Downgrading car, £2.5k budget

[Taeb]

So I made a thread months ago saying I was downgrading from Fiesta ST to a cheaper car, basically I am going to pay off the loan and pay the insurance in full on my next car which means an extra £260 a month for me which is a big deal, anyway I will post what I want and what cars I have in mind currently.

Petrol
Manual
70k miles or less.. obviously the less the better but I will be running this car into the ground.
Decent MPG.. 35mpg + on mixed driving.
Reasonable comfort
4 door/more space for travelling
Reliability, I know you will say for the budget to pick 2 but I don't want to spend £1000s a year on a cheap car like this, so far my ideas are the following;

2008 Focus MK2.5 1.6 Petrol or 2.0 in Zetec or Titanium trim.
CL9 Accord 2.4 Exec or Type S (Wont do 35mpg mixed though)
Civic FN2 1.8 VTEC, not a big fan of the looks but at this price I can't be picky.
Mondeo 2.0 Titanium
Lexus IS200

Any more suggestions? I don't want a super old looking car if I am honest.

I have access to a brand new Hyundai Tucson on few occasions but still want my own car.

[ZX10R NIN]

My suggestions are these:

Mercedes C180 Avantgarde SE these will average 33mpg

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

IS200 these won't get past 30mpg

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

If 30mpg is okay & you can stretch the budget a bit along with some haggling then the 2.5T Mondeo in (a Mondeo would be my first pick) Titanium X trim.

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

Or the 2.0 N/A in Titanium trim

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

My second choice is the 1.6 Alfa 147 in Collezione trim

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

But Sport trim is a decent alternative

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

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

The Focus in Titanium trim are third but the better option would be the Mazda3 (which is based on a Focus) in Sport trim

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

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

Mazda3 Sport

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

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

The obvious option would be a Vauxhall they're reliable & VFM:

Insignia

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

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

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

2.0T version which you'll see around 30-31mpg with some decent go as well

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

Astra Elite

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

Astra SRI

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

[Taeb]

Thanks for the suggestions, was looking at Insignias but heard bad things, especially at this price range.

[Jamescrs]

We run loads of Insignia's at work and they are used constantly by people who don't really care about them in the main and we have had no major issues at all other than usual consumables and regular servicing, ours are all diesels including a couple of automatics.

I'd recommend one as a cheap car for taking big mileage, they do seem decent value second hand too from what i've seen

[Trevor555]

Taeb said:

Thanks for the suggestions, was looking at Insignias but heard bad things, especially at this price range.

My friend had one, he had nothing but praise for it until 126,000 miles when the engine failed, I guess it's pot luck.

Lexus IS will get early 20's mpg but would be very reliable, just check for corrosion, brake pipes etc.. That seems to be when people want rid of them.

A two grand Focus is probably where I'd put my cash, sills can be rotten, keep looking until you find a good one.

Or an E46 Bmw if you can find one that's not rusty, can be a lovely car for £2000, but you'll probably have to look at some awful ones before you find a nice one.

[Martyn76]

Mazda3 also came in a 1.6 petrol too

[ZX10R NIN]

Taeb said:

Thanks for the suggestions, was looking at Insignias but heard bad things, especially at this price range.

That'll be more to do with the diesels everything I've listed above is petrol so you shouldn't have issues with any of them really obviously this depends on previous service history.

[Taeb]

Hey again guys I just found these for cheap, any thoughts on them and what to look for apart from rust etc?

Mazda 6

[Deep Thought]

ZX10R NIN said:

Taeb said:

Thanks for the suggestions, was looking at Insignias but heard bad things, especially at this price range.

That'll be more to do with the diesels everything I've listed above is petrol so you shouldn't have issues with any of them really obviously this depends on previous service history.

+1

The petrol variants in particular are incredible value. Make sure it has its timing belt done if required and it should be fine.

[Deep Thought]

Trevor555 said:

My friend had one, he had nothing but praise for it until 126,000 miles when the engine failed, I guess it's pot luck.

Presumably a diesel variant though? Not much to go wrong on a 1.8i petrol variant to make an engine fail.

[Trevor555]

Deep Thought said:

Trevor555 said:

My friend had one, he had nothing but praise for it until 126,000 miles when the engine failed, I guess it's pot luck.

Presumably a diesel variant though? Not much to go wrong on a 1.8i petrol variant to make an engine fail.

Yes it was diesel

[ilikejam]

Taeb said:

Hey again guys I just found these for cheap, any thoughts on them and what to look for apart from rust etc?

Mazda 6

Not a great deal of help, but my aunt just sold her 2008 one and I liked it in the handful of times I drove it over the years. It's a decent sized car but it reminded me of my mk 6 Fiesta - the steering was so light yet direct that it felt like quite a nimble little thing. Never gave her any major issues other than consumables. If my lease was ending this year rather than next I might have taken it off her hands.

[Kewy]

Taeb said:

Thanks for the suggestions, was looking at Insignias but heard bad things, especially at this price range.

I owned the 2.0T (Petrol) Insignia. Thing was reasonably rapid (remap took mine to 297bhp) – but it did have its fair share of problems. Numerous sensors would just 'die' and cost £100+ each.

Eventually the novelty wore off for me and I got rid of it.

I think the CL9 accord would be worth looking at I am bias though…

[mnaylor]

Honda Accord or Toyota Avensis for me. I got an Avensis for my mate a few years ago, it's the 1.8 engine, it was on 100k miles already, 2 years later still going strong with no issues and returning over 40mpg.

If you don't mind a bit lower on the fuel economy you could try a Lexus GS300, you can get a good one for about £1500 so maybe you can justify the extra fuel expense that way, again, should be a reliable daily hack.