Another Question for Those With a Bit of Car Knowledge

[GB72]

I have finally moved house and as planned am looking to change my car with some of the proceeds as my Megane is getting on a bit and has done a few too many miles.

Trouble is, as is always the case, my budget after the move is a bit less than planned. I have about £7500 to spend but it is only now that I am realising actually how little there is that is catching my eye at that sort of price.

I could go down the Focus route but the ones with a reasonable mileage at that price are a bit basic and a little boring.

At my age I am looking for something that is a still a bit fun but with some practicality and ideally bluetooth and Ipod connectivity.

What have I seen so far:

Hyundai Coupe 2.0 Siii. Has a decent spec and great warranty but some comments about Korean cars on here have put me off a bit. Still can get one with about 25000 miles in my price range and it is fun and looks great.

Fiat Grande Punto 1.4 16v T-jet Sporting: Local garage put me on to this one. Loads of kit, goes well for a 1.4 and has the looks and practicality and is cheap (£7000 for one with just over 10000 miles). Down side is that at my age I remember all of the problems associated with Fiats and so am a bit wary.

Astra Twintop: Has the fun element but to get one in my price range I am looking at one with 30000 miles. Looks OK and love convertibles but it is still an Astra and is never going to set the worls alight in the looks and performance stakes.

Does anyone have any thoughts on these or any other suggestions. Please bear in mind that I am big, fat bloke so I look silly in anything too small that is if I can get into it.

 

[Region3]

I've always quite like these, look smart outside and in, decent size, decent spec, go fairly well.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/a...21305?logcode=p

 

[GB72]

That is certainly th sort of thing. Only concern may be that it is insurance group 15 which I am assuming is pretty expensive

 

[CliveW]

I've always quite like these, look smart outside and in, decent size, decent spec, go fairly well.

As used by the Traffic Police as unmarked cars in various constabularies.

 

[medwayjon]

Another vote for the Octavia, great cars.

I wouldnt worry too much about the insurance group, unless you are an acne-ridden 19y/o boy-racer it should be reasonable to insure.

 

[Smiffy]

Have a look in the SEAT range. I think all of their cars have superb looks and if I was putting my money into one it would be a turbo diesel. Go like stink, good fuel economy and pretty well screwed together.
Dashes can let them down a bit (a bit plasticky) but if you can forgive them that, you will have a good looking, economical, mile muncher.

 

[brendy]

GB, plenty of options, a leon cupra r would certainly be quick enough and well built.
Octavia VRS Derv was a good running motor too (I had a 2008 model)
Or, save a few quid an dbuy one of these, and put the rest towards insurance/fuel, loads more smiles per gallon!
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/a.../1501?logcode=p

 

[DMC]

O the cars you mention i would check out the fiat, they have improved over the years and Grande is a good looking and driving car.

 

[viscount17]

Fiat started improving their build early 90's by getting their chassis built by someone else, Saab mostly, and actually using metal for the bodywork.
I had a Tempra which by the time I got rid of it had 196,00 miles and not a speck of rust on it. Even mechanically it wasn't bad - except for an untraceable, noisy and sometimes violent vibration which lead to its demise. It did have a few unusual, and expensive, engineering solutions - like a water pump that came as a four part kit, alloy oil hose unions into a steel block, etc.

Parts were the real downside, expensive and difficult to get. Agents did not carry much stock' and there weren't many generic parts. All parts were 'they'll be in Tuesday', no matter what day of the week they were ordered but without specifying which Tuesday. Since there are fewer agents I doubt that they have improved.

 

[bobmac]

http://www.grange.co.uk/jsp/index.jsp?regno=EN52WOA&lnk=311&desc=Jaguar S-Type V8 SE Auto Automatic 4 door Saloon (2003)&make=Make&model=&maxprice=8000&orderby=0

 

[Basher]

I've always liked the look of these motors.

A 1.8 SRi with a sympathetic, non chav body kit. Finished off with those wheels and 3 doors look outstanding.

 

[Redwood]

I'm with Smiffy on this one.

I owned a Seat Leon Cupra for about 4 years, never had a problem with it, and it went well. You could pick up a Cupra, or Cupra R now for decent money.

 

[Lump]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/a...f43pj?logcode=p

You simply can not find more car for this sorta money. A real Q-car too. Thread ended!

 

[GB72]

Having Test Driven a few cars today. I am probably opting for A Fiat Bravo 1.4 T-Jet. Fun yet practical and ridiculously good value. Decent kit, seems like a decent engine and looks the dogs.

Unless anyone has any real horror stories I think this will be the one for me.

Liked the Seat but for a lowish mileage model I am looking at a couple of grand more than I am looking to spend.

 

[Region3]

That is certainly th sort of thing. Only concern may be that it is insurance group 15 which I am assuming is pretty expensive

Not as bad as you'd think if you're prepared to shop around a bit.
Mine is group 17 and costs me £440 with breakdown cover, legal cover, and protected no claims.

I'm with Smiffy on this one.

I owned a Seat Leon Cupra for about 4 years, never had a problem with it, and it went well. You could pick up a Cupra, or Cupra R now for decent money.

I'm also with Smiffy, though I didn't want to say so at first because I'm biased, and I do also like the Octavia's.

I had a mk1 Leon Cupra for about 3 years and loved it, then chopped it in for the new Leon Cupra 2 years ago and that still makes me smile every time I drive it.

Agree with Smiffy that the dashes are quite 'plasticky', but there solidly built and who cares what the dash looks like when the speedo's doing this

 

[The_LHC]

I've always liked the look of these motors.

A 1.8 SRi with a sympathetic, non chav body kit. Finished off with those wheels and 3 doors look outstanding.

That isn't the 1.8, it's the 150bhp 1.9TDi, arguably a better car as it's faster and MUCH more economical (I was averaging 54MPG and I wasn't hanging around), the 1.8 petrol is gutless really, but the TDi has loads of grunt, pulling in 6th from less than 60, even uphill is no trouble at all. I had one of them, exactly like that in fact and that was the best thing about it.

I probably wouldn't have another though, the handling wasn't up to much. I did get mine with the Active Sport suspension though, you press a button on the dash and it drops the suspension and supposedly improves the throttle response (in reality it just gets you to full throttle earlier in the pedal travel). Problem is unless you're driving on billiard table smooth roads (I live in Devon, they aren't) it becomes way too firm and bounces off of every bump in the tarmac, combine that with the ridiculous amounts of torque going through the front wheels and you've got something that wants to throw itself into the nearest hedge everytime it sees a corner.

So you drive with the sport mode off, which is more comfortable but unfortunately seems to set the front wheels to negative camber, ie running on their outside edges. This has two effects, one it wears the outside half of the tyres out in about 7,000 miles and two it means you have zero front end grip and the car understeers everywhere.

I only had mine for about 8 months (company car and I left) and I don't regret giving it back at all. Especially as there was barely enough room for the clubs in the back.

Maybe one without the active ride control would be better, I don't know. I'd hate to think how firm the VXR is though.

To be honest the Megane 1.9TDi GT was a FAR better car, the handling was brilliant and it was quicker than the Astra. The boot was even smaller though.

 

[medwayjon]

Have to throw a curve-ball in here and suggest a diesel alfa-romeo.

I have wood for Alfas, absolutely love the things. Having owned a couple of 156's personally I have to say that they are simply wonderful machines.

Not necessarily the most reliable of things but then neither are Fiats all being told.