Economical Car help please

Suzob

Hi there - new to the boards & this is my first posting so I do apologies if I break any unwritten rules or anything...

Sadly I got the news today that the car crash I had a few days ago is being classed as a cat D write off by my insurance company (i drove into the back of a dumper truck...ouch - not a scratch on it!) - anyhow I now need to wait to hear how much they are going to pay out on the car (8yr old renault clio with just front sill/bonnet/grill damage, 63k on the clock) - i know at present that the price of scrap is pretty high so Im thinking of selling it for parts in order to get the most cash out of the car as poss...

Anyhow - Im absolutely clueless about cars, and will be buying scond hand (as Ive always done) - looking for something under 5yrs old, with the sort of solid build of a 4x4 without the need for 4x4.

I drive a lot of motorway - about 70%, 30% city - with my current job im driving 1200 miles a week! hopefully that wont be the case by the end of the year though & ill be back to around 10,000 miles a year av.

I love the look of things like the toyota RAV4, suzuki jumny/vitara, subara forrester type cars - little chunky things as Ive had years & years of driving little put put cars & want something a little more sturdy & substantial to cope with the scottish winters better.

Its MUSTs are a big big boot space as I have 2 large dogs who come everywhere with me so the boot will totally become their bed (at present my clio had its back seats flattened & the whole back space was the dogs bed!! making it a 2 seater!)

I dont mind it being a 2 seater again but would love to be able to have a 4 seater for once with big boot or back seats that can be shunted forward to make a bigger boot space??

Im a mature student too so something that has a good reliable nature, doesnt break down much, isnt extortionate for parts, doesnt guzzle petrol etc etc??

Not asking for much?? lol - does such a car exist??

Please help - I dont even know where to start looking....

Thankyou in advance.

Suzanne

Suzob

even if folk can give me a few makes of car to consider that would be a huge help....

cheap on tax/insurance too of course (espech now my premium will be going up! only accident ever in 18yrs driving...:(

cyclonebri1

I'm amazed you haven't had a single reply to a straight forward question, even the inevitable "learn to drive 1st" posts

There are no cars that you can drive into the back of a dumper truck with and not do damage so I hope that isn't your reason for thinking 4x4 type vehicles.

Anyway there are loads of cars suitable. I'll give you just one example. The Nissan Cashqai, excuse spelling, I'm sure it will be wrong. Looks like it should be a mini 4x4 but is available with or without 4WD. Tallish/high ride height and a range of economical diesel engines. Well worth a look.

Hopefully others will have further sugestions for you but this subject crops up regularly, do a search through this section of the forum and you will find plenty of info

Incidentally, the old car may sell as a repair job as it's only catD and the repairs are more or less bolt ons.

jeferey

Hi Suzob.
If you want about a 5 year old car, unfortunately the Subaru Forester didn't come in a diesel then and the 2.0 litre petrol only gets about 30mpg.

The RAV4 was available in diesel form in 2005 but being a 4x4, the mpg is still not great at 39 and the tax is high at £235/year.

The Nissan Qashqai mentioned by cyclonebri1 came out in 2006/7 and a 1.5 diesel from 2007 has a much lower road tax of £125 but are still pricey on the forecourt at over 10k :eek: for a 2WD version but it should return over 50mpg (official stats 54mpg). ( 4WD available if you want it).

It all depends on what kind of budget you are talking about, if you have an aversion to any particular brands (I wouldn't buy a French car for example ).

You could pick up a previous but facelifted Honda CR-V from 2005 for around 8k with the award winning i-CDTi engine - you'd get over 40mpg, it's chunky, would do OK in Scottish winters but it's a Honda so should be reliable too.

LandyAndy

I think you would be better of with a small estate such as Focus/Astra/Golf. Plenty of room in the load space for the dogs and you can separate it properly with a dog guard and you still have four decent seats. None of these has to be a 'put-put' car. Fuel consumption will be better than the soft roaders you mention and choice will be much wider.

loopylou121

I lived in Scotland until last year and owned a Misubishi Pinin and it went off-road, had dogs in, did everything and I loved it. Was economical too.

Strider590

Suzob wrote: »

Anyhow - Im absolutely clueless about cars, and will be buying scond hand (as Ive always done) - looking for something under 5yrs old, with the sort of solid build of a 4x4 without the need for 4x4.

Then here is your first lesson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZWy_fASSiQ


Bigger does not always mean "solid build"

In sharp contrast to this Smart car where the driver actually gets to keep his legs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz-s1sIoLhU

ali-t

I recently bought a nissan x trail which I love but know a few people with qashqui's (sp?) and they love them. totally reliable, good economy etc. My last car was a honda jazz which was very reliable although would be like your other car where you had to fold the seats down. I didn't fold the seats down but folded the back ones up so one dog was in the boot and the other was in the space where the back seats should have been.

colino

Save your cash, get a nice boring Focus hatch or estate that will be a million times better at coping with long haul commuting than short wheel-base 4x4s. It will be more economical, cheaper to run and infinitely more comfortable.

cyclonebri1

Actually I have a reverse take on this inspite of the anti frog brigade.

I was looking for a nice spacey car a few years ago, saw the Nissan Q, brand new then, but the rear storage space was rubbish for me, loads of height but no length (story of my life:o).

Then I decided an estate was the way to go,
the options;
Honda Accord? too boring and too dam expensive

Passat? livelier but still expensive

Focus estate? roof bars none standard and boring boring boring

VXAstra estate? Back to the past, my old cavs where more modern than this.

So I went with a Renault Megane 1.5dci super tourer, an estate, except by designation.

Totally the right move for me, 4 years on still marvel at the economy I can achieve, and that is not becuase I spend 1/2 my driving time waiting at the side of the road for the AA as some would have you believe

Today? I'm lookinh for the next car, why?, because I can afford one.

The Honda is still attractive and overpriced, the VW, well yes............., but the absolute contender has to be the Skoda Octavia estate.

Every engine option available in the VAG range, 4x4 if you want it and a crappy badge that knocks £k's off the asking price, go figure.

I may still go for the latest Renault as nothing about the last car has affected my pocket ;)

santacruz_2

If you want 4 wheel drive and reliability a Suzuki Vitara would be a good choice. If you don't need a 4x4 then you can't beat Honda.