I sold my Fiesta as it’s now a bit too small, and also it seemed a good time to get rid as tax/insurance ran out end of the month, and I was about to not be able to drive for 2 months while I rehabbed after a shoulder op. Plan was to start looking around end of April.

For reasons too long to go into, the op has been cancelled, but I had already sold the Fiesta. So need to get a car sorted now. Requirements are:

– £3k-ish
– Big enough to chuck a wheelchair in the back (the Fiesta was a bit tight hence the sale).
– Petrol 1.6l or bigger (not sure any turbo assisted smaller engines will be around for my price/age)
– Economical-ish. I know I am looking at at a 7-10yr old car so not expecting miracles.

Originally I was thinking 08-ish 1.6l Focus with decent trim. Anything else worth looking at? Don’t mind getting something bigger if more value to be had I guess.

As an aside, I have had to hire a car for a week while I get stuff sorted, and the only thing Enterprise had left was this looker:

I went from a fiesta to a 1.6 2002 Berlingo. Just a brilliant car, so versatile.
You’d get a newer one for that dough.
Fits several bikes and people in, often converted for wheelchairs so no problem there. Lift up boot is great in the rain/camping etc.

Won’t win any awards for street cred, but reliable and plenty around for your budget.

Focus, Avensis or Exeo estate (old A4) are where I would look for that money.

The ubiquitous.

I had an 2009 Focus BITD (1.6 tdci)- bloody fantastic car, up until 50k when some scally nicked and torched it.

I had another, that then developed need for a new clutch & DMF (£800), but otherwise faultless service.

Great drive, nice inside and still look good on the road. Get one in grey 🙂

It’s all a throw of the dice anyhow.

It’s all a throw of the dice anyhow.

This, so to move the odds slightly in your favour go Japanese and boring, that way you’ll get a car that probably never have been thrashed and will (probably) never go wrong.

We have a Mazda 2, it’s the bollocks. For more space get a 3, or a Yaris

A Honda Civic would tick your boxes.

We have a Mazda 2, it’s the bollocks. For more space get a 3, or a Yaris

Yaris is bigger than a Fiesta? Is that the Tardis Edition? 😉

Thanks for all the suggestions. Never considered some mentioned, so food for thought.

FWIW, I was considering going boring and Mazda due to low insurance/running costs.

If you’re going boring, some of the Hyundai offerings are pretty good – I had an i40 for about a year and loved it, probably the best car I ever had, so no reason to think the i30 wouldn’t be as solid.

They look dated fast though, if that matters.

(Your hire looks like a smart roadster on anabolics)

Ah, yeah, not Yaris. I meant Corolla I think.

I have to say, our little Mazda is a great little thing to drive.

I’d also look at Hyundais, I think they’re pretty smart looking.

It’s a 1.2 petrol and goes like a dustcart on roofies.

6 speed gearbox as well…lolz

I second the Honda Civic. Lots of variants and mine (2005) is very well built and reliable

What about something like this?

I’ve had a 2007 Civic for nearly 5 years now. No issues with it, drives nicely and despite 1.8i engine is reasonably economical. Its nice and wide with fold flat seats so the wheelchair access should be pretty good. Only downside for me is £180 tax band.

Civic rear hatch lip is quite high possibly ?

£3k will get you a Rav4 with low load lip but quite an old one

That rental is the new small SUV Honda is it not ?

Toyota Auris, dull as but very reliable.

Civic, auris or mk3 mondeo

I still feel drawn to a focus. Dunno why.

Anyone know if much diff between 1.6 and 1.8l petrol engines in the mk2?

For he mk2, the 1.8l is a Mazda I believe. The 1.6 is more or less the same as in the mk1. I would choose the 1.8 as 5th gear is quite short for the 1.6 so it is a bit revvy on the motorway

I have a 54 plate focus 1.6 petrol, the vct one, 5 door. I get about 33mpg driving around town and commuting. This goes up to 36ish when flying up and down motorways.

Got the titanium spec too so its got nice innards. Currently at 86K miles, flew through its MOT in January. Have had the cam belt changed and had to have a few other bits here and there but nothing astronomical.

Fitted roof bars and bike racks, moved house with it in “van-mode” (seats down) and I was surprised at the volume of stuff it swallowed.

Cost me £3000 about 2 years ago.

We’ve had both the 1.6 Focus and the 1.8 Civic. Both good cars.

The Focus was the Mk1 and it was ace. Handled well, engine a bit gutless so you needed to drive it properly to get the best of it but it was still fun to drive. The design at the time was fresh and funky no issues in 60k miles from new. We changed it for a 2L diesel MK2 that was as dull as ditch water and ate clutches for breakfast, 2 in 70k miles. I think they spoilt the Focus after revising it post MK1. Perfect for pensioners not so for funky Jamie…

We then bought a 61 plate (mk8?) 1.8 petrol Civic and put 50k miles on it from new. The styling was funky and fresh, the magic seats ace and it was comfortable and fun to drive. The 1.8 pretends to have 140bhp but hides it well and we got low 40’s mpg from it. The only issue was an aircon compressor clutch fault fixed under warranty. Everything else, A1. That’s just been shuffled off for another 1.8 Civic (mk9) which is much the same save the face-lift and a bucket load of toys. Same economy, same performance though it’s a bit more refined as that was a common complaint about the older version.

I’d buy a MK1 Focus if it were new enough/low miles enough or a, Civic. I think the Civic will swing it as you probably won’t get a decent MK1 now as they’re all approaching bangerdom.

I also had a look at the Mazda 3 which is a 2L petrol and the Seat Leon (?). I was put off by the bigger engine in the Mazda expecting poorer fuel economy (though the car is cheaper) and the Seat was, a bit dearer (being VAG) but more anonymous so plumped for another Nonda. I can’t recall the details now but I don’t think Seat do a 1.6 or 1.8 petrol, theirs is one of those silly little motah’s with a turbo <shudders>.

So it’s down to a 1.8l Focus or a Civic (of which there seems a load of petrol options with weird iniitals)

Oddly, nosing round carparks today, nearly every MK2 Focus I have seen has been a TDCI. Assuming they are not all being used for motorway miles, are they a complete no-no for mainly urban miles?

It’s a modern diesel. Means there’s lots if expensive acronyms that can go pop at what used to be modest mileages. Ours had 2 clutches and 2 DMF’s in 70k. IIRC, the DPF is also a service part at 70k miles – £700…. Modern diesels do not like chugging round town doing short journeys. You might be lucky, you might not. The received wisdom is petrol for lower annual mileages/short journeys/town, diesels for high mileage/longer journeys.

The VTEC acronym on Nonda used to mean vroooooommm/Billy whiz. Not on the Civic, it’s tuned for economy 🙁

The 1.8tdci mk2 Focus doesn’t have a DPF. Mine’s 11 years old, on 140k miles and is still on original clutch and gearbox. In the 6 years that I’ve owned it it’s needed a new power steering pump, air con compressor and brake servo. So it’s not perfect, but everything else has been normal service items (oil, filters, tyres, one set of pads and discs).

Good to know. My 2.0 TDCI bloody well did. 🙁

Pretty sure Honda did a Sport model of the Civic; looked a bit like a type R, but did more than 20mpg.
Toyota Corolla are also hellishly uncool but no doubt reliable.
Mazda aswell, although watch out for rust.

Buy this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201701241603821?advertising-location=at_cars&radius=1500&make=BMW&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&sort=price-asc&model=7%20SERIES&price-to=3000&postcode=pe273hb&page=1

and you’ve saved a grand to cover the fuel. 😀

Family experience of Mazda is they are rust prone. Particularly in inconvenient areas like fuel fillers.

Mk3 Mondeo with the 2.0l petrol, usually a few around and they were bought by older folk that thought diesel was dirty stuff for lorries. So well kept and low mileage.

Octavia 1 and Golf mk4 available with 2.0 petrol too, uncle had golf estate with that engine and was a very undemanding car to run. You could probably find an early VRS for half your budget, not so economical, but my similar 4×4 variant has been pretty robust and more solid than expected for a 16 year old car with nearly 200k on it.

Sleeper http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201701161346384?radius=1500&price-from=1000&sort=price-desc&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&make=TOYOTA&year-from=2000&model=COROLLA&year-to=2005&advertising-location=at_cars&postcode=la129al&price-to=3000&page=3

What is a DPF, and why do I not want one?

(if i went for a TDCI)

Don’t get a diesel; false economy.

Is it though?

Cheaper tax, cars themselves seem a bit cheaper etc?

Not being funny, just wondering if it’s that clear cut, as there seems to be a load of nicely specced 05-09 diesels out there.

I sold the very car you’re looking for this afternoon. 😀
2009 Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec 5 door,57,000 Miles,1 year MOT, full service history,absolutely unmarked – I sold it for £2850
I’m fairly sure the 1.8 Duratec engine is chain driven, but the 1.6 has a timing belt.

What is a DPF, and why do I not want one?

Diesel Particulate Filter. They get clogged up if you do lots of town driving making the car perform like sh.t and cost ££££ to replace. A friend got stung on his Golf that way, imho its a crime the cars could be sold to prople who live in cities and towns and don’t regularly drive on dual carraigeways / motorways.

I sold the very car you’re looking for this afternoon.
2009 Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec 5 door,57,000 Miles,1 year MOT, full service history,absolutely unmarked – I sold it for £2850
I’m fairly sure the 1.8 Duratec engine is chain driven, but the 1.6 has a timing belt.

*digs time machine out the shed*

I’ve got a mk2.5 2009 1.8 petrol focus estate in titanium trim. It’s a great car.
Powerful enough.
Fuel economy not the best. I average 33 on short hilly drive to work. Long motorway will get mid to high 40s with the cruise control on. Got 470 miles from a tank going to Scotland which I thought was pretty good for a petrol.

Its a nice car to drive too. Smooth, quiet, and handles well.

Do you have to buy it?

Nissan was doing a really good Personal Contract Hire on Jukes a few months back.
No deposit.
£200 a month for the car (don’t go above 8K per year mileage wise)
Have to hand it back at the end of 3 years though.

Juke. Rubbish for bikes imho, too small boot/rear seats. Also £200/month is £7,200 over 3 years vs £1,500 net cost of owning a £3k car and selling it for £1,500 (and in reality probably sell for more) and with no mileage worries

Do you have to buy it?

Nissan was doing a really good Personal Contract Hire on Jukes a few months back.
No deposit.
£200 a month for the car (don’t go above 8K per year mileage wise)
Have to hand it back at the end of 3 years though.

£7.5k, and restricted to 8k miles a year for 3 years, isn’t really what I am after. I did look at a few lease deals, but due to shifting circumstances at the mo, probably better I buy rather than take on a long term-ish contract.