We have acquired a labrador and my teenage son is nearly 6 ft, which means I have decided our Fiat Panda runaround must be replaced with something bigger:
Potential spec is:
Budget 6.5K ish max
Not too large.
Practical, no frills, tough.
2 to 3 years old, possibly 4 max.
Lowish miles, maybe 30K or lower
Dog friendly, low boot lip, largish useful boot.
Mileage around 10K pa. Probably petrol motor then.
Want simplicity, easy servicing, (some DIY), available spares.
Air con
Reliability
hopefully 38 to 40 mpg average, mixed running.
Fancying Astra, Focus, really like the sound of Zero's Lancer Estate.
Will intend to keep 4 or 5 years.
Any ideas?
Cheers
Baz
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Of course it has to be a KIA Cee'd estate. :)
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Chatsworth - that's a small estate.
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Skoda Octavia Estate in taxi trim ("S" spec).
It's built on the Golf platform so size wise it's deceptively small, only a couple of inches bigger than a Golf. It breathes in for tight gaps ;-)
Little to go wrong (comparatively speaking with a similar aged vehicle!). Well supported if it does go wrong (many many VAG indies, all the computer stuff is easily & cheaply serviced -- where BMW falls down on new cars!) & OEM parts can be had for reasonable money.
The boot's massive, fit the 6ft'er and the dog in there in comfort! :-)
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Kia Ceed over budget, Chatsworth just a bit over budget:-) Quite like Roomster but 1.9 diesel over budget, petrols might be worth considering, although poverty 1.2 sounds a bit small and the 1.4 is on HJ's "cam tensioner issues" list.
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Octavia would but ideal but can't find anything at that price/spec. I want to keep the spend down as this is 2nd car. However, maybe I'm being a bit tight-fisted! Other car is an 03 Octavia tdi with 85K, which I intend to run a bit longer yet.
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Hyundai i30 Wagon
I don't think we're very well served with small estates right now. You'd have a lot more choice if you went a class bigger (just talking generally).
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Lacetti? I wonder what they're like - fits the spec in theory. Can't help thinking an Astra/Focus would be a nicer drive though. It's a Vauxhall really isnt it?
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>> Lacetti? I wonder what they're like - fits the spec in theory. Can't help thinking
>> an Astra/Focus would be a nicer drive though. It's a Vauxhall really isnt it?
>>
Re badged Daewoo I think.
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>> Can't help thinking an Astra/Focus would be a nicer drive though.
I know someone selling an 06 Astra estate (Life trim) 1.8 auto with 4 or 5 months Network-Q warranty remaining. Whereabouts are you?
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I've had Lacetti's on the truck in the old job and i liked them, they felt like reworked Japanese cars and seemed quite a decent straightforward simple motor to me, proper auto box too if that's wanted though no Diesel that i'm aware of.
Undeniably good value, poor residuals but then it would be bought cheaply.
Pity Hyundai/Kia didn't offer estate versions of Sonata/Magentis, they'd be damned good...i wonder if they have estate versions of those in other countries.
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Too late for edit...just looked Lacetti up on HJ, 2.0 Diesel from 07 apparently discontinued shortly after so must be rare.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Mon 4 Oct 10 at 22:08
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Whereabouts are you?...
South Wales, near Abergavenny. Needs to be a manual though...thanks anyway!
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How about a Renault?
Scenic/ Grand Scenic / Laguna?
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Fabia estate? Friend has 1.2 petrol, which won't pull the skin off a rice pudding, but 1.9 TDi (or SDi of you're not in a hurry) should be within budget. As someone said earlier, 1.4 16v petrol would be fine for your mileage, but may have cam tensioner issues...
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Reading through the OP's spec, it has to be a Focus.
Decent drive, reliability, spares availability, £6.5K, 3/4-years-old, tough, some DIY servicing, 30K miles.
All these are possible with a Focus, but I doubt are possible with anything else.
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>> Fancying Astra, Focus, really like the sound of Zero's Lancer Estate.
And well you should Baz.
It fits ALL your criteria, with the possible question mark over size of boot.
Had mine for 11 months and 12k miles now. While I may have lusted after, or fancied other more specced up, flashy, more powerful wagons, I have never for one moment said to myself.
"yuk I wish I hadnt bought this"
Nor have I ever said before a journey
"damn - I have to drive the lancer"
It was even a pleasure to service it myself.
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fits ALL your criteria, with the possible question mark over size of boot. ......
Had the good fortune to come across one with owner sat in car park today. Had a good chat and look around it: The boot is practical and well shaped, if not quite as deep as say an Astra. Ideal for doggy. Build appeared rock solid. This one was a 1.6 with 75K. Not a single problem, so couldn't help with my query on spares and servicing prices. Around 40 mpg apparently, no ball of fire to drive but totally adequate. Interior tough and dull, no frills, my kind of car.
The big pull is the price. These cars are ridiculously cheap. I have seen 07 Estates with low miles for around 4 grand! That means I can buy, run for 4 or 5 years , throw away and depreciation is less than a grand a year. Cheap motoring surely?
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yup, which is why it became my retirement vehicle.
As for spares prices, find my thread on here where I did the last service in April.
Road tax is dear tho. 185 a year
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 20 Oct 10 at 19:29
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What you need Baz is a Marina !
Saw one just like this fine example this morning...on the way from the airport.
tinyurl.com/3688nbq (link to Google images of Tata Marina)
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How about a Renault?
Scenic/ Grand Scenic / Laguna?
You would have to either be a masochist or a supplier of Renault parts to recommend any of these.
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>> You would have to either be a masochist or a supplier of Renault parts to
>> recommend any of these.
>>
Nice post - made me chuckle!
Well, I'm not a supplier of Renault parts, but I do drive a BMW on runflats - so I guess that I fit the first criteria. :-)
Seriously though, when reliable (Yeah, I know that's a big question mark), Renaults are very handy cars which would fit the OP's needs well.
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Looks just the job doesnt it? Is it coming to UK I wonder. Looking at Lancers at the moment, seem the best value. Also Notes, though not quite sure if the boot is adequate. 4.5K gets a newish Lancer with low miles. Not many about here though ( S Wales)
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Small Estates? - Old Navy
