New car help
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Discussion

carlingmascot

Original Poster:

6 posts

197 months

Sunday 30th May 2010
quotequote all
Hi new to the forum so please be patient!

The time has come to change my car, always an exciting prospect! Current car is an MR2 roadster but need something a little more practical and perhaps economical.

Would still like something quick, or at least warm if not hot. I must admit I've kind of fallen for the Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch 1.9 CDTi SRi with Exterior Pack but considering my current annual mileage is ~5000 miles a diesel isn't essential, although I've been looking around and found that for equivalent performance to diesels 150+bhp pertrol engines tend to be very expensive to run. MPG isn't THAT critical I guess but hate paying a lot for road tax so thats got to be cheaper or equal to the MR2s.

Minimum requirements are the car has to seat four adults, be good looking (v important) and be 3 or 2 door (no babies just yet!). I am an almost 30yr old boy racer so car must be sporty. Would like it to be no older than 06 plate with mileage under 50k, my budget is £7000. Any ideas?

carlingmascot

Original Poster:

6 posts

197 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
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Looking around the golf 1.4 tsi looks good but slightly out of budget. Peugeot 207 thp 175 is nice but french?

Jayho

2,428 posts

200 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
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Honda Civic EP3

The end.

Mutt

1,115 posts

221 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
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Early Clio 197?

http://pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1742080.htm

ETA: Ya, what he said ---^

Edited by Mutt on Thursday 3rd June 13:46

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

220 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
quotequote all
carlingmascot said:
Hi new to the forum so please be patient!

The time has come to change my car, always an exciting prospect! Current car is an MR2 roadster but need something a little more practical and perhaps economical.

Would still like something quick, or at least warm if not hot. I must admit I've kind of fallen for the Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch 1.9 CDTi SRi with Exterior Pack but considering my current annual mileage is ~5000 miles a diesel isn't essential, although I've been looking around and found that for equivalent performance to diesels 150+bhp pertrol engines tend to be very expensive to run. MPG isn't THAT critical I guess but hate paying a lot for road tax so thats got to be cheaper or equal to the MR2s.

Minimum requirements are the car has to seat four adults, be good looking (v important) and be 3 or 2 door (no babies just yet!). I am an almost 30yr old boy racer so car must be sporty. Would like it to be no older than 06 plate with mileage under 50k, my budget is £7000. Any ideas?
Sorry but this has to be a joke right?

You're 30 and a boyracer, so ignoring the age issue there, you then say you sporty and claim to be looking at a diesel Astra FFS confusedlaugh

You say you only do 5000 miles a year, but a 150hp petrol car will cost too much to run????????

A car doing only 28mpg would only cost £20/week on fuel to cover that distance. Yet you have £7k to spend on a car confused

carlingmascot

Original Poster:

6 posts

197 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
quotequote all
[quote=300bhp/ton
Sorry but this has to be a joke right?

You're 30 and a boyracer, so ignoring the age issue there, you then say you sporty and claim to be looking at a diesel Astra FFS confusedlaugh

You say you only do 5000 miles a year, but a 150hp petrol car will cost too much to run????????

A car doing only 28mpg would only cost £20/week on fuel to cover that distance. Yet you have £7k to spend on a car confused
[/quote]

perhaps i didn't put my point across clearly. i've just found modern diesels seem to match their similarly powered petrol counterparts for speed whilst at the same time at a better mpg/cheaper tax and insurance. i'd consider an astra cdti sri xp 150 to be sporty but you don't so our opinions of sporty obviously differ smile

i get 28mpg at the moment in my MR2. I just don't want my running costs to go up but want back seats and a boot as i'm bored of lending other people's cars every time i want to transport anything bigger than 2 shopping bags.

carlingmascot

Original Poster:

6 posts

197 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
quotequote all
the civic and clio 182/197 are cars i've considered but it means the running costs go up. re: tax and mpg

dino ferrana

791 posts

282 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
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Current Civic Type S Diesel is a genuinely quite fast car (2.2 engine) and better looking, better made and more reliable than an Astra. Usually better equipped too and with decent enough handling.

LuS1fer

43,539 posts

275 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
quotequote all
Ah, I see what's happened, you think the Astra "looks" sporty so is and the evidence (diesel, noise, it's a Vauxhall) suggests the opposite.

I vote the Civic Type R, last model as the evidence supports it being sporty and quicker than a diesel by a wide margin.

cv01jw

1,137 posts

225 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
quotequote all
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

I know it has 5 doors, but you should find similar 3 door examples about.

They also do a diesel version with 150bhp iirc, but they are a little more expensive:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

Jayho

2,428 posts

200 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
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Petrol Prices for the civic doesn't have to be too high... Just dont be a Vtec YO!!! junkie!

Well how about a Renault Twingo Cup? There pritty quick, being a 1.6 small car i'm sure cheap to run and tax... Quite a fun little car...

Or maybe a Suzuki Swift Sport... They're also a bag full of bang for buck!

RobCrezz

7,892 posts

238 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
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carlingmascot said:
the civic and clio 182/197 are cars i've considered but it means the running costs go up. re: tax and mpg
I have a Civic type R, and its not too expensive to run.

How about a Seat Leon FR TDI ?

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

220 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
quotequote all
carlingmascot said:
perhaps i didn't put my point across clearly. i've just found modern diesels seem to match their similarly powered petrol counterparts for speed whilst at the same time at a better mpg/cheaper tax and insurance. i'd consider an astra cdti sri xp 150 to be sporty but you don't so our opinions of sporty obviously differ smile

i get 28mpg at the moment in my MR2. I just don't want my running costs to go up but want back seats and a boot as i'm bored of lending other people's cars every time i want to transport anything bigger than 2 shopping bags.
MINI Cooper? not that speedy, but good looking and fun. And I suspect 32-36mpg.

I do agree about modern diesels, they offer as a rule as good or better performance with much better mpg. I'd still question the "sporty" though wink

While not sporty maybe, I'd personally look at a 2.0d Jaguar X-Type. Very nice interior, good chassis and balanced handling, peppy in stock trim and respond well to a remap and should see over 40mpg.

Jayho

2,428 posts

200 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
quotequote all
I still dont really agree with diesels for 5000 miles a year... Plus i think diesels cost slightly more to maintain...

How about looking for something older if you're wanting to keep the tax low??? DC2 integra? EK9 Civic? As long as you're not a Vtec junkie...


Mutt

1,115 posts

221 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
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Ibiza Cupra TDI?

Good looking is open to debate I suppose.

alfa pint

3,856 posts

241 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
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If you're only doing 5000 miles a year then you definitely want a proper petrol car. You don't need the economy and the service costs of a diesel will more than make up for any increase in tax.

I'd go with the Civic type r if you want a hard top.

I'm surprised that after owning a soft top you don't hanker after another, even if it would be a bit larger like a saab / audi / volvo / bmw / merc c class. Or did you keep the hood up most of the time?

8400rpm

1,777 posts

197 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
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When driving an EP3 Civic Type-R normally, with a little VTEC action now and again, you'll average more than 28mpg!

In addition, even if the tax is £200 more a year, what kind of financial hardship is that in comparison to how much more performance and fun you can have?

Sounds a bit like you're finding reasons to buy yourself a diesel.

anonymous-user

84 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
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You can expect atleast 35mpg from a 182 and you would be pushing it very hard indeed to get it to do under 30mpg. I average 38mpg in my 172 and I'm not nursing it to do that. I've had 44 out of it if I try.

You'll save money on petrol which can go towards the £235 a year tax. Insuring one can't be much more than the MR2?

carlingmascot

Original Poster:

6 posts

197 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
quotequote all
I must admit I do find the civic an exciting proposition. On what little I've read about them they really need to be worked to get the power from the rev range, is this really the case? I admit maybe a diesel is not the right choice for 5k miles a year.

carlingmascot

Original Poster:

6 posts

197 months

Thursday 3rd June 2010
quotequote all
alfa pint said:
If you're only doing 5000 miles a year then you definitely want a proper petrol car. You don't need the economy and the service costs of a diesel will more than make up for any increase in tax.

I'd go with the Civic type r if you want a hard top.

I'm surprised that after owning a soft top you don't hanker after another, even if it would be a bit larger like a saab / audi / volvo / bmw / merc c class. Or did you keep the hood up most of the time?
I did enjoy top down motoring but to be honest the novelty's worn off.