Can't decided between 3 models.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

I'm struggling to decide which used car to buy.

Choice is:

1.6 Toyota Corolla

1.6 Mazda3

1.6 Alfa Romeo 147

I am looking for decent acceleration & bhp. Reliability, style & preferably not to expensive to insure.

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

I haven't owned any of these cars before & am interested in what I should look for when viewing & test driving.

AlexisV

Personally I'd go for the Mazda 3. It's a Ford Focus underneath, so it's decent to drive, and as reliable as the Corolla.

MX5huggy

Forget the Alfa if you want to have it at home more than in the garage. The corolla is not known as a drivers car. Is the Mazda a focus in different clothes ( not that that is a bad thing)

AlexisV

Yeah, the Mazda is a MkII Focus underneath.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Cheers for the advice. Just thought that I'll also have to consider milage aswell.

Not sure whether it's better to go for a car which has done for eg: 60000 or 70000, or try a lower milage car.

My budget may stretch to a 2006 model at the youngest as it appears Mazdas & Toyotas ho,d the value really well.

Tilt

MX5huggy wrote: »

Forget the Alfa if you want to have it at home more than in the garage. The corolla is not known as a drivers car. Is the Mazda a focus in different clothes ( not that that is a bad thing)

Have you ever owned one?:cool:

UncleZen

The Mazda 3, if its a turbo diesel may have a French Engine under the bonnet (Hdi).
Note that in the 2010 JD Power customer satisfaction survey Mazda was level with Citroen overall - read into that what you will, bearing in mind that in the 2008 survey they were in the top third.

Ghostrider

MX5huggy wrote: »

Forget the Alfa if you want to have it at home more than in the garage. The corolla is not known as a drivers car. Is the Mazda a focus in different clothes ( not that that is a bad thing)

Read that on a cornflake box did you?

Ghostrider

The Toyota will be the quickest (it's not quick, but it's the quickest of the bunch), but looking at it doesn't really set your world alight.

The Mazda is the middle ground, it has a bit more style than the Toyota, but it lacks any driver feel or involvement at all, steering and breaks quite woolly.

The Alfa oozes style and has bags of driver feel, but it could end up costing a bit more to run (it pains me to admit that) but it's not going to be "in the garage every week" they're not that bad these days. It's not as quick as the Toyota.

It's close, but it depends what your priorities are, style over performance? Cost over Style? etc etc.

clangnuts

I'd choose the Corolla, but only because I'm bias and have one. Best car I've ever owned!

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Any opinions on the Citroen C2 1.6 VTS, Honda Civics (can't afford newish models).