Struggling to decide help needed

[mcc28x]

Hi all

Hoping you guys can help clear my head!

I've been looking at a replacement car for about 6 months now and have managed to up my original budget from £3k to £5k.

Basic requirements are decent size for family of 4 e. g. Focus with reasonable performance say less than 11 secs 0 to 60 and petrol.

The basic dilemma is 5k would get me a 2012 megane 1.4 138bhp or an insignia Sri about 2010 but both of these look cheap when compared to a focus or civic 1.8 here I would be looking at a couple of years older and higher mileage. From a reliability point of view I don't know what would be best? The car would need to last 3 or 4 years so in many respects the newer and less mileage megane or insignia sound like the best deal?

What would you do?

Thanks for reading.

Mark

[pb8g09]

My dad had the Insignia SRi at that age.

He had a problem with a broken spark plug that eventually cost more than he deemed it worth to correct (he doesn't look after cars properly). But it was obviously a good car because he replaced it with a new Insignia not long after. Didn't have any other problems with it, except that the wheel arches were so wide that he struggled to fit it in narrow parking spots.

They're big barges but feel a bit more refined than other Vauxhalls.

[mcc28x]

Yeah the insignia Sri really does look good value and most owners seem to like them. Is the megane a bad buy I wonder from a reliability point? I like the focus and civic but worried that older higher mileage might spell problems...

[Deep Thought]

The 1.8i Insignia gets a bit of a bad rep for being gutless, so i would be taking an extended test drive in one first.

I'd a 2.0CDTI SRI 160 and loved it.

I'd recommend SRI spec and they suit the optional bigger whels (18s not 19s or 20s)

Also consider the Astra. Cheap as chips too but not as heavy as the Insignia so better suited to the engine.

[ZX10R NIN]

Hi Mark here's the thing most cars are reliable but given you circumstances I'd avoid the Renault not because it'll be unreliable but smaller turbo cars have to work harder, go for a 2.0 & you'll have no issues from the engines as it'll be unstressed.

I'd also recommend going for a reps car as they're normally cheaper than the equivalent family hatch finding a petrol is a bit harder but they're out there:

Insignia SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Elite

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Mazda6 Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Honda Accord ES GT

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

2.5T Mondeo Titanium X

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

X Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

2.3 Titanium X these are around the same on fuel as the 2.5T so I'd go for one of those given the choice.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

All of the above are great options as cars you can keep 5-6 years with ease, also they're cars that are suited to a .change in circumstances

If you're going to go for the Megane then go for the 2.0T:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

1.6T Astra SRI

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Mazda3 Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

For me I'd be looking in the direction of the rep cars & the Insignia/Mondeo & Mazda6, I hope this helps.

I make my decisions by mileage specification year & cost this helps me to mark cars out, any further questions feel free to ask.

[pb8g09]

ZX10R NIN said:

Hi Mark here's the thing most cars are reliable but given you circumstances I'd avoid the Renault not because it'll be unreliable but smaller turbo cars have to work harder, go for a 2.0 & you'll have no issues from the engines as it'll be unstressed.

I'd also recommend going for a reps car as they're normally cheaper than the equivalent family hatch finding a petrol is a bit harder but they're out there:

Insignia SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Elite

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Mazda6 Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Honda Accord ES GT

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

2.5T Mondeo Titanium X

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

X Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

2.3 Titanium X these are around the same on fuel as the 2.5T so I'd go for one of those given the choice.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

All of the above are great options as cars you can keep 5-6 years with ease, also they're cars that are suited to a .change in circumstances

If you're going to go for the Megane then go for the 2.0T:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

1.6T Astra SRI

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Mazda3 Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

For me I'd be looking in the direction of the rep cars & the Insignia/Mondeo & Mazda6, I hope this helps.

I make my decisions by mileage specification year & cost this helps me to mark cars out, any further questions feel free to ask.

+1 No further comment necessary!

[mcc28x]

Many thanks I'll be sticking to the mondeo / insignia / mazda 6 models on your advice. One of the insignia is only a few miles from here. Like the accord and mazda 3 but less of them about. I'll post an update when I've been to see a couple.