I ramble a bit, the important bits are at the bottom:

I can be quite gobby on car threads, but I’ll admit when it comes to my own, I’ve stuck in a vortex of over-thinking and reality v theory.

I’ve had company cars for years, but we’re getting an allowance now, £330 after tax, this is just for the car and RFL, tyres, normal servicing and insurance is covered by my company. Repairs/Maint are not.

I’ve got SFA deposit, I just can’t touch my savings at the moment, best I can do is a payment in advance or £500 cash deposit which is closing a lot of doors.

I was looking for:

2/3 year old, 20k/30k mile

Octy VRS DSG Estate, A6 Ultma Estate Auto, Superb Estate Auto and ‘not shit’ spec / engine.

And I’m sure 6 months ago they were everywhere, now all the Skodas seem very expensive, and Audis non existent, unless you want a Manual Saloon, which I don’t.

It’s almost down the wire and I’ve got the following to choose from, which come in under budget.

BMW 520d SE Estate, Manual it’s 4 years old and 38k miles. Every review I’ve read (from when they were new) use the words “best car in the world” a lot, although they also say you want a Auto with active suspension, which this doesn’t have, my Car-mad mate say “the wheels are too small and it’s slow”.

Or

Seat Leon ST FR Sport, 2.0Tdi 150bhp new. It’s got alllllllllllll the toys (I like a toy) but it’s much smaller. Leather, Virtual Dash, Apple Carplay, might get a DSG if they can find one, or a manual. Sadly they don’t make the 190 petrol / diesel anymore and they cannot be found.

I do about 12-15k miles a year, the BMW is more comfortable, bigger, but will be probably 8 years old and 100k miles when I’m done with it – it’s a PCP type deal when I can return it, but I’m worried about landing myself one of those massive £1k type bills that big German stuff can throw up to their owners. The Seat is a 3 year deal, pay for 1 service, warranty for the entirety of it’s time with me, give it back, possibly with a bit of equity.

Oh, and I can the Petrol version of the Seat if I want too. Both are Euro 6D.

If you aren’t in a position to cope with a big repair bill then the Seat is a no brainer. And to be honest a 320d doesn’t scream dream car.

Buy the one that makes you feel special when you sit in it.

Also, non german cars are also available. Some of them are even quite good.

Every German car i’ve owned has been a soulless disappointment.

Every German car i’ve owned has been a soulless disappointment.

The last two I owned were also badly designed to maintain, more unreliable than others and expensive to fix..

Buy the one that makes you feel special when you sit in it.

Also, non german cars are also available. Some of them are even quite good.

Every German car i’ve owned has been a soulless disappointment.

Fundamentally neither makes me feel Special. The only cars I’ve had a chubby for in the last couple of years (that I could actually afford) was the Golf R Estate, but they’re a bit out of reach and as my Wife reminds me, I drive like the old man I am these days and the Volvo V90 which is really out of reach.

Doesn’t need to be German (or German with a Spanish accent) but I don’t like SUVs and few makers seem interested in Estates these days.

a 320d doesn’t scream dream car

Its a 520 😉

I’d still go the the Seat if bill-shock is a major concern! 🙂

Toyota Auris estate. You’ll lose all interest in “pressing on” and your life will improve immeasurably.

I have the Seat ST and find it a fun car to drive. Purchased for 12k from auctions at 2 years old with 18k on the clock. Had it 3 years now and its not cost anything in repairs apart from buying a spacesaver spare as it comes with a pump and latex can. Apparently it keeps the weight down so its only £2o road tax if purchased new without the wheel.

I was in exactly this position two years ago. Long story short, I got an Octavia on PCH.

https://www.simpsonsskoda.co.uk/pch-offers/

Simple reason, they were light years cheaper than anything else I looked at in the same class. The Offers page above shows deposit / monthly costs, but when I went to talk to them they were 100% flexible in how this was weighted – ie, I could put as much more or less up front as I wanted and have the monthly repayments adjusted accordingly. Similarly with the lease length, I could’ve extended it from two years but it actually worked out more expensive for the third year than it would have just to chuck it back at that point and get a new one.

Nearly-new isn’t the bargain it once was. Again, when I looked into it these were actually dearer than new, perversely.

The other option I considered was to spend the same money on buying something older, then after two years I’d own it outright. The downside here was that when I did the sums, what I’d own outright would be a nine year old Focus. And if the engine fell out of it after six months I’d be humped anyway.

Brand new car, all the toys, breakdown cover, full warranty for the length of ownership, “assurance” which is basically accident management and picks up things not covered by insurance like courtesy cars… all suddenly looked a lot more appealing than bangernomics.

he Golf R Estate, but they’re a bit out of reach

Golf R estates have been had on leases for as little as £220/month. Can you wait a bit to see if the go back on deal?

Of those two, it would be the seat for me.
150bhp is plenty for normal driving, a nicer interior is something you get to enjoy every time you drive it, a 300hp engine is something you will rarely get the chance to enjoy for more than a few seconds at a time.

Except if you live in North West Northumberland ..
I can still have lots of fun with a 272hp car on near deserted roads on my commute to Tyneside each day ..

Yes, quite.
Maybe I’m getting old, but my car has 147bhp and it’s plenty for me.