Didn't like my Vectra at all....and it wouldn't even average 50mpg with my driving! Poor ride, low quality interior, paintwork flakes and peels like a Peugeot, egr will break but can just be blanked. Heavy tax (180 a year iirc). But as you've seen, they are much cheaper to buy than smsller cars.
I wouldn't bother with a mk4 Golf 130/150 now, they're still holding too much value and will be getting tatty at this age, but much more refinement end a better ride than the vec. Tax is about 125 a year on the earlier ones. Could probably get a decent passat TDi though...
You could also probably get a 207 1.6 HDi 90 on your budget, no dpf on the 90s either. Ride isn't great though, and I felt cramped but that's a personal thing.
As Matt says, Focus is a good shout, the 1.8tdci would be well in your budget. Maybe even a mk2 2.0 HDi...
I wouldn't bother with a mk4 Golf 130/150 now, they're still holding too much value and will be getting tatty at this age, but much more refinement end a better ride than the vec. Tax is about 125 a year on the earlier ones. Could probably get a decent passat TDi though...
You could also probably get a 207 1.6 HDi 90 on your budget, no dpf on the 90s either. Ride isn't great though, and I felt cramped but that's a personal thing.
As Matt says, Focus is a good shout, the 1.8tdci would be well in your budget. Maybe even a mk2 2.0 HDi...