Station hack

[ScoobyChris]

A bit of an odd one. I commute each day on the train, but due to a change in circumstances, I'm now moving beyond walking distance from the station and my OCD/"separation issues" means I don't really fancy using my pride and joy and leaving it sat in a station car park all day.

This means I'm now breaking the habit of a lifetime and trying to find a cheap A to B car that I don't care about (a challenge in itself!) and can park anywhere without being precious about dents or scratches. My requirements are:

- £500-£1000 to buy
- Cheap to run, tax, (third party) insure (I'm happy to spanner for routine stuff)
- Focus sized and probably petrol (5-10 miles a day)
- Reliable
- A few creature comforts would be nice (air con, heated screen, etc)
- ISOFIX a plus (but probably out of reach)

I know at this price point it's a case of buying on condition and my immediate thought given the reliability criteria was something like a petrol Civic but all the ads I've seen talk about "bearings on the way out" which doesn't paint a great picture of Japanese reliability.

So my question is, given my criteria, what are the cars you'd be looking at and what would you avoid?

Thanks, Chris

Edited by ScoobyChris on Wednesday 13th June 21:47

[pdavison]

Sorry not very helpful but took this pic this morning at my local station and thought it was an interesting take on the ‘station car’ idea ...

[steve-5snwi]

A 1.6 or 1.8 Ford Focus Mk1 is all you need.

[InitialDave]

steve-5snwi said:

A 1.6 or 1.8 Ford Focus Mk1 is all you need.

I agree on the Focus, but why not just get the 2.0?

[renmure]

We bought a Suzuki Vitara for that very purpose. It has the big moulded plastic trim pieces down the lower sides of the the doors to cope with errant doors, the 4x4 capability has come in handy a few times and it has been absolutely reliable and cheap as chips to run. As a bonus, I think cheap 4x4s look less cheap than an equivalently priced runaround car and the chunky nature of them carries the inevitable scars of the station car parks far better.

[nunpuncher]

I've done 3 station hack cars. 2 have been a success 1 not so much. At this price point my approach has been you win some you lose some so I just buy the best thing for the price close to home.

Best yet was a Honda CRV bought for £900 driven for a year, never serviced, flew through its MOT, sold for £1200.

[Zetec-S]

InitialDave said:

I agree on the Focus, but why not just get the 2.0?

The 1.6 will be cheaper to run, and not really that much slower. Plus loads more to choose from, so much more chance of finding a decent example.

[Zetec-S]

Left field choice as I know it strays from the brief, but how about a Fiat Panda? Cheap and cheerful motoring, plus the added benefit of being able to squeeze into a tight spot in a busy station car park.

If you stretched the budget a bit you might even be able to get a 100HP version

[syl]

You used to walk to your commuter station, now you want to drive - OK, fair enough. But you're not trekking up and down the motorway or carrying heavy goods, so why do you need a Focus sized car to do it in? Something like a Fiesta should be fine and easier to park when the idiots next to you have parked right up against (or over) the lines.

I'm quite enjoying commuting in my (daughter's) 15 year old Fiesta, allowing her to drive to school with L plates and then me going on to work. It is so much easier to park, and still get out of, in the tiny spaces than my Range Rover (which I absolutely love, apart from the parking issue) and dents and dings are not a worry. It even has a heated windscreen and air-con.

[ScoobyChris]

Thanks for all the replies. My initial thought had been a Mk1 Focus and it's good to hear that they should be reliable and up to the job.

In answer to the size of the car, I'd originally been looking at Micra's or similar, but then discovered that for pretty much the same money (and running costs) you could get a Focus-sized car. If I go down that route, it also means I have a car I can use for taking rubbish to the tip or muddy kids to/from football training, etc so seemed like a no-brainer. Fortunately size isn't an issue where I'll be parking.

Funny the Panda is suggested - I had a new 100HP back in 2007 and did love it, racking up 60k miles in 3 years, but the clutch release bearing failing within the warranty period and the subsequent bill because it was a "wear and tear item" soured the experience a little. Saying that, though, it still seems to be going strong and has never failed an MOT and is now over 100k miles.

Chris

[davek_964]

pdavison said:

Sorry not very helpful but took this pic this morning at my local station and thought it was an interesting take on the ‘station car’ idea ...

Farnborough? I dropped my mate there this morning, but only saw one of the I8's there.

Don't get a car - get an electric unicycle. That will do ~10 miles a day and you don't need to pay for parking

[ZX10R NIN]

ST170 it'll have all the toys and be a bit of fun.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

MK2 Focus Ghia

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

The Alfa 147 is another good option they're robust won't cost you the earth to run and you have an Alfa:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Zetec-S]

Panda 100HP is meant to be...

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...