I've realised I want a boring car......

[alolympic]

I have 2 quick classic cars that I use for my driving kicks these days.
My sensible daily is a Clio 182, a car that I love. I am now thinking of trading the Clio in though, as I don't get to drive it on the sort of roads that it excels in. I tend to use it for motorway trips, where it is wasted. With my other cars being good fun, I can cope with a less exciting daily.
I will be happy to change if I can get a car substantially better for these needs;
- Economy. Clio gets about 38mpg on a run so need better than this
- Tax. Clio is expensive for such a small car
- Space. It would be good to get a car with at least a bigger boot, with a nipper on the way.
- Comfort. Clio is great on a B road but I want something with a smoother ride for the family.
- Reliability. Cheap maintenance costs pretty important.
- Performance. Not too important really, not in this car.
- Budget. Would be good to get something under £5k.

I am thinking an Audio A2 is a good start.
Any other opinions?

[ShampooEfficient]

Nissan Almera. I needed the same as you, and this is my third. Boring as hell, but practically indestructible. And you can get a mint one with all the toys for about £2k.
You will fall asleep looking at it though.

[y2blade]

wow you get 38mpg out of a 182 clio!

I'm very impressed

[anonymous-user]

Peugeot 406 Hdi estate and use save the rest...

[alolympic]

y2blade said:

wow you get 38mpg out of a 182 clio!

I'm very impressed

Yep, can manage 40mpg on cruise control at 70mph, provided I am not carrying too much extra weight....
Great little cars. Got 38mpg average this weekend after 500 mile motorway trip.

[y2blade]

Sheeda Pistol said:

Peugeot 406 Hdi estate and use save the rest...

are the Peugeot Diesels very reliable then? currently looking for a Derv workhorse for the otherhalf

there are tons of cheap Peugeot diesels about

edit spelling

Edited by y2blade on Tuesday 15th February 12:22

[Simbu]

Ford Focus TDCi?

Cheap to run in pretty much every respect (fuel, tax, insurance) and isn't a bad steer for what it is.

[RV8]

ShampooEfficient said:

Nissan Almera. I needed the same as you, and this is my third. Boring as hell, but practically indestructible. And you can get a mint one with all the toys for about £2k.
You will fall asleep looking at it though.

Yep definitely agree. They are a chain driven engine are pretty bullet proof, my in-laws had two Almeras and previous incarnation sunny which were all very very reliable. I drove them fairly regally and they are a bit soulless but they do the job and are big enough (they feel much bigger than they are when driving). Fuel wise they are pretty good and insurance and tax is bound to be cheaper for you too.

[MrKipling43]

alolympic said:

y2blade said:

wow you get 38mpg out of a 182 clio!

I'm very impressed

Yep, can manage 40mpg on cruise control at 70mph, provided I am not carrying too much extra weight....
Great little cars. Got 38mpg average this weekend after 500 mile motorway trip.

I had a 182 for a while, and was amazed at the fuel economy.

I'd go Peugeot too actually. Very nice ride.

My dad has a diesel 407, which has been great - very reliable, and my brother had a 2-litre turbo 406, which we took on the Student Breakaway. It was flat to the boards for about 3,000 miles and it didn't use a drop of oil or water. Amazing.

[Bonefish Blues]

RV8 said:

Yep definitely agree...I drove them fairly regally and they are a bit soulless but they do the job and are big enough (they feel much bigger than they are when driving).

How so, did you wave a lot, perhaps? I'd be worried about the stick-wielding proletariat if I were you

[EDLT]

y2blade said:

Sheeda Pistol said:

Peugeot 406 Hdi estate and use save the rest...

are the Peugeot Diesels very reliable then? currently looking for a Derv workhorse for the otherhalf

there are tons of cheap Peugeot diesels about

They are better than the more modern ones, the XUD engines (the ones that came before the HDIs) are more reliable still but a very agricultural. The 2.1 is nippy if you can find a good one.

[y2blade]

EDLT said:

y2blade said:

Sheeda Pistol said:

Peugeot 406 Hdi estate and use save the rest...

are the Peugeot Diesels very reliable then? currently looking for a Derv workhorse for the otherhalf

there are tons of cheap Peugeot diesels about

They are better than the more modern ones, the XUD engines (the ones that came before the HDIs) are more reliable still but a very agricultural. The 2.1 is nippy if you can find a good one.

agricultural = good + in her case it doesn't need to be nippy, looking at the 90bhp VAG cars or the TDI focus

edit to add = it needs a bit of shove as it will be carrying her horse stuff around most days (two saddles, plus feed etc etc ) otherwise I'd buy her a little 1 litre petrol or something

Edited by y2blade on Tuesday 15th February 13:05

[RV8]

Bonefish Blues said:

How so, did you wave a lot, perhaps? I'd be worried about the stick-wielding proletariat if I were you

Haha indeed. I recall the thrum of the engine, I was wearing my smokers jacket and monocle at the time, sherry on the dashboard and Matt Munro on the wireless singing “On Days Like These”. It's the only way to travel my dear.

[mnkiboy]

I had a similar problem at the end of last year. Leon Cupra was costing me a lot to run, but not getting the chance to drive it as I wanted. Whenever I put my foot down i'd get a whining from the passenger seat area.

So I decided on more space, better economy, lower tax. Bought a Jag X-Type Diesel estate. Bit dull but plenty of toys, and I no longer drive like a tt.

[hornetrider]

VAg diesels are good for plowing motorways. I used to have a Bora and it did the job with aplomb. Absolutely cavernous boot as well, could get a couple of dead bodies in there easily.

[alolympic]

Mmm, I can see that an Almera makes sense, it just feels quite a leap from the 182.
At least with the A2, I kind of like them, they're light, and very economical. Swapping wheels to 15"s improves the ride no end too apparently.

[ShampooEfficient]

The Crack Fox said:

ShampooEfficient said:

Nissan Almera...practically indestructible.

If they're indestructable, how come ...

ShampooEfficient said:

this is my third

Just wondering ?

First one I took up to 140,000 miles before the gearbox started making odd noises (note I said practically indestructible, gearboxes are the weakpoint). So I replaced it with a facelift, but got bored and ended up chopping it in for a V6 Omega. Then started a steady spiral of spending ridiculous amounts of money on silly cars, but now I'm back in this one cos a- I need something that doesn't break down every twenty minutes, and b- MrsSE is learning to drive, so she's going to buy this and thus free me up to get an MX-5...

[dave9]

well,

i'd go for a diesel hatchback like a fiesta zetec or something.

why?

1. You will nearly halve your fuel bills so if you spend £40 now per week then you have another £20 per week to do what you wish with.

2. car tax. when you get a £230 bill it can be a kick in the teeth and set you back, but if you get a £35 bill its a bit of a laugh.

3. insurance. if you can save £400 on insurance that's a week away all inclusive in the sun (ok not the ritz but it's ok)

4. Repair bills/tyres/servicing will all be less and prob save a couple of hundred a year.

You can still be the quickest guy on the road if you wish as most people do 30 in a 40 and 40 in a 60 and so on so it doesn't really matter what car you drive any more on these clogged, pothole ridden roads.

that's why people have cheap cars now

[nouze]

if you buy anything with PSA diesel engine (Ford Focus, Peugeot 307 etc) make sure it doesn't have DPF aka FAP

[y2blade]

dave9 said:

well,

i'd go for a diesel hatchback like a fiesta zetec or something.

why?

1. You will nearly halve your fuel bills so if you spend £40 now per week then you have another £20 per week to do what you wish with.

2. car tax. when you get a £230 bill it can be a kick in the teeth and set you back, but if you get a £35 bill its a bit of a laugh.

3. insurance. if you can save £400 on insurance that's a week away all inclusive in the sun (ok not the ritz but it's ok)

4. Repair bills/tyres/servicing will all be less and prob save a couple of hundred a year.

You can still be the quickest guy on the road if you wish as most people do 30 in a 40 and 40 in a 60 and so on so it doesn't really matter what car you drive any more on these clogged, pothole ridden roads.

that's why people have cheap cars now

+1 for diesel
I have more than halved my fuel bill by going from a Volvo T5 to a Volvo D5.

the performance is good too, before and (obviously) after the remap...best of both worlds imho


I can't really see myself going back to a petrol car tbh.