Daily Driver for £2500

[Brad Smith]

So my current daily driver is my my E46 M3. Which as well as loving to drink petrol, I don’t like continuously putting the miles onto it as it’s already fairly high mileage.

My daily drive is 30 miles to work 30 miles back, so looking for something cheap to run and good on fuel.

Just looking for people’s thoughts as what would be best, so far I’ve thought of:

Honda Civic 2.2 diesel
Ford Fiesta TDCI
Ford Focus
Alfa Romeo 159 diesel
Bmw 320d - struggling to find anything that looks decent.
Golf
Audi A3

My main requirements are:
40+ MPG
Cheap to run and tax etc.
Comfy drive
Not a horrible place to be, as will be spending quite a bit of time in there.

Any thoughts or input would be extremely useful as I want to get something sorted. But maybe I’m being a bit picky for something just to use for work.

Thanks.

[AndyB180]

Very Interested in this. Currently looking to sell my Mercedes B180 to free up some locked in cash and spend the same amount on a beater to last a year.

[Goldfever4]

This looks tidy and may be within reach after a haggle - it has been listed for over a fortnight.

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

[mintybiscuit]

Volvo V70d

[_Hoppers]

I assume you're looking at a MK8 Civic at that price? I had a Mk8 Type S and my wife has an EX (both petrol). Both were/are incredibly reliable, I reckon you'd get 40mpg plus out of the petrol. Ride is fairly firm but you won't have to worry about repair bills! Be careful with the diesel version, clutches can fail after relatively few miles (-+80K ish)

[Drew106]

I've recently acquired a 2010 Skoda Octavia 1.6 TDI.

With 15" wheels and big tyres, it's dead comfy. Not a terrible thing to drive, actually pulls quite well. Plus 50MPG & £30 road tax!

[rallycross]

If only £2.5k budget for a diesel then Golf 1.9 mk6 shape can’t really go wrong that or a Volvo D5 in s60 (saloon) or v70 (estate) for comfy barge.

[xjay1337]

To be honest VW / Skoda would be the only choice.
Given generally they are reliable, and spare parts are plentiful, and DIY guides everywhere for pretty much everything.

The other choices are interesting (Alfa etc) but will be less reliable.

[DailyHack]

Saab is another option? I have a 318d and a TTid and I prefer my twin-turbo 9-3, definitely in your budget.

[nethers66]

I picked up a 55 plate Golf GTI Mk5 before Christmas for around that budget, as a winter runabout to keep the AMG off the roads over the winter as much as possible, its clean and tidy full service history with 144k miles.

[ZX10R NIN]

Alfa 147 Sport

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

2.4d 159 Ti

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Giulietta Veloce

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

CLK270

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

CLC200 Sport

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

C Coupe 220 SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

2.0d Mazda3 Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Auris SR180

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

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

MG ZT

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

[LetsTryAgain]

Brad Smith said:

Stuff

Bradley Smith, is that you!?
If so, I met you in the pit lane at COTA a few years ago.
Reference your new motor - unless you're going to fix it yourself I wouldn't suggest a modern diesel.

[Brad Smith]

Some good options been put forward so thanks. Anyone had a 1 series ? They seem to fall in this price range. Can pick up a decent m sport.

Also apologies mate I think you have the wrong Bradley Smith

[p4cks]

Yaris/Auris 1.33 - cheap as chips, reliable and great on fuel.

[Shiv_P]

Brad Smith said:

Some good options been put forward so thanks. Anyone had a 1 series ? They seem to fall in this price range. Can pick up a decent m sport.

Also apologies mate I think you have the wrong Bradley Smith

Avoid all 1 series of this era unless 6 cylinder. The engines have problems

[DailyHack]

Shiv_P said:

Avoid all 1 series of this era unless 6 cylinder. The engines have problems

Beg to differ, if maintained correctly (i.e change oil/filter every 8/10k you will be fine)

I ran a 118d 2008 up to 170k no issues, running around 220k now (i know the owner i sold it to).

I am/my wife is running my old 318d E91 N47 engine now, while I run the 2011 Saab TTid.

The BM is up to 128k on this now, great machines if maintained and anal over oil changes.

[p4cks]

I've also heard similar praise/feedback about the K Series engines when they're 'looked after properly' they apparently go for miles. However 'looked after properly' involves tip toeing around warming the fker up, cooling the fker down, topping up with oil when it's 1.1mm below the dipstick once you've allowed it to warm up and also keeping one eye on the water temperature when in traffic (invariably every weekday being a commuter car).

Who the fk wants to do that?

A daily should be plug and play and just need the annual service and tyres.

[rallycross]

A simpler way to put it is avoid 1 series unless a 6 cylinder as all the 4 cylinder models are know to have problems ( I’ve owned most variants of 1, the 125 and 130 are a safe bet).

At this price range for a diesel as stated above a Golf 1.9 (polo 1.9 tdi also worth looking at) or Volvo D5 are the best choices.

[AJB88]

ZX10R NIN said:

2.4d 159 Ti

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

That interior! couldn't live with that.

[PurpleTurtle]

Hello: fellow E46 M3 commuter here .... although I only do 4k miles a year these days, a combo of working for home and motorbike commuting.

On your list there I would be looking at the Golf or the Focus simply because cheap to run and maintain - you are buying this to economise, remember.

The diesel Honda Civic could be brilliant but could also be a money pit at this price point. We have a 120k miles Honda FR-V and although it has been very reliable, the price of parts when it has needed them has been well above the equivalent Ford or VW.