Nissan Micra, right car for me?
Discussion
Hi everyone, this is my first post!
Basically the situation is, I have a Hyundai Coupe 2.0 and its a lovely car, however driving it around town I only seem to be getting about 24mpg out of it!
I'm almost at the stage where I think it might be more cost effective to buy another small car like a 1999 Nissan Micra (because its very reliable) for about £300, use that around town and keep the Coupe for the longer trips.
Does anyone know what kind of mpg one gets round town from a Nissan Micra? I was thinking the 1.3 because I like my cars to have a reasonable amount of guts. If I shop around, is £300 a realistic price for a Micra?
Would you recommend any other reliable small cars that I can run on a shoestring ( to make it worth buying another car in saving of fuel)
I'm thinking of working as a food delivery driver for some extra cash so I'll probably be driving around town a lot more.
Thanks very much to anyone who answers
Basically the situation is, I have a Hyundai Coupe 2.0 and its a lovely car, however driving it around town I only seem to be getting about 24mpg out of it!
I'm almost at the stage where I think it might be more cost effective to buy another small car like a 1999 Nissan Micra (because its very reliable) for about £300, use that around town and keep the Coupe for the longer trips.
Does anyone know what kind of mpg one gets round town from a Nissan Micra? I was thinking the 1.3 because I like my cars to have a reasonable amount of guts. If I shop around, is £300 a realistic price for a Micra?
Would you recommend any other reliable small cars that I can run on a shoestring ( to make it worth buying another car in saving of fuel)
I'm thinking of working as a food delivery driver for some extra cash so I'll probably be driving around town a lot more.
Thanks very much to anyone who answers
We used to have a 2001 Micra 1.0 automatic. It did around 35mpg - the same as the Alfa Romeo 2.0 we replaced it with.
If it was used for a very short journey from cold, it would then fail to start the next time it was used.
I don't think the small savings you will make on fuel will cover the other costs - tax, insurance etc. of running a second car.
If it was used for a very short journey from cold, it would then fail to start the next time it was used.
I don't think the small savings you will make on fuel will cover the other costs - tax, insurance etc. of running a second car.
jamesh764 said:
We used to have a 2001 Micra 1.0 automatic. It did around 35mpg - the same as the Alfa Romeo 2.0 we replaced it with.
If it was used for a very short journey from cold, it would then fail to start the next time it was used.
I don't think the small savings you will make on fuel will cover the other costs - tax, insurance etc. of running a second car.
This.If it was used for a very short journey from cold, it would then fail to start the next time it was used.
I don't think the small savings you will make on fuel will cover the other costs - tax, insurance etc. of running a second car.
Just purchase another car with a better MPG all round. Should be able to get something fairly quick with 35+ MPG pretty easily.
A friend tried doing this and bought a 1.3 Ford Ka for the delivery duties - he got sub-30 MPG! It was in healthy condition too, it just wasn't a very economical engine (i think they are quite an old design?)
Just get a better car all-round. 35mpg isn't bad from any car around town though, you'll be pushed to see a return on that by downgrading.
Just get a better car all-round. 35mpg isn't bad from any car around town though, you'll be pushed to see a return on that by downgrading.
Welcome to PH. 
There are two parts to your message. Is your Hyundai your pride and joy - as in, would you really not want to waste the car putting miles on it commuting? The mpg you're quoting seems reasonable for a car in town, so if you're just trying to save fuel money I wouldn't bother buying another car. Remember that it's not just the purchase price of the car, you also have to pay for tax and insurance - so even a £300 Micra will end up costing you £700 overall, if you say insurance is £300 and tax is £100 (for six months).
I actually bought a K10 Micra back in 2006 before I could drive so I could learn how to take an engine apart. When I-er, a friend, drove it on the road, the 1-litre car was fast and fun enough to not consider the 1.3. My Mum bought a K11 Micra in a coincidental time frame that I remember taking out for a drive with my dad, they're satisfyingly fast and the automotive equivalent of the bird from 50 shades - i.e. they love to get a good pasting.
Mum's Micra used to see about 35mpg in town but I don't really think that should be your major concern. Unfortunately I think that a delivery-driver priced car and anything remotely fun are mutually exclusive. If you're going to deliver food, I agree with the other posters that a moped/bike is better - you can zip through traffic and on a 50cc moped get silly mpg figures in the 70s.
This site is fantastic for advice and left-field solutions so don't be afraid to post some more detail about your situation as there's always going to be something you've never thought of on here.
There are two parts to your message. Is your Hyundai your pride and joy - as in, would you really not want to waste the car putting miles on it commuting? The mpg you're quoting seems reasonable for a car in town, so if you're just trying to save fuel money I wouldn't bother buying another car. Remember that it's not just the purchase price of the car, you also have to pay for tax and insurance - so even a £300 Micra will end up costing you £700 overall, if you say insurance is £300 and tax is £100 (for six months).
I actually bought a K10 Micra back in 2006 before I could drive so I could learn how to take an engine apart. When I-er, a friend, drove it on the road, the 1-litre car was fast and fun enough to not consider the 1.3. My Mum bought a K11 Micra in a coincidental time frame that I remember taking out for a drive with my dad, they're satisfyingly fast and the automotive equivalent of the bird from 50 shades - i.e. they love to get a good pasting.
Mum's Micra used to see about 35mpg in town but I don't really think that should be your major concern. Unfortunately I think that a delivery-driver priced car and anything remotely fun are mutually exclusive. If you're going to deliver food, I agree with the other posters that a moped/bike is better - you can zip through traffic and on a 50cc moped get silly mpg figures in the 70s.
This site is fantastic for advice and left-field solutions so don't be afraid to post some more detail about your situation as there's always going to be something you've never thought of on here.
My BiL needed a car. So he asked his brother who in that side of the family is considered to be the oracle but knows sod all about cars. In his wisdom he suggested a Micra would be an ideal car.
So younger BiL went and bought one. Which turned out to be about 4 stuck together.
What I'm trying to say is that a Micra is never the answer. Ever.
So younger BiL went and bought one. Which turned out to be about 4 stuck together.
What I'm trying to say is that a Micra is never the answer. Ever.
Thanks for the advice guys.
I had thought about the tax and insurance. I do enjoy driving the Hyundai, and I haven't had it very long but its making me crazy how much i'm spending on fuel.
Another idea I had with a banger would be that I would use it for a year for work then maybe go on one of those cheap car rallies with it seeing as I had the car already. So it would be like buying the car this year would contribute to my holiday next year!
I would get a manual because I like changing gear haha.
I guess the appeal is also to be able to rag something that doesn't really matter.
I had thought they would return better MPG than that though. to be honest if the difference is a few hundred pounds between fuel and an extra car i'd rather get another car because at least i have something to show for the money.
It would have to be reliable though, because anything expensive goes and its scrap straight away.
I had thought about the tax and insurance. I do enjoy driving the Hyundai, and I haven't had it very long but its making me crazy how much i'm spending on fuel.
Another idea I had with a banger would be that I would use it for a year for work then maybe go on one of those cheap car rallies with it seeing as I had the car already. So it would be like buying the car this year would contribute to my holiday next year!
I would get a manual because I like changing gear haha.
I guess the appeal is also to be able to rag something that doesn't really matter.
I had thought they would return better MPG than that though. to be honest if the difference is a few hundred pounds between fuel and an extra car i'd rather get another car because at least i have something to show for the money.
It would have to be reliable though, because anything expensive goes and its scrap straight away.
Edited by puffnut on Tuesday 24th February 23:44
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