3k for reliable drivers car

[KnackeredSwede]

Now, this may be a bit too much to ask, but any advice appreciated.

I am helping a mate try to find a car with the following criteria:

Around £3000 (he will be trading in current car worth 1500-2000 trade in value and adding cash
Reliable for 10-15,000 miles per year
Good to drive and chuck around
Quick, 150bhp+, preferably more towards the 200 mark
Something good looking and hopefully aged well that a young lad wouldn't mind being seen in
Reasonable on fuel when taking it steady, nothing V8
Preferably not a tiny convertible like an MX5
Not 'too' uncomfortable in terms of noise or driving position I.e swift sport RPM on motorways or clio 182 seating position

My thoughts have been an FN2 Type R, but unfortunately none local ish in budget, a Fiesta ST150, Clio 197, MK5 Golf GTI, Audi TT..

Saloons and coupes considered too as well as hatches.

Does anyone have any good reliable suggestions? It's a shame all options aren't Honda reliable!

Cheers

[Welshbeef]

You could go for a Clio Sport 172 cheap and a great car.

[ZX10R NIN]

Not a hot hatch but a 180bhp Astra SRI is a nice warm hatch with a nice mix of fuel economy & go:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

180bhp Megane Dynamique

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

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

2.8T Vectra not as fuel friendly as you might be looking for but they are quick & comfortable

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

2.0T Insignia SRI

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

2.5T Titanium X Mondeo quick cars with a real world 24-27mpg but these are the best FWD in class that 2.5T is a peach these would be my pick.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

9-3 Aero

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

325i SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[CX53]

You said you have reservations about a swift sport but if you can get the newer one with the 6 speed gearbox for that money then it would be a great car. I had an 07 one and then passed it on to my mum who's had it years and it's been absolutely no trouble at all, and excellent fun.

[Smurfsarepeopletoo]

Octavia VRS?

[Xcore]

Mk5 gti or fn2

[ciprypop]

Audi A4 B7 2.0 tfsi quattro, you might even find the special edition one which has 20 more horse powers 😁

[Griff74]

CX53 said:

You said you have reservations about a swift sport but if you can get the newer one with the 6 speed gearbox for that money then it would be a great car. I had an 07 one and then passed it on to my mum who's had it years and it's been absolutely no trouble at all, and excellent fun.

You would only get a very leggy\rough\cat * Z32S Swift sport for his budget, we bought a 2012 one with 62k on it in March as a cheap temp 2nd car to replace our leased i3 and at 4.7k it was pretty much the cheapest decent miles\none car * one for sale. Is a great little car though, good fun, well equipped, economical etc. It's had more use than our 2019 Polo GTi during lockdown.

[KC_TypeR]

Another vote for FN2. Owned one for 4 years with no issues other than a seized brake caliper which is fairly common. Peach of an engine, better looking and easier to live with daily than an EP3.

Only thing that annoyed the hell out of me on it was the front seats (which although were very comfortable) didn't have a memory function when you let someone in the back. Have to reset your position every time! Might seem minor, but try doing it every day!

On the whole, a great car and so cheap right now.

[CX53]

KC_TypeR said:

Another vote for FN2. Owned one for 4 years with no issues other than a seized brake caliper which is fairly common. Peach of an engine, better looking and easier to live with daily than an EP3.

Only thing that annoyed the hell out of me on it was the front seats (which although were very comfortable) didn't have a memory function when you let someone in the back. Have to reset your position every time! Might seem minor, but try doing it every day!

On the whole, a great car and so cheap right now.

Could be a dog for 3k though...

[KC_TypeR]

CX53 said:

Could be a dog for 3k though...

For 3k, you'd probably looking at a 2007ish high miler, but there's never really been any issues in any of the years. Biggest concern is probably just bodywork (usual stonechips, kerbed alloys etc).

Oh, one issue off the top of my head actually: Make sure the roof rust has been sorted OP. Should be covered by Honda still.

[Ben Lowden]

I'd be looking at a Clio 172/182 that has been well looked after. I've had three in various guises and ironically have been the most reliable cars I've ever owned, far better than anything German I've had. Will do 40mpg on a run if you drive sensibly and are absolute bags of fun to drive, much better than a 197/200.

Cambelt/dephaser will be expensive to replace if that needs doing (£500-600 at a specialist) but other than that, have been cheap motoring for me.

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

[AshVX220]

With your mates criteria I'd be looking at Celica's.

[TurboHatchback]

Based on my experiences at that sort of budget:

• Clio 182, brilliant things when there's space to use them but the heavy clutch did my knee in when doing high mileage and they are rather loud on the motorway. Very economical though and mechanically reliable.
• Mk5 Golf GTI, competent in every way, couldn't find a rational fault with it but sold mine as it just wasn't very fun.
• MR2 Roadster. I know you say no tiny convertibles and they aren't the most reassuring motorway car but in terms of pure driving enjoyment this is about the pinnacle for me.
• BMW E90 330i. This is the best all rounder I've ever had, quiet and comfortable at speed yet it handles delightfully. Fantastic engine, overall just really nice to drive. Also averaging 34mpg on regular 95RON which seems remarkable for the performance on offer.

[RichFN2]

KC_TypeR said:

Another vote for FN2. Owned one for 4 years with no issues other than a seized brake caliper which is fairly common. Peach of an engine, better looking and easier to live with daily than an EP3.

Only thing that annoyed the hell out of me on it was the front seats (which although were very comfortable) didn't have a memory function when you let someone in the back. Have to reset your position every time! Might seem minor, but try doing it every day!

On the whole, a great car and so cheap right now.

Had mine over 3 years now and was abit of a gamble with no service history (although only 1 owner) 2 things have gone wrong is the VTEC solenoid valve which is very rare and a shock absorber was leaking but it is over 10 years old and just ticked over 80k. Great fun, pratical, reliable and that gearbox/engine combo never ever gets boring.

your budget is above scraping the barrel and into the earlier high mileage models in reasonable condition, good thing with the ride being so harsh is hardly any are actually that high mileage

182 for a proper old fashioned big engine, small hot hatch that weighs nothing. Although i assumed these were going up in value (FN2 is not)

MK5 Gti will be more comfortable and just as fast, but they are stronger money than the FN2

Celica 190 is supposed to be a good steer

[PistonAFC]

CX53 said:

KC_TypeR said:

Another vote for FN2. Owned one for 4 years with no issues other than a seized brake caliper which is fairly common. Peach of an engine, better looking and easier to live with daily than an EP3.

Only thing that annoyed the hell out of me on it was the front seats (which although were very comfortable) didn't have a memory function when you let someone in the back. Have to reset your position every time! Might seem minor, but try doing it every day!

On the whole, a great car and so cheap right now.

Could be a dog for 3k though...

A FN2 around £3k will be ragged and probably not the reliability you expect and some of the Celica's have engine issues (yamaha I think), especially the older ones. TT is tiny.



Clio sounds good.