What Car? 45mpg, upto £3000?

[Bad Sir Culation]

Been going through some obvious options, like a Golf GTTDI, Saab 9-3tid, Vectra diesel etc.

Is there anything anybody would recommend? My current MR2 Turbo is just costing too much to run and maintain. It's time to take a year off from fast cars

Don't mind which fuel type, body style etc. but it must be manual!

[Welshbeef]

Well frankly for the budget you are only going to get petrol wise say a 1.0ltr Micra as a petrol car which car average that value rather than hit it as a one off.

So that means turbo diesel.
For the money you want a 1.9vw tdi 115bhp or 130bhp.

These will give 50-55mpg day in day out. Christ even the passat estate using those engines gives low 50's so a smaller lighter golf or polo equivalent will be better.

[Jw Vw]

MK4 Golf TDI would be the best option for budget/economy.

[chriscoates]

320td: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2988761.htm

Audi A2 1.4TDI: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2909985.htm

[Tampon]

PH Advert said:

it is very quick for a 3cyl diesel, holds the road like a race car

Like a race car, seriously who writes this tosh, how many "race cars" has 3cyl audi man driven ?

Someone will buy that and then spout that bks down a pub, someone will believe them and so on and so on.

[Jw Vw]

Tampon said:

Like a race car, seriously who writes this tosh, how many "race cars" has 3cyl audi man driven ?

Someone will buy that and then spout that bks down a pub, someone will
believe them and so on and so on.

Race car!? That is one of the most stupid quotes I have ever heard.

[carpmaster]

I sold my Audi S4 a year ago and drive around in a Ford Focus 1.8 TDCI. It's a 53 plate, utterly reliable and cheap, 115bhp "sport" model and handles well, 3 door so looks pretty decent, air con, stereo controls on steering wheel. Will do 50mpg no problems and it's got half leather sports seats which are really nice. Can't fault it really. Can probably get one for bang on your budget now.

Here's one. Mine is in black which looks better!

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2868859.htm

Edited by carpmaster on Sunday 3rd July 16:38

[Jasandjules]

What about a non-Turbo MR2? Get one in good condition and it's happy days? Good fuel economy too really..

[anonymous-user]

Would a Volvo S60D5 be in budget??

[chriscoates]

Jw Vw said:

Tampon said:

Like a race car, seriously who writes this tosh, how many "race cars" has 3cyl audi man driven ?

Someone will buy that and then spout that bks down a pub, someone will
believe them and so on and so on.

Race car!? That is one of the most stupid quotes I have ever heard.

unfortunately it's the only sub-£3k diesel I could find. OP, it isn't as good as the frankly deluded seller claims, but it will return 70-80 mpg and is very cheap to run.

[Lone Granger]

Pug 107 and clones? 3 cylinder petrol - sounds gruff, 60 mpg? - less than £3k

[Jw Vw]

chriscoates said:

Jw Vw said:

Tampon said:

Like a race car, seriously who writes this tosh, how many "race cars" has 3cyl audi man driven ?

Someone will buy that and then spout that bks down a pub, someone will
believe them and so on and so on.

Race car!? That is one of the most stupid quotes I have ever heard.

unfortunately it's the only sub-£3k diesel I could find. OP, it isn't as good as the frankly deluded seller claims, but it will return 70-80 mpg and is very cheap to run.

The A2 is a very good car. Cheap to run and very frugal. That seller is a complete clown though

[Zwoelf]

yonex said:

Would a Volvo S60D5 be in budget??

2002ish with around 80-90k miles - which is cambelt zone at an additional £7-800 to think about if it's not yet been done.

Very comfy and economical things. 40-45 easy average mpg from the D5 163 bhp manual. Knock five off for automatics.

[Jw Vw]

Zwoelf said:

yonex said:

Would a Volvo S60D5 be in budget??

2002ish with around 80-90k miles - which is cambelt zone at an additional £7-800 to think about if it's not yet been done.

Very comfy and economical things. 40-45 easy average mpg from the D5 163 bhp manual. Knock five off for automatics.

The S60 is a very good car. As you would expect from a Volvo, it's safe, reliable, has loads of standard kit and costs a lot less than it's German rivals. One to add to the list.

[Sir Bagalot]

Rover 75/MG ZT Diesel. BMW diesel engine.

[Danesgate]

Passat 130 TDI Sport. Your monry would buy a good 54 plate estate and if you sell it in 12 months time, you'd get very similar back!!

[me2]

I have just had my cambelt replaced, all volvo bits 2004 model £130.

I think the price quoted above must be for an old model with the Audi engine, not the D5.

[Welshbeef]

Danesgate said:

Passat 130 TDI Sport. Your monry would buy a good 54 plate estate and if you sell it in 12 months time, you'd get very similar back!!

Ignore the last bit of the above.
That may or may not be the case but buy assuming it will lose c25% of it's current value every year.

Agree that the Passat 130 TDI Sport is a good buy though.

[Zwoelf]

me2 said:

I have just had my cambelt replaced, all volvo bits 2004 model £130.

I think the price quoted above must be for an old model with the Audi engine, not the D5.

Nope that's the Volvo D5 engine, the five cylinder Audi 2.5D was never fitted to the S60, admittedly I'm conditioned by vocation to think in terms of main dealer rates for the job, but even so £130 seems bloody cheap, but for an auxiliary belt at an independent I might expect that.

[r1ch]

Top example of a peugeot 306 hdi with some money left for insurance/fuel or whatever. I really rate the 306 hdi tbh, still a good looking car today and great mpg.