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WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Printable Version

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WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Piggy - 14-03-2015

I'm searching for some friends.

Both retired. Do 250-300miles per week. 
Needs to be 306/Astra size. 
5dr. 
Diesel. 
Easy/cheap to fix/reliable.
£1000 budget. 
Willing to travel/move a little on money for the rightcar. 

Trying to find a lower than average mileage car with good service history/looked after.

I'm looking for a 306 HDi for obvious reasons...really struggling to find a decent one.

Other options maybe 1.8tdci Focus?


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - MY95 - 14-03-2015

You've probably already thought of this as you've got one yourself but what about a 206 HDI? Same size as a 306 before anyone mentions it (I used to have one and both give or take the same size) and safer.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Piggy - 14-03-2015

Its NOT the same size inside or outside bud.
Less leg room in front and back and boot is quite a bit smaller. Also narrower inside too. Bumper to bumper its 20cm shorter too. (an inch narrower which feels more inside due to more side protection)

Otherwise I would be getting them one


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - MY95 - 14-03-2015

Focus is a good choice though.
Its not a massive difference though on the outside size wise but inside size is fair point but if theres only two of them, safer than a 306 in a crash and cheaper to run, would be my choice, plenty around too Smile


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - 1616six - 14-03-2015

Corolla, Almera?


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Piggy - 14-03-2015

Focus engine is just awful and they rust chronically. But the old guy likes em

Maybe 1.9tdi Golf!?


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - 1616six - 14-03-2015

(14-03-2015, 11:31 PM)Piggy Wrote: Focus engine is just awful and they rust chronically. But the old guy likes em

Maybe 1.9tdi Golf!?

I was gonna suggest a Mk4 golf tdi but £1000 budget with low miles & history will be nye on impossible.

That's the reason I suggested a corolla or Almera. You'll probably get a 1.5 DCI Almera for that, nothing exciting but does a good job of being a car.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - adam b - 14-03-2015

406 hdi estate. It's not as big as you think and really easy to live with.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Piggy - 15-03-2015

Doesnt want an estate Undecided


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Seb_Ryan - 15-03-2015

Alfa 147?


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Poodle - 15-03-2015

Focus is a good one, the engines are pretty bomb-proof and they don't rust that badly if they're ever cleaned. Astra is the other obvious option for me, they're reliable, nice and easy to work on and pennies to fix. The jap stuff does tend to rust quite badly, reliable enough though.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - welshpug - 15-03-2015

406 saloon, dirt cheap


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Iceman299 - 15-03-2015

Civic? Can get an ep2 for around 1k. Nice cars too but have zero torque


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - welshpug - 15-03-2015

epic rust and electrical problems, avoid.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - THE_Liam - 15-03-2015

Can't do better than a 306 on that budget with those requirements, believe me I've tried.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - welshpug - 15-03-2015

oh you can do fairly easily, Phase2 xsara 110 hdi, 307, C4, theyre all getting on a bit nowadays so well within reach.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - THE_Liam - 15-03-2015

(15-03-2015, 06:40 PM)welshpug Wrote: oh you can do fairly easily, Phase2 xsara 110 hdi, 307, C4, theyre all getting on a bit nowadays so well within reach.

Define better, the 306 is better than any of those, far better in the case of the 307, they are awful cars.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Piggy - 15-03-2015

Had considered Xsara.

I give up advising though.

They have gone for a 3 yr lease for a 3 yr old Fiesta 1.4 petrol.

Dont ask. I give up.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - miles - 15-03-2015

406 Saloon, no Torsion beams to worry about either, dead reliable both of mine did well, one even got to 350k with me and bar oil and belts, plus 2 rear wheel bearings never needed anything else


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Toms306 - 15-03-2015

Why not? You said yourself they're retired, they don't want something old and unreliable and full of niggles....they won't want something 'fun'... And finding a 12+ year old diesel car on low milage with decent history for less than a grand is near impossible these days.

Personally I wouldn't have gone for the 1.4 petrol but a newish Fiesta seems ideal for their needs doesn't it...?


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Piggy - 15-03-2015

Its smaller, more expensive and awful mpgs.

Just a bit peeved. Its a great car. Well the engine sucks. But the fiesta is amazing.
if I knew that when they said we want nothing smaller than an astra, cheap, diesel that they meant none of that I wouldnt have wasted my time!

I honestly think he's just balled over as all he has driven in 10yrs is that crappy astra1.6. Anything modern is going to feel amazing.

Oh well.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Toms306 - 15-03-2015

Yeah that's a fair point! Car choice is so personal though, people don't often want what they think they want either (from experience lol). I tend to keep out of car choice discussions now, best thing really is to ignore all 'on paper' numbers and go look at/test drive a few things.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - ConorTRG - 15-03-2015

Tbh, its better that they went with a petrol engine when they picked a fresh car.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Niall - 15-03-2015

(15-03-2015, 08:30 PM)Toms306 Wrote: best thing really is to ignore all 'on paper' numbers and go look at/test drive a few things.

This. Figures never seem to be accurate in the real world and like you say, a car choice is very personal. Personally, i would never have a new fiesta. Ever.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - THE_Liam - 15-03-2015

Really the smart choice is a stupidly massive German barge with a quarter of a million miles and ruined suspension.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Poodle - 16-03-2015

Probably just got blind-sided by the salesman in the ford dealership tbh, don't take ti personally, they're old lol.


RE: WHAT CAR thread...open to suggestions. - Piggy - 16-03-2015

Yeah. He is just like a grandad to me.

I gently chatted through things with him today. He seems over the world, but he just keeps mentioning the gadgets and how amazing 35-37mpg is.

oh well.