I'd recommend the Gen1 Fabia estate if you want a lot of room in a small car and parts are not expensive. Also the 1.9 diesel is VERY common, powerfull and uses little gas, if a bit loud. Grand Punto is a nicer punto, but you'l want to avoid the first three years, (till 2008) so I suppose they're too expensive anyway.
As you're looking for something a bit older, I'd stay away from common rail diesels, as they'll most likely start needing expensive repairs, such as the high pressure injectors. Can't go far wrong with a derv 306, although the electrics can be iffy on them. How about an older mk3 diesel golf?
You never know the neighbours might have a whip round for you Stranger things have happened, e.g. I bought and liked a Metro Once
We got burnt off by a Skoda Fabia diesel at the weekend, . Me and my Dad were in the TVR (which is 30+ years old and only a 1.6 with 85bhp @wheels). Its not a bad looking car either.
I have a Mk.4 1.4L Golf. I'd say they're worth the extra dosh. Little weak when fully loaded but it sticks at motorway speeds comfortably with about 40MPG. Doesn't go skating across the road in strong crosswinds either which makes it a lot more confidence inspiring, relatively refined too. Plus, mine's never ever broken down, 70K+ miles on the clock too.
I've been having this argument with myself. I've had a lot of experience driving a 405 estate with a 1.9 DT, and a 306 estate with a 2.0 HDI, and the HDI is leagues ahead of the old DT. (although as a car, I love the 405... its so comfortable, but also old and mahoosive). I know the DT is reliable as hell - the 405 is L reg, it starts first time, every time, even when it was -18*c, when the HDI needed multiple cycles of the heater plugs before it would get going. The 306 estate is T reg, and we've only had one problem with it when the mass air flow meter went, but they're £50 and 30mins fitting. Apart from this its been faultless (at reasonable temps ), which makes me a bit more confident about getting a common rail diesel. IDK, performance + mpg vs reliability. I'll be honest, all the 306s I've found tempting so far have been DT rather than HDI. They're cheaper with lower insurance. I've looked at the Fabias (I'm afraid I'm not getting an estate - already had this discussion with my dad who can't see the point in getting a non-estate car) and I can't see any diesels for around £1000. They are all £1500+. (I've been using autotrader and ebay... any other suggestions?). insurance is nice on these though - around £1400. (wait... did i just say nice? ) As for Golfs, I just can't stretch to a MK4. I'll be lucky to find a newer MK3 diesel in my price range too... those things really hold their value. Also the cheapest insurance i can find for a MK3 1.9D is £1980 Also, my flatmate has a MK3 1.4 petrol golf, and performance aside, I don't like it. Compared to a late model 306 which is much cheaper, the interior is just nasty. Its also P reg and breaking out in rust, although I'll admit he isn't the most caring owner. I won't disregard a focus quite yet... its not a car I find desirable though. From the looks of it I'd be paying a bit above £1000 for the car, but insurance is acceptable at around £1600. At the moment, a 306 certainly seems my cheaper option as I can get one for below £1000, even as low as £600 if i don't mind doing a bit of work, which I don't. Also the 3dr DT models come in at £1400 for insurance, which is as low as i'm going to get. As far as looks go, the phase 3 306 is way ahead of the alternatives too imo. To compare insurace, a peugeot 106 1.1 would cost me £1250. Thanks for the input guys Edit: Golf vs 306. Obviously not a very fair comparison in anything other than price, but the 306 wins hands down imo.
It sure isn't, but you should try driving one first, they are sayd to handle very well. I've got a strict standing "No Ford" order from my wife though, so I haven't tested any
If you want your insurance to be lower, don't get a typical young drivers car. I think I say this every time someone starts a thread like this, but seriously, and older saloon or similar that isn't typical of the younger drivers market tends to net you cheaper insurance. Case in point; My first car was a £1200 1.4 Mk3 Astra, insurance was £1600 TPFT, and that was the cheapest quote I could get at the time. Switch to a £1500 1.6L BMW 316 E36 (admittedly under powered for the car, but it's still going to this day and still nicer to drive than many other cars out there) and my insurance dropped to £700. A year later, £500, a year later £300. Now it's £260 a year to insure (but I have been driving 6 years, and owned that car for 5). Additionally larger cars are no harder to drive than small ones. Just remember the extra length (giggity) when reversing or sizing up spaces. Think outside the box
I tried a quote for an old L reg 405 estate, as I could probably have my dads old one if i put a lot of work into making it roadworthy again, but it was still £1200. To be honest, I'm happy to pay £200 more to get a car I like insured. It should do down pretty quickly assuming I manage not to hit anything I think going diesel is outside the box enough for insurers - for any of the cars I'm looking at as a 1.4 or 1.6 petrol the insurance is £2k+
I kinda know about Fords :s I'd suggest a Focus 1.8TDCI if your after a larger car, good cars, not much goes wrong with them as long as you maintain them. I'd stay clear of the 1.6 diesels that have a DPF fitted, seriously expensive to maintain. 1.4 diesel fiesta's have a tendancy to burst injector seals and sound like a choochoo train, but 1.6 diesel Fiesta's are the nuts, nothing goes wrong with them and theyre only £35 a year tax. You can't go wrong with a 1.6tdci Zetec S fiesta, very sought after car
if you bought a 1.6 diesel Ford Escort Van (or similar) you'd be laughing, All your Uni mates would love your beer / passenger carrying capacity, the fact you could be the moving tent at any outdoor gigs, you would have a blank canvas (side panels) for your arty friends to scrawl on, Its way different, and its practical.
Motorway cruise speeds of white vans are legendary, you can be cruising on a motorway / autobahn and inevitably you will be flashed by a man in a white van trying to overtake you. So no worries there
Skoda or Seat Diesels that have not been neglected. Trouble is, they do fetch a premium, even for old models, way beyond the OP's budget. Totoya D4D Corolla, possibly worth laying down more cash for, very good 1.4 Diesel, stupid economy and still 100 bhp or more so not too slow.
I know a couple of old mates with Fiestas (1.4 D zetecs ), so I'll ask if i can give them a test drive. The more I think about a focus, the less I want one... dunno. I love your logic here Can't fault it. The only difference being I'd be paying for my own fuel (also the legal passenger capacity is a bit on the low side ) Seats are well out of my budget, but i could just stretch to an old (X) Fabia 1.9D. Problem there is i find them only marginally more attractive than a focus. (I tell a lie. going by looks i'd much rather a fabia than a focus, but then i'd much rather a golf/306/leon than a fabia) I hadn't looked at corollas before, but they seem a bit on the expensive side. The 1.4 D-4D came out in 2004, and the going price seems to be about £3,800. I've got quite a lot of money set aside, mainly to start paying off my student loan, and my car fund is coming out of this. I could afford a £4k car but it would make quite a dent in my bank. I want this car to last me till I've finished uni and got a job (about 3 years). I figured £1000 should be enough... I'm only actually going to be able to go and test drive cars over easter (as I want my dad to be able to look over and drive them - he's always done his own maintenance, so has a better idea than me what to look for. This is another advantage of getting a deisel pug, as he knows them back to front).
Another one to consider is the Vauxhall Corsa C 1.7CDTi SRi which can be had quite cheaply or the less powerful 1.3 cdti.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif.../radius/1501/page/4/postcode/m111aa?logcode=p http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif.../page/5/postcode/m111aa/radius/1501?logcode=p Only group 7E insurance I'd also look at a honda civic, they will go forever
The almeras look rather nice. Another car I hadn't thought of... I'll have a proper look once I'm out of lectures. Group 7 is quite expensive for a 20 year old but I'll certainly have a look at non s versions. With civics, young drivers pay a big boy racer premium on the insurance which unfortunatley makes them completely unaffordable. As for corsas,they're a bit on the small side tbh :/
Another bad thing for Corsas, the previous model is awful for those with longish legs. I had my knees jammed into the steering column because the footwell was so shallow and the seat didn't go back far enough when I had a sit in one.
For a type r or s civic maybe, but for just a standard one is that the case? Was looking at one recently for my dad, was a brill car, but he then decided to stick with what he's got
I can attest to the 1.4 TDCI fiestas, having got a 1.4 TDCI zetec, and having to have the seals done in April last year, set me back about £500 quid which seems to be going rate for them. You'll know if it has the burst seals as you'll get the smell of fumes in the cab. Apart from that they are a sound car, good motorway cruiser, not bad fuel economic I average about 50 to 55 mpg. I've had 60+ out of it when I've driven it nicely! And for when you want some fun with them, they are pretty good at sticking to the road. Oh yeah they are also 30 quid to tax.
