It looks like the car that’ll be cheap and reliable(?) as a stop-gap for me until March next year. They also seem plentiful.

Thoughts on ownership experiences? Yes I know its not a VW and it wont set you Petrolheads on fire with its handling and carpark prowess 🙂

trundle, trundle

mine was fine until there was a problem with the engine, them turned into a bottomless pit of despair

big_n_daft – Member

trundle, trundle

mine was fine until there was a problem with the engine, them turned into a bottomless pit of despair

Diesel or petrol? Never hear of that before.

I was going to buy the automatic petrol version but was put off by my insurance so I opted for a Corolla.

🙂

I’m avoiding the diesel partly as I prefer petrols/simplicity.

What year/engine was yours?

diesel

intermitently cut out

specialists were unable to fix it

54 Reg ish

A good shout, I reckon. Undesirable car due to the Clarkson effect but pretty capable by all accounts – these are the cars that you can do well on.

I would go for petrol for simplicity.

we had one from work for a while- get the estate then you dont get people treating it like a taxi!, good comfy cruiser, solid build and 48 MPG – diesel- lots of west yorkshire traffic

I was looking at these but opted for a mazda 6 instead. Plentiful
and cheap and bullet proof in petrol guise.

I’m put off the Mazda6 with the rust that eventually gets them. After a Ford Puma I don’t think I’ll go down the Ford/Mazda route again.

Picked up an ’02 1.8 petrol with 47K on it end of last year for £2K from my usual mechanic. Very happy with it so far, bearing in mind that I don’t give a stuff what I’m driving if it’s cheap and reliable, and capable of ferrying me and my bikes about. Not exciting, but it’ll shift if you tell it to, seems happier on non-supermarket petrol. Only negatives so far are the view out the back is a bit restricted, so I can’t park it for toffee :~)

Had 3 diesels as company cars, all fine for the first 100k or so, then things started to fall apart… glad I didn’t have to pick up the bills 🙂

Have a similar aged Corolla Verso, never missed a beat, 1.8 VVTi.

Think I’d steer clear of the diesels, especially on a stop gap just in case one of those big bills happens whilst you’re owning it!

Does drink oil though for some reason.

My Dad’s got a 54 plate 1.8 petrol automatic. He fits the stereotype – he’s 80 years old. Never broken down, and it looks like new. Done 30k miles in all that time. If it were for sale, it would be a great car to buy for someone doing low mileage.

Does drink oil though for some reason.

Upto 2003 when they sorted it I think.

We’ve got a late 56 plate 2.2d estate – just turned 100k and so far has been great – had it 2+yrs. Doesn’t set the world on fire but 6spd box and cruise control makes long journeys with loads of kit very comfy. Get about 52-54mpg on long runs and is more economical on those than my 1.6d 308sw company car with 10k on it. Bags of room and quiet.

Available in a range of horrid old man colours. Chain drive rather than timing belt too.

Available in a range of horrid old man colours

I know- ‘green’, maroon and that navy. WHY?!

Almost as bad a Citroen Berlingo’s ‘turquoise’.