It's a VW Polo but made more fun. No bad road tax if you can get a post-Spring 2001 version. There's a SEAT garage near me - they look nice and the new ones are very pricey. Have a squint at the review: www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/seat/ibiza-ii-1999/

This is the trouble looking for new cars - I decide on one and then go 'ooh but what about this' and end up spending longer looking than I wanted.

I had a 2000 1.9 diesel. Tax was a bit hefty - however it was* a good car. Enjoyed 8 yrs of trouble free motoring with it (only paid out for the normal consumables - tyres, brakes, services, cambelt every 60k).

A few things to be aware of:

The ECU is under the scuttle panel, you want to check if the plenum drains are blocked or have been (the pins corrode). This can be expensive to put right (£1k + vat for a new ecu).

Also a few electrical gremlins - radio turning itself on when the car is parked and no key in ignition (solved with a software patch by some independent guys in glasgow). Or, shove a tape in the tape deck and switch it off to prevent it from turning itself back on.

Problem with immobiliser can render the car liable to start and immeditately cut out (can be solved with key recode - our local dealers quoted £60 for this).

Normal problems with twisting lock barrels, poor seals, rear wash wipe leaking into boot trim etc etc.

* Ecu died on mine - was not considered economical to fix as dealers could not guarantee that would be the solution.

Having said that, I would have another for sure. :)