View Full Version : New Car
My stoopid Rover had finally tipped me over the edge- one too many breakdowns and problems, so i'm selling it. Which of course raises the question... what car should i buy?
I test drove a Honda Civic (6th Gen 1.6 sport) today and was very impressed. Only downfall is that the rear visibility is poor.
I want something of the same size or smaller, and i'm looking at around 2-5 years old for it to fit into my price bracket.
Now, I will never buy another Rover, but what alternatives would people suggest to the Civic?
Due to my age i can't really afford the insurance on anything more than a 1.6, but like a car that can move a bit. I do a mixture of long journeys and short runs, so a good all rounder is what i'm after.
What would people recommend/ avoid?
How about the Fiesta Zetec S? Insurance group is 7, which isn't too bad, and is pretty nippy. Looks gorgeous in blue if I can say that without sounding feminine oops: :)
I quite like the Skoda Fabia, best thing is its volkswagen :)
Sorry but you voluntarily drive a Rover at the ripe old age of what? :erm:
As Gav has pointed out Fiestas are a good choice and are not expensive to run or maintain.
How about the Fiesta Zetec S? Insurance group is 6, which isn't too bad, and is pretty nippy. Looks gorgeous in blue If I can say that without sounding feminine oops: :)
hmm... had considered a Fiesta, but i would have to remove that huge ugly stereo Ford seem so fond of. AFAIK the Zetec S is only available in 3 door... and i see now that i neglected to mention that i want a 5 door car oops:
---------- Post added at 19:57 ---------- Previous post was at 19:55 ----------
and yes you sound feminine.
as feminine as i did when i was looking at the civic earlier and the salesman asked me what i thought- "I don't like red". :erm:
handyman
08-05-2007, 19:59
hmm... had considered a Fiesta, but i would have to remove that huge ugly stereo Ford seem so fond of. AFAIK the Zetec S is only available in 3 door... and i see now that i neglected to mention that i want a 5 door car oops:
---------- Post added at 19:57 ---------- Previous post was at 19:55 ----------
and yes you sound feminine.
as feminine as i did when i was looking at the civic earlier and the salesman asked me what i thought- "I don't like red". :erm:
How much have you got to spend?
7k tops. Ideally more like 5k though.
I've got a Grande Punto. It's an absolutely cracking wee car with a surprising amount of room inside and a pretty large boot.
Hopefully on Friday i pick up my 55 plate Mondeo Ghia X
Got loads of stuff only £12k
Vauxhall Astra's are pretty good, mind you I am biased as I drive one :)
idi banashapan
08-05-2007, 21:13
seat leon?
Hopefully on Friday i pick up my 55 plate Mondeo Ghia X
Got loads of stuff only £12k
Well done :) give your self a pat on the back :)
Shall i post my cars :rolleyes:
homealone
08-05-2007, 21:49
you'll probably laugh, but continuing on from the Honda Civic test drive, have you thought about an Honda Jazz.
Just we had one until recently, (when we got a new Civic ;) ) - and it was probably the most versatile & reliable car we have ever had.
- 'sporty' it is not, although the engine management includes twin spark & a modicum of variable valve timing - get 50mpg if you are gentle, but a definite, little 'kick' in the higher rev range. The worst thing is a bit of body roll in tight corners, which doesn't improve the under-steer, but it feels like a 'bigger' car on a motorway - obviously a compromise :)
The seating & storage options are brilliant, both back seats go down (flat), or split 2/3. Also the rear seat backs can stay up, and the rear seat scuttles can be folded back, giving a very useful load space behind the front seats, with the boot still fully available. (because it doesn't have the seats folded into it, this configuration offers an improved vertical clearance & lower sill, compared to the boot).
You can probably tell we quite liked it :)
Wicked_and_Crazy
08-05-2007, 21:54
Only downfall is that the rear visibility is poor.
Since when have you been a woman ;)
---------- Post added at 21:54 ---------- Previous post was at 21:52 ----------
Hopefully on Friday i pick up my 55 plate Mondeo Ghia X
Got loads of stuff only £12k
How does that relate to the OP's 5-7k budget? :rolleyes:
dcclanuk
08-05-2007, 21:54
Volkswagen POLO/GOLF... get it from www.cargiant.co.uk <<< thats its website, and its based in WHITECITY in London. [I think its there;)]
Best prices, great condition!
We bought our 53 reg Nissan Almera from there. £5.5k with only 6000 on the clock!!! this was like over a year ago now tho:)
you need to consider diesel engine model, this will get a massive saving on fuel
Another vote for a Vauxhall Astra.
Have a look here, it's a great place to get good cars at a good price.
http://stebbings.co.uk/
Check out the Toyota Avensis 2 litre diesels supposed to be pretty good got a 02 plate Toyota Avensis 1.8 air con all the bits except **** nav.
45 mpg on a run 'bout 33 to 34mpg around town as long as you don't hammer the air con in the summer
idi banashapan
08-05-2007, 22:13
We bought our 53 reg Nissan Almera from there. £5.5k with only 6000 on the clock!!! this was like over a year ago now tho:)
it was also an Almera!!!! ;)
Wicked_and_Crazy
08-05-2007, 22:33
you need to consider diesel engine model, this will get a massive saving on fuel
But the car costs more in the first place and the fuel costs more. You need to do in the region of 16k miles per annum for that saving to stack up
Diesels also normally last much longer too.
At 100K a petrol car is normally quite some way through it's life, a diesel is just getting started :)
Wicked_and_Crazy
08-05-2007, 23:29
Diesels also normally last much longer too.
At 100K a petrol car is normally quite some way through it's life, a diesel is just getting started :)
The engine is not the only part though. By the time a car has done 120k its looking shabby things are failing and people want to change it.
I also dont think its such a valid comparison these day, petrol engines last much longer now than they used too. Having working in the deisel engine manufacturing insdutry i can honestly say that the same advances havent been made with diesels other than theyre now being cleaner and higher reving to make them easier to drive
I have considered a diesel- however i've found it difficult to find a decent car with a decent diesel engine. I gather the Fiesta 1.4TDCi is a decent car, and the diesel engine is sound from the reviews i've read.
In response to the other suggestions:
Honda Jazz- Don't like it nearly as much as the civic, i'd rather spend the difference and get a civic
Vauxhall Astra- Haven't driven one but is defo worth considering, shall have to investigate further.
Seat Leon- Not heard very good things about this, Seat are one to avoid from what i gather.
Avensis- Mr Insurance man doesn't think that is such a good idea
Oh and your mondeo looks nice. Shame though that despite all the adjusting of the seat and steering wheel, my driving position means that the top part of the steering wheel completely obscures my view of the top half of the speedo
Uncle Peter
09-05-2007, 00:03
I quite like the Skoda Fabia, best thing is its volkswagen :)
:tu: The Fabia 1.9 vRS is a lot of car for the money with decent performance and reasonable insurance (9) to boot.
Oh.. avoid Peugeot 307s at all costs... nasty :td:
handyman
09-05-2007, 01:03
7k tops. Ideally more like 5k though.
Can't go far wrong with one of these then. http://www.allapprovedcars.com/Used-Kia-Picanto-1.1-LX-Hatchback-5dr-Car-Milton-Keynes--crpId1920463-CarDetails.aspx
I think you'll find a pre-reg well within your budget.
Try an SE, LX or glamour. All have air con, do 50 + mpg, full electrics £35 tax and low insurance group. I get comfortable motorway driving speeds and we'll probably own ours till it drop. Done 40,000 trouble free miles so far.
Mind you they are only £6645 OTR brand fire new
http://www.kia.co.uk/picantopricing.asp
It was also the slowest depreciating car in 2005.
tweetypie/8
21-05-2007, 10:25
I have considered a diesel- however i've found it difficult to find a decent car with a decent diesel engine. I gather the Fiesta 1.4TDCi is a decent car, and the diesel engine is sound from the reviews i've read.
In response to the other suggestions:
Honda Jazz- Don't like it nearly as much as the civic, i'd rather spend the difference and get a civic
Vauxhall Astra- Haven't driven one but is defo worth considering, shall have to investigate further.
Seat Leon- Not heard very good things about this, Seat are one to avoid from what i gather.
Avensis- Mr Insurance man doesn't think that is such a good idea
Oh and your mondeo looks nice. Shame though that despite all the adjusting of the seat and steering wheel, my driving position means that the top part of the steering wheel completely obscures my view of the top half of the speedo
deffo go diesel you wont regret it the mpg is fantastic plus you have loads of torque lol.:tu:
Graham M
21-05-2007, 10:38
hmm 2l Diesel, his Insurance at the age of 22 would probably cost more per year than the car itself. I got a quote on a 2.5l Petrol Vauxhall Omega the other day for a laugh (As my mate is giving his away as it needs £400 of work) and Norwich Union came back with a few £s under 3k!!!
A friend of mine has a 1.9TD Xantia, his first legally driven car (got banned for driving without license and insurance, but that's expired now).
Got insurance for £800 despite that.
Graham M
21-05-2007, 11:30
Yes but how old is your friend?
keithwalton
21-05-2007, 11:41
As proven by my friend starting out on a 1.5 diesel clio, its not really how old you are its how long you've held your license.
Even though his car should be cheap to insure he struggled to get his premium under £1000, he's only held his license a few months and is 22, i put in my details (not including no claims) so only real difference is that i've held my license for 4 years and with the same company mine comes out at just over £300.
I currently pay £440 for my TD Xantia tho
Chris
Have you thought about a Focus Diesel? When I was looking for my new car at the Main Ford Dealer there where several of them around the 6K mark all had Air con & some even had Cruise control & 6 speed gearbox.
When I bought my Mondeo Diesel (I understand the £12K is outside your price range) I expected the preformance to be less than my previous car (2.0 Sapphire), but it shifts. Plus I reckon that I'll save about £300 a year on fuel, even if Diesel is more expensive that petrol.
Yes but how old is your friend?
Mid 20's
Seat Leon- Not heard very good things about this, Seat are one to avoid from what i gather.Seat were one to avoid, but not now... they're fairly sporty, and VW have massively improved the engines compared to what they used to be.
The Leon is a great car, especially the FR - the diesel version shares a lot of the features found in the Golf GTi and Audi A3. The FR is out of your price range, though, unfortunately, but the other models are within reach.
I wouldn't dismiss a Seat Leon based on opinions of the old Seats.
Vlad_Dracul
21-05-2007, 16:31
Well I can recommend
Mk3 Golf upwards. I have an 1800cc Mk3 Glof and it is bombproof and good for long journeys too. Its 1992 ,i'm not rushing to sell it,and it has never been any trouble.
Also,if you want something cheaper which is a bit nippy, have a look at Renuault Clios
If your insurance can stand it,,how about Fiesta or Focus TDCI ?
If i were you i would avoid the need for speed at your age. There are just too many chances of racking up points and fines and it will cost you a fortune in insurance if you do...
Chris
Have you thought about a Focus Diesel? When I was looking for my new car at the Main Ford Dealer there where several of them around the 6K mark all had Air con & some even had Cruise control & 6 speed gearbox.
When I bought my Mondeo Diesel (I understand the £12K is outside your price range) I expected the preformance to be less than my previous car (2.0 Sapphire), but it shifts. Plus I reckon that I'll save about £300 a year on fuel, even if Diesel is more expensive that petrol.
*cough* self destructing engine *cough* flywheel disintegrates *cough*
oooh i had completely forgotten about this thread!
I bought a new car two weeks ago- Ford Puma 1.7 Thunder :)
I gave up all the ideas of having a nice economical cheap to tax and insure car.
Mind this one does about 35mpg, costs 90.75 for 6 months tax, and has only bumped my insurance up by a few quid.
It's a great drive though :) vrooom vroom :p:
Wicked_and_Crazy
22-05-2007, 12:50
I gave up all the ideas of having a nice economical cheap to tax and insure car.
and bought a laaaaaydies car :D
orangebird
22-05-2007, 13:10
*cough* self destructing engine *cough* flywheel disintegrates *cough*
?? I've got a 52 plate mondeo ghia 2.0l tdci. Done 103000 miles and runs like a dream. I'm starting to worry about you and your cars. You crash at 30 mph and blame the tyres (which I have, and they're fine at 90mph+), and now you say your engine failed because the parts disintegrate.... :erm: A bad workmen etc......
I'd personally have gone for a golf tdi Chris W. Only group 9 insurance, and last forever. Very economical & pokey to boot.
Wicked_and_Crazy
22-05-2007, 13:31
?? I've got a 52 plate mondeo ghia 2.0l tdci. Done 103000 miles and runs like a dream.
Or is it a dream that it runs :D
I agree with you, seems like theres a few bad reports and that means its a completely bad car. Based upon volumes sold and volumes of problems i believe the Mondeo diesel is reliable
etccarmageddon
22-05-2007, 13:37
oooh i had completely forgotten about this thread!
I bought a new car two weeks ago- Ford Puma 1.7 Thunder :)
I gave up all the ideas of having a nice economical cheap to tax and insure car.
Mind this one does about 35mpg, costs 90.75 for 6 months tax, and has only bumped my insurance up by a few quid.
It's a great drive though :) vrooom vroom :p:I had a 1.7 puma (from almost new to about 80,000 miles) - excellent car and does a good mpg. downside is the small fuel tank.
?? I've got a 52 plate mondeo ghia 2.0l tdci. Done 103000 miles and runs like a dream. I'm starting to worry about you and your cars. You crash at 30 mph and blame the tyres (which I have, and they're fine at 90mph+), and now you say your engine failed because the parts disintegrate.... :erm: A bad workmen etc......
I'd personally have gone for a golf tdi Chris W. Only group 9 insurance, and last forever. Very economical & pokey to boot.
The tyre burst accident was in my 205 with old tyres. That was at 40mph.
The 185/65R15 conti's didn't fail, the rear driver's wheel hit debris on the road, and being a tight country lane, the passenger front wheel hit the bank, snapping the steering arm and spinning me round.
The HDi engines developed by PSA and Ford are well known for disintegrating flywheels, hence why Valeo has produced an aftermarket flywheel which is made from a single piece which doesn't disintegrate.
Nowhere have I said I have a car with a HDi engine, wouldn't touch one with a barge pole. Both my parents have them in 2.0L 90BHP and they're as gutless as anything because the ECU has "learnt" to be gutless.
I'll stick with a nigh indestructable XUD.
If I remember correctly regarding the tyres that you have, the discussion was about people driving faster than their tyres are rated for.
orangebird
22-05-2007, 14:42
The tyre burst accident was in my 205 with old tyres. That was at 40mph.
The 185/65R15 conti's didn't fail, the rear driver's wheel hit debris on the road, and being a tight country lane, the passenger front wheel hit the bank, snapping the steering arm and spinning me round.
The HDi engines developed by PSA and Ford are well known for disintegrating flywheels, hence why Valeo has produced an aftermarket flywheel which is made from a single piece which doesn't disintegrate.
Nowhere have I said I have a car with a HDi engine, wouldn't touch one with a barge pole. Both my parents have them in 2.0L 90BHP and they're as gutless as anything because the ECU has "learnt" to be gutless.
I'll stick with a nigh indestructable XUD.
If I remember correctly regarding the tyres that you have, the discussion was about people driving faster than their tyres are rated for.
Apologies - you said that you were doing 30 in a xantia and span off the road and blamed your tyres, Kumos, or however you spell it.
keithwalton
22-05-2007, 14:56
Apologies - you said that you were doing 30 in a xantia and span off the road and blamed your tyres, Kumos, or however you spell it.
I think we were not to pleased with the brand as for the Xantia we use the H rated KH15's which on my car had a notable performance drop off after a few thousand miles (they were really good for the first 2-3k then they just seemed to go 'off' in that they allways seemed to be scrabbling for grip and never getting it. When i had them on the front i got nothing but understeer, now that they are at the back with new avons on the front my fwd xantia is tail happy!
I think you were running a far sportier model tyre with a W rating or so.
The PSA HDI / Ford TDCi engine does have a few known problem main one being the destructing flywheel, ecu and other electronic glitches and others caused by neglecting service. But like the bomb proof XUD, the units are used in a lot of vehicles so there is bound to be some that have nothing but problems and others that run on forever
Raistlin
22-05-2007, 14:56
I don't have a car at the moment. I was forced to sell my beloved Xantia last year because we had nowhere to park it and now that we have got the space I haven't got the money for a new one :bigcry:
Talking of Avon's Keith, I've got to swap the front wheels on my 2.1TD for the ones on my 1.9TD until pay day as the passenger wheel has developed a rather nasty looking bulge!
Raistlin, save up for a few months and you can buy my 1.9TD estate off me :D
Raistlin
22-05-2007, 15:09
Raistlin, save up for a few months and you can buy my 1.9TD estate off me :D
Very tempted, loved that car.
keithwalton
22-05-2007, 15:54
Have you fixed the 1/9 yet tho Xaccers :) mine will be going on the market in the not to distant future as im just abit bored of having an 'economical, practical family hatchback' i dont do that many miles either somthing a little more exciting like a mk2 mr2 is looking promising, i'd like something with more grunt though toyota supra, nissan 200sx, 300zx etc but most insurance companies want me to be 25 or would like both arms and legs to insure me on one of those.
Have you fixed the 1/9 yet tho Xaccers :) mine will be going on the market in the not to distant future as im just abit bored of having an 'economical, practical family hatchback' i dont do that many miles either somthing a little more exciting like a mk2 mr2 is looking promising, i'd like something with more grunt though toyota supra, nissan 200sx, 300zx etc but most insurance companies want me to be 25 or would like both arms and legs to insure me on one of those.
There are a few reasonably priced Activa's around at the moment.
Going to put another couple of gallons through the 1.9 tonight, she runs, just still a big gummed up from the veg left in her tank when we had the snow.
Won't sell her until she's sorted.
Really needs an italian tune up, but as she's sorn, that would be naughty.
An excellent place to start, when considering a new car, is the VCA database - available here:
http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/
Look under 'downloads' and you can get an Excel spreadsheet giving the fuel consumption of just about every model on the road today. There's even a 'cost per mile' column so you can just re-sort on that and quickly identify the most economical vehicles.
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