Which Cheap to Run, Reliable Shed?

[Project C]

My S reg Mondeo estate is on it's last legs and it's either spend £900 odd on that or use that money to buy a replacement.

Any suggestions as to specific makes/models to aim for?

I would prefer an estate but 5dr hatch would be ok. Don't want a fuel guzzler or something with high car tax.

cheap to buy, cheap to run, cheap to fix!

ta

[curlie467]

Define high tax and guzzling. Might help with the search, loads of stuff available!

[Frances The Mute]

VW Passat estate.

[radiodanno]

You'll get an Avensis estate with leather for that. Nice place to be. 41mpg is my current return

[Captain Muppet]

Any Honda.

[curlie467]

radiodanno said:

You'll get an Avensis estate with leather for that. Nice place to be. 41mpg is my current return

That is what sprung into my head.

[johnthesifu]

Nissan Micra and for £900 you can get a very good one too

Hatchback - check
5 door - check
Cheap tax/fuel/insure/parts - check
Reliable - check

[hedges88]

Captain Muppet said:

Any Honda.

I concur, possibly the most reliable shed you can get. An Accord would do you nicely. Quiet, comfortable and good on fuel if well maintained and driven

[itz_baseline]

Sometimes better the devil you know. What's to say if you buy another shed it isn't also on its last legs? What needs doing to your Mondeo and if you spend £900 on it do you think it will keep you going for a while or do envisage many other things going wrong with it?

[SuperHangOn]

Rover with an L-series diesel (400/45, 200/25). Seriously.

[eltax91]

Octavia TDi, ALL.... DAY..... LONG

[zb]

Mazda 323F

[uuf361]

johnthesifu said:

Nissan Micra and for £900 you can get a very good one too

Hatchback - check
5 door - check
Cheap tax/fuel/insure/parts - check
Reliable - check

+1 - mine cost me £200 4 months ago and in 2k miles has not put a foot wrong......

[billzeebub]

zb said:

Mazda 323F

Surely it's an MX5 the OP needs?!..

[Project C]

curlie467 said:

Define high tax and guzzling. Might help with the search, loads of stuff available!

High tax = higher than the Mondeo so Band I is the highest I would really want to go on 2001+ cars, pre that I'm on the highest band anyway.

MPG - I'm getting mid 30's so worse than that is high

[Project C]

itz_baseline said:

Sometimes better the devil you know. What's to say if you buy another shed it isn't also on its last legs? What needs doing to your Mondeo and if you spend £900 on it do you think it will keep you going for a while or do envisage many other things going wrong with it?

Clutch = £400+

Emissions = £200 for a good service but might need a cat
suspension = £100+

forgotten the other minor items

I have been thinking about getting it fixed for that very reason + the fact I'll then still have a car which is the size I would prefer.

[beko1987]

Citroen ZX. 1.9d will give you almost unparralelled fuel economy, and you won't care where you leave it parked!

[V88Dicky]

Mk 1 or 2 (depending on budget) Avensis VVT-I . Well built, very reliable, huge boot especially the hatch, and I never saw below 40 mpg from the 2.0 petrol I owned for 18 months. In fact, high 40's was the norm on longer journeys. An outstanding engine for it's age.

[KrazyIvan]

Why not another mondeo, that way you would have a ready donor to keep it running for a little longer.

Or the Avensis is a good call, brother ran one for a few years and it was a good car, plenty of room.

[trumptriple]

Almera or Tino, I've had one of each and the Tino is very practical with good standard equipment. Cam chain engine, easy and cheap to service, tend not to have been abused.