Hatchback diesel for under £1,500
Discussion
Hello all!
I have been looking for a car recently that will suit my driving needs, i currently have a 1.4 petrol Fiesta but now doing 20,000 miles a year it is costing a lot in fuel!
I was wondering what the best hatchback diesel would be under £1,500? I've been thinking of something like a diesel Corsa or 206? But would like more suggestions.
The route i take to work is 50/50 with country roads and motorway, so something that can get up steep hills without struggle and comfortably sit at 70 on the motorway would be perfect!
Thanks!
I have been looking for a car recently that will suit my driving needs, i currently have a 1.4 petrol Fiesta but now doing 20,000 miles a year it is costing a lot in fuel!
I was wondering what the best hatchback diesel would be under £1,500? I've been thinking of something like a diesel Corsa or 206? But would like more suggestions.
The route i take to work is 50/50 with country roads and motorway, so something that can get up steep hills without struggle and comfortably sit at 70 on the motorway would be perfect!
Thanks!
Does it need to be diesel? My mate's wife has a petrol Honda Jazz, I've driven that on a long run and got 60mpg. Similar from a Citroën C1. Mate's 1.9 TDI A3 did get a little more than that in similar conditions, but not enough to offset the higher price of diesel.
A small, light petrol car can still give very good economy, and has arguably less potential for expensive problems, especially when you're at this end of the market.
A small, light petrol car can still give very good economy, and has arguably less potential for expensive problems, especially when you're at this end of the market.
Quavers said:
Cheap diesel can be expensive. People only bail out because trouble is looming.
Indeed. Now the Grubberment has retrospectively lowered the acceptable MOT emission limits for older diesels there's going to be a whole world of pain for anybody running one and no doubt countless perfectly serviceable cars are going to suddenly be put beyond economic repair.
Two years ago I literally needed a car that weekend to get to my new job on Monday which was 60 miles away and ended up with a 2007 Megane 1.5 DCi. I paid £1200 for a car with 62k miles on the clock and it has not cost me a penny in that time. It also passed the last six MOTs without any advisories.
Road tax is £30 and it easily manages 60MPG with the best being 72MPG on a run (although I know the OBC over estimates)
I have been toying with getting a better car and ended up test driving a £5k 2009 Golf 2.0 TDi. The engine in that seemed far more agricultural then my Megane so I just decided to keep my car as it owes me nothing.
Mistake I made was getting the 86BHP 5 speed instead of the 106BHP 6 speed. This means 70MPH is 2600RPM which can be a bit annoying compared to 2200RPM in the 6 speed versions.
Other than that I see it as free motoring now.
French cars are rubbish, Blah, Blah Blah German cars are reliable Blah, Blah, Blah
Regarding the smoke emissions, the limit is 3 and the car always gets under 1 (whatever that is)
Road tax is £30 and it easily manages 60MPG with the best being 72MPG on a run (although I know the OBC over estimates)
I have been toying with getting a better car and ended up test driving a £5k 2009 Golf 2.0 TDi. The engine in that seemed far more agricultural then my Megane so I just decided to keep my car as it owes me nothing.
Mistake I made was getting the 86BHP 5 speed instead of the 106BHP 6 speed. This means 70MPH is 2600RPM which can be a bit annoying compared to 2200RPM in the 6 speed versions.
Other than that I see it as free motoring now.
French cars are rubbish, Blah, Blah Blah German cars are reliable Blah, Blah, Blah
Regarding the smoke emissions, the limit is 3 and the car always gets under 1 (whatever that is)
Shappers24 said:
Civic 2.2 diesel.
My lodger runs one with 178k on the clock. Easily sees over 60mpg on a run and rather brisk also. He paid a little over £1200 for his with 120k on the clock, and aside from an injector requiring a refurb it’s been reliable.
If you're going to get a diesel hatchback these are seriously under valued IMO. It's the car I have and I think the engine is a peach. Not too big externally and yet a massive tardis on the inside. Mine is 12 years old and bar a handful of sensors and relays it has only ever needed consumables (in 6 years of my ownership). This engine also doesn't have a DPF to worry about.My lodger runs one with 178k on the clock. Easily sees over 60mpg on a run and rather brisk also. He paid a little over £1200 for his with 120k on the clock, and aside from an injector requiring a refurb it’s been reliable.
One thing to note though is the chocolate clutch so try and find one that has already had it replaced. My car is on 97k and there's been clutch slip in higher gears for at least the last 40k miles. I really like the car and not worth anything to sell (hence IMO a great used buy) so I am going to do the clutch this year even if the cost of doing so is the same as the present value of the car.
RazerSauber said:
Astra H with the 1.3 Diesel? they seem economical and a little more comfortable than the Corsa with the same engine.
I had one of these - whilst it was indeed economical (would rarely see less than 65mpg) and comfortable, I had issues with the EGR, the turbocharger, the gearbox synchro and clutch/DMF was an expensive job. Two punctures as well but probably no fault of the carI absolutely bought a lemon in retrospect but just a thought from a previous owner
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