Buying an estate even if you don't need one?
Discussion
I may be stupid to even consider this but one of the guys at work just got a new company car so his 'old banger' one is going up for sale soon. It's a 2005 Focus Estate LX, 1.6 TDCi (110bhp) and it's done about 80k miles. I believe the first 5 years or so of its life was spent in London traffic and the past 3 years have been spent doing 10-15k per year up in the midlands.
Now I wouldn't normally consider looking at this car in a million years as I'm only 20 and don't need an estate for any particular reason but I've been looking for a cheap car for over a year now to replace my bog-standard 1.2 punto and I feel this could be a decent opportunity to snatch one up for cheap. My daily commute is probably only 5 miles each way but I normally spend every other weekend on the motorway 90 miles each way visiting my girlfriend (2 years of doing this in a Punto has grown tiresome). I do about 8k per year on average.
Just wanted advice really, I know it's not a typical 20 year olds car and I know I have no specific requirements for an estate but would you buy it in my situation? I reckon I can get it dirt cheap as we're quite a close-knit company to the point where if it blew up after a couple of months I reckon they'd even be willing to help pay the bill. Will it feel like driving a tank compared to my Punto? Are they decent cars to own? Anything I need to look out for? It's not the best looking (silver with black door handles...) but I've got to the point now where anything will do compared to my punto.
Now I wouldn't normally consider looking at this car in a million years as I'm only 20 and don't need an estate for any particular reason but I've been looking for a cheap car for over a year now to replace my bog-standard 1.2 punto and I feel this could be a decent opportunity to snatch one up for cheap. My daily commute is probably only 5 miles each way but I normally spend every other weekend on the motorway 90 miles each way visiting my girlfriend (2 years of doing this in a Punto has grown tiresome). I do about 8k per year on average.
Just wanted advice really, I know it's not a typical 20 year olds car and I know I have no specific requirements for an estate but would you buy it in my situation? I reckon I can get it dirt cheap as we're quite a close-knit company to the point where if it blew up after a couple of months I reckon they'd even be willing to help pay the bill. Will it feel like driving a tank compared to my Punto? Are they decent cars to own? Anything I need to look out for? It's not the best looking (silver with black door handles...) but I've got to the point now where anything will do compared to my punto.
When I was 18 I was planning a trip down to my mums in the south of Spain, at that time I used to run a fleet of 3-4 bangers, rotating between fixed, being used, broken, in the process of being fixed!
I then realised that none of the current fleet would make it, or be affordable!
At the same time my boss was selling his audi 80 tdi avant, over serviced and well loved so I sold 3 of my fleet and bought it, intending to use it for the trip then sell it again.
I ended up keeping it for nearly a year, I drove from the south if England to the south of Spain none stop in about 25 hours (oh to be young and fuelled on redbull again!) and got out with no aches or pains, it did around 50-60mpg all the way down, I found hidden under that dash a plug in rechip that made it faster than anything my friends owned
Plus it had the benefit of cheap insurance due to a lack of 18 year olds crashing audi avants!
I wouldn't worry about image, as far as I know the focus estate handles just as well as the hatch, it will be miserly on fuel and just think of the rubbish/ stuff/ beer you could fill it with!
I then realised that none of the current fleet would make it, or be affordable!
At the same time my boss was selling his audi 80 tdi avant, over serviced and well loved so I sold 3 of my fleet and bought it, intending to use it for the trip then sell it again.
I ended up keeping it for nearly a year, I drove from the south if England to the south of Spain none stop in about 25 hours (oh to be young and fuelled on redbull again!) and got out with no aches or pains, it did around 50-60mpg all the way down, I found hidden under that dash a plug in rechip that made it faster than anything my friends owned
Plus it had the benefit of cheap insurance due to a lack of 18 year olds crashing audi avants!
I wouldn't worry about image, as far as I know the focus estate handles just as well as the hatch, it will be miserly on fuel and just think of the rubbish/ stuff/ beer you could fill it with!
Estates are indeed fantastic, however, expect all of your mates to phone you when they need something large moving! It can get annoying but if you charge a few quid here and there, you can soon make the cost of the car back! I've done 3 house moves this year for friends, and moved countless large home appliances!
Grimezy93 said:
I may be stupid to even consider this but one of the guys at work just got a new company car so his 'old banger' one is going up for sale soon. It's a 2005 Focus Estate LX, 1.6 TDCi (110bhp) and it's done about 80k miles. I believe the first 5 years or so of its life was spent in London traffic and the past 3 years have been spent doing 10-15k per year up in the midlands.
Now I wouldn't normally consider looking at this car in a million years as I'm only 20 and don't need an estate for any particular reason but I've been looking for a cheap car for over a year now to replace my bog-standard 1.2 punto and I feel this could be a decent opportunity to snatch one up for cheap. My daily commute is probably only 5 miles each way but I normally spend every other weekend on the motorway 90 miles each way visiting my girlfriend (2 years of doing this in a Punto has grown tiresome). I do about 8k per year on average.
Just wanted advice really, I know it's not a typical 20 year olds car and I know I have no specific requirements for an estate but would you buy it in my situation? I reckon I can get it dirt cheap as we're quite a close-knit company to the point where if it blew up after a couple of months I reckon they'd even be willing to help pay the bill. Will it feel like driving a tank compared to my Punto? Are they decent cars to own? Anything I need to look out for? It's not the best looking (silver with black door handles...) but I've got to the point now where anything will do compared to my punto.
What I don't get is, how can you spend a year looking for a cheap car and evidently find nothing??? Now I wouldn't normally consider looking at this car in a million years as I'm only 20 and don't need an estate for any particular reason but I've been looking for a cheap car for over a year now to replace my bog-standard 1.2 punto and I feel this could be a decent opportunity to snatch one up for cheap. My daily commute is probably only 5 miles each way but I normally spend every other weekend on the motorway 90 miles each way visiting my girlfriend (2 years of doing this in a Punto has grown tiresome). I do about 8k per year on average.
Just wanted advice really, I know it's not a typical 20 year olds car and I know I have no specific requirements for an estate but would you buy it in my situation? I reckon I can get it dirt cheap as we're quite a close-knit company to the point where if it blew up after a couple of months I reckon they'd even be willing to help pay the bill. Will it feel like driving a tank compared to my Punto? Are they decent cars to own? Anything I need to look out for? It's not the best looking (silver with black door handles...) but I've got to the point now where anything will do compared to my punto.
Estates are the only proper car imo.
At 21 I had a 2.2 Vectra at it was fakin huge. No kids, dogs, family or anything, just me. With the dark headlining and tinted rear windows, it was super cosy too. Never had that feeling since.
At 23 i had a 318i touring, a lot smaller but still great.
Now several years down the line, i've got an E46 saloon and it's annoying. Just today my dad had to get a mate from work to help him move a fridge, then I needed to go to the tip and could lilterally squeeze about one piece of wood in it, having to leave loads behind. With an estate I could have done so much more.
Next car is gonna be an estate guranteed, hopefully an E91 330d.
At 21 I had a 2.2 Vectra at it was fakin huge. No kids, dogs, family or anything, just me. With the dark headlining and tinted rear windows, it was super cosy too. Never had that feeling since.
At 23 i had a 318i touring, a lot smaller but still great.
Now several years down the line, i've got an E46 saloon and it's annoying. Just today my dad had to get a mate from work to help him move a fridge, then I needed to go to the tip and could lilterally squeeze about one piece of wood in it, having to leave loads behind. With an estate I could have done so much more.
Next car is gonna be an estate guranteed, hopefully an E91 330d.
300bhp/ton said:
What I don't get is, how can you spend a year looking for a cheap car and evidently find nothing???
A combination of things:1) I wasn't always looking for something cheap, at first I wanted something in the £5k region but didn't have the money so would have had to risk a loan.
2) Didn't see anything I fancied that was in decent condition or worth upgrading from my Punto
3) Punto has kept running longer than I expected and hasn't thrown up any bills at all so it's been a bit of a reluctant search, yes I wanted something nicer but realistically I'd rather keep the car I know the history of than buy somebody elses banger.
So what's made me consider this Focus estate all of a sudden? Well it's been owned by my company from new, regular servicing and I'll be able to get it for a bargain. If it was some Focus Estate I'd seen on autotrader I wouldn't even bother.
Thanks for the positive response though so far guys, I appreciate it's not the best looking car but I do think the practicality would be great. My dad owns an 07 Audi A4 saloon and he can't fit anything in the boot at all to the point where he normally asks me to move big stuff in my Punto as the seats go down properly! Would probably come in handy as we're thinking about moving back up north soon and I've got things like F1 at Silverstone this year coming up which would be good to take.
t you not. If you can get it cheap enough, then get it. You can always sell it on.
But tbh it's not the sort of car someone buys because they like cars. As transport it is perfectly adequate, although nothing more.
So I guess, being as this is Piston Heads and not Cheap Motoring, do you have any interest in cars and driving?
If yes. Then apart from maybe being able to make a couple of quid, there is no other reason to buy the Focus Estate.
If no, then sure. Although if it's comfort you are after for 90 mile drives, then a Focus is likely only a marginally step up.
But tbh it's not the sort of car someone buys because they like cars. As transport it is perfectly adequate, although nothing more.
So I guess, being as this is Piston Heads and not Cheap Motoring, do you have any interest in cars and driving?
If yes. Then apart from maybe being able to make a couple of quid, there is no other reason to buy the Focus Estate.
If no, then sure. Although if it's comfort you are after for 90 mile drives, then a Focus is likely only a marginally step up.
300bhp/ton said:
If you can get it cheap enough, then get it. You can always sell it on.
But tbh it's not the sort of car someone buys because they like cars. As transport it is perfectly adequate, although nothing more.
So I guess, being as this is Piston Heads and not Cheap Motoring, do you have any interest in cars and driving?
If yes. Then apart from maybe being able to make a couple of quid, there is no other reason to buy the Focus Estate.
If no, then sure. Although if it's comfort you are after for 90 mile drives, then a Focus is likely only a marginally step up.
Curious to know what you would recommend? But tbh it's not the sort of car someone buys because they like cars. As transport it is perfectly adequate, although nothing more.
So I guess, being as this is Piston Heads and not Cheap Motoring, do you have any interest in cars and driving?
If yes. Then apart from maybe being able to make a couple of quid, there is no other reason to buy the Focus Estate.
If no, then sure. Although if it's comfort you are after for 90 mile drives, then a Focus is likely only a marginally step up.
I of course enjoy cars otherwise I wouldn't even know this site existed but being 20 and not having minted parents meaning having to pay my way at home and only have a standard paying admin job means I've never been in the position to spend a great amount of money on one hence why I've been stuck with my Punto. And even though I could afford a loan I'm not really happy in my job at the moment and don't want to be tied down to payments for 2-3 years before I can decide what I actually want to do with my life.
I appreciate it's no coupe or hot hatch but I've read decent things about the Focus's handling and ride which I'd been led to believe was pretty good? And it would also fulfil my motorway needs which any 'pistonhead' cars would normally guzzle my wallet or break my back am I correct?
Like I said, any alternative suggestions would be great. Only really looking to spend £1000-£1500 and don't want anything too high maintenance or thirsty/expensive to insure.
I'll be honest and admit I'm probably not the sort of person to recommend alternatives in this situation. But that's because I'd never contemplate buying a car such as a 1.6 Focus Estate.
Honestly it's not a bad vehicle, but it is just a means of transport. And while the Focus is claimed to handle well, you need to put this into perspective. It handles well for a mass market mid sized family hatchback. Rather than the entire realm of motorcars.
That said a diesel estate is going to be more nose heavier, down on power and not really a fun engine. The Estate body too must weigh more and induce more roll. All in all, it's probably the worst configuration to have from a performance and fun factor in terms of the Focus line up.
The MK2 should actually offer a step up in comfort over a Punto I agree. Although when I think refinement I'm more thinking of something bigger and more up market than a Focus.
For the 'right' money, you might get a good deal and you can always sell it on. But it'll never be more than just transport. So the choice is really yours at the end of the day.
Just for the record, a £1000-1500 budget could get you something like this. I can't comment on insurance, so you'd need to check it out. And MPG will be less, Parkers claim 58mpg for the Focus, although I'd be surprised if many really attain this.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/v...
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
Honestly it's not a bad vehicle, but it is just a means of transport. And while the Focus is claimed to handle well, you need to put this into perspective. It handles well for a mass market mid sized family hatchback. Rather than the entire realm of motorcars.
That said a diesel estate is going to be more nose heavier, down on power and not really a fun engine. The Estate body too must weigh more and induce more roll. All in all, it's probably the worst configuration to have from a performance and fun factor in terms of the Focus line up.
The MK2 should actually offer a step up in comfort over a Punto I agree. Although when I think refinement I'm more thinking of something bigger and more up market than a Focus.
For the 'right' money, you might get a good deal and you can always sell it on. But it'll never be more than just transport. So the choice is really yours at the end of the day.
Just for the record, a £1000-1500 budget could get you something like this. I can't comment on insurance, so you'd need to check it out. And MPG will be less, Parkers claim 58mpg for the Focus, although I'd be surprised if many really attain this.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/v...
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
Nothing wrong with that..
As someone else said just keep ontop of oil changes with the 110hp version. It suffers from build up which blocks the turbo oil feed pipe - bye bye turbo..
Can buy a new turbo and fitting kit on eBay for around £300 so it wouldn't be too disastrous if it went.
As someone else said just keep ontop of oil changes with the 110hp version. It suffers from build up which blocks the turbo oil feed pipe - bye bye turbo..
Can buy a new turbo and fitting kit on eBay for around £300 so it wouldn't be too disastrous if it went.
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