[Closed] I need a new car

Read all the other car threads 🙂

They are all good cars. Passat saloons seem really cheap because they are seen as dull repmobiles (but they are infact lovely), as do Jettas (people get their minds set on Golfs).

Toyota watch out for huge oil consumption on some, was following one last week and had to put the wipers on every time he changed gear.

Have a look at a Prius too (serious suggestion, serious car - ignore all the rabid froth from STW). Ours is faultless. Plenty big for a family, £15 road tax and 60mpg. And a timing chain so that'll save you £300 every 4 years.

Am a great fan of the Octavia but as you don't want one have a look at the Mazda 6 - managed to get a mate one last week, 2007 estate TS2 (143BHP DIESEL) 1 company owner, full Mazda history, all the bells and whistles including a Bose stereo, nice clean car with a recent DMF - all for the grand sum of £4800. Great driving car (tyre noise a wee bit too much) but Mazda build which means plastic is a few generations back but the build quality is rock solid and space wise it is huuggeee and with the kamikazee seats it can be the perfect MTBer tool. Can't be beaten for the money

Have a look at a Prius too (serious suggestion, serious car - ignore all the rabid froth from STW).

If you test drive one make sure you take it on a long journey, I had one as a rental, was ok around town (apart from the pedals being too far apart), but I hated drving it on the motorway.

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2.2 CtdI Honda Accord. Ultra reliable, cheap to run and one of the best engines in the business. That one is £8300.

has anyone had problems with the multilink front suspension on passats?

I seem to remember an old work collegue had a nightmare with his

I have an Accord Tourer. Fantastic car. Take the wheels off and you can get 2 bikes in the back (inc wheels) all under the load cover. 12.5k service interval and cheap parts mail order parts from Honda Stoke if you sign up to the right internet forums.

I like the accord but all the good 'uns are top end of the budget. I don't know how much they will budge on price. The Mazda 6 diesel has shocking mpg I am gob smacked! The road tax is a lot too.

Had the Passat,
Good size,reliable,comfortable and with ex reppers with sevice history and high miles real cheap.
But not fun.

Civic is worth a look if you don't want a huge car but do want to carry a lot of stuff - boot isn't far off Octavia size, seats fold perfectly flat or flip up like cinema seats. Fuel tank is under front seats which frees up more room behind.

2.2 diesel is the same one as the Accord and it's pretty good - 140bhp and pretty linear power delivery. 55mpg combined (claimed) in the Civic, £110 to tax this year. Plenty of good ones to choose from in budget too - and even the base SE spec isn't bad at all.

Been very happy with mine - it's been a more useful car than the estates I've owned too.

Not bothered about fun. I drive the car once a week to work and then a bit at the weekend. Reliability and economy are my main ticks.

Accord or V70 estate. Worth the extra tax.

Maybe MGZT? Should have your pick for that budget but smaller boots than above.

The new passat can get through rear tyres prematurley with stepping, which VW still deny is a fault of the car, dispite several major tyre manufactures saying it is.
VW Jetta is a cheaper alternative to the golf with a bit more boot room.
Mondeo or Focus.
Why doesn't the wife want to drive the Octavia?

Reliability and economy are my main ticks.

Sounds like Prius territory. I like mine on the motorway. The only things I don't like about it are the slightly smaller boot (although not Fiesta small) and the fact the steering wheel doesn't come in and out on the MkII. I can manage with the driving position but I'd prefer it closer.

Mrs Grips has no such issue tho so it could be just me.

Power delivery is unusual - bit like being in a plane ie constant sound and gathering speed at a fairly constant rate; but once you get used to it you certainly won't notice.

Why doesn't the wife want to drive the Octavia?

audi a4 avant tdi, sorted

8K... Octavia diesel too much?? I've got a 20,000 miler L&K 2.0TDI, got it 2 years ago for 8K, that was main dealer, you must be able to get a good spec one now for 5.5K or so