What Car - for my mate?

[C.A.R.]

Yep, it's one of those threads. Everyone has an opinion so share yours!

He currently drives a shit old Micra 1.0, but is starting a new job in 2 weeks which will require him doing 70 miles a day. It will be mainly on single-carriageway A-roads so something with good roadholding is a plus, but he drives like Miss Daisy anyway.

He thinks a diesel is his best bet and I'm inclined to agree.

He has a £3,000 budget but for this he wants to get insurance too. He has 3 years NCB and no points so he can get pretty cheap policies, nevertheless I have limited my search to cars around the £2,000 mark.

So far -
Ford Focus TDCi 1.8 - He actually liked my old one, but these struggle to see over 45mpg and I think that's unacceptable, given the level of performance and the fecking awful driving position, I couldn't do a 35 mile drive in one first thing in the morning!

Golf TDi - He wants to look at one as he isn't convinced, but he is scared by mileage and the only options in his budget are around or above 100,000 miles. Should this put him off massively? Similarly a Bora would work.

Peuegot 206 HDi 2.0 - Same engine as my Pug and pretty reliable, pressumably a lighter car than a 306? So 55+ mpg should be attainable? As it's a commuter car the size is not an issue, but I think he would prefer something more grown up than his Micra and the 206 is kind of in the same league.

I have already recommended him a 306 - he likes them but says they're old now. A good HDi would be in his budget but finding one is getting harder as the weeks go by...

[Matt]

I would say the 206 if he didn't want a 306

[puglove]

Phase 1 307 HDI maybe. Its a bit more "grown up! Than a 206. 306 hdi would be idea but then we are all going to say that on here.

[Niall]

Phase 1 307 HDI maybe. Its a bit more "grown up! Than a 206. 306 hdi would be idea but then we are all going to say that on here.

Early 307s had a lot of DMF issues. I would avoid unless there's history of a SMF conversion.

[Birk]

I have a 307 hdi and my 306 hdi estate for sale.

[Toms306]

Most diesels since like 2000 have DMF issues, but you'd never buy anything if you looked at that way.

For £2k I wouldn't buy a golf tdi, well not a 130 or 150 anyway - you'll be looking at high owners and probably 150k+ miles tbh, you should be fine with a 115 but they're fairly slow, if thats not an issue than could be a decent option. They are comfortable and well specced which is ideal for commuting. Handling isn't great but obviously its always a compromise between comfort and handling, and its not like he'll fall off the road at 60 on an A road lol.

Wouldn't go for a 206 myself, small, 'young', girly, might as well buy a ka lol.

I'd probably choose the focus from your list, dont they make them with the TDCI 130? If not I'd go for a mondeo with that engine lol, would see better mpg and more power. And easily under £2k now.

[Ruan]

Much as I loate Golfs, the 90 and 110 VP pumped ones are fooking reliable in honesty... Don't have half the problems the PDs had, they're DOG slow and sound horrific, I rekon they're less refined than an XUD...

Focus TDCis are wank, you know this also... The engine is 'orrible tbh...

206s aren't a massive amount lighter, but as long as the commute is done sensibly, 50mpg would be seen in a 306 or a 206 in good condition tbh...

307s would be good if they didn't have their HORRIFIC multiplex wiring, a nasty driving position and steering that feels like the rack and pinion has been replaced with a wet fish and some squid... And they aint that good on fuel since the 90 is too underpowered for the car, the 110 is OK - but avoid the 110 like the plague since it's got a DMF, often a FAP and they're stupidly unreliable.

[Ed Doe]

I can vouch for how awful the 307 feels to drive.... I have to drive the missus' one every so often... no fun for sure!

[C.A.R.]

Just had a quick chat with him and he might raise his budget to £3k for the car and get the insurance policy on a monthly payment setup like many of us use.

I really need to get him to a garage forecourt or a car supermarket or something, but they're unlikely to have cars in his budget (not that I'd recommend he buy from one of those places).

He likes the Golf GT TDi's cos they have nice little gadgets on - his Micra is SPARSE in this respect, no CL and a tape deck!

I just think a 2.5-3k Golf is going to be a potential money-pit.

Tom the Focus didn't come with a TDCi 130, that was Mondeo only iirc, the MK2 Focus got a 2.0 TDCi 136 (which has HDi architecture I think). He does like them though and the Focus is common as muck.

My boss keeps recommending a Mitsubishi Carisma. What a shit-heap. Can someone tell me something awful about them that I can shut him up with?

[Toms306]

The Carisma is ugly as hell........nuff said.

And oh, thats a shame about the Focus then, I'm not really a fan of the the 1.8 diesel in them, not partcularly cheap to run or powerful. The TDCi 136 has exactly the same power as the newer HDi so it probably is the same engine in those. Don't know anything about them, but I'd hope that with some newer tech they'd be better than the 1.8.

Just so you know 'GT TDi' (115/130/150) trim spec in Golfs is rubbish - it's literally just floor mats and cloth sports seats iirc, everything else is an optional extra. The povvo ones (like my silver one) had a tape deck and manual air con, also no cruise control. You also only get a factory arm rest on the 130s. You have to find one with the good options ticked if you want a decent spec one. £3k should get you a decent one though, if you're willing to travel!!

[ozonehostile]

How about a 2006 Renault laguna dci? Cheap enough to buy now theres a new one out, nice place to be, 6 speed box, good mpg and reliable. My old man has one he uses as a van, done 200k in 3 years and only just developed turbo issues. New engine for 150 quid and its running strong again

[Toms306]

Those Lagunas seem to wear really badly inside, I looked at a few last year. Not bad spec and engine but the amount of wear put me off, maybe Renualts are just built cheaply though, I've never owned one. Also was put off by the keycard as My step-dads dad had one where the key card kept failing and immobilising the car with the card in it leaving him stranded!

[Eeyore]

306 or 206 hdi. I know the 307s and some of the peugeots from that era have serious electrical problems. There is a mint one at Carl Chambers which has electrical problems so bad its only good for scrap.

[Ruan]

Let's not forget that some 307 110s had a fault where when you closed the drivers door it put 10 miles on the clock...

Hate to say it, as a general rule - Lagunas are stupidly unreliable... The keycards f*ck up all the time, if you get a light bulb die in the Climate control unit, you can't replace it, you have to replace the whole unit...

[C.A.R.]

Laguna's are plentiful, but they're kind of ugly and the reviews are somewhat daunting.

I'd love to talk him into a 306 - he likes my car. He could end up with a better one though, and we can't have that. Very few 306s about...

[puglove]

Let him have a drive in your car. That will get him hooked

[ozonehostile]

Lagunas do have the occasional issue, but theres so many in the scrapyards that spares art an Issue and surprisingly. cheap for a fairly new car. I do thinkcyour friend needs talking into a 306 though, it would do everything your saying and alot more.

Not biased atall ;-)

[Pete]

Octavia TDI?

[Niall]

Octavia TDI?

Avoid the 1.9 though. Noisy, very unrefined and not very good on juice. Oh and the turbos sound terrible

[Just Sean]

Wouldn't touch a Laguna! Mum n dad bought a new one and it spent more time getting fixed than on the road.

That black hdi a while back was only 1000 n was mint with service history.

Someone else is selling one for 800 which has just been rebuilt too

[silverzx]

Could get an all right BMW 325/330 for £2~3K surely?

[Scott]

406 coupe? 2.2 HDi

[Ruan]

^^ Good choice!

[1616six]

Vectra!!!

[Pete]

406 coupe? 2.2 HDi

Thats a good shout! Plus they shift with a 180 remap. Cant beat V6 induction noise though..Just a shame that equals 25mpg lol

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-Peugeot-4...3833754%26

[Niall]

Vectra!!!

No....not everyone wants a gay mans car

[C.A.R.]

406 Coupe is actually quite hard to come by! Plus I would be incredibly jealous. It's more of a heavy cruiser too, not really best suited to an A-road commute?

I'll have another chat with him tomorrow. He really has a thing for Jap cars, but almost all are inherently petrol within his price range!

Edit: what about a Civic with the 1.7 CDTi? Not going to set the world alight but they're nice cars and the figures suggest they are very economical?

[Scott]

I had some fun in my v6 coupe on A roads, sure it's not as good as the 6,but still fairly responsive and even fine for a bit of fun on a nice B road. There a couple on auto trader at the moment

[mcdub]

Maybe not the best, but a new shape clio DCI, I had one before my 197 and I used to get 62mpg EVERYWHERE, and it was quite quick after a remap. Decent spec'd too!

Now I'm part of the sub 20 MPG club.

[Jukie88]

    this ..... Hint hint XD