family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Mon 9 Jul 2012 18:59
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - medicpaul

Hi Guys, i really need some assistance. Currently got a C5 hdi which is pretty good in transporting the children around, however would like some more power. I've come from a youngster driving performance motors to a 31 year old father of 2 driving gutless transport. But the TD's have transformed over the years and wondered what your suggestions were. A VW would seem the ideal solution but outpriced by demand, ideally a 130 or 150 TDI would be good, any ideas?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 Jul 2012 21:23
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - Jase

Hello medicpaul,

You haven't stated how many miles you do annually. This may determine whether you need a diesel or if a petrol would be suitable?

If petrol then you can get a lot of Saab 9-5 for £1600. The HOT model has 250BHP after 2002. This is good for 0-60 in 6.5secs and averages 32.1MPG according to the CarByCar breakdown. The lower powered 2.3 still packs 185BHP if you don't fancy a HOT. Inside you get very comfy leather seats and lots of toys. You need to find an independent now of course, as the company has gone bust.

Elsewhere on the petrol scene you could get a Leon 20VT for that money or an Octavia vRS.

Everyone wants the VAG 130PD 1.9 diesel so the values stay high. Not sure any of them without intergalactic miles have come down to £1600.

Just my opinions obviously! Others will differ.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 Jul 2012 21:48
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - unthrottled

I'm afraid your budget is not sufficient to get anything exciting that is likely to be in good condition.

As Jase says, there are a lot of petrols that would fit the bill, but you'll really see the difference at the pumps.

Really, chipping is the only viable option. Although I think the chipping companies are a bit cavalier with turning up the wick, if you start you're starting from a low specfic output, and you are sensible, then it should be ok.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 Jul 2012 21:56
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - Mike H

I'm afraid your budget is not sufficient to get anything exciting that is likely to be in good condition.

As Jase says, there are a lot of petrols that would fit the bill, but you'll really see the difference at the pumps.

Really, chipping is the only viable option. Although I think the chipping companies are a bit cavalier with turning up the wick, if you start you're starting from a low specfic output, and you are sensible, then it should be ok.

Except of course the Saab 9-5 Aero, as mentioned. Also available as an estate. And it doesn't need chipping. I don't understand why you think chipping is "the only viable option"??

Edited by Mike H on 09/07/2012 at 21:57

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 Jul 2012 22:17
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - unthrottled

Except of course the Saab 9-5 Aero, as mentioned. Also available as an estate.

If the OP is running a lower powered diesel citroen, it is a fair bet that the running costs of a car are going to be a problem. Buying a big, powerful, cheap car is easy. Running one in a manner that derives any enjoyment is not. Tax, tyres, insurance, not to mention fuel are going to be far higher than the Citroen.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 Jul 2012 22:04
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - Bluffski

I just sold my 230 bhp SAAB 2.3T estate for £1500, and you won't get more performance for your money, it eats golf GTi's for breakfast, just don't expect more than 20 m.p.g. on the school run from an auto. - Which is why I now have a 2.2 diesel version :(

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 Jul 2012 22:20
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - Bobbin Threadbare

Gotta say, £1600 gets you some 10 year old Mondeos, the odd Golf, a few Focuses and Meganes, a few Volvo S40 and S80s and then little cars, like the Fiat Stilo. All diesels.

If it was me, I'd be looking for a well cared for petrol; Corolla, Focus, Civic.

I'm not sure you can have both nippy and monster power. Closest is probably a 2.0L Focus!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 Jul 2012 23:29
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - Jase

medicpaul - can you tell us a little more about your requirements? Do you absolutely insist on the diesel (How many miles per annum do you do?). Do you have a budget for some "fun" by running a performance car like an 9-5 Aero or does that not really appeal? Will you wince at 25-30MPG?
Re: your C5 - what engine does it have in it? Is it the 110BHP diesel or the later 136BHP (the one shared with Ford?) A remap as suggested by Unthrottled might do the job and you'd not have to spend £1600 that way!
I like threads like these!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 9 Jul 2012 23:37
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - mss1tw

Keep the car and buy a motorbike

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 11 Jul 2012 20:34
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - medicpaul

I normally do 8000-10000 miles per year, yes i would cringe at 20-30mpg, one of the reasons i got rid of my 6 cyclinder BMW. Have an itch to get a better looking car, although the citroen meets all my requirements albeit performance. Its the 110bhp which is'nt bad but watn more (as you do). Anyone suggest a chip? tuning box?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 11 Jul 2012 21:42
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - madf

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201227477703567/usedcars?logcode=visc

and low miles

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 11 Jul 2012 21:55
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - unthrottled

£2K for a 14 year old car that takes almost 9 and a half seconds to get to 62-and 26mpg to boot?!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 11 Jul 2012 22:40
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - Jase

That's a nice car but ..er..not totally what the OP had in mind!

I'm not sure a £1600 nippy family car exists with the mpg you're seeking (i.e. a diesel engine). I think Unthrottled's re-map of your C5 is the way to go. A quick Google reveals several companies but I have no idea which are any good.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Jul 2012 10:58
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - madf

Well as an Audi was no great shape, how about a diesel citroen...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201227477809814/usedcars?logcode=visc

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Jul 2012 11:03
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - unthrottled

That's the same engine that the OP has in his C5!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Jul 2012 12:22
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - medicpaul

how about if i increase the budget to 2k, if thats no good, how much do i need?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Jul 2012 12:32
family car - £1600 to Spend on a Nippy family car? - SteveLee

A single repair bill on any modern diesel engine could cost more than you paid for the car, if you are on such a tight budget and you are a family man sometimes things like cars have to go on the back-burner, if your current car is reliable then stick with it! £1,600 is not a lot of money - the likelihood of getting a decent diesel for the money is slim. If you must risk it, you might get lucky with a looked-after Mondeo 2.0 TDCI 130, not the last word in refinement but they are punchy, pretty reliable and fun to drive.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link