Warm Hatch/Saloon/Estate for circa £8k

[Sslink]

Hi again you bastions of automotive knowledge,

You may remember a post of mine a few months back wherein I asked for recommendations about cars for a 50 mile round trip commute.

My polo feels like it's falling apart. Electromechanical gremlins meaning my doors don't always unlock or lock as expected. Offside rear passenger door doesn't unlock at all and my near side rear shock has snapped like the off side did about 5 months previous.

I passed my probation at my new job so I'm a lot closer to being able to pull the trigger on a new to me vehicle.
My concern is that the used market has changed so much that there is even less value in the market currently and so the previous recommended cars may now be out of budget.

Man maths aside with regards to future running costs what would some of my options be for the following:

"Warm" not hot as I don't think many hot cars would afford me "decent" mpg.
50 mile round trip.
Cruise control (adaptive if possible)
Petrol or diesel
Manual preferred as I fortunately don't spend much time in traffic on my commute.
Ideally good headlights as large stretches of my commute are un-lit and the tea lamp headlights I have now are useless.

Budget is 8k but I could probably stretch to 10 for "the one".

Thanks again.

[scoey1001]

Octavia VRS diesel estate?

Or something newer - Suzuki swift sport

[Terzo123]

Seat Leon FR.

With the petrol versions there's a 1.4 which can produce 150bhp, or there's the 1.8 with 180 bhp.

There's also a 2.0 diesel with 180bhp

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109247...

[wilbo83]

Perhaps a leftfield choice but check out the Alfa Romeo 159 with either TBi petrol or JTDM diesel engine. Seems to meet your criteria, although the TBI engine does like a drink in the 159 so if mpg is more of a concern then check out the Giulietta QV versions, where you could also look at the 1.4 multiair engine.

[ZX10R NIN]

Kia ProCeed GT very good cars nice amount of power

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110268...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112020...

Giulietta Sportiva 170 Diesel

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111129...

170 Petrol

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112020...

1.5T Focus Titanium X 180 good steer very reliable & a decent amount of go.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108136...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111300...

D4 V40 R Design Lux 180

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111219...

[georgeyboy12345]

Get this Alfa Romeo Giulietta TB for well under your budget, replace the cambelt for £400 and you are good for 5 years
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108146...


Vauxhall Astra 1.6i Turbo SRi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111169...


Mazda 3 2.2 Skyactiv-D
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110198...


A couple of Volvos

V40 D4
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109307...

S60 T4
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110198...


A couple of Minis

Mini Cooper 1.5
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108286...

Mini Cooper SD 5 door
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109247...

[Sslink]

Thanks again guys for the recommendations.
I'm noticing quite a lot of the above examples have quite hefty mileages. Is that typically a problem? I'm going to be doing at least 12k miles/annum. Is it a case of what can go wrong already has and been fixed or a ticking time bomb waiting to drain my wallet?

[ZX10R NIN]

Sslink said:

Thanks again guys for the recommendations.
I'm noticing quite a lot of the above examples have quite hefty mileages. Is that typically a problem? I'm going to be doing at least 12k miles/annum. Is it a case of what can go wrong already has and been fixed or a ticking time bomb waiting to drain my wallet?

No it's not an issue but plan on doing your oil changes every 10k be it petrol or diesel.

[georgeyboy12345]

As above, of the cars we mentioned, 100,000 miles isn’t too much of a concern as long as the oil is changed according to schedule and maintenance parts are replaced as required. All these cars should be capable of double these mileages without anything seriously expensive going wrong.

Some cars can be ticking time bombs, but the ones ZX & I mentioned should be ok.

[ZX10R NIN]

Saloon wise the Infiniti Q50 Sport will mean some haggling & a little budget stretch but it's a very good car with proven mechanical's as well as great spec:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111199...

CC Tech GT

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108156...