What Car?

[Zirax]

Originally Posted by Pickers

Right - looking desperate now!
Brum Brum!

3 grand for a ragged chav mobile? Granted my mates one handles well (with a rear strut brace) but it's pretty damn useless on motorways.

Originally Posted by Burble

The Rover K series engine in those have quite fragile cooling systems and are prone to head gasket failures. Personally I'd steer clear of anything with a K series engine.

Agreed, 1.4 is ideal chav territory (my cousin also has one). I seem to remember 60k being a magic number for the HG issues to start (could be wrong though). It will have been driven hard. Avoid.

So your budget is now 3 grand?

Dimensions wise, if you can look at the size of a ZR, you can look at Focus's:-

MG ZR
4.01m * 1.9m

Focus
4.15m * 2m

Fabia
3.9m * 1.9m

Fiesta
3.9m * 1.9m

Clio
3.8 * 1.9m

All bar the MG above are good motors and I would have no problem running around in them. If you want something sporty then you may need to look at older cars. As long as you don't get a rust ridden wreck then they are unlikely to break. The other hand, something like a 1.6 Focus will feel like a rocket compared to your Micra.