drive the Deal sell the Classic for £6815, (less £250 if you take the finance option) delivered, so £6995 isn't a one-off. The retail is just over £8300. Not saying you should use a broker, but they do give you a good idea of how much to pay. It's always good to establish a relationship with a local dealer - provided he's a good one.
Also, have you checked the spec. of the Classic in detail to ensure that it has what you want? The next one up does cost more but does give you features that are popular...if there's nothing on the Active that you need or want, then go for the Classic. I think you'll find the colour red is generally available.....[and isn't, as a rule, the most omportant feature when buying a new car :-) ]
Did you read all of my post above? and have you visited the Hyundai-Forum in order to familiarise yourself with the things to check etc...? Because it only refers to Hyundai it goes in to more detail than you would expect elsewhere...there are over 11,300 posts just on the i10 section.
SteveLee has referred to it's warranty (as I did myself) and also speaks of the reliablity and he will, I'm sure, comment on his own experience with his own (I'm presuming Steve does have one). I did suggest that you look at Hyundai and am pleased that you did, but it would be prudent to be aware of what owners have experienced in times gone past (and, fortunately, to a lesser degree today). Far better to make an informed purchase.
Did you look at the Skoda Citigo?
Edited by KB. on 07/06/2012 at 13:26
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Thanks KB, I've read so many reviews of so many cars now, my head's spinning! The only thing I want from a car is, I'm afraid, a nice colour and an auxillary socket, oh dear! I just need the basics in all other respects, which is the good thing about the Hyundai I think. To get an ipod lead in the Picanto you have to get the whistles and bells model - I'm really not bothered about having electric wing mirrors!
On the plus side I've decided to sell my van privately - the 800quid offer for part exchange is not on!
Thanks so much everyone for all your opinions - it really is helping!
I haven't looked at a Skoda - I'm getting salesman fatigue though....!
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What model and year is your i10, Steve?
Re. Supply and demand - there are 816 on Autotrader at the moment. but I agree Hyundai have made owners some enticing inducements to swap from a used to a new model.
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My sister in law has a late 2011 I10 Active bought new, I've driven it a couple of times - it's an excellent car. The only problem she's had is a rattling noise from the driver seat belt anchor which is a easily fixable known issue on some cars. I drive a Range Rover so the fact I felt perfectly happy in the i10 (even on the motorway) shows what a solid little car it is. It's reasonably quiet, comfotable and handles neatly. The engine is sweet and gutsy for the capacity. (1.2 manual) I don't think the fuel consumption is that great (mid 40s average, low 50s at a steady 60mph cruise.) not terrible, but not what I'd expect from a modern car, nothing's perfect I guess, but I still think it's a cracking car.
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Thanks Steve. Having had a manual and an auto i10, both from new, I've had a good opportunity, myself, to evaluate them. It was due to my own experience, gained from BOTH cars that I suggested the OP might want to check on past issues which have been apparent and get a feel for what owners themselves have had to say about the car. This, in conjunction with reviews and reports, for example the comprehensive review by HJ, which covers the excellent points of the car plus several of the known issues which were present - and, it must be readily acknowledged, have largely been sorted now. My own car has recently been modified in order to correct a long standing problem and my previous car was a rogue and caused me much grief therefore I have had considerable experience in corresponding with Hyundai dealers and Hyundai Management. As a consequence I was at pains to get the OP to be familiar with the background of the car and to check out their local dealer as best they can because IF they required assistance in connection with any aspect of the car then the support of the dealer would be crucial. My own dealer's service department is superb and hopefully the OP will have no problems at all....but there are those unfortunate individuals who have needed support - and I'm just pointing out the obvious really. I wouldn't have suggested to the OP that they look at Hyundai if I was totally biased against them - but as noted earlier it's good to be informed.
Edited by KB. on 07/06/2012 at 16:59
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KB, Every manufacturer has problems, you mentioned the Citigo as an alternative above - the VAG group have recent history of their little three pot citycar engine going bang with alarming regularity - great on fuel until it grenades! And VAG are renowned for trying to squirm out of warranty claims – witness the dragging of feet over the well-documented Siemens injector issues, waterpump induced cambelt failures or Passat oil-pump failures. The "i" Hyundais (and matching KIAs) represent a brand new platform and a significant step forward technologically for the company - expect teething issues, so yes it's good advice to go for the facelift i10 – I'd still trust one (reliability wise) over a VAG car anyday and I'd definitely expect the engines to be more durable - something modern KIA/Hyundais are deservedly respected for. The Japs must be quaking in their boots - the South Koreans have seemingly managed to combine European chassis dynamics knowhow and Japanese build quality/reliability in one keenly-priced package. Good luck to them!
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Not sure why my message appeared all the way up there...! Here it is again:
Thanks KB, I've read so many reviews of so many cars now, my head's spinning! The only thing I want from a car is, I'm afraid, a nice colour and an auxillary socket, oh dear! I just need the basics in all other respects, which is the good thing about the Hyundai I think. To get an ipod lead in the Picanto you have to get the whistles and bells model - I'm really not bothered about having electric wing mirrors!
On the plus side I've decided to sell my van privately - the 800quid offer for part exchange is not on!
Thanks so much everyone for all your opinions - it really is helping!
I haven't looked at a Skoda - I'm getting salesman fatigue though....!
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Katie, if you want to make sure your post appears at the end, reply to the original post.
I think the Hyundai i10 sounds good for you: the 1.2 is worth having over the 1.0, but do have a good long test drive in one and make sure it does what you need a car to do.
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Thanks for reply, Steve. I'm conscious of not taking over the thread with a to and fro of Hyundai versus VAG. However, briefly, I have a folder of correspondence including a written flat refusal from Hyundai UK (HUK) to sort the issue on my current car. HJ does have the details as we've corresponded. It took me eight months and the need to write to the highest level of management on countless occasions to get HUK to look in to my warranty claim - and eventually they sent a, very knowledgable and helpful, Technical Manager to look at the car and three months after that they developed a fix in the factory in India, where the car's made. And 'thank you' to them as it's much better now. But your word "squirm" applied 100% to HUK Customer Service and I had to battle to get my car sorted. My previous one had the dreaded clutch judder during the early phase of production as well as a dozen other faults. They eventually changed the clutch and I sold it. And whatever you do don't mention "headlight adjustment motors" I mentioned it once and I think I got away with it. The word "debacle" is one that HUK themselves admit to. And miles per gallon, radio reception, clutch cable adjustment, clutch squeal, clutch squawk, rear seat belts, front seat belts.....all have their place in i10 history.
Conversely I don't seem to have had any trouble with my Skoda since I bought it new a year ago and the local Skoda service department is as helpful and seemingly proficient as my Hyundai service department which I can't praise highly enough.
So, you will accept, I'm sure, that we might come to the topic from different angles. I agree the Citigo hasn't been out long enough to know it's shortcomings. And I again say that Hyundai should, rightly, have been on the OP's shortlist as I'm quite sure that as long as you don't get the Friday car that I DID have then you'll be fine and HUK Customer Service have written to me to say that they hope things will be better as they strive to continually improve their service to customers and have learned from my difficult encounters.....hence my saying I would hope that I would be able to trust them if I bought another new Hyundai. But you can see I have had quite a bit to do with them and speak from personal experience, both with VAG and Hyundai....albeit only MY experience. As it happens I'm still awaiting a reply to my email to them thanking them for developing the fix, sent several weeks ago....but am sure it will arrive in due course. The Hyundai forum I mention has details of other peoples - as do the VAG forums with regard to THEIR own experiences with VAG....alll for better or for worse.
I mustn't go on for reasons noted at the start otherwise it'll be the Steve and KB show :-)
Edited by KB. on 07/06/2012 at 21:56
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So, now I've decided to go for the i10 - any advice on haggling the price down? Is it worth trying two dealers ie Pentagon in Wakefield and Benfield in Leeds, and trying to play them off, or are they both essentially the same compay? Even if I can't get the price down, some freebies would be nice!
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Try to make sure a dealer can at least get down to the What Car target price. Another option is to see what price a car broker, such as Drivethedeal, can quote, and either get it through them or again try to get a dealer to match it.
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Great, thanks. The What Car price is the dealer's quoted price anyway. Once you've taken off the £250 discount conditional on taking out PCP, the drivethedeal quote is £180 cheaper which is something I suppose....!
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So, now I've decided to go for the i10 - any advice on haggling the price down? Is it worth trying two dealers ie Pentagon in Wakefield and Benfield in Leeds, and trying to play them off, or are they both essentially the same compay? Even if I can't get the price down, some freebies would be nice!
I would suggest you have a look at the DrivetheDeal website there are some good deals in my opinion on there. Particularly if you take out PCP Finance with Hyundai. Manufacturer contribution etc.
Also have a look on a few Hyundai Dealer Websites for offers.
For example Bushey Heath Hyundai in Hertfordshire have some very good deals on their site.
I have recently placed an order for an i10 and received a discount of £2200 on list price.
Albeit on a PCP Deal. No problem to me i will subject to figures pay it off asap.
Even if i have to run it for its full course it will still be an excellent deal.
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