Economical car help!
Discussion
I'm looking to buy a new car but am really struggling to know what's best to get.
I commute a good 80 miles a day, with 90% of that on the motorway. I currently drive a Toyota Aygo because the MPG on them are great. However, i've probably spent 3k plus in the last year fixing everything that breaks on it. I guess these city cars aren't made to withstand that sort of hammering.
I really don't care what the car looks like, or how it drives, all I care about is the money, so I want something that does good MPG and won't break down all the time. I've decided probably one of the two options is best:
- Buy a used car 2-3k, but I wouldn't know which car would be best at all.
- Buy a new car for up to 12k so that I have warranty and don't have to worry about repairs. I think the Kia Rio might be best for this, but am skeptical on what the real MPG will be on that.
Any help would be really appreciated, i know nothing about cars except how to drive one.
I commute a good 80 miles a day, with 90% of that on the motorway. I currently drive a Toyota Aygo because the MPG on them are great. However, i've probably spent 3k plus in the last year fixing everything that breaks on it. I guess these city cars aren't made to withstand that sort of hammering.
I really don't care what the car looks like, or how it drives, all I care about is the money, so I want something that does good MPG and won't break down all the time. I've decided probably one of the two options is best:
- Buy a used car 2-3k, but I wouldn't know which car would be best at all.
- Buy a new car for up to 12k so that I have warranty and don't have to worry about repairs. I think the Kia Rio might be best for this, but am skeptical on what the real MPG will be on that.
Any help would be really appreciated, i know nothing about cars except how to drive one.
skankingpigeon said:
I'm looking to buy a new car but am really struggling to know what's best to get.
I commute a good 80 miles a day, with 90% of that on the motorway. I currently drive a Toyota Aygo because the MPG on them are great. However, i've probably spent 3k plus in the last year fixing everything that breaks on it. I guess these city cars aren't made to withstand that sort of hammering.
I really don't care what the car looks like, or how it drives, all I care about is the money, so I want something that does good MPG and won't break down all the time. I've decided probably one of the two options is best:
- Buy a used car 2-3k, but I wouldn't know which car would be best at all.
- Buy a new car for up to 12k so that I have warranty and don't have to worry about repairs. I think the Kia Rio might be best for this, but am skeptical on what the real MPG will be on that.
Any help would be really appreciated, i know nothing about cars except how to drive one.
If you manage to break a toyota Aygo might i suggest looking at how you driveI commute a good 80 miles a day, with 90% of that on the motorway. I currently drive a Toyota Aygo because the MPG on them are great. However, i've probably spent 3k plus in the last year fixing everything that breaks on it. I guess these city cars aren't made to withstand that sort of hammering.
I really don't care what the car looks like, or how it drives, all I care about is the money, so I want something that does good MPG and won't break down all the time. I've decided probably one of the two options is best:
- Buy a used car 2-3k, but I wouldn't know which car would be best at all.
- Buy a new car for up to 12k so that I have warranty and don't have to worry about repairs. I think the Kia Rio might be best for this, but am skeptical on what the real MPG will be on that.
Any help would be really appreciated, i know nothing about cars except how to drive one.
I'd get the best 1.9tdi octavia you can for £1,500 (taxi drivers can't be wrong!)
Alternatively you may do better getting a 1.8 petrol minded for £759 for simplicity and reliability (at the expense of MPG), run it until it fails a MOT as repeat.
At this age/cost look at the state of the consumables - new tyres, brakes etc. are all the better when to change them all in the bangernomics mindset can outweigh the car cost!
Alternatively you may do better getting a 1.8 petrol minded for £759 for simplicity and reliability (at the expense of MPG), run it until it fails a MOT as repeat.
At this age/cost look at the state of the consumables - new tyres, brakes etc. are all the better when to change them all in the bangernomics mindset can outweigh the car cost!
kiethton said:
I'd get the best 1.9tdi octavia you can for £1,500 (taxi drivers can't be wrong!)
Alternatively you may do better getting a 1.8 petrol minded for £759 for simplicity and reliability (at the expense of MPG), run it until it fails a MOT as repeat.
At this age/cost look at the state of the consumables - new tyres, brakes etc. are all the better when to change them all in the bangernomics mindset can outweigh the car cost!
Good point. Thanks for your help!Alternatively you may do better getting a 1.8 petrol minded for £759 for simplicity and reliability (at the expense of MPG), run it until it fails a MOT as repeat.
At this age/cost look at the state of the consumables - new tyres, brakes etc. are all the better when to change them all in the bangernomics mindset can outweigh the car cost!
skankingpigeon said:
McWigglebum4th said:
If you manage to break a toyota Aygo might i suggest looking at how you drive
how do you mean? I think its well known that city cars aren't built for motorwaysIt is so much kinder to have a car crashing over potholes in stop start traffic with wildly varying loads and temperatures
I recently bought a 2011 Honda Jazz. It has 6600 miles so is hardly run in. It does mostly short journeys and is currently averaging 54.3mpg. I have a very long private drive and it will happily cruise along at over 90mph, but won't give 54mpg at that speed. It's a really good little car, comfy, nice to drive, nippy enough and has a reputation for utter reliability.
A900ss said:
If you've spend £3k on the Aygo, is there anything else to really go wrong?
You need to be honest to yourself. If this is about economy, keep the Aygo. If you fancy a change (and why not
) then go for it.
haha...i keep telling myself that and then more goes wrong. the guy at the garage tells me that some cars are just not built well in the factory and that I should just look for a new carYou need to be honest to yourself. If this is about economy, keep the Aygo. If you fancy a change (and why not
) then go for it. McWigglebum4th said:
True i can't imagine worse conditions to run car in then at constant revs on smooth tarmac and lots of lovely stable loads and operating temperatures.
It is so much kinder to have a car crashing over potholes in stop start traffic with wildly varying loads and temperatures
well thanks for your helpIt is so much kinder to have a car crashing over potholes in stop start traffic with wildly varying loads and temperatures
skankingpigeon said:
McWigglebum4th said:
If you manage to break a toyota Aygo might i suggest looking at how you drive
how do you mean? I think its well known that city cars aren't built for motorwaysI do a 60 mile or so daily commute in an Aygo and it's been fine, but then I'm a tight-fisted b
d, so I tend to sit at a steady 55mph, slipstreaming the lorries, to get 60mpg+ fuel consumption.Apart from engine wear and possibly wheel bearings (which are admittedly a bit of an Aygo/C1/06 weakness), motorway mileage is about the kindest thing you can do to a car. Even the wheel bearings shouldn't be taking too much abuse, since they're going in a straight line with no lateral loads most of the time.
Get yourself a manual tax free Mk1 Honda Insight.
Then at least you will have a rare interesting and quirky car for your commute.
Once you have learnt to drive it properly it will do 80, 90 and even 100mpg on occasion.
That will put a big smile on your face and your wallet.
A good one with a new IMA battery will cost 3-6k.
Honda reliability, and non rusting aluminium body is also a big plus.
They are sought after and don't depreciate really now, so you could likely sell it later for similar money.
They can me modified for extra oomph and/or economy upping the driver interest and return on the investment.
I guarantee you will turn heads and actually relish the commute if you get one trying to better your prev best mpg.
Then at least you will have a rare interesting and quirky car for your commute.
Once you have learnt to drive it properly it will do 80, 90 and even 100mpg on occasion.
That will put a big smile on your face and your wallet.
A good one with a new IMA battery will cost 3-6k.
Honda reliability, and non rusting aluminium body is also a big plus.
They are sought after and don't depreciate really now, so you could likely sell it later for similar money.
They can me modified for extra oomph and/or economy upping the driver interest and return on the investment.
I guarantee you will turn heads and actually relish the commute if you get one trying to better your prev best mpg.
Edited by peterperkins on Saturday 22 February 12:16
Chapmanesque said:
What exactly has broken?
I do a 60 mile or so daily commute in an Aygo and it's been fine, but then I'm a tight-fisted bd, so I tend to sit at a steady 55mph, slipstreaming the lorries, to get 60mpg+ fuel consumption.
Apart from engine wear and possibly wheel bearings (which are admittedly a bit of an Aygo/C1/06 weakness), motorway mileage is about the kindest thing you can do to a car. Even the wheel bearings shouldn't be taking too much abuse, since they're going in a straight line with no lateral loads most of the time.
clutch and gearbox both went twice in the last year, then there's the exhaust, the cat, and the lambda sensor etc. I do drive fast so maybe it's been pushed too hard? the 10% non motorway is all country roads with steep hills too so prob not good for the carI do a 60 mile or so daily commute in an Aygo and it's been fine, but then I'm a tight-fisted b
d, so I tend to sit at a steady 55mph, slipstreaming the lorries, to get 60mpg+ fuel consumption.Apart from engine wear and possibly wheel bearings (which are admittedly a bit of an Aygo/C1/06 weakness), motorway mileage is about the kindest thing you can do to a car. Even the wheel bearings shouldn't be taking too much abuse, since they're going in a straight line with no lateral loads most of the time.
McWigglebum4th said:
two clutches blown with motorway driving
And the exhaust issues are hardly mileage/motorway related. Short trips (repeated heat cycling and burning the damp out of the exhaust on a cold start) are what kills exhaust systems.peterperkins said:
Get yourself a manual tax free Mk1 Honda Insight.
Peter, at risk of a thread derailment (but since you're around):1) Would I get one of these into the load area of a Mk. 1 Insight, do you think?:
http://www.point65.com/kategori/5068/facts.html
(I currently carry my Yak on the roof, but I don't think there are roof racks available for the Insight?)
2) How does the road tax work? I'm under the impression that you have to be post-February 2001 registration date to get emissions based road tax and post-2000 Mk. 1 cars seem incredibly few and far between?
heners54 said:
Don't the aygo/c1/107 have chocolate clutches that go every 20k for a lot of people?
Yes, that's certainly their reputation.My car is more than twice that with no problems so far, but then my driving style doesn't kill gearboxes in less than a year!
I think the problem is at least partially down to the fact that the Aygo/C1/107 tends to attract a higher than normal demographic of people who can't drive very well.
Chapmanesque said:
Yes, that's certainly their reputation.
My car is more than twice that with no problems so far, but then my driving style doesn't kill gearboxes in less than a year!
I think the problem is at least partially down to the fact that the Aygo/C1/107 tends to attract a higher than normal demographic of people who can't drive very well.
Yep, I was thinking that 80 miles a day with 10 of them thrashing the thing along b roads, and the rest stirring the box unsympathetically to get full whack out of it on the motorway would soon see the clutch and box off on one of these.My car is more than twice that with no problems so far, but then my driving style doesn't kill gearboxes in less than a year!
I think the problem is at least partially down to the fact that the Aygo/C1/107 tends to attract a higher than normal demographic of people who can't drive very well.
Something built like a tank regardless of mpg might be the cheapest way
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