£2k for small car please help

[millhouse2111]

Hi everyone Im new to the site so hopefully this is the right section, I am starting a new job soon and am looking for a replacement to my 1.4 xsara I will be commuting about 25-30 miles a day 5-7days a week motorway driving im looking for a small hatchback so it can fit in my garage and cheap to run and not too tiring on the motorway as i will be doing 12 hour shifts ive got a budget of £2k £2.5k at a push for something really nice
Thanks

[JamesD1]

do you have any specific requirements?

plenty of older hot hatches for 2k but if your after something safe (not made of tin foil) then you'll want a newer one, clio 172, can stalk a deal on a civic type r at that price.

mk6 zetec s probably falls into that price, my step bro has one and loves it so does my dad when he borrows it although it feels like it needs a 6th gear and isnt the most powerful thing in the world.

always got the gti/leon/a3 1.8t avaliable at that price, theyre quick but not that great handling.

[scarble]

Welcome to PH

Clio 172/182 are nice cars, footwell might be a bit cramped for long distances and you'll want to avoid the Cups as they don't have cruise and the stiffness might bother you over long distances (though I've done 300+ mile trips and only had a slightly sore back). Type R probably more reliable. I think both can manage 40mpg if looked after and driven sensibly.

Buut that's not really what you're asking for is it?
I would go with a Civic Type-S or.. yea

Loads of excellent choices though. Civic, Fiesta Zetec S.
Mazda 3 (Autotrader has '05 1.6s at that price), Suzuki Swift (Autotrader has '05 1.3 or 1.5s at that price)
As a Clio (172) owner I'm not sure I can recommend them as reliable, repair costs are cheap mind and they don't go wrong catastrophically, more slow and steady falling apart.. but maybe driven sensibly a nice 1.4 '03-'05ish would do well.
I don't think you'll get one of the good (newer) Kia or Hyundais for that money yet.

Mainly, go for an N/A petrol, 03ish, you may not get such good MPG but there's less to go wrong and over 30ish miles a day (each way?) the fuel won't hurt so much. I did 50 each way for about a year in a 40ish MPG car, it was <£50 a week despite a heavy right foot.

Perhaps the correct pistonheads answer is MX-5?

Edited by scarble on Wednesday 6th August 15:17

Edited by scarble on Wednesday 6th August 15:21

[millhouse2111]

Thanks for the responses i had thought of a leon but they are a bit too big for my garage so im looking for something smaller like a clio, i am after a car that has reasonable running costs so sensible mpg but still wont feel underpoweded on the motorway, also i know good reliability may bit much to ask for at this price so cheap to fix is pretty important i will be doing servicing and repairs myself and i have some friends that work in a garage so can do the bigger jobs cheap for me, i had a ph1 172 a few years ago and i would like a newer one but was unsure if its a sensible choice regarding cost to run and parts so if you can offer any experience of costs to fix or any common faults that i could check for when viewing or just to be aware of in the future so that i can weigh up all the costs and hopefully convince the mrs that it is a good financial choice, also open to non sport options so other sugestions like the zetec s are more than welcome but please include the engine size that would have a little bit of power to overtake from behind lorries etc

[scarble]

You can pick up a tidy ph2 for 2k, maybe even a very tidy ph1.

Things I've had on Cup are..

• Driver's airbag connector - £££ from Renault or about £20 from Renparts (scrappy) and fitting probably relatively easy to do yourself (I just got it done with some other little bits).
• Exhaust & mounts - OE one is supposed to rust like it's going out of fashion. Mine came with a K-Tec stealth, is heavy (and maybe not quite straight), chews through mid mounts like crazy. Mounts fall apart quickly anyway. Mounts are probably ~£10, not *too* bad to fit if you don't mind getting under the car. Bolts can get a bit stiff, being exposed.
• Dampers and top mounts - about £150-200 for all 4? Fitted them myself, pretty easy.

Also had discs pads, lower arms, tie rod ends and an wheel bearing (a front one, the front ones do go) and I forget what all that cost (I'll try to remember to check)

Also £100ish a corner for tyres.

That's in a year and a bit of ownership.

Most important buying thing - make sure cambelt was done recently, must be done by a proper specialist and the aux belt must be done at the same time and water pump and dephaser pulley probably should be done at the same time too, it must be done on time or the engine will mash its valves and it's £500ish to get it done.

[millhouse2111]

That doesnt seem to bad really mostly just wear and tear parts plus rountine servicing, so look for a clean well cared for one and i should be fine cheers for the details now to scoure the classifieds

[scarble]

I'd recommend looking for one with a BTB exhaust, they have an extra rear mounting point so should fall off less, I swear the exhaust is the single biggest headache. But get a stealth exhaust, the ones that poke out the bumper just look chavvy and s**t.
That and the tracking keeps wandering but I think that's because my parking space is like the surface of the moon.
Also a CTR is probably more reliable.

[mwstewart]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

Part service history so would need a good check over. If OK it would be a good £2k, with reasonably long MOT and Tax also.

A remap makes for a good fun car and ideally suited to your mostly Motorway driving.

[Justin Case]

Toyota Yaris 1.3 SR? The 1.0 is quite nippy and comfortable so the 1.3 should be be OK on motorways.