Time to replace our 04 altea?

[seatrookie]

So ... am more than just a little tempted to swap our Altea for a new one ... The summer offer is pretty good for us, just wanted some help deciding.

Our 04 2.0 tdi sport has just had its 30k service, and is about to get new front tyres. It's pretty sound, and we love it to bits. BUT if we chop it in now for the 1.9 tdi reference sport it's only going to cost £1825 to do it. Gives us a brand new car, but not such a plush one.

What should we do? Would you go for it? I know there are lots of pros and cons, but we're just not sure what's best ... Should we hold on for a similar offer next year, or will the part ex price for our car drop too much to risk it ....

 

[Tell]

I drive mine into the ground or until I think they are unreliable so I'm not the best person to ask, 130,000 miles off my first car in 13 years, 120,000 off my second car in 10 years, so I've got to do another 110,000 miles and at least 8.5 years yet . So I'm not replacing mine for a while, any how the bumps and knocks that you get in London you don't worry about at that mileage and value.

 

[loadswine]

I don't know what they offered you for your car, but you would really feel the drop in performance and smoothness. After the first two years of depreciation it levels out a bit for each further year you own it. So you will be straight into the biggest slice of losing money with a new car straightaway. Also you've just had it serviced, which has cost as well. Okay you need front tyres which will cost upwards of £200, maybe cheaper if you've got 16" wheels.
I'd hang on , but you know what your priorities are matey.
Best of luck whichever way you go.

 

[Griffsters]

I have the 1.9TDi ref sport and if I was in your shoes I'd keep the 2.0 Sport. Not that I dislike mine, not at all but at the end of the day you would be spending money getting a lower spec car - albeit new. If you were going for an FR I could empathise a bit more! Plus you still have 12 months warranty left, so why not keep it for another 12 months? Thats my two penneth anyway

 

[seatrookie]

That's where we've kind of got to now ... just ordered the two front tyres from mytyres.co.uk - £133 for identical to those on already, and when they come to me, I'm taking it down to the local garage, so only £150 rather than £220, which is a great saving. Insurance company said they'd refund £26 of insurance if we swopped, so not a massive saving there either. I think we'll probably sit tight until just short of the 40k and see what we can get then ... Not sure I'm worried about a performance drop, but as you said we still have a year's warranty (and seat assist, I think?) so we don't need to hurry ... might just get the new bathroom instead ....

 

[ALT54]

I was considering chopping in my 54 plate tdi sport with 41000 miles on it. Was a bit shocked to be only offered £7500.00 for it, not against another Seat admittedly, but still a lot less than i was expecting even with the mileage, at that rate it is not enough to clear finance to start again. might have to run this one a bit longer unless Seat offer a decent part ex.

Paul

 

[Tell]

That's about £9,000 to £10,000 down then in circa 18 months and 41,000 miles. Once it out of warranty you can then get it looked at by non Seat garages / not main dealers. Although Halford's never always knew what they were doing when they were in the car servicing business and they succeeded to put my steering wheel on twice after taking it off at a 30' angle they were half the price of Citroen main dealer and that was the one that neglected to give me a long list of repairs that it needed. So you can discover the lovely world of non main dealers if you hang onto your cars beyond the warranty period. It is cheaper...

 

[markirel]

Once it out of warranty you can then get it looked at by non Seat garages / not main dealers.

I thought due to EU block exemption rule by the European Commission, manufacturers are no-longer allowed to insist that servicing is done by a main dealer to validate warranty.

I take mine to an independent VAG specialist (ex. VW mechanic) who does all my service work and only uses VAG parts. His number is even on the wall of the VW dealers parts dept. Oil services are £60-ish and my last full service at 18k, £130 which is well cheaper than main dealer prices.

I'm not so worried about depreciation as I bought mine at 4-months old with 8.5k on the clock for £13k (independent garage), about £4.5k down on new list price. I'm likely to run it to 80-100k which will take another 5-6 years and if it will sell after that for £3k I'll be happy.

Got trouble with my cruise control again and its back at the main dealers again next week to have the stalk replaced for a 2nd time. Also seriously considering a drive to chipboost.com in Scarborough this weekend to get a 180 bhp remap . If I do I'll let you know what it is like.

 

[barnabus]

but then wouldnt it be nice to have a 56 plate car with that new car smell? and the 1.9 TDI engine is a corker, more economical than 2.0 TDI and you would only notice drop in performance at the top end on long motorway journeys. also cheaper insurance. i would go for it, but dont hang around, its a good offer so may run out early like before

 

[Tell]

I thought due to EU block exemption rule by the European Commission, manufacturers are no-longer allowed to insist that servicing is done by a main dealer to validate warranty.

It depends how down market you go doesn't it. Once out of warranty you can do what you want.

 

[Tell]

but then wouldnt it be nice to have a 56 plate car with that new car smell? and the 1.9 TDI engine is a corker, more economical than 2.0 TDI and you would only notice drop in performance at the top end on long motorway journeys. also cheaper insurance. i would go for it, but dont hang around, its a good offer so may run out early like before

Sure you don't post from the guys garage. I found that the new car smell is released in Altea's about six months after they are new, strange that one, doesn't smell at all like a new car when it's brand new.

 

[loadswine]

but then wouldnt it be nice to have a 56 plate car with that new car smell? and the 1.9 TDI engine is a corker, more economical than 2.0 TDI and you would only notice drop in performance at the top end on long motorway journeys. also cheaper insurance. i would go for it, but dont hang around, its a good offer so may run out early like before

It would be quite a frop low down as well, best thing if you want it to feel like a new car is get it remapped, just had mine done and its like having a new car.
Tremendous fun and smooth too, all for £360. Give Celtic a try.