Thetownend.com

I'm selling my van before I move back to UK and am looking to get a 2nd hand estate - preferably diesel.

Thinking of a Laguna. Anyone got any suggestions

volvo

Focus, Astra or mondeo

dont touch the Laguna, the best in class to look at but they came with a lot of electric parts but have loads of problems with failure. sensors everywhere too which are prone to failure, like already said, mondeo is a good un, also look for audis.

How many miles you doing a year, to be honest if its less that 15k its probably cheaper to get a petrol with the price of diesel these days.

Volvo V50 DrivE, I can get 75mpg fully loaded on a run.

If I can hijack this thread also, as I will quite possibly be in the hunt for a new car in the next month or so as chances are I will be working in Gloucester from February.

Budget of approx £6-£7K, looking at possibly an Astra diesel or something like that.
Any recommendations for a good (reliable & economical) commute car?

Ta muchly.

My projected mileage will be quite low - just used to transport the dogs from house to walk and trips from Swindon to just outside Bassett daily to the kennels.

Gingho - Mrs Kerry Red is bring her Opel (Vauxhall) Corsa 1.4 SXi back with her. Very economical and perfect condition - 2008 with less than 40k miles on the clock

Personally i wouldn't go for an Astra (although that's what i have as a company car). My old one -  08 plate - was sluggish to accelerate, clunky and uncomfortable on long journeys due to the seat design. Several colleagues have experienced ball ache after long journeys because everything squashes together! My new Astra - 12 plate - does drive better and the seats aren't so profiled but it seems to guzzle fuel more despite being an Eco Flex.

I'd go for a Focus or Civic if i had a choice.

Used to drive a Peugeot 406 2l HDI estate. On Motorway journeys got 70-80mpg out of it easy. Had tons of power and torque (could go up Willoughby Hedge on the A303 in 5th easy peasy) too, huge boot, great car. Have to be wary of the electrics, much like all French cars really, but I only had the air con crap out on me whilst I had it.

Or, as I've said on another car-related post, new-ish Skoda's are pretty excellent for what you get. Diesel Octavias are pretty damned excellent.

The owner of the garage that does both mine and wife's services/repairs has always said that you really cannot beat the Japanese for cars as they basically just do not go wrong, and conversely stay away from the French.

Having said that I have a Focus and wife a Fiesta and have had very few problems over the years. Tend to pay more for Japanese though.

If Budget allows, Alfa 159.  Not another Euro-wagon, and a stunning car to look at.  Nice interior, and pretty rare too.

If you're buying second hand, Alfa's from the last five years or so is the way to go.  The reliability gremlins of old are behind them, and now use Bosch electrics (as most modern car manufacturers do).

My Alfa has been bulletproof (albeit the heater switch came off when it was new, but I forgave it that for it's sexy face).

If you don't care about your image or cars, Ford Mondeo diesel is the way to go.  I'd recommend against the Laguna - the latest carnation was a flop, and my Twingo had a few build-quality issues.

you bought a Twingo ?

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Get a Golf

My old Skoda Fabia vRS was great, you'll love tearing around in one.

Skoda power.

Get a Subaru forester STi - Vicki butler-hendersons old one is up for grabs on eBay... Best estate car you'll ever buy...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Litchfield-Subaru-Forester-STi-/200855337384?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2ec3e939a8

I'd spend all my time sniffing the seat

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Your astra has a tendency to cut out at roundabouts soapy tit wank

Yeah it does, and the horn beeps randomly as well  :-[

We're thinking of going for a Mitsuibishi Outlander next, when we finally get rid of our brilliant Alfa 147, '03 plate, which has been a brilliant car.

We go down to Cornwall quite a bit and with two kids under 2, we need a fair amount of room in the boot, especially for my golf clubs!

You can try a Peugeot 3008, nice to drive loads of room, econimical. Have a look at this one below. My dad has just got one of these on the motability scheme & they are huge inside they boot is split into 2 sections & it also has a tail gate.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201245491610009/sort/default/usedcars/model/3008/make/peugeot/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/postcode/sn33je/page/1/quicksearch/true/radius/1501?logcode=p (http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201245491610009/sort/default/usedcars/model/3008/make/peugeot/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/postcode/sn33je/page/1/quicksearch/true/radius/1501?logcode=p)

Honda crv. A little big but huge interior space and highly reliable

In my defence, it was the RenaultSport version.  It was a brilliant car, cornered like it was on rails, and would crack 130mph, just build quality was shoddy.  It is also relatively cheap to insure, so would make an ideal car for a 21 year old who had just received his licence back but still wanted something relatively quick........

Are you buying new? Focus st estate now available. I have a six year old st, easy power that can be easily modded. Likes a drink though :)

Sport Twingos are a laugh. Cup chassis?

The Astra is a good car and not your normal Golf or Focus.

I had a 56 plater for 3 years and never had one minutes trouble in 40k miles, that was a 1.3cdti and always gave great mileage and would easily top out over 120mph and accelrated really well and it was also the lowest tax bracket for emissions.

I liked it so much that I am getting my brand new Astra a 165 diesel Elite in January.

Great cars to drive despite what all the nay sayers may nay say as the chances are most of them will not even have driven one in their life :)

Big depreciation

I will never, ever buy another Vauxhall. In fact, I would get rid of one if it was given to me.

How about a Mazda3? Basically a Focus, but not so many on the road. I much prefer the saloon to the hatch, but they're as rare as rocking horse shit

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201246492151614/sort/default/usedcars/price-from/6000/price-to/8000/model/mazda3/make/mazda/onesearchad/used/radius/40/postcode/sn140dd/quicksearch/true/page/1?logcode=p

I've got a Civic, nice but quirky dash and obstructive rear spoiler built into the window. Mines a petrol rather than diesel, but still get circa 45 mpg on average, which is pretty decent.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201211164261272/sort/default/usedcars/fuel-type/diesel/price-to/8000/price-from/6000/model/civic/make/honda/onesearchad/used/postcode/sn140dd/radius/40/page/1?logcode=p

Of course...  I would have had the Renault Clio Cup 200 which was the natural progression from the Twingo, had Renault not tried to mug me.  I'm not so good at haggling...

Anyone want to buy my BMW 118d ES? Just serviced and MOT'd, 6 months tax, 70,000 miles. Solid car, looking for £5,250.

I would have 6 months ago :-(

What reg is it?

05

Would £3k be ok?

Fuck off.

what, no haggling?  :)

Thinking of selling my focus ST and buying two cars.
Looking at Audi A3 TDI (140 BHP) and a Fiesta 1.6 TDCI.

Anyone had experience of these cars, what sort of MPG are/were you getting? Parts and servicing expensive? Any common problems?

Thanks.

www.parkers.co.uk is a good place to start. i use it quite often, very informative.

Do they do user reviews?

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/facts-and-figures/audi/a3/hatchback-2003/25500/
There is an owners review tab

Hmmm, looking at the 170 now  :D. Are these DPF's a problem, and expensive?