Views on downgrading daily car
 

Hi, I'm thinking of downgrading my Audi b8 2.0TFSI Quattro avant to free up some cash and buy another daily for circa £5k as a stop gap.

Must be estate or family sized hatchback for dog etc.

Now I'd like opinions and views on which to consider, it's going to be very hard to replace my current car with the luxuries and drivability etc.

Must be reliable and fairly sporty so to speak as I don't need breakdowns when I've got my daughter in car etc, a bit a power too.
Petrol is my thing but would consider diesels if reliable enough.

The cars I've seen on the usual sites I've kind of narrowed it down to are:


Alfa 159 est 2.0d 2010s
BMW 5 series est 530d/535d I'll be lucky for a lci version unless highish mileage, but the few common problems don't get my heart strings rolling.
Mazda 6 est 2.2d I'm thinking probably too granddaddy for me tbh.
Saab 9-3 ttid est aero etc, seem decent looking but again diesel?
Octavia CR VRS est both diesel and petrol, seems like a decent choice but don't thing their luxury enough?
2012 shape passats est, can get these fairly cheap now, but again not luxury enough.
2011 Volvo v60 est, I did look at the v50s but can probably scrape to v60s just.

I wouldn't mind a 530/535d as that would be a decent compromise to Audi with all the luxuries, but unsure of reliability issues, ccc, dpf, egr, thermostats etc.

Opinions please

What bout Mercedes? Just an idea don't know f.a about them the BMW idea sounds good too nice shape in them BMW estates imo good luck in deciding bro:thumb:

So with this cash freeing exercise how much cash will you actually free up? not pipe dream figures... the reality check ones.

Point being you're changing from the known to the unknown and with the cars you seem keen on seems to me like there's no shortage of potential for loosing what you gain from selling up.

In my mind your current ride is worth circa £10k on a good day, so reality £8k.

You'd do better selling your shed type r and going back to an MX5 and forgetting about any dreams of being a racing driver. :D

Well, I'm not sure if that's any of your business what I'm freeing up now is it? :D

I have a rare car with all the spec so will command a decent price, but that's irrelevant.

Don't let me start on your type r now hey that's been dead for like 40 years :D:thumb:

Hmmmmmm.......not sure about the mercy for that budget, seem like the grandad whips. I do think the newer c class are ok, but think that will be a bit more for a sport type model.

Not fixated on it 100% yet tbh, I'm in 2 minds, a part of me is being selfish I think so I can chuck more money at subaru, me being impatient, but I suppose that's wrong of me for the sake of my family etc.

My point was more about would it be worth selling it for what you'd get free and clear in your pocket.

My Type R has been off the road for about 4yrs and will stay that way for probably another 3/4yrs at the very least, not got the time or money to do it the way I want to so it can just keep sitting in the garage while others rust and get crashed. :thumb:

For now it would yes, but I think that's me just being impatient and spending outlay a new 2.1 for scoob, but I think that's a bit selfish the more I think about it, but if I can still have a decent daily then.......I don't buy cars for investment etc, just thought of idea with 1 or 2 car enthusiasts putting stuff in my ears.
You see the car hobbyist coming out in me :brickwall, I need to stop it and be grown up about it :lol1:
Keep saying to myself, just wait till I can actually 'afford' it properly instead of these crazy or not so ideas. :D
.......I don't know.......

Have you considered one of these

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...gacy&logcode=p

Its no slouch, handles well, is reliable and has four driven wheels propelled by 3.0 H6 boxer. I have the saloon version of this - cant fault it.

If that's your reason for selling mate keep it and save up for the 2.1 take your time and enjoy the journey to making your type r the way you want no rushing:thumb:

Kids then wife should come first bro every time everything else will fall into place in good time :thumb:

Them tdi b7 engines are not my liking, not a great record
Looked at these although reliable I think, too granddaddy and the mpg is pretty crap tbh and the ved isint it £500 pound for them?

I might just do, think I'm just being impatient ATM, all my money's tied up lately and probably will be in next couple of months or so, so was just trying to get it done.
But as they say, good things come to those who wait.

And as ditch says, I'm going into the known reliable car, to a unknown car but as with any car you could have a problem regardless.

Ditch is right it's the only reason I have never had an evo as I don't know f.a about them stick to what you know pal atleast if it goes wrong you'll know how to deal with it rather than have your pants taken down unknowingly if you know what I mean

Yeah might just do, wouldn't be as bad if it was a sub 1k car and if it broke etc as that's expected, but for family daily not really as convenient.
I upgrade my daily, not downgrade lol, but that's just car enthusiast selfishness lol

I downgraded last year, bought my X3 when it came out of its lease contract, sold it 6 months later to we buy any car for £2.5k more than I'd paid when it came out of the lease. Bought a 2006 Saab Aero estate with the money and am enjoying the financial freedom, and after some silly jobs on the car the Saab reliability is starting to show. What to do with the money I'm not spending on a good car I'm not quite sure about yet. I've always wanted a Porsche, but I can't seem to keep away from quick estate cars, the V70 R or an early RS6 are looking tempting :)

I'm actually enjoying fixing my car myself again after 9 years of driving BMW cars on my company car scheme.

I had a 535d a few years back and I loved it. It was an 05 model, so no Lci. Shame they only made it in an auto. Was getting upto 40mpg on a run. mine was the se but wish I'd gone for the m sport for the styling

Why not switch from a B8 to a B7?

I've had my B7 for about 5 years now. I did look at selling it and going newer - B8.5 or F10 BMW and although they were nice places to be they didn't really do anything that the B7 doesn't already.

I decided the B7 will last me another few years at least so spending the money on an Impreza :D

I was looking at that Saab, is it the ttid?

This is the only car I feel like I'd downgrade for tbh, fully loaded, look ok, fast and economical.
But the neumerous issues.....

Oh no, no way I'd do that, the b7 has its issues in the TFSI and the whole drive is different as the Quattro system is nice and day different so a whole different drive imo.
No way I'd downgrade to another Audi unless rs etc as that would be a regret.

Just get a 530d m sport manual, (better mpg) and get it mapped if your after a bit more power, that 3.0 diesel m57 is legendary, got to be the best diesel engine going, we've got a 325d m sport with 83,000 which has barely run in, would be my only choice in your list

Have you considered a Subaru Legacy?

Hi guys, IF I do consider it, it will have to be a petrol as too many problems with diesels imo and I do t do enough miles to warrant one.
Other options maybe a Octavia vrs and v50 t5 2.5t

Rusti see post 11

You raise a valid point Busta. I guess that rules out an FSTI as well?

Too much money for the budget I'd spend.

You know my thoughts on Octavia.lol.Oh and I got it wrong on flappy paddles,they are amazing)

Been thinking about getting rid of my current one (and finance) and getting maybe 05 2.0 tfsi.Plenty of lovely kit in them.

Mind you,Skoda going against the grain the last few years.They hold their value pretty well.

Otherwise Golf GTI.Probably same price,not really looked.And you know its the same car with the octavia a bigger boot

(Alfa tempting though.lol)

That looks nice

Be careful with the b7 TFSI they have the horrendous chain issues and your engines toast amongst other things.
I've had a mk1 Octavia vrs and it was pretty decent car, I'm thinking of the mk3 as I might be able to scrape a highish mileage one. Not fully loaded as I'm used to but fairly ok I suppose, I want a reliable car as my Audi has been tbh.
The Volvo v60 t5 too, focus st 2.5 engine are known to be reliable albeit a big rubbish mpg, but my audis not fabulous on mpg so....lol.
Golf maybe a bit too small for my luxury pleasures.
I'm hard to please I know :D
I haven't made a concrete decision yet on what to do, my head says keep the Audi, but my heart says I want a 2.1 for the scoob ready for summer lol.

Remember the saying 'act in haste, repent at leisure' I'm always reluctant to let a good car go, as like I said before... it's such a mine field out there... you never know what you're buying into... fair enough if you're desperate due to a change in circumstances... but this is a WANT situation, not a NEED situation.

If you really want to do it then I'd be more inclined to drop down to a £1/2k car because I don't see £5k cars as being any better, you just end up with more money tied up in what is basically still an old car.

I usually just roll the dice when looking for cars like that, stick 5 doors and 40k miles into Autotrader and see what pops up, then move up the milage scale if nothing takes your fancy... in my experience theres always a few 'stand out cars' I've bagged quite a few pretty good reliable cars for myself and others with this method... you just have to be open minded and think of it as a 'throw away car'... Ferrari beating Rover was the king... cost £800 did about 5yrs and more than 80k miles.

I know that's not posh enough for you but theres usually plenty of other cars that pop up... my best mate bagged his V6 Audi A6 with the same method... had it for 3yrs and sold it on for almost exactly what he paid.

Just some food for thought, since you seem to have a lot of time on your hands. :D

That would be too sensible, it's the 2.3 turbo, 260 bhp through the front wheels :)


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Nice looks decent, what's it like on fuel and tax?

^tax is £295 a year as it's the manual box, the auto after 2006 is £500 a year. Fuel is around 30 mpg, not seen it average much under 30 for a tank. Going to try the stage 1 ecu tune which is £80 and increases torque by about 15% but also improves the fuel consumption. Very active owners forums which is surprising given they stopped building cars in 2011.