Hi badbusdriver,

Thanks for the quick reply.

Some great suggestions. Have you any first-hand experience with any of these cars?

I would have never thought of a Kia Cee'd - PS not sure if i'm cool enough for a Honda Civic :)

I do - I've owned a Mazda3 1.6 petrol (a saloon version) since new in early 2006. Mine has luckily not got much in the way of rust, though the brakes have been an issue (binding), but only when I've been using the car less, and mainly in colder/damper months. Still drives very well for its age (admitedly mine has only done 65k miles [almost exclusively longer journeys on fast flowing roads]) and (touch wood) hasn't broken down yet.

Mine's worth about £1500 - £2000; you could probably pick up a 2007-8 run out mk1 model for your budget or maybe a higher mileage (no problem, especially if its a diesel and has been driven for well over 10k pa) early mk2 example.

Mazda diesels (the 1.6/1.5 is a shared unit with PSA/Ford/Volvo) aren't renowned for their reliability if they are used for short trips from cold regularly, and its difficult to know whether this is the case as regards previous owners unless every MOT showed an increase of at least 15k miles every year.

Normally speaking, a 52 mile round trip commute would indicate that you would benefit from running a diesel car, however, the reliability issues and knock on costs of running an older one can often more than outweigh that of a petrol-engined car. As you'll read, its a matter of risk and the consequences to you if a major componet fails and requires a significant outlay to fix it, possibly more than you can afford.

Buying a petrol-engined car means, even though the fuel cost is higher, that reliability for longer is far more likely and may save you money overall, especially if you can see a full service history: this can be checked (with the current owner's permission) from a main dealer IF it was serviced at one (like mine has); some history in that regard may be missing from the manufacturer's electronic records if it was maintained independently - see what the current owner has in terms of receipts/invoices - a good one will keep those.

Whatever you narrow your list down to, have a look over any possibles via the .gov vehicle info and MOT test history websites to check for a history of issues (especially if they 'linger' as advisories that then become failures on the MOT), to check if the car's details are correct and to see if a diesel (should you go for one) has done low mileage at any point in its past, particularly recently.

Also, if your not car-minded, take along someone who knows their way around the mechanicals and electrics (not just a mate who 'likes cars') and who could spot problems like a mechanic. The breakdown organisations can provide this service at a cost, but can be well worth it if you don't know anyone who can do this as a favour.

Check out HJ's reviews section for each make and model (previous generation models are listed below [follow the link] the current models) for general reviews, road tests and owner reviews. Note that older cars tend to have a review star rating one below they were when new, often due to the comparison to the latest model - it doesn't make them bad cars, just not as good as the latest models, which is to be expected.

The 1.8 Civic will definitely have the edge over the 1.6 (petrol) Mazda3 in terms of BOTH performance and mpg, and longevity, but the Mazda wins hands-down in terms of the handling. Comfort seems to be very much down to personal preference - the Mazda is a reasonably firm ride, but not that bad on 16in and below tyres (ok on 17in, firm on 18in), whereas the Honda seems to be rather 'Marmite' on that score - some people think its fine, others hate the ride.

(After the test drive) If you want a reliable A to B car that will last a really long time, then the Honda 1.8 petrol is the better bet; the Mazda3 1.6 (mk2) is by far the better driver's car, is cheaper to buy and will still be reliable, just not quite as much as the Honda. Honda dealerships and the manufacturer generally, it appears, give better customer service, as from my experience, Mazda dealers can be rather hit and miss - some good, some not so much: their quality seems to be very much dependent upon that of the local franchisee, wheras Honda UK seem to make sure, for the most part, that lower quality dealers don't stay for long. Just my personal opinion gleened from the Mazda3 Owners' Forum (not here).