I have a friend who does the same thing, He works in London so his car is left in the station car park for 12+hrs a day...He also travels approx 5 miles to the station...

For the past 6 years hes been using a 306 1.4 petrol.

Its good enough to cope with constant short trips and not flash enough to get anything pinched off it. OK the sides are covered in dents after all those years of people opening there car doors on the side of his 306 in the station car park....but come the weekends hes out and about in the family V70 D5. Plus the 306 is big enough to take to the tip and not get the decent car mucky..insurance is cheap and mpg is very good. It gets serviced once a year at the cheapest garage possible using the cheapest parts and cheapest tyres and the thing still won;t die....

Paul.

1.1 106. The later ones are economical, and a total hoot to drive. Like Jame May says, fun to drive without losing your licence.

I had a 2002 1.1 106 Independence, and I got a consistant 550 miles to a tank, which worked out at 55mpg. Heater is melting your face off within a mile on them too, great for short winter commutes.

2003 ones come with power steering as standard, before that PAS was only on the higher Zest models.

Just about anything small, made in the Far East and unloved by most.

Anything that a young lad would be prepared to be seen in will cost more and be more likely to go missing from the car park.

I'd look for any of the Daihatsus. Those things'll do short runs from cold 'til the cows come home without complaining, nobody'll nick it or want any bits off it and Daihatsu's exit from the market should mean the S/H prices are a tad depressed.

Another thing. Avoid "face off" stereos if you'll be leaving it in a public car park.

I know three people who have returned to their publicly parked car with the stereo faceplate in their pocket to find a smashed window, the glovebox open and......the boot crowbarred open(!)

In all cases, the plod pointed out that the tea-leaves know that most people chuck the front in the glovebox or boot and the fact that the front comes off advertises that it's worth something.

The main thing this car has to do is start first time every time and not let you down. For £2000 condition is more important than make or model, but that said there's nothing quite like an old Toyota for soldiering on and on. In your position I'd look for a Corolla or Yaris that's been regularly serviced.

I'm assuming you're a girl. Get a bicycle, it will tone your thighs and bum, not to mention the aerobic stuff.

Your local station must have lock-up lockers with CCTV, and they seem to live in mediaeval times, unfortunately.