What Should I Do?

[PaulWorthing]

Currently I am driving a 2005 Smart ForTwo Passion Cab and while it has surved a purpose I am finding that its short comings are too many and I need to get a new car so with that in mind. . . . .

If you had a budget of £10K to spend on a new car would you get an Aygo (I was thinking along the lines of a nice Aygo+ in Chilli Red, Aygo Hide or Custom Leather, TTE centre exhaust with rear skirt, fog lamps in the front grill, Toyota roof spoiler, lowered suspension, a nice set of alloys, dashboard trims painted to match the exterior and some nice viper stripes) or if I should spend my money on something else and, if so, what??

[daveyjp]

It depends on the shortcomings (tell us more), what your requirements are and your driving habits. If you want a small car which seats four and is cheap as chips to run then the Aygo makes perfect sense. That's why we bought one and we have also had smarts in the past.

[PaulWorthing]

It depends on the shortcomings (tell us more), what your requirements are and your driving habits. If you want a small car which seats four and is cheap as chips to run then the Aygo makes perfect sense. That's why we bought one and we have also had smarts in the past.

Well I am a young at heart 40 something - 'married' to a wonderful man (so no chance of any kids - but do need back seats to allow me to take other people out/his god children to the gym once a week). We're averaging about 5K miles a year predominantly town driving too and from work (about 6 miles per day round trip) with the very occasional 500+ miles trip up to the midlands from our home on the south coast.

Due to the type of town I live in, and the time of day that I do my commuting, I do not really need anything too sporting although, at times, I do like to take my cars out onto a local dual carriageway with some nice twists and turns and give it a blast so I do want something that can raise a smile when I feel like being a 'boy racer' (hence the body kit and strips)

Ideally I am looking for a car that is cheap to run but I also want something that is not going to be a run of the mill car as I do like to stand out on the road and will, when the mood takes me, leave me with a big grin on my face - If the Mini was still like the classic one and not the over engineered expensive thing that it is not I am sure I would still be in one of those but its not so nor am I!

Hope this helps in you letting me know if I am looking at the right car for me.

[anup_cfc]

you should go for the aygo

but bump it up to the aygo sport and just kit it out with all the mod cons like air con.

sounds perfect for what you want.

i average 5k a year too and live in a town and i am at uni so i only really drive it when im home for holidays and its used for just taxing my mother about town and visiting friends. its perfect.

and for that boy racer side of you, there is nothing better because it feels like your going fast but really your not.

let me tell you its not any run of the mill car, i've had people starring at it when i pass them by on the road, its great, you'd think you were driving a ferarri.

[PaulWorthing]

Thanks for that anup cfc - trouble is that I do not like the fog lamps on the Sport - they look like an after thought and much prefer them mounted in the front lower grill so will have to pay for the luxury of that - it'll also mean that I can get some nicer alloys too.

I would prefer to have the rev counter but by all accounts I can get that added if I want too, even if I have to go to Citroen or Peugeot to get it done (along with the lid for the glove box)

As for the air con - I have had it on the last few cars I have had and I never use it as it takes power and uses fuel to run it although I do accept it is a good selling point when it comes to reselling the car (although this one is going to have to last me at least 3 years so I am not sure what difference it'll make to its second hand value by then anyway bearing in mind it is a £500 option)

[bradburyss]

Hi Paul, I say go for it but have a good drive in the Aygo first just to make sure it's what you want. I had a smart and can definitely say that you will still get the fun factor but without the limitations of the smart, although it won't feel as quick at first.

The Air Con may make the car more desirable to sell but probably won't add much value to the car. I have it on mine and wouldn't have a car without it but if you haven't used it on your previous cars then why pay extra for it now.

As you say you can get the Rev Counter and Glovebox lid from Peugeot/Citroen and sometimes they pop up on eBay too.

Know what you mean about the foglights on the sport they do look a bit of an afterthought. There are a couple of Aygos on eBay at the moment with the TTE kit on them if you haven't seen what it looks like on the car.

[SMW]

The fog lights on Sport look like an after thought because they are - fitted by dealer I understand not factory.

I would go for a plus not a sport - I'm not that keen on sport alloys and the fog lights on mine keep breaking. I would have air con - but understand why you don't want it. The option is £500 but thats full list - realistically it's going to cost about £460 - come resale it's got to add at least £100 to the cars value so in real terms it's costing you £360 over the 3 years or about 30 p a day. Your choice.

TTE springs are a good option IMO. The GT stripes are OK - not my thing but I can understand you liking the look - esp on the red.

Let us know what you decide.

[timcrasher]

Hi,

I seem to be of the same opinion as everyone else. I absolutely love my Aygo, and use it for every sort of driving from my daily 3 mile commute, to 300 mile round trips on the motorway at weekends to see my family.

My previous car was a Clio V6, and I have just as much fun in my Aygo as I did in the Clio, only at much less expence.

I too didn't go for aircon, as I have not really used it in my previous cars.

I've just started to add a few things to mine to get it how I want it, like wheels, lowered suspension, and am designing and making a backbox for my exhaust.

But, it's great fun as it is and if you try one you might just like it

[PaulWorthing]

"Hi Paul, I say go for it but have a good drive in the Aygo first just to make sure it's what you want. I had a smart and can definitely say that you will still get the fun factor but without the limitations of the smart, although it won't feel as quick at first."

Well I would be surpised if it does not feel as 'peppy' as the Smart bearing in mind that Autocar have road tested both the ForTwo Passion Cab and the Aygo and their respective 0-60 times are 15.5 for the Smart and only 11.1 for the Aygo but, obviously, until I have had a go (and assuming the salesman will let me 'open it up a bit') I bow to your greater knowledge on the car

[SMW]

You can have an Aygo for 2 days to use on your own - contact your local dealer

[PaulWorthing]

So has anyone got some pictures of a fully kitted up Aygo in red then so that I can check out what I am planning on doing?

And if I do not got for a Sport, and have to buy my own alloys, are there any recommendations (I quite like the Arica 16" alloys that you can get for the Corolla - does anyone know if these would be suitable or how much they are?)

[Lauren]

I've got much the same dilemma.

In all honesty i'm swaying towards the panda 100hp.... every reviewer seems to rave about it. The spec is better, also discounts seem to be higher with one coming in at £8295 (10K list) which is about the same as a specced up Aygo sport.

See my thread here:

My thread on an Aygo Sport or Panda 100hp

[BadBoyVTEC]

k

[PaulWorthing]

But it looks like a box on wheels and surely, if you want something nice, you have to buy with the heart as much as the head?

[Lauren]

But it looks like a box on wheels and surely, if you want something nice, you have to buy with the heart as much as the head?

I'm not sure. I tend to buy with my head when it comes to cars. I guess it depends upon how important dynamics are to you, ie how good it is to drive etc.

All the reviews and indeed the whatcar websie point toward the panda in this respect.

I haven't driven the panda 100hp yet though so i can't comment on whether or not i agree with the general consensus on this.

I have driven an aygo... (in the owners review section). Whilst i did find it fun, the chassis was setup a bit on the dull side, though in saying that i should maybe say the chassis was set up on the safe side of competent, which i didn't find overly exciting.

For me it all depends on how i find the panda. If it really is that much better, then i will definately go for it. I've been thinking about this for a while now and whilst i like the funky styling of the aygo i find it frustrating that the 'sport' model is nothing more than a standard model with a rev counter and aftermarket wheels.

the panda in contrast gets a six speed box, unique suspension with a wider track, a specific engine (borrowed from a punto i believe) and also a 'sport' button which actually does something (so they say).

the proof will be in the pudding of course, but i'll always take function over form and actually i think they've done a good job on funking the panda up a bit. A better spec list to the aygo also helps it IMO, eg; climate control as standard.

[PaulWorthing]

I would have to agree with you about the 'Sport' model - it is that in name only which is extremely disappointing bearing in mind my budget would allow for a premium of about £3K for it if it really was a warm or hot hatch.

To be honest, having received the latest update from Renault, I am very taken with the new Renault Twingo GT so I might be hanging on to the Smart for a little while longer and then go for one of those instead, especially if, as rumoured, it'll come in at less than £11K, appears to have a better quality interior, looks more sporting than the Aygo (even with the TTE bodykit) have a better range of colours and have a decent 100bhp too play with too.

[johnan]

I have only had grief from Fiats..poor build quality and dodgy electrics, and very poor service.

Maybe things have improved, but once bitten......

[Unklian]

Hi Paul.

Buy One.

I had a 03 plate ForTwo Passion until yesterday.

I loved it but I was constantly worried about potential problems.

After looking around at "interesting" cars, I decided on the AYGO.

After haggling, I paid £8005.00 for a brand new 07 plate AYGO+ with MMT, Metallic and aircon.

The dealer included a years tax and free "Sport" alloys (A customer had upgraded to TTE ones). Due to the car being a couple of days late, he threw in a set of mats.

I'm still running it in , but it's already sounding well. similar to the Smart.

It corners well.

The gearbox, although the same type as a Smart, a computerised manual gearbox

with computerised clutch, is a world apart. The gearchange is so much quicker it's like being

in a well driven manual car.

The longer wheelbase takes the pitching out of the ride.

Less rattles than the Smart.

Heater works far quicker due to the engine being nearer.

Air-con works better.

I've already fitted a revcounter.....£130 from Peugeot. A literally 2 minute fitting job.

The Peugeot 107 XS twin centre exhaust should fit it.

(Imagine this from the back.......a lowered wide ForTwo)

I LOVED MY SMART .....but.....

I'm very quickly falling for the AYGO ........ no second thoughts.

Ian.

[PaulWorthing]

Oh I still can't make up my mind what to do - I think I am going to have to wait until the new batch of city cars comes out as I'll kick myself if the Twingo, 500 or Ka turn out to be mmiles better than anything currently around (and I am guessing they will come with a proper 'Sport' model too)

[Lauren]

I would have to agree with you about the 'Sport' model - it is that in name only which is extremely disappointing bearing in mind my budget would allow for a premium of about £3K for it if it really was a warm or hot hatch.

To be honest, having received the latest update from Renault, I am very taken with the new Renault Twingo GT so I might be hanging on to the Smart for a little while longer and then go for one of those instead, especially if, as rumoured, it'll come in at less than £11K, appears to have a better quality interior, looks more sporting than the Aygo (even with the TTE bodykit) have a better range of colours and have a decent 100bhp too play with too.

Hmmm, i've heard about the twingo GT and the 500 Abarth, i couldn't find any decent info beyond artists impressions of what they looked like. Do you have a URL or more details please?

[PaulWorthing]

www.fiat500.com - will take you to the official Fiat 500 site and there are pictures on there of what it will look like (to be honest if you think what BMW did to the classic Mini and then think a similar sort of thing has happened to the classic Fiat 500 and you'll not be far off.

As for the Twingo - there are pictures now on the Renault.co.uk website as well as if you do a search for the Geneva Motorshow (where it was unveiled) you can find plenty of pictures and even some video clips of it.

As for the Ka - not seen anything on that yet but that should change soon as I have read that it is going to be released later this year as the original Ka is now losing out to its competitors and as it is a 'sister' car to the 500 it should be ready about the same time.

I also read something a few weeks ago about a re-skin for the Aygo to being it in line with the new Toyota look (Yaris) - does anyone know anything about this?

[Lauren]

www.fiat500.com - will take you to the official Fiat 500 site and there are pictures on there of what it will look like (to be honest if you think what BMW did to the classic Mini and then think a similar sort of thing has happened to the classic Fiat 500 and you'll not be far off.

As for the Twingo - there are pictures now on the Renault.co.uk website as well as if you do a search for the Geneva Motorshow (where it was unveiled) you can find plenty of pictures and even some video clips of it.

As for the Ka - not seen anything on that yet but that should change soon as I have read that it is going to be released later this year as the original Ka is now losing out to its competitors and as it is a 'sister' car to the 500 it should be ready about the same time.

I also read something a few weeks ago about a re-skin for the Aygo to being it in line with the new Toyota look (Yaris) - does anyone know anything about this?

Okay cheers for that. Like the idea of the 500 Abarth, though that website is frustratingly low on info. On the other hand i found hte stuff on the twingo GT which actually looks pretty good. I'm guessing the twingo is going to pitched at the same price range as the panda 100hp, though i think the 500 Abarth is going to be a bit higher, especially if they are aiming at the Mini market sector. If thats the case then i doubt i'd be looking at the 500 Abarth until 3 years from now (ie next time i'm looking for a new car) at which point its going to have to be brilliant to tempt me away from a Mini Cooper.

[PaulWorthing]

Try this for the Twingo - http://newtwingo-geneva2007.renault.com/ma...?lg=en&id=5

[Lauren]

Try this for the Twingo - http://newtwingo-geneva2007.renault.com/ma...?lg=en&id=5

Cheers for that.

[PaulWorthing]

Change of plan - due to the fact that my next car is going to have to last at least 5 years (I usually change every 12 - 18 months) me and mine have agreed that the next one will be a Honda Civic S Type