I need a new daily, £5k budget, criteria within...
Discussion
For reasons I need a new daily drive. Budget is about £5k, could go a smidge higher if I have to but really would rather not. Criteria is:
Fun on twisty bits of road
30+MPG on the motorway
Reliable
Not a diesel
Capable of doing long journeys with minimal fuss, I do a few 3-5hr each way runs a month
Thoughts?
I have been looking at Golf GTi's and Merc SLK's so two very different ends of the scale. No large vehicles as I already have a Frontera for that purpose. Mrs geeks has a new Focus that we use for other long run duties and moving the animals around so really this is a vehicle purely for me but I still need to get wife approval so nothing silly please
Fun on twisty bits of road
30+MPG on the motorway
Reliable
Not a diesel
Capable of doing long journeys with minimal fuss, I do a few 3-5hr each way runs a month
Thoughts?
I have been looking at Golf GTi's and Merc SLK's so two very different ends of the scale. No large vehicles as I already have a Frontera for that purpose. Mrs geeks has a new Focus that we use for other long run duties and moving the animals around so really this is a vehicle purely for me but I still need to get wife approval so nothing silly please
CivicDuties said:
Alfa 159
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310122...
Alfa Giulietta
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311214...
Something something reliable something something Alfa Romeo https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310122...
Alfa Giulietta
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311214...
I have never owned one though and that 3.2 is supposed to be the best sound V6 ever made if I recall correctly. Not sure it would fit the 30mpg part of the criteria though.... maybe...?
Sycamore said:
I had a 3.0 E85 Z4 that I bought for the same criteria.
The "fun" bit is subjective, but if you want it for long journeys too then you've got to compromise somewhere.
Good shout not sure I am into the looks on these thoughThe "fun" bit is subjective, but if you want it for long journeys too then you've got to compromise somewhere.
CivicDuties said:
Alfa 159
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310122...
Alfa Giulietta
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311214...
Can you get other decent examples of the Guilietta for 5k? Only because I wouldn't touch that one, seeing as it's clearly plagued with all sorts of electrical issues (their words not mine).https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310122...
Alfa Giulietta
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311214...
culpz said:
CivicDuties said:
Can you get other decent examples of the Guilietta for 5k? Only because I wouldn't touch that one, seeing as it's clearly plagued with all sorts of electrical issues (their words not mine).If you want the 1750, then a bit over 5k would do it:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310112...
But if you go down to the 1.4, there are more to choose from:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311023...
Jazoli said:
I'd probably go for a Mk2 Audi TT 2.0 FSi or Sciroco, easy 30mpg, fun to drive, smart looking, reliable etc etc, just make sure they have cruise as a lot didn't for the long runs.
Scirocco is a good shout. Seem to rust a bit less than MK5 GTI's and potentially have less issues. Always nice to be in something a bit lower and wider and things like pillar-less windows are always cool too. I think they still look really fresh too.Timing chains are a potential big issue on these. Try and make sure it's been done with the revised part. If not, it's a potential bartering tool for some money off.
geeks said:
For reasons I need a new daily drive. Budget is about £5k, could go a smidge higher if I have to but really would rather not. Criteria is:
Fun on twisty bits of road
30+MPG on the motorway
Reliable
Not a diesel
Capable of doing long journeys with minimal fuss, I do a few 3-5hr each way runs a month
Thoughts?
I have been looking at Golf GTi's and Merc SLK's so two very different ends of the scale. No large vehicles as I already have a Frontera for that purpose. Mrs geeks has a new Focus that we use for other long run duties and moving the animals around so really this is a vehicle purely for me but I still need to get wife approval so nothing silly please
There are a couple of cars that are my go to's at this price point.Fun on twisty bits of road
30+MPG on the motorway
Reliable
Not a diesel
Capable of doing long journeys with minimal fuss, I do a few 3-5hr each way runs a month
Thoughts?
I have been looking at Golf GTi's and Merc SLK's so two very different ends of the scale. No large vehicles as I already have a Frontera for that purpose. Mrs geeks has a new Focus that we use for other long run duties and moving the animals around so really this is a vehicle purely for me but I still need to get wife approval so nothing silly please
Astra GTC SRI 180, they come with the same setup as the VXR but without the adjustable dampers & obviously not the LSD:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310082...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310072...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310253...
208 GTI:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311103...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311164...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311234...
Giulietta wise (& yes they're reliable) I'd go for the Cloverleaf TBI model:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310112...
Or this Veloce:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311023...
Honda Civic Type R
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311174...
Though I think the engines are a bit busy at motorway speeds. Toyota Celicas and Corollas with the 2ZZ engine would also fall into the same camp of being fun to drive and reliable, but perhaps a bit busy on the motorway.
The most modern car here, a Citroen DS3 DSport
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309061...
Vauxhall Astra GTC 1.6T 16v SRi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310082...
Renault Megane 2.0 TCe
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202306198...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311174...
Though I think the engines are a bit busy at motorway speeds. Toyota Celicas and Corollas with the 2ZZ engine would also fall into the same camp of being fun to drive and reliable, but perhaps a bit busy on the motorway.
The most modern car here, a Citroen DS3 DSport
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309061...
Vauxhall Astra GTC 1.6T 16v SRi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310082...
Renault Megane 2.0 TCe
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202306198...
Cambelt I can do so not too worried about, timing chains are far from a total defence many engines end up with timing chain "death rattles" due to things such as plastic followers or stretchy chains and BMW are no exception to this, not by a long shot.
Went through the options with Mrs geeks last night, she has convinced me to up the budget a little to £7k. She then looked at S3's and Mini JCW's I knew there was a reason I married here lol
Went through the options with Mrs geeks last night, she has convinced me to up the budget a little to £7k. She then looked at S3's and Mini JCW's I knew there was a reason I married here lol
Mr Tidy said:
Most of those suggestions need a cam-belt replacement from time to time, and that will cost over £500 unless you want to play cam-belt roulette!
And that is a big bill on a less than £5K car.
That's one of the reasons I've had BMWs since 2005 as they have all had cam-chains.
That's a bizarre outlook on car maintenance. How much have you spent on the car since you had it? Soon as you get up to £500 you just scrap it?And that is a big bill on a less than £5K car.
That's one of the reasons I've had BMWs since 2005 as they have all had cam-chains.
BMW's aren't exactly cheap to fix when they go wrong and haven't been the epitome of reliability on the timing chain front (albeit mainly the N57 diesels). Chains can and will still stretch, so there's always the chance of that happening and then paying to have that changed, so long as it hasn't lunched the engine already, isn't going to be ideal. It's like those sealed for life automatic gearboxes, which is usually total rubbish. It's a serviceable item that theoretically should last the lifetime of the car, but we know that's not always the case.
At least with a cambelt, you just need to check that it's been done. If not, use it as a bartering tool to knock that amount off and get it done yourself. Usually fine then for another 5 years or so. Or, maybe the seller has already had it done and has the paperwork as proof. Happy days.
geeks said:
Cambelt I can do so not too worried about, timing chains are far from a total defence many engines end up with timing chain "death rattles" due to things such as plastic followers or stretchy chains and BMW are no exception to this, not by a long shot.
Went through the options with Mrs geeks last night, she has convinced me to up the budget a little to £7k. She then looked at S3's and Mini JCW's I knew there was a reason I married here lol
Not sure you'll find a decent S3 even for £7k surely just the barried ones?Went through the options with Mrs geeks last night, she has convinced me to up the budget a little to £7k. She then looked at S3's and Mini JCW's I knew there was a reason I married here lol
I'd be looking to creep it to £8k and getting a 2 litre Mini Cooper S, which has now got me opening up autotrader...
pb8g09 said:
geeks said:
Cambelt I can do so not too worried about, timing chains are far from a total defence many engines end up with timing chain "death rattles" due to things such as plastic followers or stretchy chains and BMW are no exception to this, not by a long shot.
Went through the options with Mrs geeks last night, she has convinced me to up the budget a little to £7k. She then looked at S3's and Mini JCW's I knew there was a reason I married here lol
Not sure you'll find a decent S3 even for £7k surely just the barried ones?Went through the options with Mrs geeks last night, she has convinced me to up the budget a little to £7k. She then looked at S3's and Mini JCW's I knew there was a reason I married here lol
I'd be looking to creep it to £8k and getting a 2 litre Mini Cooper S, which has now got me opening up autotrader...
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