Second car

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Tue 27 Jul 2010 12:13
Second car - Judderman

Im in need of a car for a commute to University and teaching placements (PGCE). Its about a 20 mile trip to Uni from home.

I will be doing placements throughout the year that will be up to 40 miles from home. So over the year will be doing about 12k miles not counting any other trips.

My wife drives a citroen Berlingo 1.9D which is a fantastic family car (a double buggy fits in the boot not folded) and is quite efficient as it cant go fast due to its aerodynamical properties that are similar to a brick .

I have a budget of £4k. Less is better, but if im just to end up spending more running a car its not worth it in my opinion.

The cars i have been looking at include

Renault Meganes with 70k miles 1.5D models and Citroen C4 HDI for under 4k. (autoquake)

and from a local garage a 55 plate Vauxhal Astra 1.3 CTDi life 55k miles for just over £4k.

Should i be looking at these or smaller petrol cars? Thanks

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Tue 27 Jul 2010 13:37
Second car - Chris M

In my opinion, an annual mileage of 12k + a bit doesn't justify a modern complicated secondhand diesel. There are plenty of petrol equivalents that will be cheaper to buy and won't cost that much more in fuel.

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Tue 27 Jul 2010 14:04
Second car - Mick Snutz

Suzuki Alto 1.1GL

Cheap,reliable, dull and no ball of fire but £35 per yr road fund and over 60mpg combined.

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Tue 27 Jul 2010 14:26
Second car - nick1975

Honda Jazz 1.4SE is what you need. All the kit, cheap to run, good mpg and reliable.

I just so happen to be selling one of these - 2006, 65k miles, blue. Yours for £4k.

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Tue 27 Jul 2010 14:53
Second car - Paul G1pdc

i'd just get a simple to fix petrol car rather that a complicated oil burner made by the french. what about a fiesta etc....you'll have enough to think about on your training/teaching course. lesson plans/reports/ etc to have time to think about fixing the latest electrical fault on a french car....plus being a parent at home....

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paul....married to a teacher of 18 years and big brother to a yep school teacher of also 18 years.....hahahaha......(my sister introduced me to her friend at teaching college.) of course if you where full time you'd get bused/coached to teaching practice schools. Good luck with the studies and don't let the old gag about 3 months holidays per year get you down...trust me when your report writting and have 1 month to rattle out 25 reports (small class size hu) and each report covers all subjects and is approx 6 pages....you'll be working until 10pm for the month....plus parents evening and out of school hours clubs that you'll be told..... to "volunteer" for...

my wife when she was at university in Oxford used a clapped out metro with over 100k on the clock and a self rust proofing engine bay.......some of the schools you visit don't have the nicest intake...if you get me then after getting a full time position....a series of fiestas followed now a parent she drives a volvo v40 1.8 sport (39mpg petrol)

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Tue 27 Jul 2010 20:35
Second car - Avant

I agree - go for a petrol: your expected mileage isn't high enough to make a diesel worthwhile, and they are more expensive to fix when they get old.

Personally I'd agree with the suggestion above of a Honda Jazz: also look at the Ford Fiesta or Focus (lots of these about), Skoda Fabia and Toyota Yaris 1.3. Any of these are small enough to be economical but not so small as to make a 40-mile commute too much of a pain.

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Tue 27 Jul 2010 20:55
Second car - oilrag

Small petrol car - 1.1 Panda as it has a non interference engine.

No cambelt engine destruction worries and it`s galvanized .

Edited by oilrag (Moderator) on 27/07/2010 at 20:55

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