I have £3k to spend on a car to drive me to and from Geneva where I will be living for 8 months. I want something that is going to be relatively comfortable on the motorway, largely maintenance free, fuel economy is not highest priority but a concern. I need to be able to put stuff in it as I will be moving so tiny cars aren't going to work.
My question is, what do I get? I have been looking at cheap Volvo V40s, leather clad Honda Accords and even a couple of big Toyota Surfs and tinny RAV4s. So far I am not convinced by any of them.
What are the honest John recommendations for a cheap reliable workhorse? I think trouble free motoring is most important, I have had my fare share of buying from the heart cars, now I am trying to buy using my head.
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Try a Skoda Octavia - preferably a TDI. I'm not an expert but would guess that £3K would get you one about 6 years old - abvoid one that's been a taxi. Maybe try Autotrader.
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Merc W124 300 Diesel saloon. Tougher than old boots, and it's what they are made for. Have a party in the boot.
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I had thought about these but they are hard to find. To be honest I don't understand the E class system at all. Autotrader does not seem to list W124 as an option, so I am presuming they are just E300s?
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Check the CBCB for W124 dates - seems that the last were in 96, so getting on now. Challenge is finding one that has been looked after, and if I'd looked after one, why would I be selling it, given the cost of a better motor?
Decent diesel estates still go for £6000 at dealers, so £3k might be too little.
Have you thought about buying a LHD? Unless you are driving from N Scotland you will be doing most of your miles on the other side of the road. LHD might be much cheaper on either side of la manche.
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there are 16 Octavia Tdi's on autotrader under £3000 at the moment, including 4 estates.
I drove to the Tyrol in mine the other year, no problem
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Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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2000 W or X plate Mk2 Mondeo 2.0 16v Ghia X.
All the stuff you need for a nice long trip inc leather, climate, cruise, computer etc etc, all inside a nice, reliable package which will give you no trouble at all.
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"2000 W or X plate Mk2 Mondeo 2.0 16v Ghia X."
Not if you're going to run it on mainland Europe for 8 months, where petrol is 1/3 dearer per litre than diesel, so petrol only makes economic sense for very low mileage drivers!
If its a Mondeo, try to hold out for a diesel estate. But, going to Switzerland, I'd favour the suggestion of an Octavia estate as VAG products are rather popular in Switzerland/Germany/Austria so getting parts and service for independent garages at reasonable prices should prove easier if you need them.
The Volvo V40's boot is quite small - an older 850 estate might suit the job better.
Or, you could consider a 1.7 diesel last-model Astra estate - load bay was as big as the Vectra of the day, IIRC from the AA road tests, and you'd have the same ease-of-maintenance advantage as the Skoda.
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Petrol is no more expensive over there than it is over here, not convinced the savings are worth it.
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I stand corrected: prices have levelled out since I was in that part of the world last (December 2005).
According to AA, average prices per litre are:
Switzerland: petrol ?1.10/CHF 1.70, diesel ?1.13/CHF 1.75
France: petrol ?1.32/diesel ?1.28
But, the 2.0 Mondeo will return approx. 35mpg and the diesel Octavia approx. 55mpg, so it all depends on how much either car can be bought for and how much travelling the OP expects to do while away, if any.
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Check the rules on cars in yodelling land. I know someone who claims he was refused entry because his bike was too loud.
If true then who knows what other strange regs might apply.
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Want to buy my VW Transporter? Will cruise all day at 70mph, and being a LWB High Roof model plenty of room inside for skis & snowshoes.On return trips to Blighty, think how moch booze & tobacco you can carry!
Price negotiable.
regards
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