Looking at changing jobs so it means I lose the company car.
I want something decent, something reliable and cheap to tax and maintain etc.
I would of liked a Jap car but I can't think of anything decent.
Probably going to look in to a diesel.
The more I save the more I can throw at the car but I don't want anything electric lol.
Looking up to £4500.
Any recommendations?
Im going to recommend the Mk4 Ibiza PD130 --- I moved house and ended up meaning my 80 miles commute went to 180 miles a day, so my old "daily", an FTO, had to go. I hate diesels and I hate hatchbacks but I was recommended the 1.9 Diesel Ibiza FR, and really to stay in a good job I had to suck it up lol.
However almost 4 years on, Its been so bloody reliable I cant recommend them enough! I get 70-75mph on the motorway, pre remap, 65-70. In summer in the 50 sections she has been seen to go to 85+!
Service her myself, about £40 in parts (oil filter, oil, fuel filter) and clean the performance panel filter, so its cheap to maintain.
Problems? So far, only wear and tear! A couple of wishbones, bushes, lowered her after a spring cracked.
Modifications (if like me you cant hack standard!) H&R springs dropped her 40mm, the 17" alloys are quite rare too so kept them, exhausts and downpipes, decats etc available from likes of PSI, all affordable. Remaps are common place, saw my girl go from 130hp to 170, and 260lbft to 300 lbft torque. Theres loads more you can do too, LCR upgrades, bigger turbos, FMIC, brakes etc etc but I dont want to spend too much on a daily.
Tax is £130 a year, insurance pretty cheap (unless you are new to driving, for some reason when I tried to keep the FTO and start with a new NCB on the car the cheapest quote was £3k lol!)
Oh and also cambelt is every 60k, its an annual job for me, but one I take her to the dealer for, its about £300 - but when you do so many miles you need the warranty, if the engine goes bang its Seats fault then not mine haha!
I had considered a 330 BMW or even an Audi TTd BUT the Ibiza is so cheap to maintain... Basically what I am saying is, because the car has been so damn good and affordable, I've treated myself to an S15 Spec R Aero for the weekends *touch wood she doesnt go to sh!t now haha*
I know its not the Jap car you would really want but hopefully the advice has been useful
I'd be looking at a 2007+ facelift BMW 118d
For under £4500? I doubt it lolOriginally Posted by Actual_Ben_Taylor
EDIT -actually just had a look cant believe how cheap these are now
You can get a tidy SE with under 100k miles for that fairly easily.
What does the car need to do? How many miles a year do you anticipate doing? Does it need to be four seats, hatch, estate,
Stop asking questions and start making stupid suggestions ! This is SXOC
I vote a R32 V-Spec or a PS13
True that. I'd go with an extremely reliable, simple to fix.............. FIAT 600
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-Seat-...gAAOSwT6pVkw3Y
R32, I like your thinking. That was originally the plan until I decided to look for a new job lol.
I would rather get a bus Arry.
Im going to recommend the Mk4 Ibiza PD130 --- I moved house and ended up meaning my 80 miles commute went to 180 miles a day, so my old "daily", an FTO, had to go. I hate diesels and I hate hatchbacks but I was recommended the 1.9 Diesel Ibiza FR, and really to stay in a good job I had to suck it up lol.
However almost 4 years on, Its been so bloody reliable I cant recommend them enough! I get 70-75mph on the motorway, pre remap, 65-70. In summer in the 50 sections she has been seen to go to 85+!
Service her myself, about £40 in parts (oil filter, oil, fuel filter) and clean the performance panel filter, so its cheap to maintain.
Problems? So far, only wear and tear! A couple of wishbones, bushes, lowered her after a spring cracked.
Modifications (if like me you cant hack standard!) H&R springs dropped her 40mm, the 17" alloys are quite rare too so kept them, exhausts and downpipes, decats etc available from likes of PSI, all affordable. Remaps are common place, saw my girl go from 130hp to 170, and 260lbft to 300 lbft torque. Theres loads more you can do too, LCR upgrades, bigger turbos, FMIC, brakes etc etc but I dont want to spend too much on a daily.
Tax is £130 a year, insurance pretty cheap (unless you are new to driving, for some reason when I tried to keep the FTO and start with a new NCB on the car the cheapest quote was £3k lol!)
Oh and also cambelt is every 60k, its an annual job for me, but one I take her to the dealer for, its about £300 - but when you do so many miles you need the warranty, if the engine goes bang its Seats fault then not mine haha!
I had considered a 330 BMW or even an Audi TTd BUT the Ibiza is so cheap to maintain... Basically what I am saying is, because the car has been so damn good and affordable, I've treated myself to an S15 Spec R Aero for the weekends *touch wood she doesnt go to sh!t now haha*
I know its not the Jap car you would really want but hopefully the advice has been useful
That is useful, I will definitely want a remap, I would of liked a Jap car but I couldn't think of anything decent. I'm not a massive fan of the FN Civic. 300lbft torque is the same as my S14 lol.
I did a bit of research and I was told a Seat Leon was cheaper than a Golf.
Peak number isn't the same as the usable spread though. The TDi lumps do tend to be a bit laccy bandy like in terms of their delivery - nothing nothing everything nothing
I wanted Japanese too, but sadly Germans just get the reliable economical diesel right lol.
Leon usually is cheaper to buy and insure. Tbh any of those small VAG cars running the PD engines seem to have good reviews
I wanted the Cupra Diesel as I always go for the top spec, but 2 mates with them at best only saw 50mpg, and with the remap etc i am now running the same power but with way better mpg
If you're going the diesel route
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/2002-52-Fiat...337?nav=SEARCH
I think I'd rather attach electrodes to my scrotum than have to drive one of those
OK I was being a little unfair. How about this?
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-Ssangyo...411?nav=SEARCH
It's a looker
If you want reliable, a higher mileage modern diesel may be best avoided. As a rule of thumb, once they start getting towards 100k you're looking at DPF, injectors, DMF, sometimes fuel pumps etc etc - When they go wrong, they often do it in spectacularly expensive fashion. I've known many people with some truly astronomical bills on higher mileage modern dervs.
Like Arry says - do you actually need a diesel? What's your yearly mileage, and how many miles per day?
DPF and injectors are fine if you run them right. They get bad press because silly people go into dealerships and say "I want an economical car" and the knob head sales man answer is always "diesel" - it shouldnt be! They should be asked if they want economy in town/low speeds or on the motorway. If you are on the motorway like me, diesel all the way. At higher speeds the sh!t in the DPF gets burnt out and injectors stay clear.
Everyone i know using a diesel in town gets those problems, so far no one i know who does miles like i do on the motorway does!
PS I picked mine up with 50k on the clock, one female owner. If you look after it right it wont let you down!
However I do agree if depends on your mileage and where the car will be run. I do almost 1000 miles a week on a motorway so a diesel is a no brainer. Up to 400 miles a week i would happily use petrol like i used too!
That's why I was asking about the daily mileage.
Also, trust me, DPFs and injectors are very common as the mileage increases, even on motorway cars (but less so than on 'town' cars, like you say) - this isn't just from anecdotal evidence or stuff from the internet, this is from being married to someone who worked with after sales/warranty data from a very large motoring manufacturer. Just like anything, they have a limited life.
I agree, i'm in automotive too (manufacturer based also), its just from experience the DPF problems were always high mileage from town use rather than high mileage from sales reps ripping up n down the country on the motorways lol. I wouldnt ever suggest buying a high mileage example as you dont know the history, low mileage always, but dont be afraid to put your miles on, because if you look after the car itll be good
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