If the folks who promise to pay me some money actually cough up, I want to buy a car -- some time between now and Christmas.
Since I work from home, I don't need it for commuting: it will be used for a strange mixture of local runs (shopping etc) and relatively frequent longer journeys, including five trips logging Ireland of abt 1000 miles each. I reckon on a total mileage of about 10K miles a year.
I don't have children, but do have a small dog and lots of friends who will need lifts, so I need four doors and enough rear legroom for an adult woman without undue squeeze. So I reckon on a mid-sized car (Ford Focus etc).
I have set myself a max budget of £5,000, but would prefer to get change out of £4,000. I'm not fussed about image or anything, except that I prefer to avoid anything looking bling or posh.
My ideal choice would be a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla, for their reliability, but both seem far too expensive. I also like diesels, but it seems that they are too expensive to buy used (£1,000 premium) and also that these new common rail diesels potentially face big repair bills, which could be crippling on an older, cheaper car. So I'm thinking that I'll have to go for petrol.
Looking through the option, it seems that I could get say a 2001 Ford Focus 1.6, or a rather newer Nissan Almera, or have a wide choice of Citroen Xsaras.
I have ruled out a Vauxhall Astra (good value, but the ride is horrible), anything FIAT (reliability), Seat Leon (looks nice, but pricey), VW Golf (price), Peugeot 307 (reliability) and a Mazda 323 (steering too light, I found a 1992 model deeply scary to drive).
My first question is about the Xsara. It looks tempting, but I have doubts abt the reliability of Peugeot/Citroen petrol engines: I have been told that they do good diesels, but not-so-good petrol engines. Is that fair? (OTOH, Xsaras are cheap enough that I could maybe get a reasonable HDI and still have a few quid set aside for any repairs).
The second thing I am wondering is how to buy the car. I was looking at the auction prices for Nissan Almeras on www.smag.co.uk, and they seem to be a lot lower than the asking prices on autotrader (3yo lowish mileage Almeras at around £3000, aginst £4K to £4.5K on autotrader) ... so it seems to me that the most economical way is to use an auction buyer such as Joe Dowd, and then pay a few quid for a warranty. I'm not a mechnically-minded sort of person, so I'm wondering if it's too much of a risk. Any suggestions?
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I prefer to avoid anything lookingbling or posh.
A woman after my own heart! Have you thought about a Berlingo?
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I just wrote a long reply and somehow (incompetence on my part??) it got lost.
Basically, my wife's Xantia HDi is now 5 years old with 80k on the clock - engine never touched except for oli changes and new cambelt at 72k (as specified?) . If it is reliable as the XUD Cit engines we have owned before (170k and 140k without being touched) we will be well satisfied. Xsara is a car without "image" therefore cheaper than (say) similar Focus. And you can say you are driving the WRC winner for last 2 years!! which is more than Focus (cue Adam - and it is better looking than those Focus things with a boot!!) or Subaru drivers can say!! May be able to get Xsara HDi for less than a Focus petrol or diesel?? DavidHM will no doubt be along in a mo' to tell us exactly.
My Berlingo has the 90bhp HDi - same as Xsara - excellent engine, plenty of torque for overtaking and will cruise at 90 if you need to. Also economical - just did 50 mpg on trip to France and Xsara will be better (not brick shaped!!)
And, echoing Tyro's point - Berlingo has loads of room, 3 full seats and belts in back and loads of room for luggage.
Good luck!
Phil
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Have you thought about a Berlingo?
Yes, I have -- I think they are really nice. For urban or local use, they are on of the nicest vehicles going.
But two things put me off:
- they seem to hold their value rather well, not sure I'd get a decent one in budget
- I'm a bit woried about how stable they would be on the motorway or on the exposed hillsides up here. With those high sides, I can imagine them being blown around a lot
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You know you want an X5, really. Just add another '0'. Or I could look for a nice 944 for you if you want?
You'll be changing your name, then?
;-)
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You know you want an X5, really.
I think I'd prefer a C5! (even the Sinclair)
Or I could look for a nice 944 for you if you want?
You mean one scrunched into a solid lump of metal by a scrappie? ;-)
You'll be changing your name, then?
Yes, but not sure what to. "NoWheelsNoMore" is tempting, but maybe a bit long.
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I had a ZX with the 1.4 8v petrol engine, for about three and a half years. My father had it for a few years after that and then my sister had it. I found the engine to be fine. It was a good long distance cruiser (cruise at 80 mph all day) and was good for over 100 mph (easily). Oil consumption was next to zero and fuel consumption was never under 40 mpg.
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Its got to be OnWheels
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tinyurl.com/9ujkj
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Adam the Predictable... :-)
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tinyurl.com/9ujkj
ouch! my eyes are hurting!
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Or how about NowWheels?
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Or how about NowWheels?
Gets my vote. (FWIW)
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>> Or how about NowWheels? Gets my vote. (FWIW)
And mine too! I like way it only takes one letter, and means I can still be NW. Thanks Machika.
BTW Dalglish, I saw that Mark had changed his name to "no fm2r", but I never figured out what the FM2R stood for. Can anyone explain?
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"no fm2r", but I never figured out what the FM2R stood for. Can anyone explain?
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=35676&...e
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Yes, but not sure what to. "NoWheelsNoMore" is tempting, but maybe a bit long.
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you caould try "no wnm" , following in the footsteps of the great "no fm2r"
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>> Or I could look for a nice 944 for you if you want? You mean one scrunched into a solid lump of metal by a scrappie? ;-)
10 seconds searching revealed a 1988 944S on sale via the Porsche Club in their October mag, guards red, FSH, 83k, £5 spare in your budget.
Others are in at £4k but not your style; more track oriented.
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Have driven MiL's wheelchair converted Berlingo a number of times, very nice to drive and not noticeably affected by crosswinds on breezy coastal drives.
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My ideal choice would be a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla, for their reliability, but both seem far too expensive.
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try the great trade centre, also known as
www.cargiant.co.uk/cars/search2.asp
choose toyota or honda, select all models, input max price of £5999 and see what results you get.
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What about a nice, loaded 2001 Mk2 Mondeo for under £4k ;)
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Don't be silly Mike.
She needs an economical diesel.
If only Ford made some sort of diesel engine that was powerful, reliable and cheap.
If only...
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What about a nice, loaded 2001 Mk2 Mondeo for under £4k ;)
Would that be a 120,000 mile Ghia X? ;-)
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I've just seen a very nice Mondeo LX TDCi on a 52 plate for £4,800. To keep Adam happy it's gold, but sadly it's not a saloon...
Serious suggestions - the Focus has to be up there and I do think it's possible to get a 2001 or 2002 Civic or Corolla in budget, just. I'd also look at the Seat Leon - same place has a Leon TDi on a 52 for £5k with the 90 bhp engine which is relatively old tech - although it has done 98k miles. If that doesn't float your boat then I'd have a look at an Astra - 60 mpg, the same Isuzu engine as the diesel in the Civic I think, and dirt cheap. Okay it's fairly style free but that might suit you but it's decent to drive and well put together. £4k for an 02 plate diesel estate with 80k.
www.usedcarsales.net - no idea if they're any good but their prices are.
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>> What about a nice, loaded 2001 Mk2 Mondeo for under £4k ;) Would that be a 120,000 mile Ghia X? ;-)
Oooh with a budget like that you could get a 60,000 miler :-)
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Hi, Now Heels -
Try Autotrader as well as Cargiant - I too think you could get a new-shape Civic or Corolla within budget.
Don't forget Skodas - Fabia or Octavia depending what size you want. The Fabia Combi is a good bet though rarer than the hatch. The 1.4 petrol is very lively as long as you go for the 100 bhp version.
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>>Mazda 323 (steering too light, I found a 1992 model deeply scary to drive).
I have a 1999 Mazda 323 and have no problems with the steering. It might just have been that particular car which had that problem. At 13 years old it may be a tad past its best. Try a more recent one before you score it off your list. I have had mine from new and it has been faultless (probably blow up tomorrow after saying that). I would recommend them to anyone.
>>The second thing I am wondering is how to buy the car. I was looking at the auction prices
Auctions are good for ex lease cars. Anything which the fleets buy in big numbers will be sold off cheap at auction. I have had good buys at auction on two year old ex fleet cars. Try to go for ones which are new enough to still have a year or so of the new car warranty left. Make sure it has all the service stamps in the log book.
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On the subject of the Berlingo
1) You reckon they hold their value too well to get a good one second hand. Well, I see from Autotrader that there are no 2002 Honda Civics (for example) for under about £5000. You could get a Berlingo a lot cheaper than that - for example tinyurl.com/b6jp4
2) As for being blown about in high winds, I live in one of the windiest parts of the UK mainland (check the meterological records!) and Berlingos are very popular around here. Yes, you are more subject to wind that you would be in a Porsche 911, but you wouldn't want to be seen in one of those, would you?
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I can understand an objection to an Astra on image grounds, but not on ride quality ones. Mine (99/t 1.8 16v cd estate, 89k miles, 2.4k) has 15" alloys and rides really well. And 5k buys alot of Astra. Heck, so does 3k even. Good luck whatever you get. And if you get a set of winter tyres, call yourself 'snowheels'.
I'm off to get me coat....
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