roller skate/shopping trolley required

[brownspeed]

annual mileage of around 6k, which is mainly local by Mrs Brownspeed, with occasional jaunts further afield. Hatchback required for occasional trips to the tip, rear seat capacity for minimal useage. (I have a TVR for weekends & sunny day honing)
I'm considering the following and would appreciate any comments from anyone who owns/has owned one.

Pre-facelift modern mini cooper
Fiat 500/595 abarth
sensible VWGolf.

your comments & suggestions are greatly appreciated-thanks in anticipation.

[ZX10R NIN]

What's the budget?

I'd say an Alfa Mito is a good shout especially in Quadrifoglio Verde form.

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

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

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

[Deerfoot]

Swift Sport?

[nadger]

Mitsubishi colt ralliart.

[brownspeed]

Cheers for the replies, I was hoping for feedback on the short list I wrote, suggestions are ok, but chances are- I've already discounted them. budget is hovering around 10k-13k.

keep em coming.........

[ZX10R NIN]

With a 13k budget get the Fiesta in ST-3 form that way Mrs Brownspeed will be happy & so will you when you borrow it.

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

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

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

Or a 208 GTI

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

[g7jhp]

Golf GTI Mk5/6 will be most practical and do the longer journeys in more comfort.

Both Mini and Fiat are tiny by comparison and will have limited rear and luggage space.

To me the Golf wins hands down, the others are small lifestyle cars!

[MorganP104]

£13k will get you a helluva lotta Golf.

Nice to drive, good around town, decent on the motorway, good quality interior (MkVI onwards), economical, everyone will fix them, fairly reliable, good resale value.

Note I didn't use the word "exciting", but you have a TVR for that!

[Willy Nilly]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

To be fair to the Golf, if you read any of Honest Johns car reviews you'd never buy any car.

[kmpowell]

We have the 1.4TSi (125hp) in our nursery/shopping Golf VII.

Superb engine. You can rag the hell out of it when 'urban' driving and it still returns 28-30mpg. On a motorway run it gives 45-50mpg.

And the Golf is huge, it easily swallows a 4yr old, a 1yr old, a Bugaboo Cameleon, 2 adults and some big bags.

[RTaylor2208]

£13K will get you into a fairly new Abarth 595 Competizione or a Turismo.

I bought a 2014 595 Comptezione about 6 weeks ago from a main dealer, 1 owner 10K Miles and 3 services under its belt (service interval is 6K or 12 months) for £11K, heard recent tales of awful trade in deals being offered on the latest S4 models with as little as £12K being offered for a 1 year old competizion.

The comp gets the sabelt seats, xenon lights, monza exhaust etc. Pretty nippy with 160HP, the newer late 2015 \ 2016 ones get 180HP. MPG is decent with 35 - 40 mixed. The sound is hilarious with the monza exhaust from a tiny 1.4T.

I find it comfy enough coming from a 100HP Panda before hand, its not as harsh as the panda was but it is still a bit bumpy on rough roads.

[brownspeed]

I find myself gravitating toward the Abarth.
500 or 595? is there much difference for most motoring? I don't want to take on TVRs with it remember!
Golf? getting conflicting stories on reliability and (yes) its a bit sensible.
Mini Cooper? I don't see much feedback here.
keep talking folks..........

[brownspeed]

since only 1 on my short list as sensible, I'm leaning away from it.
I haven't heard much on the BINI from people and I think Mrs B will probably enjoy the Fiat more & she'll be the main driver.
I was never going to consider a diesel anything- not at the mileage we do.
like I said- still listening..............

[MrAverage]

Genuine question: why have you listed 2 super minis then jumped to a golf? The fabia and polo are surely a closer match.

I currently have the pleasure of a polo all be it a lot older than your looking at and it's pretty robust and is a lovely size. I've had 5 people in it with a child seat in the back and boot full of associated child's stuff all without breaking a sweat.

OH previously had a 500 and does miss it but she said if she was to get another it would have to be an abarth as the 1.2 unit it had was very underpowered (same issue in the polo). The 500 is very compact, spacious enough for passengers but the boot is almost non existent.

[brownspeed]

A fair question- I was thinking on the lines of the "sensible" GTi or R models. TBH I forgot about the polo.
I don't need the room for the buggy as the S&H is now 23, he rarely occupies the back seat and if he ever chooses to come out with us- in future he can suffer whatever I choose to buy

[TJC46]

Mini cooper all day long !

Suggested to the wife she should drive a mini and various negatives came back like.........

They are too small........

The boot is tiny where am i going to put all the shopping.........

Its only a two seater as no one can fit in the back.........

They are quite expensive for what they are.......? [ Don't understand this one ! ]

Etc, etc, etc.

This negative outlook continued until i persuaded here to actually test drive one.

And guess what....she absolutely loves her mini. Says its the best car she has ever had,[nearly 3 years now,] and wants another one next year !

I.M.O. definitely a car for the ladies.

I think it's fun to drive, you can really throw it about and its 1600cc engine is pretty quick.

The quality and finish is also very good...... a mini BMW is a good description.

Pretty good residual value and most have a 5 year service plan included which is transferable.

[brownspeed]

Better than a scirrocco, bathtub or a silver cross pram?