A car, what to consider?

Box Brownie

Box Brownie

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Hi all

I may be looking for a small to medium hatchback with these ideal criteria

Max £10k though that likely pushing it :(

Mileage less than 10,000
Age - ideally 2015 but no older than 2014
Petrol
A/C or even better climate control
Other "toys" welcome
Engine size say 1.4

Also hopefully low VED and insurance/running costs,................and decent to drive on motorway.

Probably a big shopping list for not that big a budget but am suggestions as to make and model variant would be appreciated. :)
 
Ford Fiesta? The 1.25 Zetec engines used to make as much power as a 1.4 from other car manufacturers. Not sure if it's the case nowadays.
Should also be able to get a Ford Focus for that price.

You could also get a Seat Ibiza 1.4 or a Seat Leon 1.2 (but TSI engine so more power).
VW Polo - again a 1.2 TSI has more power than a 1.4 diesel
 
You can buy a brand new fiesta St 2 for £15k from drive a deal. it's cheaper than than a used one! Being replaced next year so selling off stock.
 
I think you can get brand new Dacia things for £10k. Estate starts about £7k.

Vauxhall are always selling off pre reg cars. You can often get an astra for 10k if you shop about. Ex-demo ones are also good value too. Adams seem to come with climate control far more often than the astras do.
 
omens said:
Ford Fiesta? The 1.25 Zetec engines used to make as much power as a 1.4 from other car manufacturers. Not sure if it's the case nowadays.
Should also be able to get a Ford Focus for that price.
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If going for the Fiesta or Focus, the 125PS version of the 1.0 Ecoboost engine would be the better bet. Same power as the 1.6 engine but more economical, lower emissions and due to the torque provided by the turbo, a lot better at mid range acceleration than naturally aspirated engines of the same power output.
 
srichards said:
I think you can get brand new Dacia things for £10k. Estate starts about £7k.

Vauxhall are always selling off pre reg cars. You can often get an astra for 10k if you shop about. Ex-demo ones are also good value too. Adams seem to come with climate control far more often than the astras do.
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This.
Ex demo Astras and Corsas carry some nice additions.
 
You can buy a brand new KIA Rio for £11,000, or a 2015 1.4 ltr with less than 10,000 for about 9,000 and you get to keep the warranty 5/6 years worth.
 
Many thanks one & all for the suggestions and insight.

You have given me good food for thought, it has been decades since I looked for a car for personal purchase but my circumstances are virtually 100% due to change very soon :( and I cannot be without a car for too long.
 
Box Brownie said:
Many thanks one & all for the suggestions and insight.

You have given me good food for thought, it has been decades since I looked for a car for personal purchase but my circumstances are virtually 100% due to change very soon :( and I cannot be without a car for too long.
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Would it be an option to look at a personal leasing deal? (thinking less to initially stump up as a lump sum)
 
OldCarlos said:
Would it be an option to look at a personal leasing deal? (thinking less to initially stump up as a lump sum)
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Do you have to be in full time employment for that deal?
 
viv1969 said:
This.
Ex demo Astras and Corsas carry some nice additions.
Click to expand...


Through work, my son gets to drive the new Corsa. They are courtesy cars so probably not well specced but he hates them. He much prefers driving his 14yr old Focus. The only good word he has for the Corsa is it has DAB radio and he tunes them all to Planet Rock whenever he has to deliver one.
 
nilagin said:
Through work, my son gets to drive the new Corsa. They are courtesy cars so probably not well specced but he hates them. He much prefers driving his 14yr old Focus. The only good word he has for the Corsa is it has DAB radio and he tunes them all to Planet Rock whenever he has to deliver one.
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I know a couple of folk who love their Corsas.
It's hardly a shock that your son prefers Fords. ;)
 
nilagin said:
Through work, my son gets to drive the new Corsa. They are courtesy cars so probably not well specced but he hates them. He much prefers driving his 14yr old Focus. The only good word he has for the Corsa is it has DAB radio and he tunes them all to Planet Rock whenever he has to deliver one.
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I must admit that I've never had much love for them either. I find them very tinny, uncomfortable to get a good seating position, and never found any in the range that actually sounded good either from their radio. Just generally rather lightweight, even though it is not that light anymore.

However quite good as just a mode of transport, very inoffensive.

Off that list I linked to earlier, if it was for me I'd likely to be looking at a nice Alfa Romeo Mito, or a Fiat 500. And possibly a nice version of the Ford Fiesta or even Focus. The remainder I would find to grey, too boring. But hey people like different things, so ultimately this is your choice.
 
Just some thoughts on one of the models mentioned

The Focus 1.0L Ecoboost 125PS does get quite glowing reviews but a few owners remark on the same fault that took a while to get sorted but overall sounds like a decent package.

I have searched used for this and they do seem to hold price........to get into my budget appears to be 4 year old and around 40000 miles :(

I think Focus size would be my preference............. but ultimately with a restricted budget I will have to see what I can find?
 
Box Brownie said:
Just some thoughts on one of the models mentioned

The Focus 1.0L Ecoboost 125PS does get quite glowing reviews but a few owners remark on the same fault that took a while to get sorted but overall sounds like a decent package.

I have searched used for this and they do seem to hold price........to get into my budget appears to be 4 year old and around 40000 miles :(

I think Focus size would be my preference............. but ultimately with a restricted budget I will have to see what I can find?
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The link I provided you had a few Focus sized vehicles in it.
 
You'll definitely get a nice car for under 10k that will meet those requirements. When I'm looking for a new car I usually always narrow it down to mpg first then work my way through a list that includes 4 doors, manual, diesel etc then choose. Not sure for how long the diesel will be my choice right enough having had a filter clog in the astra after a few months despite doing regular motorway drives. I've had no issues at all with the Qashqai.
 
Box Brownie said:
Just some thoughts on one of the models mentioned

The Focus 1.0L Ecoboost 125PS does get quite glowing reviews but a few owners remark on the same fault that took a while to get sorted but overall sounds like a decent package.

I have searched used for this and they do seem to hold price........to get into my budget appears to be 4 year old and around 40000 miles :(

I think Focus size would be my preference............. but ultimately with a restricted budget I will have to see what I can find?
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If you push the budget slightly you can get a brand new 1.0 ecoboost Style 5 door for £12,600 from drivethedeal.com
 
Why restrict your options by limiting yourself to sub 10,000 and less than two year old cars? Relax that to sub 40,000 and 4 or 5 years and you'll open a load more options for your 10k.
 
DorsetDude said:
Why restrict your options by limiting yourself to sub 10,000 and less than two year old cars? Relax that to sub 40,000 and 4 or 5 years and you'll open a load more options for your 10k.
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Fair comment :)

As mentioned this is the first time in very long time I will likely be seeking a personal car having enjoyed the benefit of company cars since 1980.

Therefore because of the future prospects this could possibly be the last car I have and instead of the 22 - 25000 p.a. I have been doing latterly my personal mileage might only be 10000 p.a. so my thinking was buy best I can as I will be keeping it in excess of 10 years.
 
Brand new Hyundai i30 £12k.
Brand new Suzuki baleno £11k.
Brand new c3 picasso estate £11k
 
Box Brownie said:
Do you have to be in full time employment for that deal?
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I'm not sure tbh. I've never used that option but know others who do. (some do it with 2nd hand vehicles rather than new & still get servicing etc included too)
Just thought I'd mention it in case it opens more variation to your choices/finances. :cool:
 
viv1969 said:
I know a couple of folk who love their Corsas.
It's hardly a shock that your son prefers Fords. ;)
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Through his current and past jobs, he gets to drive a variation of makes of cars, some he does like some he doesn't, Vauxhall and Hyundai rate highly on his dislike list.
 
nilagin said:
Through his current and past jobs, he gets to drive a variation of makes of cars, some he does like some he doesn't, Vauxhall and Hyundai rate highly on his dislike list.
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To each their own.
 
scottduffy said:
Not sure for how long the diesel will be my choice right enough having had a filter clog in the astra after a few months despite doing regular motorway drives. I've had no issues at all with the Qashqai.
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That may not have been the Astra's fault. Was it a Vauxhall fuel filter that was fitted. Many patter part fuel filters don't contain the same specification filtration elements as the manufacturers recommended parts. Alternatively it could have just been crap fuel.
 
Not sure mate. It was the dpf I was told. I was sitting at a roundabout with an older car in front of me and said to my wife "listen to the racket that's making" The old car then drove away and mine would barely move. I crawled up to the nearest garage and that was the problem. Their advice was dive on the motorway of drive quickly in low gears. I was driving on the motorway as I explained and I had no intentions of kicking the ass out of my new car by revving it to death. After it was replaced it never happened again though. Could have been crappy fuel too I suppose but came from all different petrol stations as I just get it when I need it and don't tend to stick to one supplier. Maybe just the first filter was faulty.
 
scottduffy said:
Not sure mate. It was the dpf I was told. I was sitting at a roundabout with an older car in front of me and said to my wife "listen to the racket that's making" The old car then drove away and mine would barely move. I crawled up to the nearest garage and that was the problem. Their advice was dive on the motorway of drive quickly in low gears. I was driving on the motorway as I explained and I had no intentions of kicking the ass out of my new car by revving it to death. After it was replaced it never happened again though. Could have been crappy fuel too I suppose but came from all different petrol stations as I just get it when I need it and don't tend to stick to one supplier. Maybe just the first filter was faulty.
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Sorry when you said clogged filter, I assumed fuel filter. But you are right with mostly motorway miles, a dpf should regenerate without causing problems.
 
If it isn't too small for you, you can get a new/pre-reg Fiat 500 for less than £10k
 
Box Brownie said:
Fair comment :)

As mentioned this is the first time in very long time I will likely be seeking a personal car having enjoyed the benefit of company cars since 1980.

Therefore because of the future prospects this could possibly be the last car I have and instead of the 22 - 25000 p.a. I have been doing latterly my personal mileage might only be 10000 p.a. so my thinking was buy best I can as I will be keeping it in excess of 10 years.
Click to expand...

I'd very much rather have a nice big comfy car with higher mileage rather than brand new box. This is what I have in fact and cost me a fraction of your £10k.
 
nilagin said:
If going for the Fiesta or Focus, the 125PS version of the 1.0 Ecoboost engine would be the better bet. Same power as the 1.6 engine but more economical, lower emissions and due to the torque provided by the turbo, a lot better at mid range acceleration than naturally aspirated engines of the same power output.
Click to expand...

Having driven the fiesta and focus ecoboost
I prefer the 1L ecoboost engine in the fiesta.
By the time its in the focus there is a huge performance trade off due to extra weight and they are geared very high (great for motorway cruising in 6th) but sometimes a drop to 5th or 4th is required to allow for quicker acceleration when overtaking is required in a swift manner.

Its also near impossible to get anywhere near fords claimed mpg.
Best i could get out of it on a 250 round trip up north was 43.3mpg.
Other than that i cannot fault either car.

The focus we have at present is a well equipped car for a rental though and i would consider one as a permenant car.
Plenty boot space for baby buggy and shopping and comfy roomy cabin for for 2 adults and 2 kids.
 
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Quoted MPG figures are the official ones and bear little or no relation to the real world. Even the manufacturers don't like the way they're measured. IIRC, the Honest John website has real world figures compiled from owners' actual recorded consumption.

43.3 for a small car on a long trip sounds about right (for a petrol). Our 1.2l Clio did just over 40 when I brought it back from London down the A303 route - my 3l Diesel manages better than that!
 
Nod said:
43.3 for a small car on a long trip sounds about right (for a petrol). Our 1.2l Clio did just over 40 when I brought it back from London down the A303 route - my 3l Diesel manages better than that!
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I was looking at the seat ateca, 1.0 petrol V 1.6 diesel, both the same output but £2500 difference in purchase price, 53.3mpg v 64.2mpg that £2500 buys a lot of petrol
 
Hi guys

Thanks once again for the insights & thoughts.

Well I will be looking for a new car though thankfully I have been permitted to hold on to the company car until 28th August.

So I will be collating all the suggestions for serious research as to what to test drive/look at :)
 
Several things here of you want a petrol car get a hybrid Toyota Prius. My last 3 dos 140k each never went wrong. Another suggestion Mercedes b class also will last the test of time
 
Ok realistically lets get some details.
What size of car do you need. Does it need a big boot, number of seats, is mpg important etc. What sort of driving do you do, mostly motorway or mostly city, offroad capability, that sort of thing. How long do you plan on keeping it, is resale a consideration.

Once we have a few more details then it'll be easier to make suggestions.
 
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