Suggestions for a car please

Shawn_Dark

Weird_Nev wrote: »

Doing just 5000 miles a year and with £2k to spend IMO you'd be MAD to go for a diesel. YOu're just begging for high mileage woes and plenty of end-or life components. Things like turbos, clutches, DMF's and DFP's if fitted etc, and of course with higher milage all the other bits will be more worn too and so less 'fun'.

My suggestions are all petrol, so you can compare what you get for your money.

Honda Civic Type S 2.0 5 Door - Plenty available, no slouch (8.5 secs to 60) better ride comfort than the Type-Rs.

Fiesta ST 2.0 - If you can live with 3 doors, these handle very well, are fast, reliable and cheap to maintain.

Focus 1.8 Won't set the world on fire, but they're quicker than you think and class leaders in handling. Bit more discrete than the ST. Choice of thousands....

That's about it. Your stipulation of less than £250/yr road tax kills all the really lairy suggestions. Things like Renault Clio 182's, Focus ST's and the like...

Yeah as crazy as it sounds things going wrong with a car aren't an issue for me. But I am definitely starting to think along the petrol route. Not looking for an upgrade here, just a better drive to work then the chuggy diesel I currently have. Superb on fuel but that odd time I get stuck behind a slow moving vehicle it's painful after a hard days work.

I really like the Citroen C2 1.6i VTS (0-60 in 8.3 secs but still returns upto 35 MPG). I spotted a few on AT, GT and ebay but they are all either dubious traders are just too far away to travel. I have always stuck to buying cars locally or within an hours drive. It's harder but has always paid off in the end.

Another serious like is the Celica 1.8 (140BHP, 0-60 in 7-9 secs depending on variant, upto 35MPG).

Thank you for your suggestions/response, it is exactly what I am looking for! :beer:

Shawn_Dark

Honda Civic Type S 2.0 5 Door - Plenty available, no slouch (8.5 secs to 60) better ride comfort than the Type-Rs.


Wow! That is a really good car and going for fair prices as well. Many thanks indeed.

forgotmyname

The problem with cars that do upto 35mpg. At the other end of the scale that probably means a lot of them are doing less than 20mpg.

I filled up and reset the fuel computer and drove home gently with a mix of 40mph dual carriageway and 30mph roads. 5 sets of traffic lights and 6 roundabouts averaged 67mpg.
But during the snow a couple of years ago i averaged 28mpg over a full tank of fuel.

If doing lots of shorter journeys and heavy traffic a smaller engine will be better. But at speed on a run a bigger engine will come into its own.

Weird_Nev

Abu_Yoosha wrote: »

I really like the Citroen C2 1.6i VTS (0-60 in 8.3 secs but still returns upto 35 MPG). I spotted a few on AT, GT and ebay but they are all either dubious traders are just too far away to travel. I have always stuck to buying cars locally or within an hours drive. It's harder but has always paid off in the end.

Another serious like is the Celica 1.8 (140BHP, 0-60 in 7-9 secs depending on variant, upto 35MPG).

Thank you for your suggestions/response, it is exactly what I am looking for! :beer:

I'm not sure decent Celicas with the 1.8 VVTI fall into your price range. Coupe Premiums Apply.

And C2's are tinny as all hell. I wouldn't want to have to get into one every day.

A mate had one of those Type S's and I was impressed with it. He didn't have any problems with it and he drove the wheels off of it.

Don't discount the focus without driving one. I'm not sure what the beef up there with Fords is, but I've found them reliable, good to drive and quick enough. The petrol engines in particular are good and reliable, they just have to be revved to get the power out of them (like any petrol non-turbo).

Shawn_Dark

Weird_Nev wrote: »

I'm not sure decent Celicas with the 1.8 VVTI fall into your price range. Coupe Premiums Apply.

And C2's are tinny as all hell. I wouldn't want to have to get into one every day.

A mate had one of those Type S's and I was impressed with it. He didn't have any problems with it and he drove the wheels off of it.

Don't discount the focus without driving one. I'm not sure what the beef up there with Fords is, but I've found them reliable, good to drive and quick enough. The petrol engines in particular are good and reliable, they just have to be revved to get the power out of them (like any petrol non-turbo).

Don't discount the C2 VTS without driving one either. They are such fun to drive and so responsive. 1.6 engine as well so I found the one I used for a month or so was costing about £20 a week for me.

I don't have any issues with Fords (especially the Focus which I think is a very accomplished car). I had the 2002 1.8 Turbo Diesel and it was very good.

From experience, the Fiesta compared to the Mondeo is cheaper all-round.

Weird_Nev

I have driven a C2 (but not a VTS) and I can see that they're fun cars, but sod commuting in one!

Also, a friend had one and the engine fell out of it. Anecdotal, but that kind of thing sticks in your mind...

Shawn_Dark

Weird_Nev wrote: »

I have driven a C2 (but not a VTS) and I can see that they're fun cars, but sod commuting in one!

Also, a friend had one and the engine fell out of it. Anecdotal, but that kind of thing sticks in your mind...

I'm not exactly commuting for a long time, fifteen minutes there, fifteen minutes back and another thirty minutes if I go out to town for lunch, etc. It's just on those few back roads that I use, the slow moving traffic can be annoying. There are plenty of overtaking opportunities but my current car just isn't cut out for that.

Civic Type S looks like the one I'm going for. I checked out the Type R as well.... VERY TEMPTING!