What to Get....
Discussion
Well my circumstances and I don't really need to get an estate car any more 
but am stuck now...
Got a MK4 GTI 1.8T. But it's getting to the point where it needs ££££ spent on it, when it's not worth putting money into it... So time to look for a new runabout
Looking for something that's fun to drive on back roads but also good on the motorway. Because am doing 15/20,000 a year and maybe about 70% of that is on the motorway.
Got £2000-3000 to spend, it must be able to average over 35-39mpg same as am getting in the golf...
Makes sense to get a diesel with my mileage, but looked into it and would save roughly £500-700 a year on fuel on a car that done high 40's/50mpg, but if a turbo,clutch,fly wheel, injectors etc. went it would cancel out the saving on fuel Which would probably happen on a TDI in my budget...
Car I have looked at are:
Clio 1*2's. but need the belt's changed every 30K
BMW e36,46,39's. But would struggle to average near 35mpg
Leon Cupra R's. Would struggle to find a tidy one in budget
Anyone got any other ideas?
but am stuck now... Got a MK4 GTI 1.8T. But it's getting to the point where it needs ££££ spent on it, when it's not worth putting money into it... So time to look for a new runabout
Looking for something that's fun to drive on back roads but also good on the motorway. Because am doing 15/20,000 a year and maybe about 70% of that is on the motorway.
Got £2000-3000 to spend, it must be able to average over 35-39mpg same as am getting in the golf...
Makes sense to get a diesel with my mileage, but looked into it and would save roughly £500-700 a year on fuel on a car that done high 40's/50mpg, but if a turbo,clutch,fly wheel, injectors etc. went it would cancel out the saving on fuel Which would probably happen on a TDI in my budget...
Car I have looked at are:
Clio 1*2's. but need the belt's changed every 30K
BMW e36,46,39's. But would struggle to average near 35mpg
Leon Cupra R's. Would struggle to find a tidy one in budget
Anyone got any other ideas?
I'll recommend two cars that i've recently posted on similar 'what car' threads. The SEAT Toledo V5 and the Lexus IS200?
Both should do 35mpg+ (driven sensibly!) and both have good interiors, nice engines with decent performance and plenty of room. More importantly they are both reliable! You can get a fairly low mileage, late model of Toledo (04/05 with 30-40k miles) in your budget and similar age Lexus with about 60-70k miles.
Ordinarily i would have said the BMW 3-Series, but i've owned E46 models now and they've all thrown up regular and expensive bills. I would recommend them, but only if you get it inspected prior to purchase!
Both should do 35mpg+ (driven sensibly!) and both have good interiors, nice engines with decent performance and plenty of room. More importantly they are both reliable! You can get a fairly low mileage, late model of Toledo (04/05 with 30-40k miles) in your budget and similar age Lexus with about 60-70k miles.
Ordinarily i would have said the BMW 3-Series, but i've owned E46 models now and they've all thrown up regular and expensive bills. I would recommend them, but only if you get it inspected prior to purchase!
Cheers for the comments will have a look at them 
Don't want to keep the Golf had it for just over 2 year and put 40K on it from 85k to 124k its on now, and it's got to the point were it needs a full suspension rebuild the belts and water pump done etc etc and the car is only worth maybe £1500-2000
and have alreday put a lot of money into it, as it is... So am thinking its time to move on now.
Don't want to keep the Golf had it for just over 2 year and put 40K on it from 85k to 124k its on now, and it's got to the point were it needs a full suspension rebuild the belts and water pump done etc etc and the car is only worth maybe £1500-2000
and have alreday put a lot of money into it, as it is... So am thinking its time to move on now. PaperCut said:
I'll recommend two cars that i've recently posted on similar 'what car' threads. The SEAT Toledo V5 and the Lexus IS200?
Both should do 35mpg+ (driven sensibly!) and both have good interiors, nice engines with decent performance and plenty of room. More importantly they are both reliable! You can get a fairly low mileage, late model of Toledo (04/05 with 30-40k miles) in your budget and similar age Lexus with about 60-70k miles.
Ordinarily i would have said the BMW 3-Series, but i've owned E46 models now and they've all thrown up regular and expensive bills. I would recommend them, but only if you get it inspected prior to purchase!
The IS200 is with out a doubt a lovely car to drive (best interior I've had too) BUT it's also quite sluggish. My main quarrel when I had with mine was the lack of speed for the returned mpg, you'd be lucky to get 35mpg if you drive like a granny.Both should do 35mpg+ (driven sensibly!) and both have good interiors, nice engines with decent performance and plenty of room. More importantly they are both reliable! You can get a fairly low mileage, late model of Toledo (04/05 with 30-40k miles) in your budget and similar age Lexus with about 60-70k miles.
Ordinarily i would have said the BMW 3-Series, but i've owned E46 models now and they've all thrown up regular and expensive bills. I would recommend them, but only if you get it inspected prior to purchase!
Not sure on the speeds but you can get a 54 plate Focus with less than 40k miles on for £2k or less.
PaperCut said:
I'll recommend two cars that i've recently posted on similar 'what car' threads. The SEAT Toledo V5 and the Lexus IS200?
Both should do 35mpg+ (driven sensibly!) and both have good interiors, nice engines with decent performance and plenty of room. More importantly they are both reliable! You can get a fairly low mileage, late model of Toledo (04/05 with 30-40k miles) in your budget and similar age Lexus with about 60-70k miles.
Ordinarily i would have said the BMW 3-Series, but i've owned E46 models now and they've all thrown up regular and expensive bills. I would recommend them, but only if you get it inspected prior to purchase!
No chance. And the IS200 is pitifully slow. Neither will be 'fun to drive' either.Both should do 35mpg+ (driven sensibly!) and both have good interiors, nice engines with decent performance and plenty of room. More importantly they are both reliable! You can get a fairly low mileage, late model of Toledo (04/05 with 30-40k miles) in your budget and similar age Lexus with about 60-70k miles.
Ordinarily i would have said the BMW 3-Series, but i've owned E46 models now and they've all thrown up regular and expensive bills. I would recommend them, but only if you get it inspected prior to purchase!
Doubt a Cupra R would do much better MPG than the BMWs you mentioned.
2000-3000 is a (the most?) difficult price bracket to buy in IMO.
I'd be looking at MK1 Focus, the last Civic hatch, or a Clio which has had belts, etc changed recently.
ETA - MG ZR, ZS?
Trying to save for a house etc. So £2-3k is all I really have that isn't tied up in anything else 
I know it's a tricky price bracket, have had a look through all the different car site and there doesn't look like there is much for the money that's half decent on fuel and wont throw up big bills, if/when it goes wrong.
But looks like I can get a focus ST170, but heard they aren't very good on fuel for the performance...
I know it's a tricky price bracket, have had a look through all the different car site and there doesn't look like there is much for the money that's half decent on fuel and wont throw up big bills, if/when it goes wrong.
But looks like I can get a focus ST170, but heard they aren't very good on fuel for the performance...
veevee said:
PaperCut said:
I'll recommend two cars that i've recently posted on similar 'what car' threads. The SEAT Toledo V5 and the Lexus IS200?
Both should do 35mpg+ (driven sensibly!) and both have good interiors, nice engines with decent performance and plenty of room. More importantly they are both reliable! You can get a fairly low mileage, late model of Toledo (04/05 with 30-40k miles) in your budget and similar age Lexus with about 60-70k miles.
Ordinarily i would have said the BMW 3-Series, but i've owned E46 models now and they've all thrown up regular and expensive bills. I would recommend them, but only if you get it inspected prior to purchase!
No chance. And the IS200 is pitifully slow. Neither will be 'fun to drive' either.Both should do 35mpg+ (driven sensibly!) and both have good interiors, nice engines with decent performance and plenty of room. More importantly they are both reliable! You can get a fairly low mileage, late model of Toledo (04/05 with 30-40k miles) in your budget and similar age Lexus with about 60-70k miles.
Ordinarily i would have said the BMW 3-Series, but i've owned E46 models now and they've all thrown up regular and expensive bills. I would recommend them, but only if you get it inspected prior to purchase!
Doubt a Cupra R would do much better MPG than the BMWs you mentioned.
2000-3000 is a (the most?) difficult price bracket to buy in IMO.
I'd be looking at MK1 Focus, the last Civic hatch, or a Clio which has had belts, etc changed recently.
ETA - MG ZR, ZS?
On the handling front, i wouldn't describe them as 'fun' either, and i never said they would be - although i know the OP stated that in the OP, they are both a damn sight more fun than a Mk4 Golf!! Even if the Toledo is based on it. Ironic, i know. Plus it was stated that upto 70% of motorway work, so the Lexus at least sounds ideal. I wouldn't want to do that in a Clio! although i will concede it will be more fun on the back road.
Let's see what the OP says, he may discard my suggestions off hand!
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