From Fiesta ST to a diesel estate! But which one? - Page 1 - Car Buying

Sunday 1st December 2019

Hi all, I currently drive a 2013 Fiesta ST-2 2013. It has been a fantastic car and a car I've always wanted. However, a change in job and circumstances now means I need something cheaper on fuel as I've gone from 6k miles a year to starting to do 15k a year. This and the 2 dogs forces me to buy a boring more frugal estate. I have been looking at spending around 6- 6.5K on the ST's replacement. So far I have seen 2011 BMW 520ds and 2013 320ds both around 100k miles. I have also seen Insignias, Avensis, Mondeos, passats etc all in budget and newer and less miles than the BMW's. I need something that's going to return 50mpg, be reliable, comfortable yet not break the bank to run or repair. I'm hoping to keep the car a long time. Which would you buy? Are the high repair bills for german cars really that bad? Is there something else you would buy instead? Any advice or help would be appreciated.
TIA

stackmonkey

5,084 posts

278 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

Mazda 6?
My 2010 2.2D 180 has returned over 45mpg over 20k+ miles, with much better reliability (so far) than my previous VW Passat.
The new model (2014 on) has notably better official fuel economy.

dan00T

Original Poster

11 posts

81 months

thebestlittlecivicintheworld

Sunday 1st December 2019

Thanks! I will be sure to look those over! Sounds promising though!

55 posts

82 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

15k miles isn’t enough to warrant a diesel imho. Get something you’ll enjoy driving as much as the ST. A focus ST estate or octavia VRS for example.

1,999 posts

126 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

dan00T said:

Hi all, I currently drive a 2013 Fiesta ST-2 2013. It has been a fantastic car and a car I've always wanted. However, a change in job and circumstances now means I need something cheaper on fuel as I've gone from 6k miles a year to starting to do 15k a year. This and the 2 dogs forces me to buy a boring more frugal estate. I have been looking at spending around 6- 6.5K on the ST's replacement. So far I have seen 2011 BMW 520ds and 2013 320ds both around 100k miles. I have also seen Insignias, Avensis, Mondeos, passats etc all in budget and newer and less miles than the BMW's. I need something that's going to return 50mpg, be reliable, comfortable yet not break the bank to run or repair. I'm hoping to keep the car a long time. Which would you buy? Are the high repair bills for german cars really that bad? Is there something else you would buy instead? Any advice or help would be appreciated.
TIA

15k miles a year is hardly zapping into a fuel budget that much, if it was 40k miles a year i would be like, "yeah, this is getting pretty bad". at 15k miles you could get a frugal enough fun estate petrol and keep enjoying driving.

1,999 posts

126 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

thebestlittlecivicintheworld said:

15k miles isn’t enough to warrant a diesel imho. Get something you’ll enjoy driving as much as the ST. A focus ST estate or octavia VRS for example.

you just took the words out of my mouth, people are too hasty to turn to diesel, I drove quite a few diesel, mostly hire or replacement and they were all just brutal - nothing good to report back at all, if you have a Focus ST which is a pretty lively fun car and you end up with a diesel, well that is soul destroying stuff. Loads of people over on the UK Legacy forum had BMW dervs and moved to a Subaru and I guess they wondered why they wasted years of their life driving a diesel.

G111MDS

383 posts

120 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

We’ve got a 2012 520d touring auto. It’s realistically doing low 40mpg, so if you’re needing 50mpg +, I’d look at something else. We tried the manual, but found it quite uncomfortable to drive.

Salmonofdoubt

1,413 posts

97 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

ericmcn said:

thebestlittlecivicintheworld said:

15k miles isn’t enough to warrant a diesel imho. Get something you’ll enjoy driving as much as the ST. A focus ST estate or octavia VRS for example.

you just took the words out of my mouth, people are too hasty to turn to diesel, I drove quite a few diesel, mostly hire or replacement and they were all just brutal - nothing good to report back at all, if you have a Focus ST which is a pretty lively fun car and you end up with a diesel, well that is soul destroying stuff. Loads of people over on the UK Legacy forum had BMW dervs and moved to a Subaru and I guess they wondered why they wasted years of their life driving a diesel.

Why not offer something helpful to what the OP is asking instead of having a pop at diesel which you clearly dislike?

OP, you'll still be able to enjoy driving a diesel if you choose the right car. Alternatively you could consider a very dull cheaper diesel estate and a slightly less practical car than the fiesta as something fun.

With the kind of budget you have you're caught between high mileage 'premium' stuff that would come with higher costs for servicing etc. I'd be looking at something like the Mazda 6 or a well looked after Mondeo which will both still have a smidge of fun left in them. If you can live with a slightly older estate car a good Volvo V70 with a D5 motor will be all the car you'll ever want and has plenty of potential to add a bit more fun.

Belle427

11,835 posts

262 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

Spotted a few insignias out and about in estate and saloon form and quite like the look of them.

Weekendrebuild

1,120 posts

92 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

Not an insignia dreadful car. Had one as a rental was most boring car I’ve ever driven .

keo

2,949 posts

199 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

I drove a few insignias as company cars. Horrible, Mondeo is a lot better to drive imo.
Is the fiesta ST that bad on fuel? I do about 20k a year and have been thinking about getting one. Read that they can easily do 40mpg on a run.
Understand you needing an estate for the dogs

Lukas239

463 posts

125 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

When do people think a diesel is necessary then? Assuming 40mpg and 129.9 per litre in OP's current Fiesta ST;
6000 miles = £885
15000 miles = £2214.

I'd say that's a big difference, not including depreciation, servicing, tyres which is typically higher in a more highly strung car (not a hard & fast rule obviously).

- Mondeo (titanium X/X sport) with 2.0, 2.2 is noticeably quicker but thirsty.
- Octavia VRS

1,999 posts

126 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

Salmonofdoubt said:

ericmcn said:

thebestlittlecivicintheworld said:

15k miles isn’t enough to warrant a diesel imho. Get something you’ll enjoy driving as much as the ST. A focus ST estate or octavia VRS for example.

you just took the words out of my mouth, people are too hasty to turn to diesel, I drove quite a few diesel, mostly hire or replacement and they were all just brutal - nothing good to report back at all, if you have a Focus ST which is a pretty lively fun car and you end up with a diesel, well that is soul destroying stuff. Loads of people over on the UK Legacy forum had BMW dervs and moved to a Subaru and I guess they wondered why they wasted years of their life driving a diesel.

Why not offer something helpful to what the OP is asking instead of having a pop at diesel which you clearly dislike?

OP, you'll still be able to enjoy driving a diesel if you choose the right car. Alternatively you could consider a very dull cheaper diesel estate and a slightly less practical car than the fiesta as something fun.

With the kind of budget you have you're caught between high mileage 'premium' stuff that would come with higher costs for servicing etc. I'd be looking at something like the Mazda 6 or a well looked after Mondeo which will both still have a smidge of fun left in them. If you can live with a slightly older estate car a good Volvo V70 with a D5 motor will be all the car you'll ever want and has plenty of potential to add a bit more fun.

there are plenty petrol cars for sale which would suit his needs, I am sure he could have a sneek on AT and get some Skoda VRS/BMW estate or such that could easily return 20+ mpg and be far more enyoyable that a crap diesel that will have dpf nonsense and ad blue $hit to content with

ZX10R NIN

30,523 posts

154 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

ericmcn said:

thebestlittlecivicintheworld said:

15k miles isn’t enough to warrant a diesel imho. Get something you’ll enjoy driving as much as the ST. A focus ST estate or octavia VRS for example.

you just took the words out of my mouth, people are too hasty to turn to diesel, I drove quite a few diesel, mostly hire or replacement and they were all just brutal - nothing good to report back at all, if you have a Focus ST which is a pretty lively fun car and you end up with a diesel, well that is soul destroying stuff. Loads of people over on the UK Legacy forum had BMW dervs and moved to a Subaru and I guess they wondered why they wasted years of their life driving a diesel.

Rubbish anything from 11k upwards is the point where depending on the individuals journeys you can consider a diesel, also OP by buying an estate the depreciation will be lower as long as you pick a well spec'd model.

1,999 posts

126 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

SKODA Superb 3.6 V6 Elegance DSG 4x4 5dr
SKODA Octavia 2.0 TFSI vRS DSG 5dr

Far more fun than a diesel and returns a combined 28mpg/ 36mpg (ish) respectively, 7k should get a 10/12 reg.

Hachi friendly also....I am not in the market for an estate but if i was doing 15k a year this is the direction i would be heading.

1,999 posts

126 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

ZX10R NIN said:

Rubbish anything from 11k upwards is the point where depending on the individuals journeys you can consider a diesel, also OP by buying an estate the depreciation will be lower as long as you pick a well spec'd model.

so you would rasther a pos 2.0 tdi banger over any of the skoda's above? fine if you are a boring driver who may as well take a bus but if you have any interest in driving an engaging or exciting car i would be more excited by the Skodas over a terrible crap diesel.

I have driven quite as few diesels and they are all horrible compared to my n/a Flat 6 Subaru, I would rather be dead than want to own any of them over a decent petrol car.

ZX10R NIN

30,523 posts

154 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

abucd4

541 posts

173 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

keo said:

I drove a few insignias as company cars. Horrible, Mondeo is a lot better to drive imo.
Is the fiesta ST that bad on fuel? I do about 20k a year and have been thinking about getting one. Read that they can easily do 40mpg on a run.
Understand you needing an estate for the dogs

Nope! I get 37mpg with 50/50 gridlocked town and motorway.

Whenever I do a proper motorway journey I get about 45mpg, and that’s not crawling.

Having had a diesel insignia 160 before the ST, don’t bother OP! You’ll save about £30/40 a month at most!

stevemcs

10,277 posts

122 months

Sunday 1st December 2019

I'd say the change over point for switching to diesel is 16k, does your new trip involve traveling into areas where the low emission zone will affect your purchase ?

For your budget buying a high mile diesel has the potential to to pick up the odd bill that could hurt. Personally i'd stick with petrol quite possibly a Toyota avensis estate but in petrol form. If it has to be diesel i'd be looking towards a Kia Ceed.

ZX10R NIN

30,523 posts

154 months