Commuter Car Recommendation

Murielson

I am normally a £1k tops for a commuter car but the last one has now given up the ghost (Fiat Brava) and am looking at something a bit better. The commuter was a third car and now looking at getting back down to 2 and trading in the wife’s Peugeot 307 1.4l petrol Envy (53 plate) for a diesel.
Interested in thoughts on the best makes and models to meet the following:
Commute – commute circa 30k miles per annum (75 miles each way, A34/M3/M25) and this vehicle will bear the brunt of the load along with the current Vauxhall Astra diesel Estate. This is why I am focussing on diesel unless advised differently.
Size/Comfort – doesn’t have to be large but large enough to be comfortable as I will spend circa 3 hours + in it daily. I am not restricting size at this time as interested to see what is about. Prefer 4 doors as a minimum and not too cramped so roomy interior.
Economy – been getting circa 50mpg+ from the Fiat so keen to keep that as a minimum and improve if possible.
Cost – note comment in para 1 re circa £1k maximum but am looking beyond that this time. This will be shared with the wife and therefore needs to be a decent car and therefore willing to pay for such. Can buy new if required (within reason) and am able to offer cash so if there are any very good new cars that meet the above criteria I am happy to listen to advice. However, I know cars depreciate hugely from new and therefore assume this will not be the case. Also, based on the intended mileage I do not usually look at re-sale value and look at circa 10 years ownership as a minimum. Prefer low tax bracket if possible and running costs overall.
General – would prefer not to spend too much money on excessive servicing costs (cambelt changes etc a bugbear of mine!!) so possibly chain instead of belt preferred. Likewise spending a fortune on larger size tyres annoys me but I can live with it if the overall running costs are not excessive.
Interested in your thoughts if you would care to take the time to offer a view, especially from those who also commute and may have experienced similar. It is not funded by car allowance etc so it is all down to me and therefore I need the balance of reliability, low costs etc with sufficient comfort for where I spend my time for 3 hours + for at least 4 days per week.
Thanks in advance.

jaydeeuk1

So how much is your budget now then?

Anything is pretty much an improvement on a Brava.

Maintenance is going to be your biggest expense, I'd personally look for something like a kia ceed which will still have a few years warranty left, one less thing to worry about (theirs and hyundais warranties are really good)

Murielson

Thanks for the response. Brava cost me £700 and I have gotten circa 27k miles out of it to date. Current repair is only £190 but I know it needs a windscreen change and MOT is due in May 2013. Therefore don't want to throw good money away for a couple of months and then find that more surgery is required based on MOT findings.

Been looking at Fiesta at circa £12k so happy to go for new for right vehicle. Cliche but I want as much as I can get for as little as possible. If I spend £12k plus and get very good value for money for many years then that is fine. If I can spend £5-£10k and get the same then I would rather spend the lower amount.

KIA Ceed is on my current list as are the Hyundais following a recommendation from an RAC mechanic who indicated that these are the makes he probably sees least of.

jaydeeuk1

Thought you said it had given up the ghost? If a windscreen is all that is needed why change?

Murielson

£200 current engine repair (loud knocking, think it is a tensioner gone £90 part/1 to 2 hours labour) + windscreen excess + whatever else at MOT in May 2013 + wife won't be seen dead in it and 16 year old daughter starting to take her lead.

Want to spend the current repair costs on getting a service for the Astra including cambelt due. Will also get at least £150 from Brava scrappage and it is a good time to change as the Pug is getting on and wife is happy with the proposal as she will have the Astra mostly but use of the replacement too going forward.

Savings on 3rd car insurance, tax, servicing costs etc too.

getmore4less

Why not make the astra the comute car or do you need two comute cars?

If the second car can be picked for it's specific needs and not dual purpose(adding comute)

Perhaps spell out your total driving needs across all cars.

getmore4less

30k 50mpg £140/l thats £3819 on fuel

1mpg difference is £76, £100 extra on tax is trivial.

missing_link_2

Murielson wrote: »

following a recommendation from an RAC mechanic who indicated that these are the makes he probably sees least of.

That doesn't mean anything,it's probably because there aren't many on the road:)

Murielson wrote: »

wife won't be seen dead in it and 16 year old daughter starting to take her lead.

Some will except that as a blessing in disguise:D

Get yourself a nice Ford Capri,no mess with electronics,straight forward to tinker with. Everything today requires diagnostic tests to check faults,and the software in the hardware can play up. I know you'll want something up to date.
Although I have been a Blue Oval fan for years,late Fords don't impress me. So I'd be inclined to go with Honda or Toyota. Toyotas in Manchester are opted for taxis,which shows they're noted for durability

Murielson

getmore4less wrote: »

Why not make the astra the comute car or do you need two comute cars?

If the second car can be picked for it's specific needs and not dual purpose(adding comute)

Perhaps spell out your total driving needs across all cars.

Astra will share the commuting. Pug is now old and time to change am looking to get both cars to share the commute and take care of additional family driving needs.

Astra estate to be the large family car for long trips, luggage carrying etc and something smaller for other journeys plus economical.

Murielson

missing_link wrote: »

That doesn't mean anything,it's probably because there aren't many on the road:)


Some will except that as a blessing in disguise:D

Get yourself a nice Ford Capri,no mess with electronics,straight forward to tinker with. Everything today requires diagnostic tests to check faults,and the software in the hardware can play up. I know you'll want something up to date.
Although I have been a Blue Oval fan for years,late Fords don't impress me. So I'd be inclined to go with Honda or Toyota. Toyotas in Manchester are opted for taxis,which shows they're noted for durability

Honda and Toyota were also on his list so pretty much backs up what he was saying. Kia and Hyundia are the 'cheaper versions'. Same as Seat is now the value for money way of getting a VW - same chassis and spares etc over some models. Leon, Ibiza etc under consideration.

Like most of us he is fed up with all the additional features that cause problems in terms of getting the emmissions right etc. Wonder what mpg you could get out of a Capri nowadays!!??

londonTiger

for fuel economy (long distance commutes) I'd get a VW TDI

for reliability and short distances I'd get a toyota yaris

The Vws are pretty reliably too mind. But the yaris can get into small spaces and repairs are pretty low cost.