Need Help recommending a car for my Dad!

[BMW_Dude]

Hi there, I need your ideas as to what replace my families cars with!

Currently we have a VW Golf Mk4 GT TDI with 110bhp and a Pug 406 estate with the 2.0 litre HDI with 110bhp as well! The Golf has 160,000 miles and the 406 has 135,000 miles and they're around 6 years old!

What Dad's thinking of doing is replacing the 406 with an Audi A4 avant with the 138bhp 2.0 litre diesel and fully speccing it! He is also considering the passat estate, but is leaning towards the Audi because it's a bit smaller! Any ideas, BTW my dad doesn't like prestigious cars that much, Audi is as far as he'll go so don't suggest BMW or MB!

For the golf replacement he is either looking at the Mk5 Golf with the 138bhp 2.0 litre diesel engine or the A3 sportsback with the same engine! The reason he's considering the Audi is in the UK, to get that engine you have to get sports suspension, as with his current golf and he's not very impressed by the ride and with the Audi, you can get it in SE!

If you have any other ideas, please say. He is probably going to import these cars from Europe, like he did with the golf, but wouldn't want to get a spec not on sale for insurance and re-sale reasons!

[Tycoon]

Well, I M O.... If money ain't an issue, i'd go for Audi Avant instead of Passat. It's better in every way (chassis, suspension, build quality...)... Hell, it's an Audi, the star with 4 rings.

For Golf replacement - the same! A3 is waaay more expensive (at least here in Croatia), so if the case is the same in UK - tell your dad to taker Golf.

Not much of help from me, but anyway...

Good luck!

[Yannis]

I agree with Tycoon.

I would suggest (1) A4 Avant and Golf
or (2) Passat and A3.

Good luck.

[BMW_Dude]

Thanks for the help guys, to think I'll get Dad to get an A4 and Golf, seems the best combination, and it was what I was thinking, seems like you have answered in that same way!

[Tycoon]

Right on, dude! He won't regret, tell him so!

[Snake Vargas]

I reckon the Golf is a much better value proposition, at least in Australia, than the A3. If your dad isn't bent on getting a prestigiously badged car as such, then Golf should be fine.

Though, do you mean that you want the 138bhp (103kW?) 2.0TDI, but don't want sports suspension? Or that you want sports suspension? In Australia, they only come without sports suspension; but actually I'd like one with sports suspension (I think it's the UK "GT" spec that I like). They had a limited run of 2.0TDI Sportline Golf V's come in, but not sure if they're still around.

As for the wagon, have you thought of Subaru Liberty/Legacy, or Honda Accord Euro Tourer? Unless you want German that is. Not quite as much attention to detail inside, IMO, but not bad for the money.

I'm quite keen on the Passat, seeing as it's brand new and the Audi is more or less 5 years old or whatever by now. But I'm sure it's still a nice car, and you'll be quite happy. Not to mention that Audi has options galore.

[Alwing]

I've alot of time to spare....hehe.
Ever considered these alternatives:

Replacement for the Peugeot 406:

- Alfa Romeo 159 station (soon be out)
Great looking car on the outside and inside in my opinion.
Quality seems to be improven over its predecessor. Reliability still has some question marks.

- Volvo V70
Good car and safe and reliable and not too flashy.

- Saab 9-3 station
It's a new car. Seems to be a nice alternative next to the Audi A4.

- Saab 9-5 station
It's a very nice car. I've sat in the Saab 9-5 aero (not the new one) once, it's quiet and fast.
Looks are great especially with Aero package.

- Peugeot 407 station
Suprised that you didn't even consider the next model of the 406.
In my opinion it's one of the best looking station in its segment. Especially in black with 17" rims and panoramic roof.
It does look better in reallife than in pictures.



Replacement for the VW Golf:

- Audi A3
Good car with quality and style. No further explaination needed I think.

- Opel Astra
The number one competitor of the VW Golf.
Just as good as the Golf but less boring on the appearance.

- Alfa Romeo 147
Good looking car with nice interior. But not sure about quality and reliability.

- Citroen C4
Modern looking car. I personally really like it.
A kinda mini BMW 5-series at the front.

- Honda Civic
Just as the Citroen C4, a modern looking car. Looks great in my opinion.
Seems to be a good car but a bit noisy according to some reviews.

- Seat Leon
The all new Leon. Sporty handeling and good quality car.
Too bad it looks too similiar to the other models of Seat.

- Peugeot 307
Good, comfortable and roomy car.
If you choose the one with leather dashboard, its the most classiest interior in it's class.

[BMW_Dude]

Thanks guys for your replys, especially Alwing, you have helped a lot!

To answer your questions, SV, Dad wants the 138bhp without the sports suspension, and in the UK you can only get the golf in GT form with that engine, that's why he was considering an A3 cause you can get the SE version with that engine! For the wagon, Dad needs a diesel engine, so the Legacy is out. The Honda is good but Dad hates the looks, he isn't into radical designs. He even says the new golf isn't very good looking compared to his golf so it has to look conservative, hense why he likes Audi!

Another thing he wants is great MPG, 50MPG plus for the golf sized car, and not much below 50MPG in the wagon. He does 30,000 miles a year, so a car less efficient could make a huge difference to his costs. Also he wants top quality!

Tell me if I'm wrong, but aren't the diesel engines in the V70 and saabs not all that good for MPG. Dad hate the styling of the 407, and i'd have to say I'd agree. I can't see it aging very well!

About the golf repacement, cars such as the C4, Civic, 307, Leon are out because they are quite radical! The Alfa would be out because it has poor build quality! I'll mention the Astra to Dad, but not sure he is that keen on Opels! In this class, are there any cars which are really refined at high speeds?

[Giannis]

What Alwing posted are all great. My suggestions are:
Don't go for a Saab. Every Audi, BMW, MB, Volvo is better than it. A friend of mine has a new 9-3, but he faces some serious problems with it.
In a low price range, you can also find Renault Laguna SW, which is a really great alternative to the 407. As for the Golf replacement, there is nothing better than a new Golf , I'm thinking of buying one, too (for replacement of my old Clio)

[Alwing]

It's always a good thing to help people, you're welcome.
I just came up with a different car that could either replace the Golf or the Peugeot 406.
That's the Skoda Octavia. I remembered a trio comparisontest in a German car magazine, the Audi A4 Avant and the Skoda Octavia and another car I can't remember anymore.
Suprisingly the Skoda Octavia won the comparison and the Audi Avant came second.
So the Skoda Octavia is a good car. Unlike the ones in old days.
The car itself is about the same size as the Audi A4 Avant but with a pricetag of Volkswagen Golf. In my country the price difference is about €13.000 between the A4 Avant and the Skoda Octavia.
Anyway, it's also a VAG car so it uses the same engines as the Audi and the VW. Fuel economy should be about the same as the Golf/Audi.
Not everyone likes Skoda's though due to their reputation. But from the experiences of other peoples, I heard alot of people who were a bit biased from the start about the Skoda took their bad words back after they testdrove it.

Anyway, as Giannis mentioned, the Renault Laguna is a nice car as well.
Good looking and comfortable but here in our country we had alot of electronic glitches but I think that should be solved by now since it's already facelifted.
And yeah as Snake Vargas suggested, the Subaru Legacy is a fine car as well. Reliable and well build. Top Gear couldn't praise that car enough so I guess that does say something.
Aside of that, a Ford Mondeo is also a good alternative.
Also a Ford Focus as a replacement for the Golf. But design isn't as good as its predecessor, the car is good though.