Cheap motoring for 30k miles per year?

[98elise]

I have a 130 mile motorway commute each day, amd it looks like it will doing the same for at least another year.

Currently I use a 53 plate 1.4 fiesta. Don't laugh, it just happened to be my home to station car at the time. I've taken it from 66k to 112k so its had a hard life and probaby needs to be retired.

I have a budget of 2-3k, and my priorities are...

1. Reliability (and cheap to fix)
2. Economy
3. Comfort

Ideally practical as well, ie 5 door, but its not a deal breaker.

What would you buy?

[figtree]

Mk 5 Golf 1.9tdi sport, black, 5 doors.

[Jag_NE]

98elise said:

I have a 130 mile motorway commute each day, amd it looks like it will doing the same for at least another year.

Currently I use a 53 plate 1.4 fiesta. Don't laugh, it just happened to be my home to station car at the time. I've taken it from 66k to 112k so its had a hard life and probaby needs to be retired.

I have a budget of 2-3k, and my priorities are...

1. Reliability (and cheap to fix)
2. Economy
3. Comfort

Ideally practical as well, ie 5 door, but its not a deal breaker.

What would you buy?

why does the fiesta need to be retired? a 2-3k car could be a right lemon, use your money to keep the fiesta well maintained and on the road for another year.

[SWoll]

Jag_NE said:

why does the fiesta need to be retired? a 2-3k car could be a right lemon, use your money to keep the fiesta well maintained and on the road for another year.

I don't think I'd want to be doing 650 miles a week in an old Fiesta personally, but understand your point.

I'd be looking at a 07/08 Honda Accord for that budget and set of requirements. Probably petrol as you'll get more car for the money and maintenance costs should be cheaper.

[pimpchez]

Not to sound like a typical PH snob , 30k a yr and it pays enough for you to only get a 10 yr old motor ?

Surely this is a contract position and not perm

[ZX10R NIN]

If you want to get a good motorway car then you'd be hard pressed to look past a C Class auto box nice & comfortable.

C320 Avantgarde SE 103k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

C270 Avantgarde SE 84k (these have the advantage of not having a DPF so less chance of any issues)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

C270 Avantgarde SE 58k (I wouldn't normally look at a cat C but this one looks okay)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

[daemon]

pimpchez said:

Not to sound like a typical PH snob , 30k a yr and it pays enough for you to only get a 10 yr old motor ?

Surely this is a contract position and not perm

30k pa is going to make a car depreciate like snow dropping off a ditch.

Would you want to be turning say, a £20K car into a £5K one every three years?

£5,000 depreciation a year is probably £9,000 a year from a gross salary...

[hyphen]

If looks and brand don't matter then the answer is often Toyota/Honda . How about an Accord?

For 30k year I would also go for a 4 door rather than 5 as ,in my experience, hatchbacks tend to be noisier than saloons which will get annoying on the motorway for hours.

Edited by hyphen on Friday 3rd March 22:27

[Jag_NE]

SWoll said:

Jag_NE said:

why does the fiesta need to be retired? a 2-3k car could be a right lemon, use your money to keep the fiesta well maintained and on the road for another year.

I don't think I'd want to be doing 650 miles a week in an old Fiesta personally, but understand your point.

I'd be looking at a 07/08 Honda Accord for that budget and set of requirements. Probably petrol as you'll get more car for the money and maintenance costs should be cheaper.

I agree it is not an ideal car but as he said the high miles situation could be for as little as one more year I would swerve the risk of buying a lemon, personally. Then buy something half decent when you aren't going to put 3k miles a month on it.

[tonyb1968]

Something like this would suit your daily commute and its practical

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[Momentofmadness]

Jag_NE said:

98elise said:

I have a 130 mile motorway commute each day, amd it looks like it will doing the same for at least another year.

Currently I use a 53 plate 1.4 fiesta. Don't laugh, it just happened to be my home to station car at the time. I've taken it from 66k to 112k so its had a hard life and probaby needs to be retired.

I have a budget of 2-3k, and my priorities are...

1. Reliability (and cheap to fix)
2. Economy
3. Comfort

Ideally practical as well, ie 5 door, but its not a deal breaker.

What would you buy?

why does the fiesta need to be retired? a 2-3k car could be a right lemon, use your money to keep the fiesta well maintained and on the road for another year.

+1

[ZX10R NIN]

Not every car is a lemon & if the OP does his checks there are a lot of good cars out there, my mate bought a CLK270 68k FSH for £3750 & it drives well.

[exelero]

Volvo S60 D5
Reliability- check
Comfort- check
Economy- check
Cheap to fix- half check

[Evanivitch]

daemon said:

pimpchez said:

Not to sound like a typical PH snob , 30k a yr and it pays enough for you to only get a 10 yr old motor ?

Surely this is a contract position and not perm

30k pa is going to make a car depreciate like snow dropping off a ditch.

Would you want to be turning say, a £20K car into a £5K one every three years?

£5,000 depreciation a year is probably £9,000 a year from a gross salary...

Exactly. You can put that spare money towards a fun car instead.

[vexed]

I was in exactly this position, so swallowed my pride, switched to the devil fuel, and paid £1500 for a 1.9pd golf, mk4 I think.
It has done 60mpg for 35000 miles without needing anything but wheel bearings (still on same tyres even) and saved a fortune over using my other car in fuel costs alone. I'm not commuting any more but still have it, useful for when I very rarely need 4 seats and I presume worth sod all if I was to get rid.

[Ahbefive]

A £2k Volvo S60 D5.

[Stickyfinger]

Citroen Xantia....comfort above anything else on the road, reliable (bomb proof) and you will have change even if you get one of the best remaining.

[SWoll]

Stickyfinger said:

Citroen Xantia....comfort above anything else on the road, reliable (bomb proof) and you will have change even if you get one of the best remaining.

17+ year old Citroen = Bomb Proof

I'm assuming that's a joke?

[patmahe]

Ahbefive said:

A £2k Volvo S60 D5.

This, I found it preferable to the Lexus LS400 I once took for a spin. Comfort in spades, turning circle is rubbish though if that matters to you.

[Buzypea]

If you're after reliability economy and comfort for 2-3k I would recommend a petrol mk9 Corolla (E12 variant). You should be able to pickup a fairly low mileage example at that price. You could even get a T Sport for that money. Very comfortable and reliable cars if you're not bothered about the image.