However, there's a very good chance of you killing yourself with a 172. It really is power on power off. As simple as that. And with power on, you get to your destination before you even left!!!
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Adam
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What's your budget? First thoughts are Ibiza or Fabia, both Polo variants with similar "feel" but cheaper and more kit.
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Why not go a few years older and look at an MX5? Every twenty something and their uncle has a hatch, get something different with a bit of class that's enjoyable to drive.
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Hi PG.
The only suggestions I can come up with are:
Citroen Saxo
Pug 306/106
New polo or varients - not sure I'd buy a VW after reading some of the comments in the recent VW dealer thread here.
Nissan Almera - ultra reliable
I would avoid:
Kia rio
Renaults - reliability issues, except vans of course!
H
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You know if you don't buy a polo you'll have to change you handle?
I'd recommend a Fiesta.
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You know if you don't buy a polo you'll have to change you handle? I'd recommend a Fiesta.
FiestaGirl? Would she really want to sound like a dancer?
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well funny you should mention fiesta, thats what my handle was on my old amstrad 901, with roger bleep !
my m8s took the **** because they said i should have my handle as redfiestainthesea, not just fiesta.
nevermind.
if you want to sea the pics go here
www.tiredeyes.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/Fiestasu...g
yes that was my beloved 2nd car. complete with 100w barsteward light on boot ;-)
pologirl get the renault clio 172 or if u can 182 sport.
wicked little motor.
go test drive them all tho....... and make your own mind up.
the problem now-a-days is there is too many cars, just too much choice. not good for 1 who cant make their mind up.
clio 182
peugeot 206 or 106
fiesta
focus
mgf
any small convertible
micra
citroen c2
saxo
cosra
yaris
smart car
ibiza
mazda3
ford kak?
panda
or how about being different and get a newer polo?
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I think your missus wins the price for the most readable private plate that actually makes sense. Assuming she is called Nicola of course!
Why the hell did you get rid of the Scooby?
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Adam
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OK VT - I assume there's a story behind that -
LETS HERE IT THEN!
H
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What's the Fiesta doing?
Learning to swim?
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lol
i was on black rock sands (wales)
driving as fast as possible up and down the beach
i drove thru like a horseshoe, it was say 6 inches of water and a say 300 yard horseshoe, i drove thru one end, and knonked out. water in K&N i guess. if you imagine the open part of horseshoe was pointing at sea. by the time my m8 got up the the other end to get coast guard landy, with tow-rope the water comes in pretty quick.
the horseshoe is now like 1-2 feet of water with a foot of water by me & car, coastguard cant get near enough to tow me out, we cant push because wheels have started to sink in sand.
so... we just had to leave it and sit on roof, while it washed about like a cork.... !
we got the stereo & speakers out, and my tapes, which i still have behind me.(tapes not stereo) and left it there for the night.
got v drunk on cider, and phoned my then missis, (funny her name was nicola too, not wife now) and got her to phone my mom & dad.
they didnt believe her !
until next day, when i turned up in my m8s chevette with just speakers, tapes, stereo, and K&N filter !!!
my dad was v angrey, 3weeks b4, i had had recon gearbox £250 quid i think and 2 new dunlop tyres on front. i used to go thru 2 front tyres in 6 weeks then !
needless to say i didnt have a car for 3 months. my dad wouldnt let me get another one till i had paid him off !
bless his soul, (we lost him 10years ago this may)
then i had saved enough and saw an xr2 white one, ( he still lent me £400 to buy it.)
and yes scooby had to go, £40 a petrol a week, no good, wife has budget of £20 a fortnight, so i was constantly puttin into it, and when i took it for a spin on fri nights, i used to do £30 a night as well ;-(
yes wifes name is nicola, but sold plates, got pulled 3 times in a month. (sold for a profit tho.!) still havent bought a xmas present for her to replace them 2003 !!!! oopps.
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Hi PG, I think I'd disagree a little with Hugo.
The Saxo and 106 seem rather flimsy little cars, and get poor satisfaction ratings. I doubt they'd be your cup of tea.
The one car I thought might usefully be added to your list is the Toyota Corolla. The current model looks quite smart (though last year's facelift spoiled the snout), and gives the impression of being quite solid.
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You should see beyond the VW badge snobbery - your Polo is not as solid as you think it is - writing off all Citroen, Peugeot, Vauxhall etc etc simply becuase you don't think they are as 'solid' as your Polo is a bit foolhardy.
There are many reasons to write Vauxhall off, but 'not being as solid as an 8 year old Polo' is not one of them :)
Fabia vRS is a good car but if I was doing Motorway miles I'd buy a proper car not a town car - a nice Mondeo TDCi would suit very well.
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I don't think she wants something like that...somehow. Even though I would of course.
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Adam
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Adski & Michael... agreed, a big car suits me much better too, but if I were PoloGirl and wanted a small car to do motorway mileage, with a bit of fun, I'd buy the Fabia VRS.
I know I suggested not buying a Skoda for someone else as a company car, because of the image, but PoloGirl is too switched on to fall in that trap. The way I look at Skodas is that people who are put off by the name won't know what it is and that people who know what it is won't care about the name.
It's spacious, fast, solid, reliable and subtly sporty, which is what I imagine attracted PG to Polo in the first place. It's also sensibly priced, economical and holds its value well.
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If reliability is a concern then I would have to agree with some & remove virtually every French car from my list - recent Top Gear Survey results don't put them in a good light at all !! I'm not biased against them either having owned 2 Citroens myself but after bad experiences with both wouldn't buy one again.
Vauxhall, well new 2 door astra is pretty good by all accounts & doesn't look half bad - corsa though is long in the tooth & well due for replacement. How about the new Tigra ??
The Fabia VRS sounds pretty good, don't worry about image - let other people do that & let them be daft enough to pay another few grand just for a badge. German cars aren't that much better regarding build quality now anyway - competition has closed the gap so much that the premium they ask for isn't worth it anymore. Audi TT is one of the most unreliable cars you can buy according to recent survey results - wouldn't have thought that eh ??
Best bet for you is to go along to one or two local car supermarkets & have a wander round - always great places to give you some ideas - good hunting !!
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Thanks all.
Hugo - Saxo? I'm actually offended that you combined me and that car in the same thought. Go and wash your mouth out! ;) As for those Peugeots... the whole world seems to have one, and they're all that sicky metallic blue colour. I don't want to be a sheep. Also I know a few people whose Peugeots have gone badly wrong while still virtually new and Peugeot haven't been interested at all.
I did intend to add Corolla to the list - I like it's new face! It just seems expensive compared to other similar cars, but I guess if they're as reliable as everyone says they are then it's worth a look. It's a little bit "retired couple" though, don't you think?
Mr Rodgers... my Polo *is* as solid as I think it is, and I've proved it on many occasions when a lesser car like a Corsa/Ka/Saxo would have seriously reduced my chances of being here typing this. I just don't want a big car, they're too much faff when there's just me driving it... and can anyone REALLY see me driving a Mondeo?
I do like the chunky new Fiestas but as for changing my name to FiestaGirl - that's all a bit top-shelf isn't it? Hmm.
I can feel some serious car shopping coming on!
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172. 172. 172. 172. 172.
:-)
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Adam
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Adski, do you want me to kill myself and/or my licence?
I had a look on the Renault website and it looks a bit dated - when was the last time the Clios had facelifts?
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Due one very soon apparently. If you find the 172 dated then I guess you're a girl who like sharp lines. That screams to me a Fabia vRS. What about a Fiesta Zetec S or even ST150?
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Adam
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when was the last time the Clios had facelifts?
I'm not 100% sure but i think it's getting replaced either later on this year or early next.
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Pologirl,
Surprised no-one has suggested Jazz of the Honda variety.
High up like a 4X4
Circa 50MPG like a diesel but a petrol
Surprisingly quick when you want it to be
Lots of Kit
Reasonable insurance
Small Outside and Big Inside
and as a bonus, Jazzgirl sounds quite good!
I drobe one for 2 years and 60K miles and loved it - Don't knock it 'till you've tried it!
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>>the only one I like is the Toyota Rav4, which I suspect is way >>out of budget!
>>I did intend to add Corolla to the list - I like it's new >>face! It just seems expensive compared to other similar cars
Not if you know the right people ;-)
A new Corolla Colour Collection can be had for under 10 grand and a Rav4 from under 16 grand
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At the risk of contradicting everything I've just said... the Jazz is a bit small! Also if I had one, it would have to be pink, which wouldn't get me any credibility in the male environment I work in! And Jazzgirl - why not go the whole hog and just call me Razzle?! ;)
Just done an online insurance quote with my current insurer for the Skoda vRS and it's £150 less than I'm currently paying on Polo. Hmm!
I want the vRs... but how do you say nicely to you best friend "Yes, you think it's rubbish because you don't know anything about cars, but actually it's really great." It's just not going to be easy! On the plus side, she did say last night that if I got one, she'd never get in it, so that's one Pologirl's Taxi Service passenger off the list!
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Like I said, don't knock it till you've tried it!
There is more room in the Jazz than in SWMBO's Audi A4. It's like a Tardis.
The Producer of Top Gear drives a pink Jazz!
I would suggest the 1.5Vtech Jazz but.......... they don't import them into the UK or I would have had one myself.
Seriously PG. At lease try one. It won't cost you anything. You could try out the Civic Type R while you're there!
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PG - Just tell your best friend it's not a Skoda. As far as I nkow, the only badge on it is 'Fabia' (which you could remove) and the Skoda logo. She probably won't even realise it *is* a Skoda once she sees it.
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Corolla a retired couple car? I think that depends on the variant, but YMMV.
The previous saloon was nice, but the current saloon looks like the winner of a blandness competition.
The previous hatch was just weird, but the new 5-door metallic dark-grey Corolla in my village looks tons better than any Golf 5 I have seen. The current Corolla does seem very colour-sensitive -- the solid-coloured ones look at bit blobby to me, but no Corolla is designed to set the heart on fire.
Anyway, the retired couples round my way mostly seem to drive either an unpronounceable Korean box or a softroader 4X4.
Anyway, happy shopping!
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You've actually seen a saloon? i sell the damn things and have never seen one!
The corolla is available in two none metallic colours and neither are particularly nice or popular - white or bright red. Silver is the most popular, i do quite a few igneous grey which is the colour you refer to but my fave is ixion blue.
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BH - the Corolla saloon looks exactly like a Focus saloon from the rear, as you're probably aware... but we don't want to start one of *those* discussions, do we?
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I've never seen a corolla saloon and i've only seen one estate.
I can understand people not buying the estate as the Corolla Verso is not much more and is much more flexible but if it does look like you describe then i fully understand why no-one buys them!
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You've actually seen a saloon? i sell the damn things and have never seen one!
I have never seen one in England, but when I go Ireland I find that they are much more common than the hatchback.
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Hi Polo Girl,
Thinking a bit lateraly, for a slightly bigger more comfy / safer car for the mileage, why not go the full hog and get a Octavia Vrs?
Still economical and with the 180hp Audi TT engine a flyer! As they have not done the Vrs treatment on the new shape version, the last of the old shape (some still available from dealers) are a steal - even better nearly-new / ex-demo.
Forget the snobbery of your mate and the fact it has 5 doors and have fun! The up-side is more space for your mates, no diesel grumble and I know what I would rather be in in the event of an accident and that is a bigger car!
If not, I agree with many of the others, Fabia every time. Enjoy!
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I just don't want a big car, they're too much faff when there's just me driving it...
The only faff I find with driving a big car is having to explain to people that the fact it's just me driving it really doesn't make any difference. They are not that difficult to park, they cost no more to run, so I really don't think it matters that its only you who would drive it.
If you only wish to get as much as you need and no more then remove the Fabia vRS from your list - if its only you, why have 5 doors, etc etc?
I didn't mean any disrespect to your Polo but you seem to have the same attitude of many VW owners that their car *is* a tank and everything else is a flimsy mess.
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PoloGirl and I seem to have a rather different take on some things, but I can certainly share her desire not to have too big a car.
Big cars have their advantages, but these days smaller ones are much more more refined than the bigger ones of a few years ago. Same for safety.
And I can't be the only woman who finds parking a big car to be a real nuisance: the last time I hired a Mondeo estate, I couldn't park the monster without someone to guide me.
Men seem to set a lot of store by having a big car, and women tend not to.
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i have to get my wife to guide me in most days.
well maybe once or twice a month, if im lucky.
its a tight squeeze.
;-)
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i forgot to mention
whilst we are shopping.
;-P
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Go for the Fabia. It won't be too much of a culture shock from your Polo. It's very economical but very nice to drive. I have a more basic 1.4 and wish I could afford (or at least justify to myself the cost) of the Vrs. In fact, I'd probably be just as happy with one of the more up-market TDis. If I were in your position, the attitude of your friend would only encourage me.
I've had mine for nearly two years and find it very comfortable, even for long journeys. It's certainly not just a town car, especially in diesel form.
Browse the forums, but don't be put off by the laddish culture, at www.briskoda.net , where you'll find many Vrs owners. People who post there have been known to show photos of their post-accident cars. The sight of a car that's for all practical purposes destroyed, but still in one piece, is reassuring if you own the same model yourself.
I don't think you'll find many opinions of the Sport version because it's too new. I believe it's a just a 1.4 dressed up to look like the Vrs.
Try tinyurl.com/4zre8 for (slightly bland) reviews of individual Skoda models.
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Get the vRS - great car, and a natural progression.
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alfa 147 JTD
Cheap (ish), stylish and economical
JaB
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alfa 147 JTD
she did say "It's essential that I have a reliable car for my job" ...
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>> alfa 147 JTD she did say "It's essential that I have a reliable car for my job" ...
for such a car hater you do seem to offer plenty of opinions.
We all know the old and largely unfounded (in a modern context) saws about Alfas let save that debate for another time shall we?
JaB
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We all know the old and largely unfounded (in a modern context) saws about Alfas let save that debate for another time shall we?
From HJ's car-by-car breakdown:
Alfa Romeo had fourth highest warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 155.10 v/s lowest 31.93). Average for breakdowns and faults and poor for problems in 2003 Which survey. 22nd from bottom out of 137 models in 2003 Top Gear survey. 147 joint 10th bottom model and Alfa Romeo bottom marque in 2004 JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey. Alfa Romeo 5th bottom of Reliability Index for 2004 combining average cost of repair of £392.88 with high 39.55 failures per 100 Warranty Direct policies. Link:- www.reliabilityindex.co.uk
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From HJ's car-by-car breakdown:....
and yet despite that my personal experience and that of the very many Alfa drivers ( all models but a great many of them drive 147) I know flatly contradicts that.
So as I said let's leave it at that we'll have to agree to disagree.
JaB
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I would suggest a Mazda 3 if you hadn't said you wanted to buy a used car rather than a new one. If you want a bit of fun you could try a Subaru Impreza. The WRX is hot stuff but they do make other models which are little more sedate.
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Curve ball - smart forfour Brabus - bit pricey and not available yet. Or the Colt CZT almost same car as the smart, but this has just three doors and is much cheaper.
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PG - I was going to suggest a Ford Escort but your new handle would have been even more undesirable.
I would certainly go along to your local Honda Dealer and try the Type R or Type S Civic , the Jazz or even the S2000 (as driven by Vicki B-H).
They are all nice cars and the dealers are usually excellent but check out the insurance cost.I was looking at a type S or type R and then found out how much it would cost to put helicopter jr who is two months younger than you on the policy.
After recovering from tthe shock I decided to go for the basic model.
I would hope also that some of that first paycheck is going towards Mum and Dad for board and lodging.....
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PG - I was going to suggest a Ford Escort but your new handle would have been even more undesirable.
Seem to remember we did all the Fiestagirl, Escortgirl etc jokes a couple of months ago when Pologirl last expressed interest in replacing her beloved.
I would suggest a Focus, nice 1.6 Zetec or Ghia, real VFM at the moment with the new model out and still one of the sweetest cars to drive by any standards.
Also PG mentions the Megane and it's 5 star safety, again great to drive, the 1.6VVT is quite nippy, slightly quicker that the Focus in fact, well equipped in Dynamique trim, also I reckon it is a great looking car though clearly not to all tastes.
I second the comments about the 7 year old Polo feeling safer than it perhaps is, that being said IIRC Clio's '98 on have a 4 star NCAP rating, that is a 6 year old car now.
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You'd have great fun in a 2.0 Zetec but I get the impression you'd want something a little smaller.
How abotu an ST170?
;-)
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Adam
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