£5000 daily - fun/motorway commute/small driveway
£5000 daily - fun/motorway commute/small driveway
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OriginalJunglist

Original Poster:

12 posts

108 months

Saturday 17th June 2017
quotequote all
Hi all
So the time has come to upgrade me car. I work night shifts (hence the timing of post) and have a 44mile round trip on the motorway (rarely traffic) three or four times a week. I have family three hours away and regularly visit and cover around 18-20thousand miles a year so needs to be reliable.

I have around 5k max to spend. Took me a while to save so wanting something that will last a good while.

I'm not quite sure what I'm looking for really. Currently drive a Jimny which is a great fun car, think i achieve about 35mpg at present and fill up about once a week roughly 40quid. It's clearly not built for motorways but I have really enjoyed it. Looking for something a little cooler, maybe push the boat out and say sporty.

Where I live is tragic for parking and the new car must fit on my small drive which limits various saloons etc so kinda looking at hatches really.

Comfort isn't high on the agenda as anything is probs better than a Jimny.
Fuel consumption is important , I'm used to my 40quid a week so don't want to go wild but I understand I will probs fill up less often but more expensive. Reliability is key. Also want something that's quite fun to drive. I'm 25 so insurance is a factor. No kids so thinking three door.

So With all that in mind (sorry) and the 5k budget what would you suggest?
Cheers


Edited by OriginalJunglist on Saturday 17th June 03:32

PlayFair

201 posts

138 months

Saturday 17th June 2017
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Why not go for 2 cars?

I run a Saab 9-3 1.9 tid for motorway drives

and just picked up a MK1 Mx5 which will be turbo charged for trackdays / sunny blasts.

caelite

4,282 posts

130 months

Sunday 18th June 2017
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PlayFair said:
Why not go for 2 cars?

I run a Saab 9-3 1.9 tid for motorway drives

and just picked up a MK1 Mx5 which will be turbo charged for trackdays / sunny blasts.
Even with 1 car, MX5 fits the bill doesn't it? OP never said he needed back seats. Reliable, will get a solid 35mpg, insurance is reasonable & oodles within a £5k budget. I daily drive my mk2, its comfy enough, in fact from a ride quality point of view I would say it is comfier than most of the hot hatches I have owned on its OEM Bilsteins, however the interior is a bit loud due to floptop.

Coincidentally I also have a Jimny for hauling st about. They are fun wee cars off the beaten track but as the OP says, on the motorway you are sitting with the trucks, particularly if you have the gall to chuck a 1300kg trailer on the back of one biggrin

Naturally my recommendation is keep the Jimny and get a mk1/2/2.5 MX5, since that is exactly what I have done.

wack

2,103 posts

224 months

Sunday 18th June 2017
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6k would get you a 500 Abarth , if you hunted around you might find one for 5k in a private sale

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...