My next banger

[philpalmer]

I've just sold my Seat Altea to pay for bills and food .
The joy of being self employed and if the world ever returns to normal I'm already looking at my next motor . it seems weird not having a car. Mind you I've got nowhere to go.

My budget will be around 2000 and I'm looking at..

• VW Golf mk4 or mk5. I quite like the mk4. This is the front runner.
• Honda civic 2.0 s type...the older style before the massive spoiler blocking rear visibility. I had a Honda shuttle for a long long time which was brilliant bur far too big now
• Subaru Impreza 2.0 R Sport

(Wagon)

• Volvo V40
• Audi A3 ... Maybe boot a bit small.

It will have to be a hatch or estate. My wife has a Fabia 1.4 TDI which is brilliant. However the Fabia is too small and Octavia is too big and the Yeti out of our price range and the Roomster looks like a disability car.

My Altea was ok. Didn't think it was as well screwed together as Kay's Fabia and the location of the reversing light was just nuts. We called it the vampire car as no one wanted to drive it after dark.

Anyone got any other ideas? Looking for Golf size. I've always wanted an Impreza but I've been told they arent that reliable and there's no point getting anything except WRX which I can't afford anyway.

The prerequisites are

It must he 5 door, the rear seats must go flat (or flat ish) and it must he able to carry a bit of weight and be relatively fun to drive.

Thanks everyone. Feel free to be sarcastic. That's why I love Pistonheads

[philpalmer]

Oops moved. I can't even post it in the right forum.

[imperium]

I’d recommend the Honda Civic 2.2 cdti. Great engine, well equipped, good cars.

[philpalmer]

Thanks. On the Honda diesels, do you know when they started putting in DPF? I quite like the older Civics but the 1.7cdti engine isn't from Honda but instead from Isuzu.

[Justatwist]

I’ve never owned one but Instead of a Subaru Impreza how about the forester? Plenty of space in the back and apparently still quick enough to enjoy.

[philpalmer]

Weird. Just replied but answer didn't appear.

The Forester is a bit big. Our friend has one and he loves it apart from fuel consumption. He struggles to get over 30 in it on the Devon lanes where we live.
I like Imprezas... Well the mk1 and the Hawkeye's. Not a fan of the bug eye years and the new ones just look dull. They've lost their attitude.
The other option is a Focus.

[Eyersey1234]

Focuses are good cars, mine has proved to be very dependable.

[keo]

I have got an A3 2.0tdi Quattro I would not call it fun to drive at all (even though it is the 170bhp model)

As mentioned above I would go Focus. I had a shedy estate one for a while. I should of fixed it and never had the A3

[philpalmer]

Thanks for that. I haven't had a Ford since my mk2 Fiesta that consistently broke down in traffic...although that was 25 years ago.

[Summit_Detailing]

Focus or Astra for that budget, or maybe a Mazda 3 which hasn't rotted away.

Cheers,

Chris

[andburg]

if you can get a 2.2 civic diesel there is a huge bonus, theyre timing chain and regularly run to 200k+. Cabbies seemed to love that engine for exactly this reason.

[Deranged Rover]

How about a 2005 Mk3 Mondeo Ghia X 3.0V6 hatchback?

I even know where there'll be one for sale very soon...

[mbwoy84]

Just out of interest, why does it have to be Golf size?

Any particular reason why, say, a Passat Estate would be considered too big?

[ZiggyNiva]

imperium said:

I’d recommend the Honda Civic 2.2 cdti. Great engine, well equipped, good cars.

Make sure the clutch has been updated

[imperium]

ZiggyNiva said:

imperium said:

I’d recommend the Honda Civic 2.2 cdti. Great engine, well equipped, good cars.

Make sure the clutch has been updated

Good shout, def a weak point. However mine had done around 140k on the original clutch and just started slipping under full acceleration, but I reckon would’ve lasted quite some more time. Would avoid a mapped one. Ride is fairly harsh but depends what you’re used to. I think they are good value for money.

[Walter Sobchak]

mbwoy84 said:

Just out of interest, why does it have to be Golf size?

Any particular reason why, say, a Passat Estate would be considered too big?

I was thinking the same, if I wanted an estate with decent load lugging capability for under £2k I think it would have to be a Volvo V70 D5, loads of room, very relaxing and comfortable to drive, economical, not too slow and overall very reliable.

[A500leroy]

Skoda rapide?

[philpalmer]

It's got to be Golf sized as my other half will need to drive it and she doesn't like big cars. Otherwise I'd just get a Octavia vrs estate. :-)

[confused_buyer]

If on a budget Honda out of that lot all day long.

The seats also fold almost completely out the way so actually make good carriers too.

[philpalmer]

Cheers.
My old Honda shuttle was great. Eventually replaced it due to rust. Even then I didn't have the heart to sell it and it is embedded in the hedge and has become a storage container.