Scirocco Central

Mercs - remind me of my local GP. Soon there will be full of them, like the BMW 1.

BMW-1 - there are full of them. Too 'rep-car'

Audi saloons - too middle management. Too 'pin stripe suit' and 'jawbone bluetooth'.
Audi hatches - too many of them

how about those Ford focus ST? Don't see many Fords these days.
Vauxhall astra Gtc
SEAT sport models?
Volvo C30
Mazda 6

I considerd a Astra gtc to start with. In fact I test drove the 2.0 stop start diesel. It looked nice and drove spot on. But the residuals !!! I test drove a 12 plate gtc that when new was £24,000. When I took it out on a test drive it was 3 months old and the selling price was around £17,000 so in 3 months it had lost around £7000. Plus leathers and nav are options not standerd. Where as a new scirocco gt it's standerd.

My advice don't go down the gtc route.

Thinking about replacing mine in the next 6 to 12 months, it will be 2 years old in June.

But what to buy? Yes it looks good, but it is a victim of its own success, everyone is cloning it. Astra GTC, Mercedes A-class, and most recently the brand new Renault Clio. When the Roc came out, everyone admired it, but now it is one of many similarly looking cars

The Scirocco is falling behind in terms of tech. We need some LED lighting and other tech which is standard on most cars. The range needs some Bluemotion tech (not just the 140TDI). Just look at the new 2.0TDI150 Golf – it has some amazing economy figures and by all accounts the new 185PS unit expected in the Golf GTD will be almost as impressive on its fuel economy figures.

So what to buy…
BMW 1 series? No thanks, fugly cars, less fugly as a Coupe, but still looking a little odd even as a coupe – I blame the huge chunky cills for that.
BMW 3 series? Nope, not a bad looker, reliability concerns though and they’re a reps car now and their depreciation is quite bad (good for if you are not considering buying new I suppose). Rear wheel drive – bad for the North East winters.
New Golf GTD/GTI? I am a little underwhelmed with the MK7 externally, if the 2 performance models due in the summer are more aggressively styled I may be tempted but probably not. GTI looks good in economy terms to tempt performance diesel owners to petrol – 47mpg and 140g/km of CO2. The price of Xenons has come down significantly.
Audi TT? As a one car household my car always had to be semi-sensible in terms of seating, just in case there was ever more than just me and the wife in the car. My wife is looking to start up driving lessons again (after a 5 year break) and has her eye on an Audi A1. If I could persuade myself that we only need one true 4/5 seater car then I could get a TT Coupe TDI – the obligatory Quattro would be handy in the winter and there appears to be almost no economy penalty for it. The TT has been out a while now though, perhaps it could do with a mid-life update, like acquiring the 185PS TDI engine and maybe making a few very minor interior/exterior changes. It’s a little faster on a sprint than the equivalent Roc, having the Quattro to put the power down.
Something completely different….Audi Q3? As a small crossover/offroader goes I think it is the best looking of the bunch (nicer than Tiguan/Qashqai/ etc). 177PS TDI only comes in auto and for some reason Audi’s version of the DSG seems to be a bit more aggressive and less user friendly than VW’s offering – purely software differences I would imagine, but I prefer a manual anyway. I wouldn’t be willing to drop to a 140PS to get a manual and wouldn’t consider a petrol on a big lump like this for fuel economy reasons. Q3 would be handy for the 2 weeks a year we’re plagued by snow, but the Scirocco has coped. The summer was a different matter when we had the huge floods around Newcastle. The roads were that crippled on that one day with roads submerged that it took me six hours to do my 25 minute commute home. A similar flood happened later in the summer but preparation was better and it only took me three hours to do the same journey.
From my list up there an Audi TT seems favourite, if the wife takes her lessons and passes her test to get an A1. Slightly more sensible (and potentially boring in the looks department) would be a MK7 Golf GTI/GTD. The Q3 would be the best allrounder as a sensible car that can handle rough weather and I could get it without my wife even passing her test to maintain having a practical passengers car. I do think I could get bored of the Q3 very quickly though.

Whitedevil: Or do go down the GTC route for a nearly new one to take advantage of the huge initial losses and save yourself a whole load of cash.

ZephyR wrote:Thought about the A5 but I've heard the user experience doesn't match its good looks.

From experience not true if you go for a second hand S5 model, was really the only alternative option to not going for the Rocco R. Apart from its looks, the interior finish - leather sports seats etc - is superb, it feels a little more of a cruiser than the Roc did a sports Coupe however the note of the engine and performance top that one off for me. Ok fuel economy leaves alot to be desired at anything between 10 to 25mpg! However that really depends if you're topping 10k in the year IMO.

maisbitt wrote:Whitedevil: Or do go down the GTC route for a nearly new one to take advantage of the huge initial losses and save yourself a whole load of cash.

Very true. If you manged to find a nearly new one that's well specd then it's not so bad. But then it's still a vauxhall and they are known for being cheap and crap. And it will only be worth about 10 pence in 4 years time.

maisbitt wrote: Audi TT? As a one car household my car always had to be semi-sensible in terms of seating, just in case there was ever more than just me and the wife in the car.

That's sort of my issue too. My wife's car is a Mini Convertible so the rear seats aren't great and the boot is just an over-sized glovebox.
Also I carry a boot full of stuff for work and if I had a TT I'd have to empty the boot before we did the weekly shop
That's the trouble with the Roc - not only is it reasonably priced, good to drive and nice to look at, its also very practical. So its hard to find a replacement that ticks all the same boxes.

This is a fascinating post. Why? Because it serves to show us why the Scirocco is such a unique blend of stunning good looks, practicality, decent running costs and all at reasonable price. Plus the residuals are strong too.

This is the reason everybody has struggled to come up with another car that hits the mark at the Scirocco's price point. Astra GTC is too heavy looking with shocking residuals, Toyota GT86 too small with ugly rear end, Audi TT looks wonderful but too small for most, BMW 1 Series seems to be universally loathed on this forum, New Audi A3 is very uninspiring design wise and expensive, New Golf is also getting a flat response on here too (maybe the GTI/GTD will be more alluring) and finally the Audi A5 which looks classy but is too expensive to compare fairly with the Scirocco from new.

Maybe the only solution is to wait for the Mk IV version on the MQB platform (100kg lighter with faster, more efficient engines sounds good to me). That's assuming they don't wreck the current design. I think if VW approach it the way Audi did between the Mk I and Mk II TT they'll be onto a winner.

Here's hoping

Gaz

I swapped Scirocco for SLK and I can't wait when I get rid of SLK and get another Scirocco. I looked to replace my TSI 2.0 with Scirocco TDI but leasing deals were much more expensive than on SLK diesel.

I think Scirocco is nice, sporty and very practical and it's difficult to find good replacement. So ... another 19 months with SLK and: Scirocco, here I come :-)

Interesting post its a bit like a rival group test. Volkwagen got the pricing, specs etc spot on for the scirocco the lower end models like I have are mid range golf money to buy, for a good looking coupe, I bought mine because it suits my needs, don't need a 4door car. and just loved the look of it, good running costs, low depreciation and has a cult following from launch.
Golfs are good but overated, BMW 1 series well the current 2door coupe has a look of a 1988 E30 3 series which i think is a good thing. Astra GTC is a copy of the scirocco but doesnt quite do it for me. If i wanted a family type car id go for the Skoda Octavia VRS. but definatly another Scirocco for me 2.0 DSG.

I haven't been on the forum for well over a year now. I've had my black 1.4 160ps Scirocco for almost 2 years and it goes back after lease ends in just over 10 days.
The Scirocco is without question one of the best cars you can get in terms of looks, fun, exclusivity, quality. She has never let me down and always delivered no matter what I ask. I wanted to keep the car for another year but VW said no. I too have been on the search for a replacement, question is, how do you replace near perfection?
I tested the mercedes c class (diesel) it was total rubbish. Went like a taxi, they might as well put a cabbie meter in it, engine sounded like a WWII bomber, it creaked, squeaked and they have weird foot parking brake, come on seriously. It makes the steam power look sophisticated. E Class coupe was same thing but with a little more sound insulation from engine noise. I know it's hard to believe but the Scirocco has better cabin space for 4 people than either mercedes coupe. Next, looked at A Class, the cabin is deigned for 12 year olds. Dealer told me Mercedes was desperate to get younger customer base so A Class is aimed at 20 something's, that ain't me.
I didn't consider BMW on the basis that if you want exclusivity like a VW Scirocco then why would you buy a car even homeless people have. Everyone has a BMW, benefit baby mammas to billionaires. All with a misplaced air of respectability.
By now I was desperate and running out of options, truly I wasn't sure I could replace my black beauty, the Scirocco was released in 2008 and still looks miles better than all the new stuff. In my opinion its better looking than megan coupe, astra gtc, the three door hyundai (yeah, I laughed too), peugeot rcz, the toyota 86, admittedly the mercedes c coupe looks good but I don't have a taxi license so I can't get it. VW gonna struggle to better this car, it'll be interesting to see what they come up with in 2014 or whenever it is. Yes I did think about getting thr Scirocco R but this is the car I want to come back to in a few years.
Lastly I went to audi to have a look and asked to test drive an a5 petrol 2.0t. The car was amazing, it made the mercedes steam powered cars feel like steam powered cars. The cabin is actually as good as the VW, the engine was smooth and it had good grip. I liked it so much I bought one on the day. The point of my little story is, if you want to replace a Scirocco then you need to deal with a difficult problem. There is no clear alternative on the market to the Scirocco because it is the best car in its segment already, my solution was to spend money. The VW is a quality car and I've forked out £42000 to get a car that compares to my unforgettable Scirocco.

I feel your pain. Having owned two Scirocco 2.0 TSI's ive been test driving everything thats going. Totally agree about the A5 2.0 TSI great car but im thinking it going to have to be a new Golf GTI for me...

Still haven't made my mind up. The wife wants to learn to drive and get an A1. Do I trade in the Roc and get an A1 2.0TDI S-line to pass over when she passes her test or wait until she passes and get myself a Golf GTD in the meantime? I could hang on for the new TT, but only if she passes her test in the meantime and has her A1 as the "practical" car. With the TT being brand new next year there'll probably be no scope for haggling a meaningful discount on it.

Like others have said.....we are also finding it difficult to find a replacement for our Roc....

So far we have test drove...
BMW 125i - Drives nice - Performance similar to the Roc - Build quality just about average - But that front end is

New A3 - one of the most boring cars ive ever seen / driven...no thanks

Astra VXR - Quick...yes.... - Like the look outside - interior quality is very average - Future value concerns me - and the chrome trim around the windows outside really does offend me.

New Golf - Havnt driven it as its just looks so BORING....maybe the GTD and GTI will inprove the situation.

New Leon - Looks promising - interior quality is very good - I like the exterior shape - no 3 door yet - 181bhp diesel sounds good - Will have to wait for a drive.

So as the minute our 3.5yr old Roc is staying...and im pretty happy about that....

Thanx
Ken

The problem with the mk7 Golf is add a few toys to an SE and your upto GT money, add a few toys to a GT and your upto CC money...

^^ I always find that the "New" Leon in its previous incarnations has always looked very cutting edge for about a year then looks old. I don't think they age well at all historically, but the A3 is extremely dull to look at. The more potholes I see on the road, the more I wonder about getting a 4 x 4. According to the news this morning it would cost almost 11 billion pounds to get the UK roads up to scratch. Many of my local roads have deteriorated very badly lately. 3 streets from me the road is down to it's 19th century cobbles about 8 inches below the intended finished level of tarmac, luckily I don't have to use that road, there are plenty of ways around it.

b0rk wrote:The problem with the mk7 Golf is add a few toys to an SE and your upto GT money, add a few toys to a GT and your upto CC money...

I always buy the next trim up if it has most or all of the extras I want. You will never get much back from your optional equipment at resale, so money is usually better spent on the trim level (for those that care about residuals). You can see this on the Roc - a 1.4TSI (160) kitted out with all the GT equipment will cost you more in depreciation than a 2.0TSI over 2 to 3 years of ownership.

M135 is what I'd be looking at. They sound an absolute weapon. Check chris Harris' video on that vs an rs3

Just changed my Scirocco for an SLK 250 CDI. The Scirocco was the best car I have ever had (previous cars included a Fiat X-19, 2 x 205 GTi, 3 x Audi A3 S-Line). After checking out a TT, Subaru brz and a Toyota GT 86, I was all ready to sign on the dotted line for a Scirocco TDi 170 because I couldn't find another car with the same combination of looks, performance, design, quality, practicality and price. I was finally put off by all the talk of a replacement on the horizon. I didn't want to get a new car and then find out in a few months time that a replacement was about to be introduced ( I would have been caught out with the recent power upgrade, and that would have been annoying enough). I know it sounds a bit superficial, but I was also put off by the lack of LEDs which have been introduced across the entire VW range with the exception of the Scirocco. Then I got a superb offer on an SLK (I don't really need four seats). I miss the cornering lights, folding wing mirrors, automatic wipers and auto dimming rear view mirror, all too expensive on the merc, but it really is a fun drive and feels much more special behind the wheel than the Scirocco. Two years down the line and hopefully there will be a new Scirocco with all the latest tech to tempt me...

My Candy white Bluemotion lease ends in July, I have been looking at Merc A-Class and Nissan Juke NISMO, I phoned a local dealer and they can get me the same car but with SAT/NAV, leather seats, Bluetooth phone preb and dab radio and free Service & Maintenance for extra £2 extra a month I currently pay £308 and new deals is £310, just have to pay for the white paint which is £200

Merc wants £500 for dab and for the iPod to work correctly e.g. play a playlist not random track selection is £450 and sat/nav is £500 and cost per month is £303

The Nissan has no options it's all thrown in and it has 200HP and only £250 a month

But I really like the Roc