Hello,

Thought it worth asking STW for advice while car hunting.

Need the car for transporting mainly me to work and back (roughly 15k a year up and down dual carrageways)

Taking bikes and hiking bags/tents etc most weekends so looking at estates.

Was thinking diesal engine for decent MPG.

Looking at Focus sized cars.

Any suggestions or recomendations.

Jon

When I was looking last year, the C-Max seemed nice looking(ish) and quite cheap, otherwise focus or Mondeo Estates are both good ime and cheap on parts. Try and find a high mileage motorway miles one that doesn’t give any smoke when you floor it. My mondy 2.0L TDDi was on 185K and the engine was still sweet and still on original clutch. Cruising on the m/way at 56-70 worked out at around 55mpg.

Personally I’d be looking at a 2000-2005 passat estate.

Reliable pd engines go well and economical. Plenty of space and comfortable.

Do you like driving? If so, the Focus estate with the 2.0 diesel in it is a really nice combo, but hard to find. Mk1 Focus was a blinding car but not so convinced about the more recent ones. And there’s a bit of a price premium.

Mondeo is a very good car at this price. Millions of them out there so easy to find a good one. Big, though- I have a mk3 estate, it doesn’t physically fit in the parking spaces at most supermarkets or at my work, it’s long and wide. I do find myself leaving spaces that I’d have put my Focus estate in no bother. But the boot is mahoosive, the diesel engines are nice especially the 2.2 (the petrols are alright), and you can get a good spec level for not too much money. They are reliable, in that Fordy way of not usually going massively wrong, but going ever so slightly wrong from time to time, but there’s definitely potential for a dmf or similiar big bill.

Passat everytime for that money, try n get the highline or the sport!

Consider a Mondeo hatchback instead of a Focus estate.

I’m more than happy with my Saab 9-5 Estate. The fuel economy could be better but that’s the price I pay for getting a 2.3t petrol auto.

You should be able to get a good diesel engine 9-3 or 9-5 model within that budget.
For example

AT that price I would not bother (particularly) with make, model or mpg. I would be solely interested in a peachy condition, full service history, private sale from a nice owner, who has kept it garaged and cherished, without the grandkids near it too often….
Yes there would be a couple of ‘no to that’ before I even go to look models. Hit autotrader and the phone.

Matt is right and service history is particularly important with Saabs.

From my experience ( I had similar requirements to the OP and am a firm believer in ‘bangernomics’) I would go for a ‘quality’ car which is slightly older but has depreciated rapidly. I drive a newish Focus Estate a lot at work and while it’s ok generally, my ageing Saab which cost me less than a grand beats it hands down in every department except fuel economy.

I’ll be selling my 55 plate astra estate when the company car turns up. It’s been spot on for me. 55 mpg for me on average.

Significantly less than £2.5k as well

At less than 20k a year, diesel may not work out cheaper, it doesn’t for us anyway. If you want diesel though, Mondeo Mk3 tdci is a pretty strong unit, chain driven, no DPF, loads of choice and spares. Bit on the large side, sold it with over 200k on it because the wife was fed up of parking it – would fit 5 riders and their bikes though, or a whole bike with wheels on and saddle in.
Got a V50 now and wish I just gave the go ahead to make the car fit the spaces at the expense of paint and straight panels.

Matt- Im not to fussed yet on which make/model (just had good experience with fords in the past) just if someone said no dont go for this terrible id pay attention.

Onza-Depending on location I may be interested

Timber- Trying to do all the sums to work out which will end up cheaper diesel or petrol ATM.

Thanks to everyone for advice so far

Might not be cool but a mk4 Golf estate might be worth a look. I really like the mk4 – well built things and dead easy to improve them if you get a base spec one (Recaros etc from GTIs etc slot straight in). 1.9 TDI is a proper ‘run forever’ type engine as well if looked after.

Northwind I know loves his Focus’s’s’s’s’s’s (Focii?) but he’s spot on about the Mondeo, especially the 6 speed 2.2 TDCI which is a cracking car. I miss my old ST, I really, really do but even the LX etc is a good car. Masses of space (even in the hatch which has a bigger boot than my Octavia estate). As mentioned, chain driven but need DMF and possibly clutch doing at about 80 > 100k miles so factor that into a price.

Passat (B5/B5.5) would also be a good shout – see the notes about the Golf but in a bigger package.

Impreza sport estate? (not the turbo)
Can be had very cheap and you’re savings can be used for fuel!
Mine swallows bikes and is absolutely great to drive.
Legendary build quality and longevity, reasonable size for day to day use and very comfy.

Anywhere between Sheffield and Nottingham. Any use to you?

VW Golf / Passat Estate.
Skoda Octavia estate.
Toyota Avensis estate.
Mazda 6 estate.
Ford Mondeo/Focus estate.

Others are either too niche, too expensive or just unreliable by comparison.

p/s: oh ya … avoid French and Italian made cars …

vw passat 1.9tdi
had mine for 60k trouble free motoring. now on 120k.
55mpg at motorway 70mph .

After years tearing around in various French hot hatches I got fed up of the fuel bills, AA recoveries and trips to the local specialists…

Picked up a 02 passat sport estate with 1.9 130 engine. £2.5k, 143k, full VW history, 3x cambelt changes(!) silver with black leather and ‘sports’ front seats.

Have to say its a big amazing comfy armchair. Up to 151k now and only a £13 tyre valve for expenses. On the drive back from CYB to Bristol last week the wee computer said avg 50.0mpg and I was doing decent pace all the way.

Can you tell I like it? Feels solid, drive it like a stately home, amazing stereo and excellent at carting bikes and people about. I can get my 7 6 mal inside as well with passenger also in the front.

Yeah I’d like an rs4 but right now, it’s doing it’s job so well and it was only £2.5k!!!

Service in November, let’s see how that goes…

In may I picked up a 97 volvo v70 on ebay for 325 squids. Done 7k in it since hasnt missed a beat. 2.5 non turbo petrol. Bit greedy on juice but for that price you cant go wrong. Swallows bikes and is very comfy on big cruises. Save yourself 2grand and get on ebay

I have a Mondeo 2.0 TDCI 130 sitting on my drive waiting for somebody to take it away for spares or repair. It was a cracking car, great for the bikes, economical, fast and handled superbly. It had 110k on it. The injectors are stuffed 3 out of 4. A leak off test showed this. One k to replace 4 plus labour. If the pump is breaking down blocking the injectors thats another 800 plus but not before it blocks the new injectors! Be very careful, if I was buying another high mileage diesel it would be a VW group 1.9 TDi every time.

Skoda Octavia is a good bet.

Anything a lot for chosen for minicab duty works.

Or sacrifice boot space for rear wheel drive and get a BMW

Another vote for Passat here. I got a 130 tdi, the classic solid reliable engine. Only the 5 speed box though, I’ve heard the 6 speed is very good. Don’t be put off by 150k+ mileage – this means it is only just run-in 🙂

Inbred 456, If you are anywhere near Bournemouth I may be interested in the Mondeo.

That’s a very high quote, main dealer? 4 refurbed injectors should come in under £400 from a specialist, and if you want to save a bit more you can DIY recode using Formidable (not something I’ve had to do but I have the kit and it cost about £20)

Fuel pump is more complicated obviously, but a diesel specialist should be able to check that, it’s not just a case of fitting injectors and crossing fingers!

Pumps or injectors can fail on anything though- my dad had a 1.9 Passat which spat the fuel pump dummy twice frinstance, big bills if it hadn’t been a company car.

Octavia+++

Also Saab 9-5 2.2 TiD – pretty bulletproof engine plus relatively little else that goes wrong. Beware Saab 9-3 Sportwagons with 1.9 TiD engine – much less reliable and cars generally inferior build quality – GM’s legacy.

By the way, good luck Mr Tomato – I sold you something once I think – was it a wheel? Still in Brighton?

The 6 speed box is good, makes for a low rpm cruise and plenty options, compared to new diesels the old 1.9 is narrow in delivery

Onza, as Dekadanse mentioned im Brighton based so a little far im afraid.

Personally I was after something smaller than a passat, just dont need a car that big.

Sorry Onza I’m in Durham.

My 2p

High milage diesels scare me, whilst older ones were more reliable than their petrol counterparts, buying into the modern ones at a high milage just seems to me like paying a premium for the previous owners savings on mpg.

70,000mile petrol Vs 110,000 mile diesel focus’s at that sort of price, I’d be looking at the petrol ones, the engines are simpler and should last the same number of miles, everything else has 50% less wear and there are less big ticket items to go pop. Conversely you probablys till need to be unlucky to actualy have any breakdown.

I’ve a C-max 1.6 petrol, does 40mpg on DC/motorway at DC/motorway speeds, 42 if you treat 70 as a limit rather than a target, guess the brick aerodynamics aren’t heloping there as it will do a ridiculous mpg (65+) if you have to stick to 50mph after puncturing and fitting the spacesaver! So a normal Focus should be 42-45mpg easily.

Also Saab 9-5 2.2 TiD – pretty bulletproof engine plus relatively little else that goes wrong. Beware Saab 9-3 Sportwagons with 1.9 TiD engine – much less reliable and cars generally inferior build quality – GM’s legacy.

+1

GF’s brother in law has a SAAB with the 2.2 diesel engine. The Engines a chain driven cam Isuzu. Not as economical as a modern diesel, but it’s an already reliable engine from a small truck, in a car, so gloriously understressed and never likley to pop as a result!

Sorry I meant Genghis. I’d 2nd the petrol idea. I was looking at Skoda mk2 1.9tdi estates with massive milage on 4k plus so I bought a Octy mk1 Vrs hatch 34 mpg if I’m careful huge boot etc etc. The only vehicle that would temp me back to diesel would be an older golf mk4 estate or a Skoda Octavia 04 vintage. They are still silly money for a 10yr old car.

If you don’t care about image then could be worth looking at Renault Kangoo, Fiat Doblo etc. They look idiotic but are huge inside and very cheap – I picked up a 5 year old Doblo with 100k on it for £1300. You can wheel several bikes straight into the back with all the wheels on 🙂