6k budget - write off replacement

[Hammer315]

Title says what you need to know really.

Someone pulled out of a junction in front of me without looking and although not 100% confirmed yet, it looks like the trusty duster is a write off, so I'm preparing for such news.

I'm going to look to spend a max of 6k on a new car. I work from home so there are days when I don't use it at all, but when I do it tends to be journeys of 25mins/20+ miles and still 250+ miles a week as ballpark.

The car needs to be big enough for myself, my 2 kids (9&11) and a border collie sized dog, including all the football gear too. Just after something that's a nice place to sit, relatively brisk and not going to burn a huge hole in my pocket on fuel and tax. Not bothered about manual or auto either.

I'm not a fan of saloons and have an irrational dislike of Vauxhall's after a hire car about 10years ago. 😂 But willing to look at them if that's where the best value is.

[Canon_Fodder]

another Dusty seems the obvs answer - or do you hanker for something....esle?

[Hammer315]

I see it as an ideal time to get something else. Although I can't fault the duster because it fulfilled what I needed at the time, it was basic and boring and although I'm not looking to jump into a hot hatch or anything right now, I want something thats a bit more engaging to drive with some more power tbh.

I was focusing on an estate but tbh, I don't know if I might be better going for a hatch and getting a roof box for the longer trips away maybe.

[Cakey_]

Skoda yeti?

[Hammer315]

Does anyone have any experience with these or their petrol variant? what they're like to drive or any common issues?
seem to be a fair few around, along with the V40 too and seem like precent decent value for money.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209099...

[ZX10R NIN]

Hammer315 said:

Does anyone have any experience with these or their petrol variant? what they're like to drive or any common issues?
seem to be a fair few around, along with the V40 too and seem like precent decent value for money.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209099...

The 1.6d isn't a bad unit but the 2.0d is the better unit, if you like the V60 then take a look at the car they're based on & that's the Focus, they're a good steer & a nice place to be.

Titanium X:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209230...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209230...

Now I know you said no Vauxhall's but they're great value at your price point, so maybe test drive one before completely dismissing them.

Astra Elite:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210150...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210160...

You'll actually get a nice Insignia Auto for your budget:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210080...

Manual:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208269...

Elite Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208038...

[georgeyboy12345]

My top recommendation for you was going to be the Volvo V60, if you can find a lowish mileage one. Here's a T3
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209280...

If you want something properly quick from Volvo, then what about this V50 T5? It seems to be advertised as an S40 though, which is wrong.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210120...


Mercedes C180 Kompressor SE
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209240...


Subaru Legacy 2.0 R Sport Tourer
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210060...

Newer shape 2.5i SE Lineartronic auto
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210110...


Kia Ceed 1.6 Sports Wagon
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209069...


Hyundai i40 Tourer 1.7 CRDi - make sure you properly check it out that it's not an ex-taxi or has been clocked or anything like that
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208028...

[Hammer315]

ZX10R NIN said:

The 1.6d isn't a bad unit but the 2.0d is the better unit, if you like the V60 then take a look at the car they're based on & that's the Focus, they're a good steer & a nice place to be.

Titanium X:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209230...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209230...

Now I know you said no Vauxhall's but they're great value at your price point, so maybe test drive one before completely dismissing them.

Astra Elite:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210150...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210160...

You'll actually get a nice Insignia Auto for your budget:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210080...

Manual:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208269...

Elite Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208038...

Thanks for the suggestions. There is actually an astra tourer at the garage i'm going to tomorrow to look at a V60 so i'm going to give it a go too.

Do you know what the petrol versions are like or are they something to steer clear of?

[Hammer315]

georgeyboy12345 said:

My top recommendation for you was going to be the Volvo V60, if you can find a lowish mileage one. Here's a T3
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209280...

If you want something properly quick from Volvo, then what about this V50 T5? It seems to be advertised as an S40 though, which is wrong.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210120...


Mercedes C180 Kompressor SE
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209240...


Subaru Legacy 2.0 R Sport Tourer
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210060...

Newer shape 2.5i SE Lineartronic auto
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210110...


Kia Ceed 1.6 Sports Wagon
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209069...


Hyundai i40 Tourer 1.7 CRDi - make sure you properly check it out that it's not an ex-taxi or has been clocked or anything like that
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208028...

I do really like the look of the Volvos tbh, the V40, 50 & 60 all seem to have bit of an appeal. i particularly like the look of that T5 you linked. Do you know much about the 1.6 petrol engine? there is one less than 10miles from me, in budget, but had 105k on the clock. Might go and look tomorrow anyway because it is so close, but i don't know much about them tbh as i have more or less always been in VAG cars.

[ZX10R NIN]

Hammer315 said:

Thanks for the suggestions. There is actually an astra tourer at the garage i'm going to tomorrow to look at a V60 so i'm going to give it a go too.

Do you know what the petrol versions are like or are they something to steer clear of?

The petrol versions are decent but you'll only get the 1.6 N/A engine in the Astra which is good but has to be worked a bit harder.

Elite Nav 1.6:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210110...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208229...

In the Focus you'll get a nice Titanium X 1.6T 150 the extra midrange from the turbo will make journeys more relaxing:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210190...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208239...

[georgeyboy12345]

Hammer315 said:

I do really like the look of the Volvos tbh, the V40, 50 & 60 all seem to have bit of an appeal. i particularly like the look of that T5 you linked. Do you know much about the 1.6 petrol engine? there is one less than 10miles from me, in budget, but had 105k on the clock. Might go and look tomorrow anyway because it is so close, but i don't know much about them tbh as i have more or less always been in VAG cars.

The 1.6 petrol is a late version of one of Volvo’s own B series modular engines (B4164T3) with a low pressure turbo to give 150 bhp and a useful 177 lbft of torque from low down. They are direct injection, so by these ages they would probably benefit from a walnut blast to the cylinder head, if you are seeing poor fuel consumption from them. They also use a timing belt with a 10 year/100k mile interval. Those are the two main things to be wary of. Keep on top of oil changes (every year/18k miles , whichever is sooner) and they are very reliable engines. There is a S60 T3 for sale near me with over 150k on it and there is nothing wrong with it, so they can do the miles.

[LightningBlue]

ZX10R NIN said:

The 1.6d isn't a bad unit but the 2.0d is the better unit, if you like the V60 then take a look at the car they're based on & that's the Focus, they're a good steer & a nice place to be.

The S60/V60 isn’t based on the Focus, it shared a platform with the Mondeo but the Volvo is totally different inside and a much nicer place to be. These are quite reliable cars, common issues are a faulty bonnet catch sensor that sets the alarm off (there’s an easy fix), leaking front windscreen (most will be fixed by now) - you can check by pushing the top of the windscreen from inside, if it moves the bond has failed, again a simple repair but most will be ok now. The door locks can go funny especially if keyless, if the keyless entry doesn’t work on a door it’s probably water ingress and again a simple fix. These cars are generally dependable.

The 1.6D will be sluggish so a bigger unit would be a better choice. Most are diesels but if you can find a T4 petrol that’s not a bad motor, it’s the 1.6T as found in the Fiesta ST of the time. You can make decent progress with it without setting the world on fire.

I think the V40 would be too small for your needs, a V50 might be ok but the interiors are dated compared to the V60

[LightningBlue]

georgeyboy12345 said:

The 1.6 petrol is a late version of one of Volvo’s own B series modular engines (B4164T3) with a low pressure turbo to give 150 bhp and a useful 177 lbft of torque from low down. They are direct injection, so by these ages they would probably benefit from a walnut blast to the cylinder head, if you are seeing poor fuel consumption from them. They also use a timing belt with a 10 year/100k mile interval. Those are the two main things to be wary of. Keep on top of oil changes (every year/18k miles , whichever is sooner) and they are very reliable engines. There is a S60 T3 for sale near me with over 150k on it and there is nothing wrong with it, so they can do the miles.

No this generation of T3/T4 is a Ford engine, it’s the same as the Fiesta ST of the time but the T3 is detuned. Volvo’s modular engines are the 2 litre ones, I think from around 2014.
I have the 1.6 T4 in my S60 and it’s been very reliable actually, there are horror stories about these but I’ve had the car 6 years and done over 50,000 miles in it and it doesn’t use oil or coolant, not missed a beat so far. It’s not rapid but you can give them a Polestar remap from a Volvo dealer, but it’s a lot of money and insurance could then be a problem

[Hammer315]

LightningBlue said:

georgeyboy12345 said:

The 1.6 petrol is a late version of one of Volvo’s own B series modular engines (B4164T3) with a low pressure turbo to give 150 bhp and a useful 177 lbft of torque from low down. They are direct injection, so by these ages they would probably benefit from a walnut blast to the cylinder head, if you are seeing poor fuel consumption from them. They also use a timing belt with a 10 year/100k mile interval. Those are the two main things to be wary of. Keep on top of oil changes (every year/18k miles , whichever is sooner) and they are very reliable engines. There is a S60 T3 for sale near me with over 150k on it and there is nothing wrong with it, so they can do the miles.

No this generation of T3/T4 is a Ford engine, it’s the same as the Fiesta ST of the time but the T3 is detuned. Volvo’s modular engines are the 2 litre ones, I think from around 2014.
I have the 1.6 T4 in my S60 and it’s been very reliable actually, there are horror stories about these but I’ve had the car 6 years and done over 50,000 miles in it and it doesn’t use oil or coolant, not missed a beat so far. It’s not rapid but you can give them a Polestar remap from a Volvo dealer, but it’s a lot of money and insurance could then be a problem

Thanks for the information, and the stuff above. It is really helpful. I have a V60 T3 near me which I am going to test drive. It is just over 100k miles but does look fairly clean aside from some seat wear I clocked in the photos. I do like the sound of a T4 but there isn't any under £7k within 200miles of me. 😢 I think the T3 would probably be more than quick enough to start with, especially coming from a duster! But it is good to know that a increase in power is an option down the line.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2022090694...

I'm also going to look at this V40 2.0 D3 but Im not sure if the boot is going to be big enough. Guess a roof box could be the answer there though.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2022091397...

There is this V50 not too far away either which seems in pretty good condition too and size wise, would be more than enough. But it does look a little dated compared to the others, although probably still a step up from the duster I just had!

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2022092601...

[LightningBlue]

Hammer315 said:

Thanks for the information, and the stuff above. It is really helpful. I have a V60 T3 near me which I am going to test drive. It is just over 100k miles but does look fairly clean aside from some seat wear I clocked in the photos. I do like the sound of a T4 but there isn't any under £7k within 200miles of me. ?? I think the T3 would probably be more than quick enough to start with, especially coming from a duster! But it is good to know that a increase in power is an option down the line.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2022090694...

I'm also going to look at this V40 2.0 D3 but Im not sure if the boot is going to be big enough. Guess a roof box could be the answer there though.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2022091397...

There is this V50 not too far away either which seems in pretty good condition too and size wise, would be more than enough. But it does look a little dated compared to the others, although probably still a step up from the duster I just had!

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2022092601...

The R Designs always look good, the wheels of that V60 are the original colours too - these usually get sprayed plain silver when kerbed…if they do need refurbishing you can get them diamond cut for reasonable prices if you look around - I got them redone for £70 per wheel. The seat wear is annoying, mine is starting to go too but it’s not easy to get them repaired because of the material - leather repairers aren’t interested in my experience. Worth asking around upholstery specialists though and seeing what they can do, it’s basically a posh vinyl after all. The dealer would charge over £700 for a new seat base! Sometimes seats come up on eBay though

[Belle427]

Usual suspect of an Octavia Vrs estate may just be in budget.

[Bobupndown]

Belle427 said:

Usual suspect of an Octavia Vrs estate may just be in budget.

That would get my vote too.

[Hammer315]

LightningBlue said:

Hammer315 said:

Thanks for the information, and the stuff above. It is really helpful. I have a V60 T3 near me which I am going to test drive. It is just over 100k miles but does look fairly clean aside from some seat wear I clocked in the photos. I do like the sound of a T4 but there isn't any under £7k within 200miles of me. ?? I think the T3 would probably be more than quick enough to start with, especially coming from a duster! But it is good to know that a increase in power is an option down the line.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2022090694...

I'm also going to look at this V40 2.0 D3 but Im not sure if the boot is going to be big enough. Guess a roof box could be the answer there though.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2022091397...

There is this V50 not too far away either which seems in pretty good condition too and size wise, would be more than enough. But it does look a little dated compared to the others, although probably still a step up from the duster I just had!

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2022092601...

The R Designs always look good, the wheels of that V60 are the original colours too - these usually get sprayed plain silver when kerbed…if they do need refurbishing you can get them diamond cut for reasonable prices if you look around - I got them redone for £70 per wheel. The seat wear is annoying, mine is starting to go too but it’s not easy to get them repaired because of the material - leather repairers aren’t interested in my experience. Worth asking around upholstery specialists though and seeing what they can do, it’s basically a posh vinyl after all. The dealer would charge over £700 for a new seat base! Sometimes seats come up on eBay though

Yeah, would be nice to get the wheels done if they aren't too bad already.

It was the seat wear I was most worried about tbh because the history looks good. I'll ask about some places, maybe it will just be decent seat covers if it's that bad. Such a shame tbh because the rest of the car looks decent in the photos. I'm going to test drive it tomorrow so see how it goes.

[Hammer315]

So i went to test drive that V60 T3 local to me and it wasn't particularly great. Seat wear was worse than the photos, the alloys were an utter mess, all the doors struggled to open and the cabin filled with smoke after 5 miles
i then went and looked at another which was 1.5hours away and it seemed to be a lot nicer and only has 78k on the clock. however, there is no service history between 2017 and 2019 (can't remember the mileage in this time) and it has also had the turbo replaced last year. It does have a tow bar fitted so i assume it could be related to that.

Anyway, i am on the fence regarding this 2nd car. They are very nice to drive, the seats are super comfy but the history is making me think twice and also, there are not many others around within a 100miles of me.

While i argue that dilema in my head, i have been able to up my budget to around 8k from 6k, so open to any futher suggestions.

[ZX10R NIN]

At 8k I'd really take a look at the Astra:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210010...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210281...

Petrol SRI:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210160...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210050...