Another "What car?" thread....

[teeCup]

A recent letter from South Wales finest has put me within touching distance of filling my scorecard and loosing my license, so I have made the decision as I will be dancing on a knife edge Id rather not be doing it in my Clio Cup. I will be putting the Clio up for sale and am hoping to get about £3k for it but would take £2500 at a push.
I have been looking at a more sensible replacement which will need to be very modest in power as I will be 24 with a minimum of 9 points! I am a mountain biker so ideally want something I can fit the bike in the back of, or at a push on the roof without it looking terrible.

My only real criteria:

Cheap to insure
Plenty of space for mountain bike
12 y/o max
reliable

Budget will be £3k max and my only ideas so far are a VW Bora or a VW Golf Estate(mk4), my usual choice is fast and cheap hot hatches so Im a bit out of my depth here!

HELP!!

[Volvo360]

FIAT Stilo Multiwagon. Really cheap to insure. Diesels are the best bet.

[jamei303]

You might get a Honda Jazz for that money.

[Caulkhead]

Here you go:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Comfy, quite brisk, 53mpg, room for 6 mountain bikes, very cheap insurance, unlikely to be stolen. . . . .

[frosted]

Volvo360 said:

FIAT Stilo Multiwagon. Really cheap to insure. Diesels are the best bet.

That is really bad advice

[Morba]

Why are you almost out of points?
You can drive like an idiot or go over the limit in any car, so not sure why changing will make a difference

[teeCup]

God its going to be a depressing couple years in one of these! The Doblo does look like alot of car for the money, although I better hope my Mrs never fancies the upgrade because I wont see much action showing up in that! What are the Golfs estates like on boot space, they dont look quite so bad with a nice set of wheels and a bit of lowering?

What about a e46 3 series touring with a tiny engine, or are these another league in running costs?

[teeCup]

Morba said:

Why are you almost out of points?
You can drive like an idiot or go over the limit in any car, so not sure why changing will make a difference

Insurance is already expensive with the 6 points I currently have, paying even more doesnt seem worth it, even more so if you factor in I will not be able to enjoy a spirited drive for fear of ending up infront of Magistrates and on the bus!

[LuS1fer]

I'm also lost. I can go fast in any of my cars and in general the police gun fast-moving objects, not the type of car. If you think a lower-powered car provides less likelihood of temptation, I generally find that you compensate either way - for example I generally drive my Mustang slower than I drive my old Mk III Golf GTI because it's more of an obvious target (in my mind).

Buying a bigger car might slow you down as you have to think about the dimensions more.

[Volvo360]

frosted said:

Volvo360 said:

FIAT Stilo Multiwagon. Really cheap to insure. Diesels are the best bet.

That is really bad advice

Why? Fulfills all the OP's requirements. If you're implying reliability problems, well they're no worse then anything else in diesel form, and petrols usually only give grief with a propensity to consume coil packs. Which ain't a big deal.

Top motors and very under rated, I've had one myself. The current Bravo is highly praised but is really just a reskinned Stilo.

[Codswallop]

How about a Seat Toledo? It's like a Golf, but not a Golf, but is based on a Golf. And it's much cheaper. Can get two mountain bikes in the back of mine with the rear seats folded, and the front wheel off one of bikes.

A Ford Focus of some sort would also be a good shout and should fit your criteria well.

[chrisispringles]

If you want something fairly slow and relaxing to drive, at least get something that isn't going to be a hateful place to be:

Audi A6

BMW 520i

Mercedes E240

Saab 9-5 2.2 TiD

Volvo V70 D5

I'm willing to bet they'll all be considerably cheaper to insure than a hot hatch.

[djt100]

It Really Doesn't matter what car you have, if you change car's the only thing that will change is the rate that you accelerate to the speed, your still going to speed, you would be better of getting one of those nanny GPS insurance policies, you'll be scared to speed then.

[bicycleshorts]

teeCup said:

Insurance is already expensive with the 6 points I currently have, paying even more doesnt seem worth it, even more so if you factor in I will not be able to enjoy a spirited drive for fear of ending up infront of Magistrates and on the bus!

Spent £100 and get one of these?

http://www.talex.co.uk/

[teeCup]

LuS1fer said:

I'm also lost. I can go fast in any of my cars and in general the police gun fast-moving objects, not the type of car. If you think a lower-powered car provides less likelihood of temptation, I generally find that you compensate either way - for example I generally drive my Mustang slower than I drive my old Mk III Golf GTI because it's more of an obvious target (in my mind).

Buying a bigger car might slow you down as you have to think about the dimensions more.

I am looking for something a bit less "focused" and more relaxed to drive which will get less attention and people trying to coax me into putting my foot down. I see little point paying a premium to insure a sporty car that I cannot take advantage of for fear of loosing my licence. I am aware I can(and usually do!) speed in most vehicles, I was hoping something more refined and comfortable might encorage me to get enjoyment from plodding along listening to music and save me some money each month on Petrol and Insurance premiums.

Going for a hoon anywhere is always a calculated risk between fun and prosecution, I feel that now the odds are firmly against me.

[Yiliterate]

Why limit yourself to max 12 years old? If you got yourself a proper classic, you'd probably be less inclined to rag it, as well as the obvious classic car insurance policy benefits etc. Pick wisely and it could be depreciation-free as well.

There's probably a fair few reasons not to, but I quite like the look of this...reckon it would swallow your mountain bike too:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3481902.htm

[SuperHangOn]

Yiliterate said:

Why limit yourself to max 12 years old? If you got yourself a proper classic, you'd probably be less inclined to rag it, as well as the obvious classic car insurance policy benefits etc. Pick wisely and it could be depreciation-free as well.

There's probably a fair few reasons not to, but I quite like the look of this...reckon it would swallow your mountain bike too:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3481902.htm

^^ A good idea.

Something like a W124 or E34 would cost peanuts to insure (possibly on a classic policy), a wafty drive and very dependable if looked after.

[teeCup]

Yiliterate said:

Why limit yourself to max 12 years old? If you got yourself a proper classic, you'd probably be less inclined to rag it, as well as the obvious classic car insurance policy benefits etc. Pick wisely and it could be depreciation-free as well.

There's probably a fair few reasons not to, but I quite the look of this...reckon it would swallow your mountain bike too:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3481902.htm

I would love something like that but Im not brave enough

Im really looking for something quite reliable and Modern that I can upgade the sound system in and just enjoy driving around/ going to MTB trail centres in. The Seat Toledo someone mentioned does look interesting, I have added it to the shortlist.

Im swaying more towards an estate if the bike is going in and not on the car, South Wales at this time of year makes for some muddy bikes after a few hours riding!

[teeCup]

chrisispringles said:

If you want something fairly slow and relaxing to drive, at least get something that isn't going to be a hateful place to be:

Audi A6

BMW 520i

Mercedes E240

Saab 9-5 2.2 TiD

Volvo V70 D5

I'm willing to bet they'll all be considerably cheaper to insure than a hot hatch.

That 520i looks amazing, I wonder if you can get them with darker carpets?! Do you think the running costs/ insurance on a 5 would be comparable to a 3 series?

[Downton Mini]

Have you considered a VW Transporter like this

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3433506.htm

You can get them with rear seats so plenty of seats and space less likely to have people try an race you too