What 'interesting' daily?

[chrisp84]

After recently swapping my corsa turbo for a VW Touran (with a quite astonishing 1.2ltr petrol engine in it!) I'm back in the Mk1 MR2 for the daily run up and down the A1. Now this is fine for me, apart from the leaks and the rust, but I've got to have a car that can fit a couple of car seats in the back so I can take one or two of the kids to my mums once or twice a week leaving my OH with the Touran.

Basic criteria is usable back sets (though it doesn't really need much of a boot), 30+MPG, more interesting than a Fiesta TDI. Age and miles not so important and price up to £4000. The lower the price the more money that can go into sorting out the MR2's rust issues!

Current thinking is MK1,2,3,4 Golf GTI.

Any suggestions?

[Captain Muppet]

Toyota Celica? Room for a couple of kids, cheap, 30mpg, reliable and not a Golf.

[chrisp84]

Captain Muppet said:

Toyota Celica? Room for a couple of kids, cheap, 30mpg, reliable and not a Golf.

Can you read my mind? I've been looking at the over the past couple of days but I wasn't sure about the room in the back. They definatly look good especially the last gen GT versions but they're still too much money. Can you fit car seats in the older ones?

[kambites]

Fiat Coupe? VW Corrado? Alfa GT?

[anonymous-user]

Captain Muppet said:

Toyota Celica? Room for a couple of kids, cheap, 30mpg, reliable and not a Golf.

I wouldn't recommend a Celica with kids. Only two doors and the rear seats are not very big.

[Daniel1]

BMW E46? Coupe or saloon?

[Captain Muppet]

chrisp84 said:

Captain Muppet said:

Toyota Celica? Room for a couple of kids, cheap, 30mpg, reliable and not a Golf.

Can you read my mind? I've been looking at the over the past couple of days but I wasn't sure about the room in the back. They definatly look good especially the last gen GT versions but they're still too much money. Can you fit car seats in the older ones?

A friend had one of the Celicas with the four round headlights and I suspect there would be plenty of room in the back for child seats (there was loads of room for me and I'm a 5'9" and fat).

[chrisp84]

kambites said:

Fiat Coupe? VW Corrado? Alfa GT?

Don't really know much about any of them. Alfa GT looks lovely though. Something like this would be nice but would strech the budget: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-Alfa-Romeo-GT-1-9-J...

Corrado might be a bit thirsty?

[bob1179]

I use a 23 year old Merc as my daily. I love it, plus I have a 'work in progress' 309 GTi and an old American truck.

I love old cars, they are just a bit more interesting than modern stuff.

[trickywoo]

205 GTI

[deanogtv]

chrisp84 said:

Don't really know much about any of them. Alfa GT looks lovely though. Something like this would be nice but would strech the budget: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-Alfa-Romeo-GT-1-9-J...

Would suggest this all day long had two of the even the 3.2 V6 average 34mpg on a decent run
Massive boot for a sports coupe and three seats in the back!! You'll easiely get two car seats in the back.



The JTDM will return 40+ with ease

[kambites]

chrisp84 said:

Corrado might be a bit thirsty?

A VR6 would probably be, a 16v should manage 30mpg easily enough - mine did.

[deanogtv]

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

be silly not to consider it, I still get people come up to me when i'm filling up telling what a lovely looking car it is. The noise it makes is very special too!!

[chrisp84]

Daniel1 said:

BMW E46? Coupe or saloon?

Or even an E30: http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

[kambites]

deanogtv said:

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

be silly not to consider it, I still get people come up to me when i'm filling up telling what a lovely looking car it is. The noise it makes is very special too!!

I almost added that to my list, but to my mind it falls down on the "usable back seats" criteria.

[hahithestevieboy]

How about a mk4 golf v6 4motion?
E39 530d?

[chrisp84]

hahithestevieboy said:

How about a mk4 golf v6 4motion?
E39 530d?

There's a nice MK4 GTI 25th Aniversary edition just down the road from me that looks good and sneaks in at 4k. Might just get 30mpg and would be an interesting GTI.

[rallyeS2]

How about an EP3 civic Type R. I'm getting about 32mpg on my 5 commute with the occasional evening / weekend blast.

We have a 3 Yr old and a 4yr old and they both love being in the back. The passenger seat moves plenty far enough forwards to allow good access to the rear seats.

[hahithestevieboy]

chrisp84 said:

hahithestevieboy said:

How about a mk4 golf v6 4motion?
E39 530d?

There's a nice MK4 GTI 25th Aniversary edition just down the road from me that looks good and sneaks in at 4k. Might just get 30mpg and would be an interesting GTI.

Is it interesting though? My dad had a v6 for about 12 years (from new) and it never broke and was great in the snow. Lovely and smooth and very comfortable as it had better rear suspension than the fwd golfs.

My little brother has a Jag x-type 3L V6. It was as cheap as chips and 4wd. Not sure you'd manage 30mpg though except maybe on the motorway just (going slow). Dad's golf was better on fuel.

[budgie smuggler]

deanogtv said:

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

be silly not to consider it, I still get people come up to me when i'm filling up telling what a lovely looking car it is. The noise it makes is very special too!!

Lovely car, but what are they like as a daily drive? Been hankering after one for a while but people keep telling me they are expensive to run and it's putting me off.