A wide-open 'what car'?

[Simbu]

Hi all, please help my friend choose his next car! Despite plenty of research my friend is struggling to decide what car he wants. Requirements are as follows:

- Budget £5k (less is a bonus)
- good economy (> ~40mpg or better) and cheap to maintain.
- Reliable; it's a daily drive so this is a must.
- Petrol or diesel.
- Manual 'box preferred, but not essential.
- Some semblance of practicality.
- Will be used for a shortish B road commute, but also regular M-way drives, so reasonable handling but also some comfort for cruising.
- The lower the miles & age the better (no 10yo bimmers please!)
- Some toys(A/C, CD player, leccy windows; what you'd expect on most modern cars)
- Not a mk1 Focus, or previous shape Fabia.

The need for a car has come about because his MX-5 is turning into a track project, so when i say 'motorway comfort' Something like a Focus is fine. Bodyshape is flexible; we've been looking from Pandas to Rover 75s (we're getting desperate).

Fire away!

[Evo]

Golf MK4 GT TDi ???

[chrisispringles]

E39 BMW 530d touring: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2024948.htm. (I know you said no 10 year old BMWs, but really you can't go far wrong with one.)

Volvo V70 D5: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2035574.htm

Ford Mondeo ST TDCi: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1951576.htm

Audi A4 avant 1.9 TDi: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1750054.htm

Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDi: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1993729.htm

Mercedes C220 CDi Avantgarde: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2025368.htm

[mattmoxon]

Tough one that as my choice would have been the Fabia VRS with that list of requirements.

I'd have to say something VAG then.

Edited by mattmoxon on Sunday 5th September 11:35

[Simbu]

The no Focus or Fabia requirement comes from a 'don't get the same car as your friends' rule

To be a little more specific, lower mileage to him means less than 60k, so can any of the above fit into this bracket?

[Scootersp]

Mazda 323 ?

[rb5230]

40mpg pretty much limits you to diesel cars or 1.4 petrols which will be no good on any motorway.

st tdci mondeo would be my choice. or a 330d if you can find a not too leggy one for £5k.

[icedcupra]

honda 2.2 diesel, mapped comes to 200hp, and will do 40mpg

none of your friends 'should' have it if they are in the ford vag cliq

[Wadeski]

Saab 9-5 2.0t might get 40mpg on the motorway.

[JWH]

With a pretty similar list of requirements I discovered the Ibiza TDI 130 Sport. Essentially a Fabia VRS/Ibiza FR but with out much of a body kit, cheaper insurance, cheaper purchase price and a longer 6th gear which gives it slightly better motorway consumption (50mpg @ 80mph, 57mpg @ 70mph in my experience).
Far from the last word in handling perfection, it has no understanding of feedback ,delicacy or adjustablility, but it's grippy, fairly pointy and goes and stops well enough.

[Matt UK]

A BMW e46 320d should do the job.