Cheap, Economical, Comfortable £3k

[ColuGav]

Hello, I would say I'm new here, but I've been lurking for ages now!

Just wondering if you knowledgeable people of PH could reccommend me a cheap, economical, comfortable car for £3k, only other stipulation is probably below group 12 insurance...

What would you recommend?

Gav

[cv01jw]

Any other criteria?

Age? Fuel? Size?

Can you live with a coupe or do you need an estate?

[ColuGav]

Body types not an issue, saloon, hatch, coupe, all work for me... likewise with the fuel diesel probably preferable but a decent petrol I wouldn't turn my nose up at! Age preferably under 10 years old maybe 12?

[Jonboy_t]

VW Bora? Pretty solid, the 1.9 TDI 130 (What I have) has enough poke for everyday use and I can (when hypermiling), get mid 50's per gallon (avg driving gives mid-low 40's). It's more than comfortable enough for my 100 mile a day round trip too.

[LeoZwalf]

Ford Focus?

[SeiW500]

I have a TDCi Ford Mondeo 54 plate which does everything you seem to require..
Best VFM motoring i have had in the last 10 years, bought it 18 months ago for £4000, done 20,000miles at an average of 43MPG, servicing is dirt cheap, handles surprisingly well, boot (hatchback) is huge and is pretty comply too....
All that and it's still worth £3000..
Compared to the X5 3.0D I had before which cost £18,000, sold for £8,500 after 18 months did average of 27MPG, cost a fortune to service, had less space than the Mondeo and was crap to drive. Towed quite well though, so well that you forgot you had the trailer on sometimes!!!!! LOL