Help me choose!
 

Still got that 4 year itch that needs scratching!

Seat Leon Cupra - Diesel - 150 BHP ...... 45mpg!

Mazda 6 - Diesel - 138 BHP ....... 44mpg

Jaguar Estate even????

Either one worth throwing in a MY00 Impreza Turbo Wagon in for??

Pete

Few hundred quid buys 190+ bhp and 300+ lbs.ft for the Leon, but then it would be modded (spits on floor ;) ) Still be a fair bit slower than a classic though........ but what attributes are you lookin' for?

Few hundred?? Don't you mean a few thousand?

Can't modify a car!! Residual value drops faster than Beagle2 and disappears just as fast!

Attributes? Carries BIG dog - 3 Adults - Good mpg (had enough of this 22mpg stupidity!) - Reliable and servicing once a year (NOT the silly twice as now!)

I have worked out that my Impreza might lose £1000 a year for the next 3 years (I have taken the biggest hit already) ..... a new Mazda6, for example, would lose about £2500 per year for the 3 years, so, if you do the sums on an annual mileage of 12,000 ............................. in petrol/diesel alone its a neutral budget!! The new car costs NOTHING in depreciation!!

Add to that the fact that you have a NEW car for 3 years, Climate control, Traction control, BOSE audio, Sunroof, Computer, annual servicing (at reasonable cost), 3 years warranty, 3 years breakdown cover, parts shouldn't start going wrong (although the Subaru has held together remarkably well)

So, you will see that - if you ignore the performance loss - you have a no-brainer!!

Or am I missing something obvious???

Pete

How big is your dog?

Theres not much headroom for it in the Cupra if you intend sticking it in the back with the parcel shelf off.

...have you driven the cars?

how do you rate the mazda 6?...a very good drive apparently? personally I like the estate version and fully kitted up it looks the dogs cahoonas!

...the dogs?

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/imag...y_mz6_9_lg.gif

How about a golf GT TDI 150.

No to Golf - Leon is the same car and cheaper/better built

That Mazda does look the dogs! Talking of dogs - the dog is a German Shepherd Dog .... is the Leon out then?

The Mazda estate is a decent price new, about £14000 with the discount you can get, yet it holds its value better than the saloon or hatchback (the opposite to the Impreza!)

God, I don't know! If I get to the 4 year service in Mid May without making my mind up - its the Impreza for another 2 years! (I have 14 months warranty left anyway) ...... so, its not the end of the world!

Problem is, when I get back in the Impreza after a test drive I just feel comfortable and at ease ............ and the thought of chucking it in AND paying £5k for a new car doesn't appeal much! :( BUT I know something MUST be done soon or I am keeping it!!

Pete

Pete - as already stated headroom would be tight for a German Shepard in the boot of a Leon ~ same kinda "depth" as a Golf mk IV but far steeper rake to the screen.

Nope. Revo reflash your ECU via the serial port (behind the ashtray). No physical access to ECU required.

You have the option of a "key" which you plug into the same port to switch std-remap-std to your heart's content. Dealer need not know. New owner need not know. :)

Forgot to ask - you considered Octavia Estate?

Or Alfa 156 2.4JTD sportback or whatever the 4uck it's called? Getting on a bit now, but the recently revised 2.4JTD got a great write up in evo recently.

Alfa - NEVER!! spends its life getting fixed!! :(

Skoda, yes - could be a contender! Bit long in the tooth now though?

Pete

Neem cream for the itch and keep the wagon ;)

The new Accord Diesel gets good reviews...

Otherwise, if you don't like throwing money away what about a 1 year old 320D or better still 330D?

B

The Volvo V70 estates with the D5 motor are very good cars, grunty & economical. But it's a Volvo ... and they're about £24K new.

BMW 330D - cheap secondhand!?

Pete