Civic Tourer, Avensis Estate, Volvo with budget constraints

Civic Tourer, Avensis Estate, Volvo with budget constraints

Author
Discussion

Johnny Longstaff

Original Poster:

21 posts

44 months

Friday 15th March
quotequote all
What are the PH thoughts on the replacement for the soon to be extinct Roomster. I think I want and need an estate, dog, holidays, bikes tip runs etc. The less we spend the better. Won't do the mileage for diesel, I'm saying manual for apparent reliability and the last automatic I drove I hated but it was 25 years ago, so I could be persuaded otherwise.

Budget as you can see is limited and I'm trying to figure out what the best value is. I'd expect to keep whatever I do buy until it dies, and look after it to keep it going as long as possible.
If I can get a year per £1000 purchase price out of the car without too much expenditure on maintenance that would be nice - is this reasonable or am I dreaming?

Is this for example:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402156...


worth the extra over this:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402156...

I'm after reliability, economy, practicality and comfort. Mainly longer journeys weekends and holidays, hopefully not too much during the week - job dependent and that is about tho change but I don't know what to yet. I hope the Roomster doesn't go bang before I know what the commute will be....

At either budget I can find some sort of Volvo instead of either of the above. What does the PH hive mind think. Any real world experiences? Anything else I should be considering?

And I've just remembered it would be nice to be able to drive into Bristol without paying so I'd better go and check that both the above examples are OK.

thanks

Raymond Reddington

2,975 posts

112 months

Saturday 16th March
quotequote all
I go through this with myself a lot

I don't think there is a right answer

The avensis probably won't give much bother though.

ZX10R NIN

27,795 posts

127 months

Saturday 16th March
quotequote all
Look for these they're reliable good on fuel & sensible money:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308261...

Or the smaller Astra:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401316...

Whataguy

879 posts

82 months

Saturday 16th March
quotequote all
I've driven those civics quite a bit, the 1.8 is a good engine just needs revs to get the best performance. mpg isn't the best, but it's ok and there is no turbo to wear out.

The avensis is likely to be more relaxed to drive.

I'd avoid a Volvo due to the parts costs, I'd owned one and repairs were much more expensive plus a wait for parts too.

Mad Maximus

394 posts

5 months

Saturday 16th March
quotequote all
Johnny Longstaff said:
What are the PH thoughts on the replacement for the soon to be extinct Roomster. I think I want and need an estate, dog, holidays, bikes tip runs etc. The less we spend the better. Won't do the mileage for diesel, I'm saying manual for apparent reliability and the last automatic I drove I hated but it was 25 years ago, so I could be persuaded otherwise.

Budget as you can see is limited and I'm trying to figure out what the best value is. I'd expect to keep whatever I do buy until it dies, and look after it to keep it going as long as possible.
If I can get a year per £1000 purchase price out of the car without too much expenditure on maintenance that would be nice - is this reasonable or am I dreaming?

Is this for example:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402156...


worth the extra over this:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402156...

I'm after reliability, economy, practicality and comfort. Mainly longer journeys weekends and holidays, hopefully not too much during the week - job dependent and that is about tho change but I don't know what to yet. I hope the Roomster doesn't go bang before I know what the commute will be....

At either budget I can find some sort of Volvo instead of either of the above. What does the PH hive mind think. Any real world experiences? Anything else I should be considering?

And I've just remembered it would be nice to be able to drive into Bristol without paying so I'd better go and check that both the above examples are OK.

thanks
As long as the avensis doesn’t rot away it’ll outlive us all. Looks much smarter to my eye than the civic. Volvos are much nicer but you’ll need to want one rather than be looking for an easier time.

Flumpo

3,876 posts

75 months

Saturday 16th March
quotequote all
I would go and drive an avensis and see what you think. A few years ago I wanted a stop gap car that was basically going to be a shed for 6 - 12 months.

I thought the most sensible thing to do would be buy that exact avensis but in hatch. I drove it, told myself it was the most sensible option and put the £250 deposit down.

On the drive home in my own car, it hit me how absolutely horrendously slow, bland, soulless, depressing and dispiriting it had been sitting in and driving the avensis.

I decided I would rather keep my then diesel for the year and risk blocking the dpf than get the Toyota. I don’t end up blocking the dpf and it’s genuinely one of the better decisions I have ever made. Even though I lost my £250

I would genuinely rather get a focus or Astra estate for the same money and risk the odd part needing replacing or fixing.

Or at least look for a 2.0 - I only drove the 1.8

That Honda will feel like a spaceship in comparison

Johnny Longstaff

Original Poster:

21 posts

44 months

Saturday 16th March
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies folks. Without quoting everyone and in order of posts:

RR - not giving much bother is one of the main things

ZX thank you, I wouldn't dismiss a Vauxhall, we had a Vectra which did a good job until it lost an argument with a wall - not the cars fault, pilot error. I need to find one close to have a look at. I'm not sure an Astra will be big enough which might also exclude the Civic.

whataguy relaxed to drive is a good thing for the job this car has to do, and fair point on the Volvos - I think the Volvo would be a heart over head purchase - not part of the brief for this car.

Mad Max I agree on the looks, and I do plan on keeping this car until it dies so the Toyota might be winning on that front.

Flumpo, I think you are right I need to see these cars in real life and then maybe drive them, they aren't exactly nearby so it will be a bit of a mission unfortunately. I'm not convinced the Civic will be big enough even with the magic seats for a start. I am trying to be pragmatic about this and I'm not looking for a driving experience that stirs the soul, I want to get me, the family and the necessary stuff - eg surfboards or bikes - to the place where we can have fun and stir the soul that way. Oh and I have been mainly driving a Roomster for the last 12 years and as a driving 'experience' a 2cv, or Renault 4 is far more 'fun'!!

borcy

3,301 posts

58 months

Sunday 17th March
quotequote all
I think it depends on how much stuff you are planning on putting in there, civic isn't that big. If you fancy a honda how about an accord estate?


https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402226...

Edited by borcy on Sunday 17th March 06:38


Edited by borcy on Sunday 17th March 06:39

Coldplaya

2,095 posts

190 months

Sunday 17th March
quotequote all
That generation of civic hold their value extremely well for a reason. They are supremely reliable and practical.

The magic seats are a masterpiece and the space under the boot floor would count as an entire boot on most other cars.

1.8 is NA so a bit old school but a decent unit with decent performance so won’t struggle. Had a 1.6 myself which didn’t set the world on fire but was fine with keeping up with traffic and never dropped below 50mpg, genuine 65+ on long motorway runs.

Johnny Longstaff

Original Poster:

21 posts

44 months

Sunday 17th March
quotequote all
Yup Borcy you are right I need to decide what size car I need first really don't I? I think the first obvious step is to have a look at the Civic, Avensis, Accord and Vectra and decide if a Civic will be big enough compared the other 3, and go from there.

stedaley

642 posts

126 months

Sunday 17th March
quotequote all
Always had a soft spot for those civics. They seem supremely kitted and reliable.

Probably what I’d be spending my money on if I needed a do it all car that was as reliable as could be.

66HFM

335 posts

27 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
I do like both the Civic Tourer and Accord Tourer although a different option, how about a Skoda Octavia or if you can find one a Skoda Yeti, the car that seems to do everything...

Snow and Rocks

1,964 posts

29 months

Thursday 21st March
quotequote all
I like the Skoda Yeti but pretty small boot really.

The Civic Tourer is probably more practical than the mk8 Accord. The earlier mk7 Accord had a huge boot but the later ones are quite a bit smaller.

It's also worth trying the 1.6 dtec - great little engine, smooth, willing and unbelievably economical.