Left-field daily car advice needed

[alex-1991]

Hi all,

I love reading what car threads on here so thought I'd sign up and ask my own.

I've just finished uni and got a job for which I need a car. Its a 55 mile commute a day with 32 miles being on the motorway. Taking annual leave into account I estimate I will do 15,000 miles a year.

My requirements are:
2 seats or more
Space to fit a pedal bike in the back with a wheel off (seats can be folded down permanently).
35 mpg+
Reasonable running costs
£4000 or less, could push to £5000 if I borrowed some money.

I'm 27 and have 9 years NCB and no crashes or points.

I'm not fussed about comfort and my commute seems to be reasonable in that I don't necessarily need a large diesel barge.
I'd either like something fun to drive or unique. Here are the following cars I've thought about.

Initially I wanted a type R (ep3) as these are pretty cheap and reliable, the mpg has put me off a bit though (most people seem to struggle to get over 30 mpg even on long trips).
So here is what I have so far:

Celica 190 VVTLI - Off lift they should get 35 mpg and way cheaper than a type R, big boot and a bit more comfy than a type R.
Alfa 147 or GT coupe 1.9 JTD - Nice looking, diesel economy, Q2 have LSD which I would seriously like, build quality and reliability an issue?? I do have a well respected Alfa and Fiat specialist nearby.
Fiat Grande Punto Abarth - Bigger than a 500, 1.4 turbo should be economical.
Smart ForFour Brabus (older style) - 1.5 Colt engine so should be reliable and pretty weird looking
BMW 325ti - Should be good on a motorway, RWD, sounds nice. Poor MPG?
Skoda Fabia VRS - A diesel warm hatch, the pd engine is supposed to be reliable.

Also would people choose a petrol or diesel at this millage? Seems to be little in it once fuel price difference is taken into account.

I would like a car that won't leave me stranded but I don't mind minor niggles like windows not working or leaking. I'm used to shoddy cars
I also like modifying and I'm quite good with spanners.

Any other cars I've missed?

I've borrowed my mum's diesel Zafira which I'm allowed to use for 4 months so I have that long to decide and purchase.
Thanks for the help

[kingb]

does the bike have to fit inside the car? Being able to add a bike rack or roof mount would open you up to more options.

[AlexiusG55]

Consider a 9-3 Aero? I would get 32-34 mpg out of mine on rural A roads so 35 on motorways shouldn't be a problem. Lovely cabin for long journeys, acres of space, and quick.

I have a Celica 190 now. The question with those is motorway cruising- above about 75 they become quite noisy due to both revs (6th gear is quite short) and wind noise, at least on mine- I think it's something to do with the seals around the frameless windows. Much more involving drive than the Saab though.

[Jakg]

If you want left-field... RenaultSport Megane 175? Like the Fabia, but quicker.




Alternatively, what about a BMW 123d hatch?

[Blanchimont]

I've had a Grande Punto with an Abarth engine in it, and I now own an EP3 type R.

Fuel wise, on a run with the Civic, using Vtec occasionally, and sitting at normal speeds (not mega fast) I managed 330miles to a 45l tank. about 35ish mpg.
The Civic does rev high though, about 4k at 70ish.

The Grande Punto I got a max of 42 out of it on a run - it was quieter than the Civic - but not hugely more efficient. Around town I got 34ish, using some boost. They do sound mega with an exhaust on them though.

Have you considered a Megane 250? Early ones are about 7-8k. I had 2, and they got under my skin like nothing else - I would buy another in a heartbeat.

Rare-ish.
Easy 35+ on a run - I managed 40 a couple of times.
cruise as standard.
Cup chassis is a must.
Much more reliable than Renault history leads you to believe.
If you want to modify it, there's a decent market for them, and they take power quite well too.

I had 2, other than 2 bearings, maintenance and mods neither cost me anything to run.

[alex-1991]

Hi,

Yes being able to fit the bike in the back is quite important. I have fancy racing bikes and I don't want to leave them on a roof rack while I'm away from the car nor do I want to leave them in a bike rack where they may get bashed around.

The Megane is a very good recommendation, probably one of the best FWD diesel hatches. If I see a good example I will certainly go have a look.
The 250 will be out of my price range for now, although a yellow one would be something I would look at in a year or two.

Blanchimont how would you say the Punto and type R compare? Were both pretty good cars or is one far superior?

I don't mind noise on the motorway having come from a CRX with shorter final drive, Suzuki Ignis sport, kit car and two motorbikes so the Celica would fit right in. https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/imgs/9.gif
How do you find the Celica compared to something like the Saab?

[rustfalia]

ep3 is the answer for this all day long.
Use mine for work and mountainbiking.
Celica isn't even in the same league.

Ep3 with breathing mods and a map 230-240 and just under 300 miles a tank if you are careful.

Job done.

[rustfalia]

Don't get too hung up on mpg...
The civics are like little sewing machines will go on and on and on if services correctly....plenty running 450bhp on standard unopened engines. Try doing that with any of the cars mentioned here.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say a CLK fits the bill the rear seats fold down bring your bike along to check but my mate gets his bike into his with the front wheel off.

270 Avantgarde

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

The one below would be my pick of the 270's:

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

320cdi Sport the Orthopedic seats are a great bonus

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

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

Or the more practical CLC:

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

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

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

Or as someone suggested earlier RS175 Megane:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Renault-Megane-2-0dCi-1...f:1

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2008-08-RENAULT-MEGANE-...f:1

[Blanchimont]

alex-1991 said:

Blanchimont how would you say the Punto and type R compare? Were both pretty good cars or is one far superior?

The Punto had cruise, and sat at lower revs on mway, so was a little better longer distance. The Civic is brilliant as a car to throw about and wring its neck. Parts are cheap if you want to modify, and for an N/A car, with breathing mods and a map, 240ish HP is attainable fairly cheaply.

If I had to chose, now, between both. I would take the Honda as it's more fun, than the Punto.

[nunpuncher]

As a fellow cyclist I can testify that coupes are a pain in the hole for transporting a bike. In many the seats don't fold flat so it can be awkward getting the bike in and as you are probably aware you always end up with the rear wheel or handle bars sticking up due to the pedals meaning you're always paranoid about slamming the boot and sticking a bike part through the rear window.

Get an EP3. More than 9 years since I sold mine and I still miss it. I'm sooo tempted to get another.

[alex-1991]

So are we thinking that an ep3 for 15000 miles per year will be feasible?
The fuel cost seems to come out at £900 more a year compared to a 50 mpg diesel (type R at 30 mpg and assuming diesel is 10p more a liter).
I will save on some service costs as Hondas are pretty easy to DIY (I've done a headgasket and gearbox rebuild on a B series engine, so the K20 shouldn't be much more difficult).

Thanks

[ZX10R NIN]

Sounds like the CLK is an even better be seeing as there's no chance of breaking the window.

[Blanchimont]

alex-1991 said:

So are we thinking that an ep3 for 15000 miles per year will be feasible?
The fuel cost seems to come out at £900 more a year compared to a 50 mpg diesel (type R at 30 mpg and assuming diesel is 10p more a liter).
I will save on some service costs as Hondas are pretty easy to DIY (I've done a headgasket and gearbox rebuild on a B series engine, so the K20 shouldn't be much more difficult).

Thanks

EP3's are easy to work on.
In 3 months I've done:
Throttle adjustment.
New ABS sensor
repaired the steering rack.
and a few other little bits. Other than the odd job being awkward due bits being rust-welded in, it's fine.

[AlexiusG55]

alex-1991 said:

Hi,

Yes being able to fit the bike in the back is quite important. I have fancy racing bikes and I don't want to leave them on a roof rack while I'm away from the car nor do I want to leave them in a bike rack where they may get bashed around.

The Megane is a very good recommendation, probably one of the best FWD diesel hatches. If I see a good example I will certainly go have a look.
The 250 will be out of my price range for now, although a yellow one would be something I would look at in a year or two.

Blanchimont how would you say the Punto and type R compare? Were both pretty good cars or is one far superior?

I don't mind noise on the motorway having come from a CRX with shorter final drive, Suzuki Ignis sport, kit car and two motorbikes so the Celica would fit right in. https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/imgs/9.gif
How do you find the Celica compared to something like the Saab?

Celica steers/handles better (not surprising, it's half a tonne lighter!) and is a much more involving drive. The performance on paper is similar, in real life they feel very different- the Saab with its turbo would shove you towards the horizon on demand, the Celica needs to be revved but there is definitely speed to go with the sound and fury. The Celica also feels tinny compared to the Saab.

[Chestrockwell]

EP3 Type R is your best bet, I sold mine over 2 years ago and I still miss it, I would actually buy another to use for fun if insurance wasn’t so expensive!

My I helped my brother move house when he had it, and folding the rear seats flat, you have so much space.

The MPG is what it is, on the motorway, it does use more fuel than an equivalent diesel or a turbo but put it this way, your budget is 4 grand, you could get a tidy one for £2500, doesn’t matter what mileage it has, they’re indestructible. You can remap it and try change the gearing for it to be more economical on the motorway or you could just pocket the rest and get on with it. 99% of the time, whatever we save on fuel, isn’t seen, 900 pounds over a year is a lot but that’s only £2.40 a day, and I think that’s a bargain for the car you’ll be able to enjoy.

I’ve been in and out of economical cars and thirsty cars, whenever I switch to something more economical, I realise how much better it is on fuel for the first week then I forget about it, just get used to it. Life’s too short to worry about fuel....I’m rambling on because I just love the EP3 and I feel a sense of satisfaction when I hear about someone else enjoying one

[rosejem]

A bit of left field choice , you could get a Mini Coupe ( non S ) for your budget.
two seater but with a big boot for a mini ( take the back wheel off & I think you could fit a bike in ) .

40 MPG , good on the motorway proven 1.6 non turbo engine.

good fun to drive .

[Chestrockwell]

rosejem said:

A bit of left field choice , you could get a Mini Coupe ( non S ) for your budget.
two seater but with a big boot for a mini ( take the back wheel off & I think you could fit a bike in ) .

40 MPG , good on the motorway proven 1.6 non turbo engine.

good fun to drive .

Great shout, or a Clubman Cooper S? How much are they going for now