Ok, so heres the deal....

Got the insurance money for my car, and I need to replace it, I have found 2 identical cars, both 2.0lt Turbo Diesels, both same age, same spec etc etc.

Car 1) 108,000 miles £3,995
Car 2) 65,000 miles £4,995

So basically, £1000 for 40,000 miles difference.

Which would you choose and why?

I'd get (2) if you can afford it - half as much wear & tear for only 1/4 extra money.


Check them both out personally though, as it depends entirely on just *how* they were driven those distances.

can afford (2), but would like the grand in my pocket

What car btw?

Another Peugeot 307

Both fairly new cars with high miles, I'm guessing fleet cars just driven up and down motorways all their life.

Personally, I'd go for the lower mileage one. You never know, you might end up saving more than a grand in maintenance costs.

Check them both out if you can. Are they private sales? I possible find out the whose car it was and how its done the miles, a builders run about with a few thousand on the clock isn't worth as much as a high mileage motorway cruiser well looked after. Usually I'd take the gamble on the higher mileage but given Peugeots fairly lassy fair approach to build quality, from the nearly new ones I learnt to drive in I'd have said it may be worth going for the lower mileage.

Quote from pb32000 :

Personally, I'd go for the lower mileage one. You never know, you might end up saving more than a grand in maintenance costs.

Good point, if you've got a choice go for a privately owned one, it's bound to have been kept in better condition and respected more.

Car A) - Less mileage, doesnt always mean less work to be done.

My car has done atleast 200,000 miles and it is still running strong, yet I have seen cars of the same age with 100,000 less miles with head gaskets gone, big ends etc.

Its all about the factory life and how its been maintained.

Go for the cheaper car with more miles. Spend that spare £1000 on me for being so helpful.

Car 2 is a one owner, I envisage as a "runabout/shopping" car, Car 2 is a fleet car with "motorway" mileage.
I would imagine the higher mileage one would have all it's "faults" ironed out by now, while there is potential for the lower mileage one to not have found them yet...........

Find out when the cambelt should be changed. It could be that the lower mileage one needs it doing shortly, never a cheap job.

Good point that, never thought of that

I didn't hear too much good news about Peugeot (and Renault too). It is said that they have serious problem with the electronic system. Too much electronic thingy in new cars

BTW, I would choose Car 2)

My last 307 was fine, had it for over a year with no issues.

I could choose car 1, and put the grand in a bank for when the car goes wrong (being French it surely will).

Or, when it does go wrong, do what the French do and burn it. They burn most of their cars, but then that's not surprising.

Trouble is, I can't find anything that can "beat" the 307 I had, I would like a 2Lt TD 5 door hatch

Quote from danowat :

Trouble is, I can't find anything that can "beat" the 307 I had, a 2Lt TD 5 door hatch

Yeah, bang for buck Peugeot and Citroen are pretty damn good value for money in many ways.

However, there is a reason that all French cars come 400th in car satisfaction/reliability surveys our of 250 marques (Dinky toys and Airfix models come between Mercedes and French cars). So you pays your money and makes your choice.

Get an Aigo and play car football?

My mate had a 307 that burst into flames, but reast assured, it wont happen to you

Definatly car 2. As Tristan pointed out, they are French, so expect them to brake down

Why dont you buy a nice BMW

I think you can´t speak about french cars in general.

I used a lot of Peugeots (405 mostly) for driving in winter. Never had any trouble just the lights in the back starts going crazy very often (blinking backup lights and stuff, but this can be easiely fixed)

IMO Peugeots and Citroens are very good cars. But I can´t say that for Renaults. Some friends I know ride Renaults and they had a lot of trouble specially with electric and engine.

I liked my 307, especially after driving the god awful piece of rubbish brand new Ford Focus the insurance company gave me to drive around in..........

Quote from danowat :

I liked my 307, especially after driving the god awful piece of rubbish brand new Ford Focus the insurance company gave me to drive around in..........

What didn't you like about the new Focus (looks aside)? Compared to the 207 diesel I learnt to drive in there is nothing I'd pick over the original Focus I drive.

I've got a Renault Megane now with 106000 miles and haven't had any major problems. I have a tiny power steering leak that needs topping up every few months and had to change a bulb at the rear.

Back to the question, i've been looking at getting a new car soon and from what I can see the belts need changing around 60k-80k for the majority.

There's no problem with a high milage car if it has been looked after well. If the service book can vouch for this I'd go for car 1 and get a phat zort and neons with the £1000

But seriuosly car 1 is the best option if it comes with all its history.

Andy.

Just get something that is not a french car. So unreliable and just yuk. Sorry if your french but the cars are so poor. I like the Seat Leon Cupra TDi. 0-60 is something like 7.5 seconds, pretty quick cars.

The engine is VERY noisy, it's power delivery is awful too, nothing, nothing, EVERYTHING, nothing, quite powerfull, but drinks fuel like a fish.
The interior is nasty, seats very narrow, leg-hole, very narrow, knee hits the HUGE centre console, compared to my 307 the interior isn't a very nice place to be.
The OBC is stupid, only displays 2 lines of info, where as my 307 had everything on screen at once.
Other than that, top car LOL

Get a proper car and not a heavy, modern French piece of crap.

How about the Fiesta Zetec S, Focus (Mk1 or 2) or a Mazda MX-3/5? Unless you're really obssessed with getting a new-ish car, a lot of older cars are better.

Because I want a 2lt turbo diesel, 5 door hatch .

I don't need or want a fast, or even remotely fast car, I have my bike for all my speed kicks, I just want a comfy, economical 5 door hatch.