General Buying tonight... advice.

[moogs]

Hi,

Tonight I am off to place an order for a pre-reg jtd 3dr.
The dealers are going to source one based on my requirements so I've drawn up a list of extras in order of priority to me.
Obviously, buying pre-reg means that certain factory-fit options might be unavailable but I'm still going to include them as you never know.

17" alloys is a definite, even if I have to buy them myself - but I am tempted by those '3' spoke Claw alloys I've seen.
Would like to pick brains as to whether the following are worth having:

1. ESP (including MSR & ASR)

Diesel = torque = wheelspin so ASR good. I have EBD on my current Pug607 and like how it feels to track me round corners. However, against this it seems that the ESP extra is a source of faults for a lot of people.

2. Window airbags

My previous car (Baleno GSR) was Tboned out of existence by a scumbag uninsured driver. My then-girlfriend's head hit the window. Safety is a high priority for me but, though I'd willingly pay the £150, I'm tt sure they can be retrofitted and to buy new with them fitted would cost me some £4k over a pre-reg.

3. Steering wheel audio controls

So I can sneakily increase volume of Busted when the other half gets 'yappy'.

4. MP3 upgrade

I know MP3 head units are cheap enough but I prefer the integrated.

5. Alarm

Any good? Is it even necessary or worth having given that most go ignored these days.

6. HiFi 260W 8 speaker upgrade
This is a biggie in itself. How is the standard system? is it worth the £300 extra if it's not already on the car they offer?
Given that I listen to mostly anything going, but erring toward Busted, 40's swing and goa trance (yep, truly eclectic!) will I notice or need the improved system?

Just to be fully rounded, my colour choice runs thusly:

Cosmo Blue (Navy metallic)
Chrome Grey (Gunmetal)
Tiziano Red (non met, ferrariish)
Bloom Yellow
Techno Grey (Silver)
White
Polar blue
Crystal Green

Any advice or comments very very gratefully received. Tonight (19th Aug) I go to submit my requirements. Very exciting init.

Cheers

Morgan

 

[James M]

Your chosen options sound like good uns, but however a pre reged car is likely to be standard. Mine wasn't pre reged, though it was already built so I lost out on options , though there was one available with leather which I just missed


I think all Stilo's have front window airbags as standard, my 53 reg JTD does, and I'm sure the 04 reg courtesy car I'm currently driving has.

How much you haggling off list price? Don't forget to check Jamjar and the like as I got a whopping 3600 off list on mine

 

[moogs]

Hi,
Initially I went in with 17" alloys and mp3 as my base requirements.
Garage says they'll get me one with those, a pre-reg for <10k.

Jamjar have the jtd listed for 10419 (plus 350 for those options)
That's £770 more to get a brand new vs a pre-reg.

Is it worth that to get new over a pre-reg? Will it make much difference at resale time?

As for airbags, they all list side airbags but the window airbags are down as a £150 extra - I think they are curtain style bags that drop down from the roof lining.

 

[jasper]

The window airbags are the curtain drop down style...I think £150 is good value considering they might help save your life?

 

[moogs]

Aye at £150 they're a steal. However, looks for certain that the pre-reg cars are without the window bags. That would mean looking at a new car, and spending 2-3k more! Shame.
Plus, I need the car before the end of September as that's when I change jobs and lose the company car.

I've just burned a CD of mixed tunes to put the showroom mp3 equipped 1.8 through its paces

 

[James M]

Hmmm mine definitely has window 'curtain' airbags in the front, however ones in the rear were optional. I thought all stilo has 6 airbags as standard ie: driver +passenger, side and window.

Get the dealer to clarify this. I can't see them removing them from the standard kit for MY04 as it would reduce the cars NCAP performance.

It is worth saving every penny when buying the car, especially as now 1 or 2 owners early on doesn't make any difference at resale, as people realise it has literally just been registered, not used by another owner.

Have you rang Jamjar to check they don't have any pre reged ones? They might. Try Carhound too.

Get the upgraded alloys if u can, I regret not having them

 

[daftcars.com]

My advice is to spend as little as you can as you will need all your money to buy TYRES! Have a look at the various posts about tyre wear. I'm really glad I didn't get 17's.

 

[HornetUK]

My Active came with 6 as standard.

 

[driver33]

Try these guys for a price on a new one - http://www.nccsales.co.uk/car-search_new.asp?model=Stilo&make=Fiat

 

[James M]

So did you get sorted mate?

 

[James M]

Driver33, good link mate, very cheap

 

[driver33]

They will deliver to your door and their finance deal is pretty good.

 

[James M]

I got a similar thing with Jamjar, the payments work out about the same as if I'd gone through them, but Jamjars price has gone up by nearly £1000 since I bought mine

 

[moogs]

Driver33 - thanks for posting that! they are cheap!
As it stands I've left Drive Direct sourcing a pre-reg for me. I've given them my ideal spec and £100 deposit and they're going to get back to me with a list of cars to choose. I stipulated under 10k.
However, NCC will do a new for 9.7k? Crumbs. I've done the enquiry form thing and so hope to hear back soon - obviously I'd rather have brand new and to add my 17" alloys and mp3 would be cheap enough to just slightly go over budget.

Delivery times may be the killer though - I have until 24th Sept to get one sorted, though I could borrow my bro's MX5 till I get sorted.

However, just how long can I be expected to drive around in an MX5? *shudders*

 

[StiloBoy]

Those prices ain't that cheap, i only paid £7488 when i got mine 6 months ago.

 

[James M]

Yes, but yours is a 1.2 active, with a much lower list price to start with, and yes, we all already know the 1.2 is the bestest, fastest mostest economicalist Stilo available

Alternatively, if you consider the aircon, alloys, spoiler, better seats, CD player, an extra 30bhp and better economy, etec, etc the extra 2k may begin to make sense.

 

[moogs]

Well, I looked briefly at the 1.6 petrol which is cheaper but then did the science bit.
At 15000 miles per year I should save £350 in fuel - conservative estimate.
Saving over 3 years - £1050

Lower tax band - saving over 3 yrs at least £90

Resale value (parkers say) + £1500 (at least)

Total saved by buying JTD over 1.6 = at least £2,640

And that's assuming fuel prices stay at 80p a litre for three years!
Quids in eh?

 

[James M]

I did the maths similarly, only I was considering a 1.8, I'm told (I've never driven a 1.8 or 1.6) the JTD performance is more on a par with the 1.8 and the high torque means in day to day driving (ie not thrashing it through every gear) it feels quicker.

My JTD is certainly a pleasant drive, and I have to agree with the general consensus that diesel are actually quicker on the road than their stats suggest. This also applies to my GF's little corsa CDTi, on paper its nothing special, but its actually a very nippy little car, which in 'real world driving' certainly feels quicker than a small petrol. My Dad drove it for the first time this weekend and said 'its a right flying machine that'.

I'm sure you will be very happy with a JTD, though admitedly they are slightly noisy at tick over, not a problem though as the stereo easy hides it

 

[driver33]

I do 20K miles per year and pay 89.9p/litre. Guess what model I will be buying to replace my Bravo jtd??!!
I would still rather an Abarth or even a 1.8 petrol just for the joy of driving something that enjoys a bit of revs and sounds good when you do it but in terms of performance (I will probably get the Stilo re-mapped since I missed my chance with the Bravo when I was in the midlands last Christmas) and economy you can't really beat the jtd!
David

 

[James M]

I did really think about the Abarth too, especially as at the time I could have had one for around 11.5k. It was all the toys really with tempted me, but alas, the cost of fuel and insurance made it a no goer, I'm still a student and the sponsorship I recieve wouldn't quite stretch to it

Though I have to say people still think my JTD looks a bit special, I really think the colour helps.