Car Advice Needed

[Fatmas]

Right I could use some advice/sounding board.

 

Me and the other half currently own (well she owns) a Peugeot 107 1.0L jobby (59 plate, 10,000 miles. still worth £5-6k cash/part ex).

 

In my new job I'm doing around 300 miles a week. The 107 can handle this no problem as I only have to refuel it every week and a half. However I'm finding it a bit gutless and on the 45 minute each way journey, it's a bit rattley and noisy (Maybe that's just the A420).

 

I've been thinking about changing it for something else so here is the thing. My other half currently owns it outright, she bought it for her commute to Oxford, but since I've started this new job (near Abingdon) I just drop her off at her lift share in Swindon (where we live) and drive the rest of the way myself so she doesn't use the car at all. She hates driving anyway.

 

I feel guilty that she paid for the car out right yet I'm the one using it. I put forward something where by we part ex the 107 and then we go in 50/50 on something else.

 

Now the background is out of the way, here is the point: What should we look at?

 

Conditions: Economical - It has to be able to do about 350 miles a tank (average about 48mpg ish)

 

Has to be fun/comfortable to drive for a 45 minute each way commute.

Preferably less than 2/3 years old.

 

I REALLY like the new Fiat 500 twin airs. They are quick, comfortable and fun. My other half however hates the look of them (pfft). - Also, I don't like the idea of buying a brand new car, seems like a waste of money.

 

Something like a 207? Fiesta? Mazda 2? etc..

 

Any ideas?

[Haptic]

Fiat 500 Abarth....fun, economical and they pack a punch!

 

I saw it reviewed on top gear (other car review programmes are available to view) So I booked a test drive at our local fiat dealer at the time just to see what they were actually like first hand and I have to say they were really very good indeed. Give it a try Fatmas.

 

Hope it helps.

 

 

Chris

[Fatmas]

Other half's parent's friend (phew) has an Abarth, apparently the suspension is really firm and isn't very comfortable. Also don't they start from about 16k? They are doing a twin air Abarth soon though. Bit out of my price range.

 

I was thinking under 10k if possible, I don't want a brand new car really

[DJ-Jonesy]

What about a Golf TDI Blue motion fantastic on fuel ecomeny and cheap on tax £30 -£50 a year looks cool extremely reliable probelry towards the top end of your budget and can aslo be fun to drive too.

[Fatmas]

What about a Golf TDI Blue motion fantastic on fuel ecomeny and cheap on tax £30 -£50 a year looks cool extremely reliable probelry towards the top end of your budget and can aslo be fun to drive too.

 

They do look great but they cost about £18k I think. A Blue Motion Polo looks good though even if it's only a 1.2l with 60bhp.

[DJ-Jonesy]

yeah the blue motions are more expensive but the normal tdi will give you 50+ mpg on that journey check out here, really spot on cars never had a problem with these Used Cars for Sale from FOW - The UK's 1st All Makes Car Supermarket

[cpjitservices]

sluggiesh ?? try some redex

[Fatmas]

Yeah if I had the budget I would definitely consider it. Apparently to pay off the difference the better mpg gives you it would take quite a few years. I'll have a look on that site, cheers mate.

[cpjitservices]

the new fiestas are nice and the new astras - reliable cars! the new golf is quite high on insurance apparently, but then which golf isnt . Theres always the Jag XJ lol

[kevbaz]

MK2 golf gti

[laptopsandspares]

echoing sentiments about the golf tdi's however, if you don't mind going back the Mk4 and can get a good spec Pd version it's £125 a year road tax. I get between 52 and 60 mpg out of a 192,000+ miler on 35mile a/b road trip to work and back and averaged 55 on a 800mile round trip to the lakes last weekend, without missing a beat. I get about 550 between fill ups.

 

I'm quite old now but fully comp this year with 3 points was £200 with legal cover.

Mine's a 130 pd version and it's reasonably pokey (there's a 150bhp version too), comfy and you can find them with lots of extras. Cheap to fix with 3rd party parts and you'd have so much change from your budget you could get a caterham/mini cooper for the weekend

 

(It is a bit old now but the PD was sooo much better than the newer direct injection golf diesels)

[Fatmas]

Because of my age (23) and only being a named driver on policies up until now (zero no claims even though I've never had an accident) insurance for myself and other half on a 500 twin air is £550 a year, £450 for a 107. Disgusting considering I don't drive like a nutter.

[mo_vigilante]

I drive a MKIV golf GT TDI 150 and they are awesome cars! I travel to work and do journeys to other sites both on motorways and on A roads. It does me upto 45mpg on A roads but on motorways I can do upto 55mpg generally speaking and the car pulls as well.

 

This one is quite old but you can purchased a Mark V gold GT TDI 170 which is quicker and same MPG consumption. They're quick, lots of torque, and good on mileage and also very reliable cars! I'd consider a Mark 5 if I were you.

[mac_shinobi]

What would insurance on a 1.5 or 1.7 diesel be like for you fatmas ?

 

Just thinking as far as MPG might be better, as far as makes Vauxhall, Honda, Nissan, Mazda or Toyota are the ones I would be looking at. But thats just me lol

[laptopsandspares]

for research purposes, insurance, mpg etc when you draw up a short list of options, i find the "Honest John" website to be quite useful. In fact, every car i've ever bought has devleoped every common fault they listed against the model on there so I can vouch for the accuracey

[Fatmas]

I reckon maybe £600-£700 a year? Possibly I haven't checked.

[Fatmas]

Honest John is a great website, I will definitely be checking on there.

[mac_shinobi]

I reckon maybe £600-£700 a year? Possibly I haven't checked.

 

As a few others have stated also VW , totally forgot that one

 

Both myself and the missus are over 25 and are with admiral insurance atm and have been for over a year now, for both of us its £130 a month for 2 cars.

[cpjitservices]

insurance is a crippler im 23 on 30th of this month and my insurance is sky high never had an accident and have no claims unfortunately - this is why i dont have a car cant afford the insurance. I read an article the other on Yahoo that states at the moment family carriers (7 seater toyota previa for example) are the cheapest for under 25's at the moment - however ive not done a quote so wouldnt know - I usually go to ebay find a car and use the reg on an insurance site see what it's like.

[mac_shinobi]

I have a nissan 1.4 and the insurance on the nissan is cheaper then the honda civic 1.4 that i had, think its to do with it not being a boy racer type car and not something people would normally nick / steal.

 

Maybe worth looking at insurance for a Nissan and with it being a 1.4 instead of just a 1 litre might be enough for you engine size wise, also talking to some people although diesels get more mileage as far as when the engine or things go wrong it works out more expensive as apposed to a petrol which although milage isnt brilliant is better.

 

I get about 350 - 360 miles per tank on my 1.4 nissan almera - about £50 a tank aprox which obviously fluctuates with fuel prices

 

As per above I also do the same on autotrader ( look at the pics to get the reg number and get quotes on insurance companies , also use confused.com )

[m25man]

I had to change the PUG 107 Auto after my son and business partner clocked up 30k miles in two years in it...

We had the same dilemma, after having a Pug how do you step up a gear without loosing the economy!

 

We went with the Fiat 500 auto I found one that was a year old and was owned by an 80 year old granny with only 1300 miles on the clock!

It's a peach, full leather air con Pano roof and still 50+ mpg he loves it, the insurance was the limiting factor he would have preferred an A3 but we set a limit of £800 on the insurance. Hence the 500 was a winner.

[pcstru]

Conditions: Economical - It has to be able to do about 350 miles a tank (average about 48mpg ish)

 

Has to be fun/comfortable to drive for a 45 minute each way commute.

 

'Fun' to drive and economical are, for most people's criteria, quite far apart. Personally I find most cars 'fun' to drive - 'fun' being mostly in the mind. I'm not so keen on SWMBO's fiat 500 thing - it's quite stiffly sprung which can be fun but on a regular commute can be a bit wearing.

 

Keep the 107, retain the economy and relative comfort and miss out on the money you will probably lose by changing car. Go buy a motorbike as something that is fun to 'drive' and yet still economical.

[mac_shinobi]

'Fun' to drive and economical are, for most people's criteria, quite far apart. Personally I find most cars 'fun' to drive - 'fun' being mostly in the mind. I'm not so keen on SWMBO's fiat 500 thing - it's quite stiffly sprung which can be fun but on a regular commute can be a bit wearing.

 

Keep the 107, retain the economy and relative comfort and miss out on the money you will probably lose by changing car. Go buy a motorbike as something that is fun to 'drive' and yet still economical.

 

Prolly dangerous

[glennda]

I've got a Citroen C4 coupe 1.6 - really nice car and drives nicely just eats petrol a bit! although the book says it should be 36/38pmg although it does 30ish!

[john]

I drive a MKIV golf GT TDI 150 and they are awesome cars! I travel to work and do journeys to other sites both on motorways and on A roads. It does me upto 45mpg on A roads but on motorways I can do upto 55mpg generally speaking and the car pulls as well.

 

This one is quite old but you can purchased a Mark V gold GT TDI 170 which is quicker and same MPG consumption. They're quick, lots of torque, and good on mileage and also very reliable cars! I'd consider a Mark 5 if I were you.

Can HIGHLY recommend the Golf MK4 GTI 150BHP version, I've got one and its been a great machine, however they do need new cam shafts and tappets every 60K or so Very well built apart from that and as has been said 45 - 55 mpg and £130 a year tax