New car suggestions

[bacon]

Hey guys, 5 months ago I bought a 1998 Mitsubishi Galant 2.5 v6 auto for £630 for work, it came with 12months mot and 6 months tax, it was needed at incredibly short notice and has done the job just fine. Though now things are starting to be needed doing to it (exhaust headers are blowing badly, needs discs, needs ball joints on several corners, will need tax in a weeks time) and I'm not really wanting to invest any money into it.

I do roughly 15-20k miles a year as I work away contracting during the week, so in that respect the car did great, plenty of room etc, very comfy, cruise control, enough power, sounded good though quite thirsty.

I want to replace it, my budget is around £3k, can go a little higher, but lower would be great.

Requirements:
*Reliable, dont want to be stuck at the road side or wasting time dropping it into a garage every 2 seconds as time off from work costs me money
*I wouldn't mind better than my current 30mpg (well 25mpg with the exhaust blowing the way it is)
*A fair sized boot would be nice, though not desperate, can always use the back seats if the boot isnt big enough for it all
*Primarily motorway miles and A roads
*look good if possible

My short list is a little varied:

Mazda 6 diesel or petrol - seem very good value for money, missing something?
mondeo 2l tdci - boring....but ticks the boxes
Honda Accord petrol or diesel

Toyota Celica - Older late 90's models, from reviews they seem very reliable, I could live with its short comings in other areas due to the fact it will cost around a grand

Celica newer model also, not needing the newer 190bhp model, was just looking at the 140. Look good, would be more fun to drive than the mazda/mondeo options, no cruise control etc, and probably not as comfortable. This is more of a choice that I want as opposed to it being perfect for the job.

Im aware the difference in fuel cost between a 35mpg petrol car, to a 45mpg diesel car will save me around £540 a year, assuming 20k miles and the 10p price difference between petrol and diesel

Can anyone add anything to the mix? Or steer me away from any of my own suggestions?

Cheers fellas

Mike

[JP7]

The Mazda 6 is a very good reliable car, but also extremely boring. I very nearly bought one but talked myself out of it because it was so dull to drive.

Have you considered something German? Your budget could get you a VW Passat or a slightly earlier Audi A4. You may even be able to stretch to a BMW 318i SE or a 320d. German cars cost a tad more but are very reliable.

On the other hand, you can't go wrong with Japanese, but they can often lack in character.

[pits]

E39 5 series
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[G]

My E36 m3 will do 34mpg on the motorway with appropriate driving.

However, I'd be tempted to see if I can find a 525d as you're not that bothered by sportyness it seems. I'd also consider a 320d for pretty good fuel economy.

[Robby]

Bear in mind that the diesels that you are likely to be looking at in that price bracket are likely to have a dual mass flywheel fitted. If they go, it's an expensive thing to fix. Recommended to change them with the clutch, at a cost of 150-300 for the part.

Modern diesels in general have lots of very expensive bits that can fail, particularly on a car which hasn't been used often enough, so avoid something with ultra low miles.

The mondeo is a good car, my mum has had a 2004 one for a few years now, a petrol auto. The petrol is thirsty, the diesel has some horror stories over things going expensively wrong, but this could be a factor of there being so many of them around.

Have a look at more prestige cars too in that price bracket. The big drawback in the past was always fuel costs, but with modern diesel engines that it less of a worry. The mondeo based Jag (x-type?) always tempts.

[arry]

[Al]

I remember when I was looking at the 140bhp celicas that they can suffer some kind of fault with the pre cat that can damage the engine, I'm not sure if this is a big issue or just something that's got over hyped because of a couple of horror stories.
I've had the older (early 90's) celica and an mr2 with the 2.0L 3s-ge engine and they are a nice revvy motor with a bit of punch but also pretty thirsty, I doubt you'd get the MPG that you are hoping for.

They say that a diesel is only worth while if doing over 12-15k per year which you do, but personally I'd be willing to pay a little extra just not to drive a diesel.
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[arry]

[P.addy]

Was looking at cars last night..

Found 3 cars I could get with £3000

Fabia VRS in a lowish spec
BMW 330d
Merc C220

All of which offered around 50mpg motorway and 35-38 in town.

Was being a gay and seeing whether a car would be a nicer option than the bike..

Decided against

[Sam_Y_93]

[ajbsmirnoff]

E39 5 series.

Buy a 6 cylinder 3.0. diesel or petrol. A sport if you must.

Quiet, comfortable, spacious, fast, excellent handling, well made, well appointed, big boot.
They're cheap as chips to buy now, they were the best in class when bought. They cost as much as an old car to run (use a good specialist rather then Sytner etc).

Avoid poverty spec ones with cloth, and solid paint as they were boughty by small minded accountants running an underfunded company car scheme.

The air bags of the rear suspension of the estates can fail, but can be replaced, and they are flippin HUGE.

Also avoid the V8 535 and 540 simply cos they are too thirsty, and have 4 CATs to block Sound nice and go like stink though

NB. the e34 is better looking on the outside, and much better made. But they are all very old.
NB2. the cars listed above (fabia, 3 seris and C class) will cost more to insure as they are aspirational for younger more flighty and accident prone young'uns. Ask me how I know.

[Rogerborg]

Mid to late 90's C class, low mileage, but low spec, and not silver or black = many bargains, much cheapness.
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[Robby]

[haroman666]

[arry]

[haroman666]

[arry]

LOL. Worry not, I don't take offence.

It's just the type of person that buys a new BMW is either well loaded and doesn't care for other road users or a fleet driver who doesn't give a toss about his car. Hence the stigma, really.

Conversely, the stigma does make for some interesting S/H bargains...

[0l0dom0l0]

I'm all for old beemers etc and things but they seem a bit over the top.

Have you thought about a 1.9TDI polo/scoda fabia?

I've got the 1.2 which bar the smaller engine and shit fuel economy is exactly the same car. The boot is fairly big, especially with the back seats down. The 1.2's pretty nippy and a 1.9tdi would be like a go kart.

Cheap as hell to insure too. Reliable and its in your price range.

I think I can safely say the 1.9 will be my next car.
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Bikes: 2007 Derbi GPR 50, 1998 Yamaha Fazer 600 (written off), 2002 Yamaha Fazer 600, 1994 CBR 600F, 2003 Triumph Daytona 600, Kawasaki ZX6R J1.....Current: 2006 Yamaha FZ6, 1998 Suzuki TL1000R and a Honda VFR 400 NC30.

[G]

[Rogerborg]

[pits]

[Harold_Shand]

Consider leasing

My work have a scheme where you pay £200 a month for Ford Fiesta 1.4 Diesel, insurance, servicing, tyres, breakdown cover, tax... the whole lot apart from fuel. I've never thought about it before, but this scheme got me thinking and when you weigh up the cost of a 3k car and it's running costs over three years, you will end up better off, particuarlly with depreciation.

I know you won't have a scheme at work like this, but I'm sure there are plenty to choose from.
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Harold_Shand's theory might be the best explanation.

[pits]

[bacon]

Thanks for all the replys, very helpful, I'm still looking daily on autotrader trying to see if something turns up.

I have found a reasnably priced 04 octavia vrs with 67k on the clock for £2150, needs taxing though.

Ill take a look again at some 5 series, I just didnt consider it due to the petrols being thirsty as fook (if my e36 325 is anything to go by), not that this galant v6 isnt!

[jimbothe]

Spend a grand or a little over on a TD-DI focus (pre tdci) and it will last forever.

Put the rest in the bank and let it earn you money.

Good mpg, relatively cheap to buy. Go for the estate if you want more room and at least a LX trim level.

And yes, I do speak from personal experience . 186,000 miles on mine (51 plate) and still sounds like it did at 50,000. Dual mass flywheel is expensive as said above but look around and you can get the kit for a good price and the general reliability and good fuel savings over distance make up the shortfall in the flywheel.
Saying that I haven't needed one yet but I have looked into it as I have no plans to get rid of mine. Everything still works as it should do, even both the heated screens , the engine still pulls well and I've hammered the living crap out of mine.
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