New car - Astra, Mazda 3 or Civic - any thoughts?

pinkteapot

Our Astra has now done 105k and I just feel like it's going to start costing us money.

To be fair to it, the only money we've spent has been wear and tear (section of exhaust that blew, brake pads, brake drums, wiper problem). He sounds rougher than when I bought him (service said this was a rattling heat manifold IIRC but they couldn't fix it).

I just want a very reliable car. We have Green Flag but I don't want to use it.

I worry that Oscar is going to start causing us grief in the next year or two. He's only worth about £800 on part ex or maybe £1,100 privately. I don't want to start shelling out £££ on maintenance. Road tax is also horrendous for a 1.6l.

We also have the money for something newer and it's burning a hole in my pocket. And a Mk4 Astra is a *teeny* bit chav.

Kilty_2

Lum wrote: »

The Mk4 came out in 1998 and was a good car for it's time, which is what I said.

Expectations have moved on since then. The Mk5 may have been good in 2002 when it came out, but the OP is looking at cars of around the 2008 vintage and thus a Mk5 will disappoint.

The MK5 came out in late 2004.

Good car if you pick the trim and engine carefully - some competent petrol and diesel engines in the bunch but there are some poor ones too (avoid the 1.8 petrol due to high consumption and the 1.9 150 diesel for reliability). Don't settle for anything below SXI spec, preferably Design or above.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

toyota,mazda,mitsibishi lancer (not evo),proton gen,suburu (not wrx/sti) impreza, vw golf/bora, kia, seat altea/ibiza?

mk5 astra has limited rear side view out the windows due to their size and shape especially the 3dr, the 1.6 engine lacked that bit of power you would expect from previous models, found the seats very uncomfy to sit in for long periods and a hard ride and understear the bad back sufferrers nighmare.

pinkteapot

TITS! Hubby has a day off today and is out with his brother. He's just broken down in said Astra that's never caused us trouble. Junction with a roundabout, went to pull onto roundabout, ALL the warning lights came on and it conked out and won't re-start. Green Flag are on their way.

We go away in two weeks to the Lake District aarrrgghhhh.

johnfarquhar74

pinkteapot wrote: »

TITS!

See that's just karma, you start talking about upgrading to a new car and present car thinks, 'hold up!?'

atrixblue.-MFR-.

pinkteapot wrote: »

TITS! Hubby has a day off today and is out with his brother. He's just broken down in said Astra that's never caused us trouble. Junction with a roundabout, went to pull onto roundabout, ALL the warning lights came on and it conked out and won't re-start. Green Flag are on their way.

We go away in two weeks to the Lake District aarrrgghhhh.

should never ever talk about a vauxhaul beeing good over the years it hears you and proves you wrong.

if that isnt a knee jerker to get yourself a new vehicle i dont know what is, i think your car wants a new owner!!

pinkteapot

Haha I've been talking about it for a few months and hubby said "let's wait until the new year".

Just hope we don't blow a big chunk of the new car budget on fixing this one. :mad: Phoned a local garage to see if we can get it taken there by Green Flag if they can't restart it and they said "that doesn't sound good" when I described what happened.

JQ.

When you get a quote for fixing it, also phone round some scrap yards and get a price for scrapping it. You might be surprised by how much it's worth as scrap. At least that will give you an indication of whether it's financially viable to get it fixed before you start spending lots of money on it.

10JH

Have read the Focus depreciates quite fast.

Honda Civic recently hot a facelift, so at least it will look fresh for a long time.

sheslookinhot

10JH wrote: »

Have read the Focus depreciates quite fast.

Honda Civic recently hot a facelift, so at least it will look fresh for a long time.

Is there not a new Civic coming out soon ?