Having had to take the (new to us) 55 plate A3 TDI to the garage this morning with suspected cracked cylinder head, I am loosing my rag with used cars.

I am self employed and can claim the 100% of the value of a new car against my business if it emits less than 110kg/m. Obviously this causes me a problem in that all cars under that are crap or crapper.

Odly, the Honda Insight (giving Toyota a wide berth for the forseeable future) seems almost attractive (not physically i might add...possibly the ugliest car on the planet).

At 101kg/m it fits that bill and is list around £16k (my S was not a great deal more...what is going on in the world!!!). Question is;

A. is it possible to make the insight look a little better (OEM wheels etc - no after market stuff, thats not my bag)

B. What other alternatives might i have for similar budget (needs to seat 4 adults....the mini clubman D is a possibility and the Mrs loved her old mini...blames me for the borken audi).

Any other contenders....I am all ears....

Frugal Phil.

(anything to get one over on the tax man...).

at 40% saving (tax) this could make a new Clubman, achieveable for circa £10k!??!

 

Nissan Leaf, if you can wait that long? 100% tax deductible for businesses and no company car tax for employees.

Only 100 mile range between charges though...

 

have looked again at the clubman, looks like that is most likely the route we will go. Can get the 1.6tdi A3 sportback, but to be honest, not blown away by the one we have and that will be a poor relation.

I find the build quality of BMW's superior to audi (flamesuit securely fastened). My old E46 with 200k on it was still sounding nice and robust when shutting doors etc, the mini equally 'solid' our A3 seems a bit tinny in comparison...

the S has a reassusring 'thud' when the doors close tho which is nice....

 

Phil heres a list - pick your poision

shat cars

 

I'd suggest if you could wait to the summer & amputate limbs from passengers, the CR-Z will be prettier, handle far better and have more power. About 11,000 watts more.

There is some go-faster kit available for the Insect including this Honda Modulo proposal:



You did ask...

 

I know you want to give Toyota a miss given the news but all that I read is that it is FAR better than Hondas Insight.

They'll sort the brakes so just get one if it suits in all other areas.

 

Depends what you read.

Many say that being a light hybrid, the insect is quite close to the jizz and drives like a fat jizz with broken VTEC.

The Priapism is a heavy/dark/whetever hybrid and unfortunately drives like a Toyota Corolla overdosing on tranqs, if that could ever happen.

 

BTW;

In Toyota's defence, I am still unconvinced that there is anything wrong with the brakes, other than a poor changeover from regen to friction.

It is highly probable that Darwin-award Septics (just like the Fiasco that destroyed Audi in the US) are too dumb to use the pedals properly in many cases.

Statistically, you are far more likely to be in a human-error shunt than some panty-waisted little fart box running of of control of its own accord. Or its own camry, should I say...

 

I'm yet to be swayed by hydrib technology, I drove a civic hybrid (old work pool car) and was pretty dreadful....probably the worst car i have ever driven.

The little (ish) Clubman D, whilst dog ugly is for some reason appealing...need to see how big it is in the back as was the main reason we dumped the cooper S.

 

Volvo C30.

Seat Ibiza.

I think the C30 could also be my next (free) company barge, good post man!