Which car?

[ifonly4]

Trying to decide between two models:

Model A - same as present, but updated.
Pros: More rear leg room, more boot space (good when we go camping once a year, probably for another 2-3 years), nice drive, meant to hold road better.

Cons: Cost approx £800 more than Model B, but petrol consumption slightly better.

Model B -
Pros: Approx £800 less than Model A. Easier to park. Higher, so better vision when SUVs next to us. A more funky car but we're 59 and 62, so maybe not top of our list.

Cons: Less leg room so will be tight for some passengers (we don't give many lifts and car is primarily for us), will have to take less stuff camping for the 2/3 more years (I take everything but kitchen sink).

Which would you chose?

I would need to know what they were and how old they were. £800 between the 2 if not much of buying new/nearly new but if they are budget end second hand cars it’s a huge difference.

Lol come on op, its not outing to share the make and models of the cars!

Model A is Vauxhall Astra and Model B is Vauxhall Mokka. Our present car is a Vauxhall Astra (has been far more reliable than our previous Nissan and feels the nicest car I've driven - so fairly basic cars compared to some out there).

We'll buy from our Vauxhall garage as had brilliant service from them. We only went looking yesterday, and sales person let us test drive both knowing we weren't in a rush - both felt nice to test drive on a short trial - I was hoping we could rule one out.

They can transfer cars from their other garages over to our town to test drive. There's an Astra that ticks our boxes and a few Mokkas out there. The £800 difference is on something the same age, roughly same mileage.

Thanks op - i prefer the mokka overall, plus it is cheaper. I am surprised that, being a small suv, it has less boot space!

If youre only camping a few times a year, and the day to day drive is the most important thing and it sounds like the mokka offers the best day to day experience

IMHO of course

Thanks for your reply. The salesman was basically saying it's our day to day drive that counts.

I'll talk it over with DH tomorrow. It's only us putting ourselves under pressure, but now we've started looking ...

Avoid both, just Peugeot junk. Was on a course recently with a service manager from a Vauxhall dealer, he was telling me what utter shit they are.

Appreciate your comment, but we're definitely going to buy one or the other. Our previous car was a Nissan, we wouldn't touch one again with a barge pole. We went for an Astra as our old neighbour worked in a garage and always had one - him and his father both recommended them. He's still driving around in one himself. I guess it depends on previoius experience for everyone.

Our present Astra is a nice drive, and other than some of the tyre sensors going and replacement tyres, we haven't had to have anything done in eight years (it's 11 years old).

Your current Astra is no doubt fine, it’s the current range of re-badged Peugeots that are the problem. When someone who deals with their issues daily tells you to avoid like the plague then it’s sensible to listen. Buy something Japanese but avoid Nissan, they’re properly shit since Renault’s involvement (notice a pattern there? 😂).

Whichever you choose, make sure it doesn't have a wetbelt. Very expensive to sort when they start deteriorating. Read up about them.

My view is the right sized car for you is one that is a bit too small very occasionally. I used to camp with a Fabia. Also choosing a car for the rear leg room when you rarely give anyone lifts seems crazy.

This may sound unhelpful but I think you should just go for the one you'd prefer to own and drive, day in day out. Do you want to be astra drivers or mokka drivers?

do both have the all round camera feature? im not sure what it’s called but it makes parking sooo much easier.

i would go with the suv as it’s easier to get in and out when we are gettimg older with potential joint issues starting.

having room for stuff would not be an issue on either car as you could get a top box or roof racks for affixing on top of whatever vehicle for once a year holidays? these tent top box things seem very popular!

i would base my use on the majority of time. eg if passengers are not there the majority of the time i would not give them a second thought. if it’s every Saturday afternoon to a hobby or whatever i would consider them.