Am I being realistic or not? 5-6k budget

[Shiv_P]

Hi all,

I posted a few months back however am now properly looking at getting my "first" car (I have shared my grandads fiesta for around 2.5 years as main driver). I'll be doing around 30 miles a day mostly on the motorway to uni and back, so not many miles (around 7k per year at a stretch) hence looking at petrol manual and probably hatchback sized (ie golf, 1 series etc) but not too fussed about this. However I would like to be able to achieve high 30s mpg on a run as I have no idea where I will be based/how far I will need to travel for placement in late 2019
I'm bored of little power, ideally want 200bhp+, something with a reliable motor and manual gearbox

ATM I have looked at everything from LS400 to mk5 golf GTI, skoda superb estates as the 2 years NCB I have built up along with my postcode being OK for insurance means most "performance" stuff like type R civic, focus ST come out with reasonable insurance quotes despite being 19. I am currently looking at 130i BMWs, however for my budget (5-6k) most are getting on a bit say 2006 era and even those with relatively low miles (85-100k) will likely need suspension refreshes etc and I'd like to spend as little as possible on maintenance (as everyone does!)? My dad also thinks getting a 260bhp RWD hatch is not the most sensible option as a first car after a 75bhp fiesta

Mk5 GTI is an option but they suffer from relatively poor MPG even vs the 3 litre N52 in 125/130 and my brother had a mk5 so I sort of want something different from him R32 would be cool, but again MPG

Civic Type R is a little bit hardcore in the suspension side I hear? I am a little bit of an old man when it comes to comfort
Focus ST again poor MPG but special 5 cylinder noises

Another option is to get a shed for a year (1.9PD passat, saab 9-3 or something?) and then sell this time next year for something else when I know where I stand when it comes to placement jobs? However I don't really want to be spending money into a car that I'm only keeping for a few months in terms of brakes, tyres etc

I'm not fussed about badge "status", but I won't drive vauxhalls or french cars except renaultsport (and I'm not keen on the megane's looks and the clio 197/200 has some scary gearbox issues that I won't really be able to afford to fork out on right now)

So as you can tell I'm confused as to what the best option, any help would be welcome!

[designforlife]

Ep3 type R, very cheap these days, lots of fun...also doesn't have the crappy ride of the FN2 type R.

K20 is pretty much bomb proof as long as you keep the oil topped up, they're generally a reliable car and don't require a specialist garage (aside from getting the valve clearances checked/adjusted once in a while).

[ZX10R NIN]

On that kind of run the Focus will average anything from 26-30mpg (I used to average 27mpg with mine & it was running over 300bhp) if you can live with that then that would be where I'd spend the money, the Golf really won't be that much better.

Handling wise there's not a lot between them I felt the Ford just edged it & then there's the engine which is a peach, if you want the best drivers hatch then it has to be the Megane.

[Shiv_P]

designforlife said:

Ep3 type R, very cheap these days, lots of fun...also doesn't have the crappy ride of the FN2 type R.

K20 is pretty much bomb proof as long as you keep the oil topped up, they're generally a reliable car and don't require a specialist garage (aside from getting the valve clearances checked/adjusted once in a while).

Interesting idea, will save me some money too.... I'll look into them

ZX10R NIN said:

On that kind of run the Focus will average anything from 26-30mpg (I used to average 27mpg with mine & it was running over 300bhp) if you can live with that then that would be where I'd spend the money, the Golf really won't be that much better.

Handling wise there's not a lot between them I felt the Ford just edged it & then there's the engine which is a peach, if you want the best drivers hatch then it has to be the Megane.

Thanks ZX, not looking for anything as hardcore as the megane. I'll discount the golf then and look into ST but 27-30mpg might be a stretch for me. I do really like them though

[Tyre Smoke]

Why won't you driver Vauxhall or French?

You are dismissing a lot of great cars.

[designforlife]

Tyre Smoke said:

Why won't you driver Vauxhall or French?

You are dismissing a lot of great cars.

Vauxhall and "great cars" in the same sentence

maybe 25 years ago, but certainly not today.

[Shiv_P]

Tyre Smoke said:

Why won't you driver Vauxhall or French?

You are dismissing a lot of great cars.

Vauxhalls are just crap IMO where the budget fits, no reason for me to buy one at all. Absolutely hate them

French I suppose the old stereotype of reliability, but there isn't much that fit my requirements anyway apart from the renaultsport stuff (don't like Peugeots at all same reason as vauxhall, and citroen didn't do anything particularly exciting either)

There is a 130i local, I may go and test drive it however it isn't an example I'd buy (high price & 135k miles). There are plenty of focus STs about as well so likely try one as well

Edited by Shiv_P on Tuesday 3rd July 11:05

[DoubleD]

On a run a MK5 GTI will do about 35mpg so not that bad.

[Tyre Smoke]

designforlife said:

Tyre Smoke said:

Why won't you driver Vauxhall or French?

You are dismissing a lot of great cars.

Vauxhall and "great cars" in the same sentence

maybe 25 years ago, but certainly not today.

Disagree.

Not the car the OP wants but we have a 11 plate Corsa SXi Turbo diesel in the family and it's a fantastic little car. Well built, no rattles, great comfortable seats, £30 road tax and loads of torque for a little engine. And 60mpg.

[designforlife]

Car reliability and performance aside, the trouble there is that you have to be seen in it.

Even if they were good cars, the image alone would be enough to make me run a mile...you know what they say about 19 year olds that drive Corsas right? (and with good reason, as evidenced in mcdonald's car parks across the country).

[RZ1]

E90 335d

Great cars good on fuel with decent power

[Tyre Smoke]

RZ1 said:

E90 335d

Great cars good on fuel with decent power

Only if mapped of course!

[GregK2]

RZ1 said:

E90 335d

Great cars good on fuel with decent power

Op does 7k miles, firmly in petrol territory.

[LM95]

An Audi A3 with the 1.8 or 2.0 TFSI engine would be a good half way between performance and comfort. Should hold its value at this level too pretty well.

You could just about get in to an Alfa Gulietta 1.75 tbi which is quite a bargain and also an Abarth 500 or Abarth Punto would be fun.

Failing that if you want a full blown hot hatch then there is loads of Focus ST, civic type R and even though you don’t like them by the look of it the Astra VXR to choose from. Each are suitably rapid, loads of parts available and easy to modify if that’s your thing (in fact finding a standard one would be a challenge!) also probably don’t discount a Mini Cooper S JCW, better than you would think.

Something a bit left field is that there is some nice Mercedes CLK convertibles listed on autotrader under 6k too.

[anonymous-user]

Worth throwing the Mazda 3 MPS into the mix

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say a good option for comfort & performance is the Alfa Giulietta they're robust reliable swift & will give good MPG.

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

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

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

ST-3

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

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

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

Fiat 500 Abarth

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

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

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

Alfa Mito Cloverleaf/QV

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

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

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

The Giulietta seems to be the best compromise for your needs but test drive a few listed on here to workout what suits,I know you said you don't like Vauxhalls but they're not bad:

Astra GTC SRI 180

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

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

The above are decent cars that will give decent performance mpg & a decent amount of kit too so I wouldn't dismiss them out of hand but I would take the Alfa over one.

[TurboHatchback]

I had a Mk5 Golf GTI, it would easily top 40mpg on longer runs driven sensibly and was generally excellent on fuel. Pretty much all the cars you mention are good in their own way.

What I can't help feeling though is that living 30 miles from university and spending £6k on a car to commute is doing things wrong. Living at uni and the whole student lifestyle is a huge part of the whole experience, also £6k at that stage of life is a lot of money that could go towards more worthy things.

[Shiv_P]

MonkeyMatt said:

Worth throwing the Mazda 3 MPS into the mix

Thanks. Do these not have bad timing chain (tensioner) issues?

ZX - thanks for the list. Will have a look, the giulietta looks interesting.

TurboHatchback said:

I had a Mk5 Golf GTI, it would easily top 40mpg on longer runs driven sensibly and was generally excellent on fuel. Pretty much all the cars you mention are good in their own way.

What I can't help feeling though is that living 30 miles from university and spending £6k on a car to commute is doing things wrong. Living at uni and the whole student lifestyle is a huge part of the whole experience, also £6k at that stage of life is a lot of money that could go towards more worthy things.

I see what you're saying, and I've put a lot of thought into it. Effectively it'll save me a st load of money (will need to be buying a car for placement year anyway) and it will work out cheaper to get a hotel once/twice a week when I go out on the piss (didn't go much more than that in first year anyway). It will save a lot of money as the course is 5 years
I will look into the GTI again

[ZX10R NIN]

Shiv_P said:

I see what you're saying, and I've put a lot of thought into it. Effectively it'll save me a st load of money (will need to be buying a car for placement year anyway) and it will work out cheaper to get a hotel once/twice a week when I go out on the piss (didn't go much more than that in first year anyway). It will save a lot of money as the course is 5 years
I will look into the GTI again

The Giulietta is a good option plus you land a newer car than either the ST/GTI fuel wise you'll comfortably be into the mid/high 40's on a run, when I said 27mpg on the ST that was my average mpg, on a run not driving like a saint you'll see 36mpg.

[Shiv_P]

ZX10R NIN said:

The Giulietta is a good option plus you land a newer car than either the ST/GTI fuel wise you'll comfortably be into the mid/high 40's on a run, when I said 27mpg on the ST that was my average mpg, on a run not driving like a saint you'll see 36mpg.

I think I'll go try a focus ST & a GTI this weekend if there are any closeby and report back