Title is a bi misleading but I could not fit a longer on one.
I am looking into new cars, I am not going to buy one this year but I don't want to be driving a car I bought in my mid 20's (well 27) as I approach my 40's!.
I was thinking next year might be a good time to change, it will be six years old and still worth something come p/x. However I will probably end up still keeping my Panda as usual.
I paid £6100 for my Panda back in 2010, it was the base spec but with metallic paint which bumped up the price. For that I still get electric windows, airbags (only two), ABS, CD player, central locking and power steering. I think the list at the time was about £7800. I am staggered to see the list price of the new base spec Panda is £9800!! Yep £10k for a poverty spec Panda, while I know I could get a discount it is still going to cost at least £8000. Imagine some poor sod that does pay £10k for it, it would loose about £3k just leaving the show room. My car has lost £3k in 5 years.
This brings me on to what cheap cars you could buy. The obvious choice would be a £6600 Dacia Sandero, not the £6000 base version but this £6600 comes with all the basic modern essentials like electric windows and a CD player etc. It has the bullet proof 1.2 16v Renault engine and from what I have seen looks like a very decent honest car that isn't trying to be something it is not, unlike the new Panda.
The Citygo looks like a great choice at £8200, but again the base spec is just too basic even compared to my 5 year old Panda and a 5 door is essential for me, so by the time I spec it up it will cost £10k.
Even the Hyundai and Kias are a lot more expensive than they were a few years ago. All this answers the question why I have seen so many Dacias on the road lately. They are the true Lada of the modern day but only time will tell if they rust like one.
So are FIAT, Hyundai, Kia etc now missing the point? The new i10 for me is still a much better proposition than the Panda because of the warranty and general what seems to be decent dealers that don't rip you off. They seem to be about 2/3 of the price of the FIAT dealer for the same jobs.
Even Skoda are at it, the Fabia used to be a great value car that was reliable and well made. Now it is so expensive a good car value for money car it probably still is, but it is just like every good mainstream small car.
And the next car I might be driving? Well it is good news, You've guessed it, the Dacia Sandero.
If I wanted to spend £10k on a car, it would be a Polo or a Fiesta etc, not a budget car with an inflated price.
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