After a surprise from behind someone’s written off my Corsa. I’m now armed with £4k to replace it.

My original plan was to buy a Caddy van, but most look like piles of high millage junk at that sort of price so I’m starting to think that’s not an option at this price range so I’m reconsider a car. I’ve done over 70,000 in the last 5 years in my 2010 Corsa, mainly for driving to places to go ride.

I’m currently considering three options:

a) A Caddy van (For no real reason I’m not too keen to entertain over small vans. The heart rules the head sometimes)

b) A normal car similar to my Corsa (it was slow but cheap to run and did the job)

c) Something a little bit more interesting but still sensible like a Fabia VRS (Plenty in budget at lower mileage than my Corsa. Potentially a bigger money pit, I don’t know?)

Any advice and recommendations would be appreciated!!!

After a surprise from behind someone’s written off my….

Well, we’ve all been there…

for option b:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/peugeot/206-sw

4k bought me one of these with 23k miles on the clock. Ive had two now, they were both great (ive only had two cause i crashed the first one)

both 2L HDi 90bhp. Ive got a transporter now, which is nice on the “masses of space”, high driving position, and 130bhp side of things, but its already been in the garage more than either of the Peugeot. I would buy another 206sw without a second thought if i needed a car that size.
take the front wheels off and it’ll take 3 people and 3 bikes lying on their backs, not shuffling or stacking.

Avensis tourer

Mazda 6 has a big boot.

That’s how much I paid for my Mondeo estate

Option C, I had a diesel Leon cupra/fr for a few years. Looked nice, good to drive and still great on fuel etc, pretty sensible. Would have another!

Focus estate? Boring but apparently got a huge boot

Bails – nah, i30 is much bigger boot wise. Focus is comfy but crap for space.

I’d get a mondeo, actually I am going to. Mondeos are mint.

New bike and bangernomics?
Had Caddy vans at work, think you can get just as much in a Mondeo estate (had a Mk3) which drives a lot better.

Do you need a small vehicle? Big cars tend to be better value as well as being better at hauling bikes about. £4000’ll buy a very nice mondeo, mazda 6, avensis, accord, whatever. Legacy maybe if you hate mpg. (I’d hunt down a 2.2 mondeo or the 155bhp mazda 6 diesel personally- the 2.2 doesn’t carry much penalty over the 2.0 in price or insurance, only a little more tax, only difference in servicing is front tyres, and the economy is a little better when driven economically. And I think they get cared for just a little better) They are big though, big enough for it sometimes to be a disadvantage. I’d struggle to replace mine with a smaller car now but I do get van envy

Little vans are nice for headroom in the back but that’s about it. Focus is good but always a bit more expensive, and it’s trickier to find the good engines because first buyers are more sensible/constrained so tended towards the smallest petrol and diesels. The 2.0TDCI works really well.

I crossed the VRS off eventually just because the boot’s not great. But it’ll still do the job very well, just not as well as similiar sized estates. But it has its plus points too.

Corsa with one of those built in bike racks? Looking at one for second cheap runaround car myself

Proper sized Van?

I am looking at Fiat Doblo ex motabulity vehicles cheap and big well maintained on contract and a lot for your money but bloody ugly,1.9 diesel is a good lump and most have no DPF.

4k will by a good late low milage one.
I

Mondeo. Estate. Diesel. Remap.

Swb vivaro or traffic.

Just lost my mk3 Mondeo, bless him. DMF failure at 180k. Was the wifes daily driver, so replaced with a new Focus rather than pumping 2x the Mondeo value in to keeping it going. She needs a reliable car for her work.

But, the Mondeo…had him 6yrs & in that time it’s returned 45mog. Running costs low, yearly service, tyres & set of brake pads. Repairs were few basic items, handbrake cable & re-code of injectors once.
I will miss the Mondeo, been a great car.

We have a Galaxy that is simply brilliant at lugging bikes around & towing the caravan, so that will become my car. I don’t do many miles though.

So yes, Mondeo gets a nod from me.
Lugging bikes in & out of a small car is pain in the ass.
Also, touring some of Walsalls suburbs with a “follow me home for a shed full of bikes” sign on the back/roof of a small car isn’t great.

How much? You could buy a bike for that.

Been said before but why not a Honda Jazz, cheap and massive boot,

I’ve a civic which is very roomy with the seats folded but as I have bars on the roof loads of room inside, cheap to run an service too

4k will get a nice latest shape berlingo.

Get an old Volvo V70 – I saw one with 50k miles for £2k recently on about a 51plate – awesome bike carriage! 😀

I’m in the same position myself as my faithful Fabia Estate is to be replaced.
Going to look at a Roomster ( great value and with the rear seats unclipped cavernous), and possibly a Honda CR-V as higher ground clearance would be handy occasionally (a deep puddle created the long term demise of the Fabia )

+1 for the Roomster. Garage round the corner has just put one on their forecourt, looks very clean & tidy, visit tomorrow 😆
Like the big car idea but don’t have the space or need something as big as Mondeo, already got a Sorrento for caravan duties which may be getting swapped for a motorhome 😀

Astra cdti estate H , seats fold down easy + £20 saris fork clamp {job done} . awesome on juice as well .

Avensis.

I am quite happy with my Subaru Legacy 2.0 estate. Room for 3 bikes in the back with the seats down. Petrol, manual. Loves revs and nice to drive.

Roomster bought.
Can’t wait to get the Alpine inside to see how they get on

Another vote for the Mondeo here. Had plenty of spensive motors but having had a bit of a life change over the last couple of years now run a 04 Mondeo estate TDCI 2l. Cost me 2k and thought it would be a bit of a come down but not a bit of it. Great to drive, massive boot, strong roofbars and 2 years and 25k later it just cost me the grand total of £35 for its MOT. I genuinely love it.

Another vote for a Mondeo estate in TDCi flavour. Tons of space (especially compared to your Corsa), Fords are well built cars these days and they don’t cost drug money for servicing or routine repairs.

My vivaro was cheaper than that 🙂

LWB is best for tandems though.

Roomster

Honda jazz manual 1.4