Thetownend.com

I've got £3.5k, I'm after something family-friendly but good fun to drive. I've got 2 sprogs now, don't do a massive amount of miles, I want something fun but not expensive to run. Suggestions?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201305086654290/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/price-to/4000/price-from/2000/body-type/hatchback/seller-type/trade_adverts/transmission/manual/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/10/page/11/postcode/sn15hx?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201305096665013/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/price-to/4000/price-from/2000/body-type/hatchback/seller-type/trade_adverts/transmission/manual/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/10/page/12/postcode/sn15hx?logcode=p

Audi A3 is a good shout, not that chavvy one though.

not chavvy at all, its tastfully modded.

The Cossack (or Neval) Dnepr my friend, just piss in the tank, good for another 50 miles

Apart from the Polar White respray and 19" 'porsche-like' alloys?  ;) nice sled though... would be a bitch to insure, mind!

It also only has 3 doors. I may be wrong but I suspect this is not what your looking for?!

I've got a 3 door 54 plate VW golf 2.0 gt tdi you can have for £3800. Full vw history 112000 miles

Too few doors for me!

My 5 door 2001 A3 might as well have been 3 door, the doors at the back are ridiculously small

Really depends on whether you want to blow what cash you have on a second hand car. You could use the cash as a deposit on a new one and take the balance on finance. If your credit worthiness is good there are a number of lenders falling over themselves to lend you money.

Or you could just put £250 down on a car and do a part finance deal where you just pay a set amount over two or three years and either pay a baloon payment there after to buy it (on finance if necessary) or hand it back and repeat the process.

If your mileage is under say 10k per annum you might want to forget a diesel car as the cost per gallon/litre would negate the extra MPG/mpl that a diesel unit will give you. Also residual value plays a key part in what you pay for a second hand car. If the marque is not important there are some real bargains to be had, you need to do research first.

The Mazda 6 would be a good family car. Solid motors

Another vote for mazda 6.  What I have at the moment. Nice, reliable motor.

The Mazda 6 looks very practical. Loads of boot space, decent size doors. Also Mazda's are normally pretty reliable.

Same with my wife's 1 Series. Alright for kids but painful for an adult getting in and out of the back.

Range rover evoque

nah, if your go for a range rover go for the 5L V8 Autobiography.  They cost the same as a small house, but amazing car to drive

That A3 is awful. So ugly.

Hate to harp on again, but a skoda octavia is good bet. For 3.5k you can get an older model, but with the new one just out prices have dropped considerably. Get a lot of car for your money.

been looking at a few Octavia VRS's... :D

Well if you ever want a spin in mine you are more than welcome.

even better, sell it to me? :D

Seb, how was mk3 golf ownership for you? I like the idea of this...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201305076637665/sort/default/usedcars/body-type/estate/quantity-of-doors/5/price-from/2000/price-to/4000/model/golf/make/volkswagen/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/postcode/sn58pq/radius/40/page/1?logcode=p
 (http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201305076637665/sort/default/usedcars/body-type/estate/quantity-of-doors/5/price-from/2000/price-to/4000/model/golf/make/volkswagen/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/postcode/sn58pq/radius/40/page/1?logcode=p)
had that engine in my Ibiza, went like a train. £300 for a remap that'll add 50bhp as well... ;)

Buy my Vectra 1.9 CDTI.

120bhp. Plenty of room for the 2 kids.

Thats a mk4. And i would recommend it, obviously i dont know what the estate is like but that 1.9 TDI engine is solid and good for 200k miles

Stupid fat fingers ;) not worried about the engine, they're solid as anything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10q9_pB6unU