£1509 Winter Car
Author
Discussion

cheshiredj7

Original Poster:

121 posts

221 months

Wednesday 5th November 2025
quotequote all
Just had the front of my Audi TTS resprayed (£900!) and I really don’t want to run my F-Type R through winter. I’m up in the Yorkshire moors so we get loads of snow, ice and gritters.

Looking for something around £1,500 max to run till spring and sell on, cheap to tax, insure and easy to move on. Missed out on a nice Mazda 2 1.3, seeing lots of Peugeots and Minis but not sure about reliability of the 1.6 petrol unit.

Thanks

ajprice

31,992 posts

218 months

Wednesday 5th November 2025
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ZX10R NIN said:
Vauxhall Astra:
What has cheshiredj7 ever done to you to deserve that?

Lincsls1

3,894 posts

162 months

Wednesday 5th November 2025
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ZX10R NIN said:
Good choices.
My Astra J of 2.5 years now has proved to be an excellent car.

ajprice

31,992 posts

218 months

Wednesday 5th November 2025
quotequote all
cheshiredj7 said:
Looking for something around £1,500 max to run till spring and sell on, cheap to tax, insure and easy to move on. Missed out on a nice Mazda 2 1.3, seeing lots of Peugeots and Minis but not sure about reliability of the 1.6 petrol unit.

Thanks
Yaris 1.33 mk2 (up to 2011 shape). £35 tax, good MPG, similar size to the Mini, Mazda 2 and Peugeot (208?), 100bhp in the 1.3. Toyota so shouldn't be any trouble.

cheshiredj7

Original Poster:

121 posts

221 months

Thursday 6th November 2025
quotequote all
Thanks for the recommendations.

I did have a peek at the Astra hatch but was put off as most sit on 19 or 20" alloy wheels. Ran a Yaris for years alongside other cars, so leaning towards this if I can't get a deal done on the Mazda 2 locally.

Anything to watch out for with the Cooper 1.6? Chain or belts? Thanks

georgeyboy12345

4,193 posts

57 months

Thursday 6th November 2025
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£1509 is a very specific amount

Gary29

4,840 posts

121 months

Thursday 6th November 2025
quotequote all
georgeyboy12345 said:
£1509 is a very specific amount
I thought so too, maybe the £9 is for a big mac meal on the way home from picking it up?

ZX10R NIN

29,945 posts

147 months

Thursday 6th November 2025
quotequote all
cheshiredj7 said:
Thanks for the recommendations.

I did have a peek at the Astra hatch but was put off as most sit on 19 or 20" alloy wheels. Ran a Yaris for years alongside other cars, so leaning towards this if I can't get a deal done on the Mazda 2 locally.

Anything to watch out for with the Cooper 1.6? Chain or belts? Thanks
Most Astra's are 17-18 inch, all the ones I listed are as such.

iamAlegend

203 posts

163 months

Thursday 6th November 2025
quotequote all
Snowy, Yorkshire moors, only one choice really.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025102273...

Mr Tidy

29,178 posts

149 months

Thursday 6th November 2025
quotequote all
cheshiredj7 said:
Anything to watch out for with the Cooper 1.6? Chain or belts? Thanks
It's a chain. Mrs Tidy still has the R56 Mini Cooper she bought new in December 2006, but sadly it needed a new cam-chain last year that resulted in a four figure bill. She got it done by a BMW/Mini Indy as some garages just didn't want to do it. And her car still hasn't done 80K miles!

Lincsls1

3,894 posts

162 months

Thursday 6th November 2025
quotequote all
ZX10R NIN said:
Most Astra's are 17-18 inch, all the ones I listed are as such.
My Astra J run 16's...and is very comfortable whilst still a decent steer.

georgeyboy12345

4,193 posts

57 months

Thursday 6th November 2025
quotequote all
iamAlegend said:
Snowy, Yorkshire moors, only one choice really.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025102273...
I really like this suggestion

cheshiredj7

Original Poster:

121 posts

221 months

Thursday 6th November 2025
quotequote all
georgeyboy12345 said:
iamAlegend said:
Snowy, Yorkshire moors, only one choice really.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025102273...
I really like this suggestion
These completely passed me by, really good shout..!

cheshiredj7

Original Poster:

121 posts

221 months

Thursday 6th November 2025
quotequote all
Mr Tidy said:
cheshiredj7 said:
Anything to watch out for with the Cooper 1.6? Chain or belts? Thanks
It's a chain. Mrs Tidy still has the R56 Mini Cooper she bought new in December 2006, but sadly it needed a new cam-chain last year that resulted in a four figure bill. She got it done by a BMW/Mini Indy as some garages just didn't want to do it. And her car still hasn't done 80K miles!
Thanks for the info, might be best avoided.

Josemartinez

201 posts

12 months

Friday 7th November 2025
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I noticed you said run until spring and move on, aren't you going to have the same problem next winter?

mikeyr

3,257 posts

215 months

Friday 7th November 2025
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Not with rising global temperatures biglaugh

mikeyr

3,257 posts

215 months

Friday 7th November 2025
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Think at that price, even with the extra £9 you'll be buying on condition as much as anything else. I had an old school Mazda 2 (the Ford Fusion boxy type) and it was very reliable. By sounds of it you'll want something with winter tyres on?

the cueball

1,685 posts

77 months

Friday 7th November 2025
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C3 Picasso with all season tyres..

I think it's a great wee run about / dog mobile / dump run / winter run about..

MightyBadger

3,789 posts

72 months

Friday 7th November 2025
quotequote all
MK1 TT, quattro.