Currently have a 59 mazda 6 diesel estate which is great to drive and big but is a high miler with some very expensive shakes and rattles so I want to replace it soon. I only really need the estateness when shifting bikes or moving houses and think a decent sized hatch with bike rack would be a better option.

I’m a 24 year old PhD student so can’t really afford anything too sporty due to insurance, but I’m currently looking at the 2.2 icdti civic or a 140bhp diesel focus (2007-2009ish models). I hear the civic is big and economical but the focus is better to drive and doesn’t have a clutch made of cheese.
Anything else I should consider?

My dad has the focus and its very nice to drive. Performance is pretty good and it’s well put together. Does 50mpg easy.

Budget? focus will be cheaper than civic!

BMW 1 series, rear wheel drive fun.

Aye, budget would be £3-4,500. Seen examples of both going for that on ebay but the focuses generally have fewer miles for the same money.

Smart Forfour Brabus, can be had for £3.5k, pretty nippy and look great plus have loads of kit as standard (leather, panoramic roof etc)

Used to have one btw.

Skoda Fabia VRS? Bit smaller than the focus/civic, but if you’re expecting the bike(s) to go on the outside does that matter?

Oh, and a Fiat Panda 100hp, again because I had one and it was ace 🙂

Cheers, guys. I’l have another look at the fabia but I think the Panda (as fun as they are)and smart would be too small and I’m looking for a diesel that’s churn out 6-10 hour motorway journeys without fuss.

Older style (EP3) civic type s. Should run and run with low running costs and the back will swallow 2 bikes with ease (I have the typeR version and the fold flat rear seats are genius). Might be cheaper to buy and to insure than a newer car?

I had a focus saloon. It was excellent, really nice to drive. The boot is slightly bigger than the hatchback. Did I mention it was also really good value for money.

Older style (EP3) civic type s. Should run and run with low running costs and the back will swallow 2 bikes with ease (I have the typeR version and the fold flat rear seats are genius). Might be cheaper to buy and to insure than a newer car?

I’ve had one of these for eight years and 105,000 miles (bought it as ex-demo 18 month old 10,000 miler) Apart from looking a bit dull I can’t really fault it! Well I suppose the rev limiter could kick in about 500 rpm higher, it’s still pulling hard when you hit the redline, but then again that would affect engine lifespan. And the front seat sliders could do with more rearward travel for tall people. I’ll be very sad when it dies, it looks rather battered on the outside but it’s mechanically bombproof and still a delight to drift around sliproads…

If you are looking at the Fabia VRS, have a look at the Ibiza FR as well. Same car effectively, but seems to depreciate more so you can pick them up for less.
They also do a petrol version; the 150bhp 1.8T engine.

Or if you want a bit more oomph the Ibiza Cupra TDi has 160bhp and is about 2 secs quicker to 60 than the FR (or the Fabia VRS). Might not fit in budget though.

hp_source – Member
Fiat Panda 100hp,

Its for him, not the wife

Seat Leon FR?

Leon FR noted. I guess I had a bad impression of them as where I’m from they’re generally the go-to car for wannabe gangsters. But as you say, same car underneath.
Cheers chaps.

Don’t Civic back seats fold ‘up’ so you can get bikes in the back just wheeled in?

^Civics are lovely practical cars. I could get my road bike in like this but you’d struggle to get a mountain bike in across the back without taking at least one wheel off.

^
That’s the fn2, not the ep3.
Jeesh….
😉

DrP

Seat Leon I reckon- when I was pondering a cheap car the Civics were knackered at that price but the Leons were newer and lower mileage. I didn’t like the drive of the Focuses but they are vast inside with the seats down.

I’ve used a guy at work’s older 1 series and by god it’s awful- 2011 model, so old shape- uncomfortable, weird interior and a very uninspiring drive.

I love my Fabia- the inside is quite bland but easy to use and feels quality, and mine’s not the VRS but has the sport spenkshuns and drives very nicely. Also does 65mpg most days without being too much of a jessie. It’s also pretty big inside- almost as big as Doris was but without the disadvantage of the sloping rear window. I can get a bike box in there easy. They’re also cheap to buy, cheap to tax and cheap to insure. Much more so than a 2.2 bigger hatch.

stilltortoise – Member

^Civics are lovely practical cars. I could get my road bike in like this but you’d struggle to get a mountain bike in across the back without taking at least one wheel off.
Posted 1 minute ago # Report-Post

That’s clever.

Focus seats fold flat the other way so you get a nice big boot.
Couldn’t find a pic so this is a Corolla, but it’s the same deal.

I get two bikes easily in mine standing upright with jst their front wheels removed

^Civic does this too. It’s got loads of carrying capacity for a “small” car

I reckon for once the OP needs to come back and show us his wares once purchased, all these car threads and we so rarely find out how they ended.
chiefgrooveguru -good work sir!

Yep, the civic ones fold flat too which is nice. I think you’d be looking at a pretty ropey 07 for 4.5k

07 Suzuki swift sport – I have had mine from new its a bit potent, fits 2 bikes in ?(1 wheels off , 1 on ) and it handles like an Elise

2007 Fiesta ST. I still love the guy at Ford who though it was a good idea to put a 2 litre Mondeo engine in a Fiesta. Whenever I looked under the bonnet I’m still not sure how they got it in there.

Great fun to drive, 40mpg if sensible, and looks good. 150bhp, so not quite hot but still pretty nippy. Can get a couple of bikes in with the seats down.

Have you looked at Mondeo’s?

Better handling than Focus, more equipment, good mpg, as cheap as Focus, if not more so.

I’ve had one of these for eight years and 105,000 miles (bought it as ex-demo 18 month old 10,000 miler) Apart from looking a bit dull I can’t really fault it! Well I suppose the rev limiter could kick in about 500 rpm higher, it’s still pulling hard when you hit the redline, but then again that would affect engine lifespan. And the front seat sliders could do with more rearward travel for tall people. I’ll be very sad when it dies, it looks rather battered on the outside but it’s mechanically bombproof and still a delight to drift around sliproads…

I have one. This is very true.

Currently on second Leon. Love ’em!

First was TDI Cupra. Great motor but had got to the “tipping point” in terms of financial sustainability.

Traded in for FR which is great to drive. Bit quicker, equal fuel economy, more comfortable BUT the rear seats don’t fold forward as they did in the Cupra (with the seat backs still in place, if that makes sense) which means folding the seat backs forward instead = not as practical for carrying bikes. Will fit a tow bar which will be good for a trailer as well and get a bike rack to go on that.