New (for me) car advise required

[Jhadur]

OK we're now looking for a new car as the Laguna is busy dying.

We have about 2k to spend and I'm currently torn between fun car and sensible car.

It will be used mostly for commuting (12 miles each way) with the occasional long trip to meets and to see friends in Manchester.

Here's a quick list of things I've considered so far.

Fun Cars:
FTO/GTO :)
MR2 (mk2)
Beemer of some variety (not sure on MPG rates for them so they may go in sensible section)

Sensible Cars:
Ford Ka
Fiesta or Focus
Basically several other small cars.

Any thoughts on ones listed (I know not many) and any other suggestions that I could look at would be greatly appreciated :)

Thanks guys.

[Piggymon]

Only thing I can add is as I advised the FTO will most likely be a complete money pit :(

They're awesome cars but drink petrol and can be very expensive to fix should something go wrong. Not much space in the back for passengers but boot space isn't too bad.

Focus on Mondeo might be better options although not as fun !

[Haly]

I loved my Ka and it was very good on fuel, but I wouldn't recommend it if you plan to ever put anything in the back or the boot. The boot's not bad considering it's such a tiny car but the back's a right pain to easily access. To me, it seemed like a better car for one person rather than two people which wasn't a factor for me but would be for you. :)

I'd probably go for a Focus or Mondeo in your case, even if that is a bit of a dull answer :p

[Zirax]

You should have said at Swansea, you could have hurled my Focus around for a while :) Good thing going for the Focus is that it costs peanuts to keep on the road. I'm doing around 500+ miles a week in the Focus and its fine. I will honestly say that the suspension has generated a creak, but bar that just general pads, discs and tyres is the only thing its needed in 4 years. If you do get the Zetec then you can drive like a hooligan around roundabouts.

Beemers around that price I wouldn't touch with yours. I would consider a Volvo or even a SAAB.

TBH throw a GTO out the window. I've popped the bonnet on a few and they have far far too much electrics to break. Cracking when they work, but mega money when it breaks.

Paging Phil and Vix ........... you really want a mk1 over a mk2 :D

Take a look at my thread, I got a lovely mk1 for £1100 which had lots of addons.

[Matblack]

If you haven't got a lot of spare cash most of the time then you won't go far wrong with a Focus/ Mondeo or Fiesta, only buy a fun car which might be expensive to repair or have to go to a specialist if you know you'll have spare cash when you need to get it fixed or it isn't a daily driver and doesn't have to get you to work every day.

MB

[Zirax]

I agree with Matt. Just to throw a spanner in, what would Clio's be like around that money? Don't know that much about them, but you can certainly throw those around.

[jmc41]

My issue having a focus is that everything is electronic which means if it does go wrong (aka speedo and electric windows on mine) it costs a bomb to fix.

That said, it still moves okay even after a number of bumps and being hit by a bus (which STILL hasn't been sorted out 6.5 months later)

[leowyatt]

Mic, Andy who we play COD4 with got himself a focus last year and swears by them. I'd say focus and fiesta are the way to go. My escort only needed new brakes and discs in the 3 years I had it, till some daft cow wrote it off.

[cheets]

Its a buyers market, I would go for something newish that is going to hold up (hopefully) and something that does not guzzle gas.

[Stan_Lite]

Fun wise, I'd have to be biased and say a MK2 MR2 (Turbos are best ;)) - I love mine but I wouldn't recommend it as a daily driver tbh. I'd be more inclined towards a Focus - nice, dependable little car.

[kaiowas]

Is a £500 mondeo/sensible car of choice plus £1500 on a bike not an option? Will satisfy both fun and practical sides whilst getting you back on two wheels which i know you miss.

[leowyatt]

Is a £500 mondeo/sensible car of choice plus £1500 on a bike not an option? Will satisfy both fun and practical sides whilst getting you back on two wheels which i know you miss.

Does his 2k inc gear for the bike??

[Tak]

We have all the gear needed for bike already (although I might need a new lid :p ) and that is a separate saving pot

[leowyatt]

We have all the gear needed for bike already (although I might need a new lid :p ) and that is a separate saving pot

just asking the question as I know gear is expensive :)

[Tak]

That it is :/ didn't mean to be short with my reply, just thought it was better to mention that is a separate issue so that the car talk didn't get changed into bike talk :)

[Jhadur]

Yeah I have 4k to spend and I'm splitting it down the middle between car and bike. :)

[Zirax]

What about a Honda Prelude? VTEC goodness as well as fairly comfy on a cruise. If you keep it out of VTEC (which you won't) then its not too bad on fuel.

[kaiowas]

If you've got plans for a bike as well then I'd definately be going for the sensible option. Got no useful advice beyond that though as sensible cars aren't my strong point.

[A Place of Light]

If you've got plans for a bike as well then I'd definately be going for the sensible option. Got no useful advice beyond that though as sensible cars aren't my strong point.

^^^
Makes a lot of sense really, when you think about it.

Lunacy covered with a bike, so the mundane is covered by a daily drive.

[Pebs]

Can't go wrong with a Ford. Cheap to run, easy to fix and every breakers yard on the country is rammed full of them, so if you know what you're doing its REALLY easy to keep it on the road.

Best car I've ever had was a Mondeo, and I've had lots!

[chumpychops]

Another vote here for a focus. Go for a top end zetec model and you'll find it has a fair bit of poke.

[PvtPyle]

I drive a '53 Focus 1.6 Zetec and it is BOOORRRRRRRING as batsh1t. In fact, after salary review in Nov I'm getting rid and buying something fun. If you can hold out, it's in superb condition, 38k, silver, a/c, 5 door, elec win, rcl, cd/radio, will have 4 new shoes, 10 months MOT/tax and it's 40K service! :p

[Fayshun]

If you can hold out, it's in superb condition, 38k, silver, a/c, 5 door, elec win, rcl, cd/radio, will have 4 new shoes, 10 months MOT/tax and it's 40K service! :p

50 quid and a handjob?

[PvtPyle]

Make it 25, but I get to pick where it goes at the end :D

[Jhadur]

Am thinking about going to look at this one tomorrow.

Linky (http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/FORD+FOCUS/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-9-14-42-148-240-4294967193-4294967194/advert.action?R=200835317542052&distance=2&postcode=po28hu&channel=CARS&make=FORD&model=FOCUS&min_pr=1000&max_pr=3000&max_mileage=80000)

If it looks ok and drives OK might try to offer my renault and £1400 and see what they say :confused: ;D

[Zirax]

If you really want to beat the dealer up a bit, its against the principle of "go to view not to buy"..... have the cash already there and start waving it under his nose. That is if you want the car, I've found that dealers crumble especially in the current market if you flash cash :) You are bang on the money with that price, they are asking a bit much imo with what they are asking.

Look on the front doors, below the door cards, along the welding seam. Very likely to be surface rust so you can mention that. Check the passenger side footwell and see if its damp. If it is it's nothing major, it means you will need a new pollen filter as the old one wasn't fitted correctly. Its coming up for a cambelt change, the interval is 100k or 10 years. So see if they will do that.

[A Place of Light]

As above, cash is king.

Bear in mind three main points.

1) The car industry is on its arse. Good for buyers, bad for sellers.
2) Never lose sleep over the car you didn't buy.....a better one is ALWAYS around the corner.
3) Don't feel like you're being a cheeky bastard when putting in disgustingly low offers. What's the worst that the seller can do?
Say no?
Oh the tragedy!
Being cheeky will save you hundreds (and in certain cases thousands) of pounds.

[Jhadur]

Well that one was a no go :(
A few deep scratches and they p/x'd it in at £1800 so they said so I just walked away.

The hunt goes on :)

[mejinks]

You can et a Beemer for £2000 which has a full service ihstory (like my old one) although most are snapped up by wanna be gangster types. For 2k, you could get a mondeo, which is a similar car to what you are getting rid of.

[iCraig]

Fun car: MX5.
Reliable (lifeless, slow, vaccum of bordom): Focus/Mondeo