Cant decide which car - input needed

[broken biscuit]

I have decided it's time to get a new motor. Wifey has agreed and so the shopping has begun. There is no real 'spec' or 'requirement' for it. All I am looking for is something reliable, 35+ MPG, available parts, sporty feel which looks nice and I wont want to trade in six months.

I have narrowed it down to the following at present:

Skoda Octavia VRS - around £3k gets me a good 60k 2002 model (1.8T)

Mondeo TDCi - £3k again gets a good Zetec model around 2003 or a bit later, mileage dependent

Suzuki Swift Sport - 2006-08 range, 40k max on clock, around £5.5-6.

Honda Civic (new shape) 2.2 CDTi - about 6k but over 100k miles

Each has its own appeals, from performance, to age, to economy, and I really dont know which to buy.

Any input from owners of the above appreciated, or alternatives. Must have 4 seats and be under Insurance grp 16 are only requirements

I do about 12k p.a, on A roads, and want to be able to throw my fishing gear in it occasionally. Apart from that, it will probably become the family car.

Edited by broken biscuit on Tuesday 23 November 08:26

[Thorburn]

For the requirements the Octavia has got to be a good shout?
Key thing though is to just get out and drive them and see which ones you like.

[300bhp/ton]

broken biscuit said:

I have decided it's time to get a new motor. Wifey has agreed and so the shopping has begun. There is no real 'spec' or 'requirement' for it. All I am looking for is something reliable

AAAAAARRRRRRHHHHGGGGG!!!!!!!

What is it on PH with having to make every "what car" thread start with "I want reliable......."

As though some other people might actually ask for unreliable cars. It has to be the single most pointless comment posted in the entirety of PH!!!

/rant

broken biscuit said:

35+ MPG, available parts, sporty feel which looks nice and I wont want to trade in six months.

It's the last bit that I find most interesting, along with looks nice.



Because, if I'm honest I see no redeeming features in any of the below selection and absolutely no reason why after 2 days most wouldn't be looking to change.

I certainly don't mean this offensively so I hope it doesn't come across as such. We are all different and all have different wants and needs. So if these cars are truly what interest you, then great I can't argue that

But for me, or at least IMO they are probably fine examples of how to blow £3-6 on some of the most boring options available to a car enthusiast.

I wouldn't call any "sporty" or "good looking" or even mildly interesting. I'm also not sold on the vRS truly averaging 35mpg+ either.

broken biscuit said:

I have narrowed it down to the following at present:

Skoda Octavia VRS - around £3k gets me a good 60k 2002 model (1.8T)

Mondeo TDCi - £3k again gets a good Zetec model around 2003 or a bit later, mileage dependent

Suzuki Swift Sport - 2006-08 range, 40k max on clock, around £5.5-6.

Each has its own appeals, from performance, to age, to economy, and I really dont know which to buy.

broken biscuit said:

Any input from owners of the above appreciated, or alternatives. Must have 4 seats

Arr, so there is a requirement, sorry was still going off of your earlier comment "There is no real 'spec' or 'requirement' for it"

broken biscuit said:

and be under Insurance grp 16 are only requirements

Why????

ADVICE - step away from the insurance group.

Seriously, you need to base each car on the price you get. IMO insurance groups can be very misleading and a higher group car is fully capable of costing less to insure than a car a group or so lower down.

broken biscuit said:

I do about 12k p.a, on A roads, and want to be able to throw my fishing gear in it occasionally. Apart from that, it will probably become the family car.

Reckon this sounds like more requirements to me!


So from a car that has no real spec or requirement we can deduce that it must be:


-Reliable
-Seat 4 (presume 4 door??????)
-Must be good on fuel
-Must be good on insurance
-Must look good
-Must be sporty
-Must be able to carry fishing gear
-Must have available parts supply
-Must be interesting so as not to want to change in 6 months
-Must be good on A roads
-Must be suitable for 12,000 miles a year
-Some sort of price restriction £3-6k?
-Must be suitable as a family car (whatever this means exactly...)





Q. Would you really fit your fishing gear in a Swift? How much or little hauling space do you need?
Q. How many doors do you want, is the Swift a 3 door?
Q. Moving on from that, if it's a "family car" are 2+2's out? Although I can't really see a 3 door small hatch offering any better room in reality. So if a 3 door hatch is a contended are coupes on the horizon?


As for alternative suggestions?

Well I think given the scope up to £6k I'd be looking at these:


For the more sporty/speedy option

JAGUAR X-TYPE 3.0 V6 SPORT 4DR (2002/51) Manual
63,000 miles £4,995

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2049123.htm

Pretty quick, quicker than all you've got listed above. Better riding, nicer cabin, more comfy and more classy image.

Handles well, IMO looks good and with AWD ability will keep you going all year round. MPG wise, probably more like 28-32mpg average. But in real terms I suspect this is quite similar to the vRS and on 12k a year annual mileage only £20-30 more month in fuel compared to your 35mpg target.


If you do want more frugal then maybe one of these:

2004 04 JAGUAR X-TYPE 2.0D ESTATE DIESEL...LEATHER...69k...F/S/H (2004/04)
69,900 miles £5,750

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2254061.htm

Just as comfy as the V6 one and in reviews always, and I mean always rated as far better riding and a lot better steer than Audi rivals.

The 2.0d is fairly good on fuel, potential for 45mpg+ and they go ok too. A £300-400 re-map will also really wake it up. The estate body will make it more capable hauler for fishing gear and family duties.

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Tuesday 23 November 08:56

[HAB]

A good alternative to the cars on the OP's list would be the Cord 812-

[nsmith1180]

broken biscuit said:

Suzuki Swift Sport - 2006-08 range, 40k max on clock, around £5.5-6.

Ran one for about six months. I was a salesman for Suzuki when I bought it, loved it to bits the whacked it a goodun. They repaired it. My rundown.

A good little warm hatch, MPG was respectable, 35mpg on the commute which was country roads and bypass. Seats were on the hard side of supportive but you got used to them. Very chuckable, good fun for a back road hoon. A nice if not beautiful sound from the engine and a slightly notchy gear change.

Power assistance was good but not a lot of feed back through the wheel. Should feel good after the Almera. Looked the mutts in Cosmic Black. Only drinks 98 ron or higher though so factor that into your running costs. Service intervals are 1 year or 9k on models up to 2007 maybe onwards, I don't know.

The Model was released on a 56 plate so be wary of early 56's or late 06's, they will either be press cars or demonstrators. They didn't shift particularly well at first. An 07/56 is more likely to have been a privately owned car than a 06/56.

If you see KJ07 PWY, AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE, thats the one I walloped. On that note, they are sturdy, if you are going to crash a car, its the one to crash in.

There was a recall on the handbrake in mid 07. If you are buying privately without warranty, ask to see the service book and google the servicing dealers for 06 - 08. Quite a few Suzuki dealers went under then and some services weren't getting done right.