Ok folks looking for some help here.
What I need is a car that I can do something like 750miles a week in but it must be;
1. Comftable
2. Something I don`t mind putting thousands of miles on.
3. Good mpg i.e probably a diesel
4. Reliable in all weather conditions
5. Not gonna cost the earth to keep it on the road i.e servicing and parts etc


Forgot to add anything up to about £15K considered
Your suggestions would be much appreciated.

Cheers in advance

[Edited by Blairc - 1/27/2003 1:11:45 PM]

 

new golf TDi or one of the WV family of diesel cars, seem very reliable, loads of MPG and the golf TDi's that i have seen have all come with very nice big electric leather recaro's.
They also seem to hold there money quite well

 

Cheers for that chrispy200+ I`ll look into them. Anyone else got any other ideas?

Cheers.

 

Have to agree with the Golf TDI idea, or maybe a Bora if you prefer saloons. (nicer to drive too, and more standard kit, not much more though!)

 

Bit bored at work waiting for something to get fixed so i've just had a look around, about 15k will get you a 2002/2003 Top spec GT TDi with six speed box, big leather recaro's etc etc, there is also the passat as well if you were looking for something slightly bigger or the Bora as has been said.
They are making a 150bhp TDi now as well with loads of torque

 

i have just gone from a MY01 to a VW passat...the VW makes the scoob look like its chucked together by blind monkies. its built to last, no squeaks, no rattles, all the switches in the right place......i have had the scoob on the drive for 2 months now waiting to go back to the lease firm and i havent touched it once since i had the VW.

T

 

Octavia RS?

Brand new £15k, 180bhp 1.8 turbo engine, so reasonably quick but good mpg (miles better than my Scoob). Also a big car so loads of room, and it has a boot you could park a small car in

 

Yeah I was thinking something German would do the trick. Although I was thinking more along the lines of a Audi A3 1.9 TDI (110ps) SE I think it is. Anyone had any experience of one of these? Your meant to be able to get about 50mpg, damn crazy stuff!

 

sounds about right, they are all the same engines anyway, VW/Audi/Skoda/Seat.
A3 is nice, my personal preference is with the golf but they are very similar cars, i think they are on the same floorplan as well.
Only thing i think is that unless you have a s3 the rest of the range look dull

 

I bought an Ibiza TDi Sport. Same diesel engine as the Golf (130 bhp), six speed 'box, climate etc. but for £13,500 (list). I had mine chipped by APR (now Revo Technik) to 180bhp and 300lb/ft.

I get about 47mpg average over 1,000 miles a week of almost entirely motorway with the occasional ragging now and again.

Fen

 

Another alternative would be a Focus TDCI, Autocar are running one as a long-term car and are raving about it. Dirt cheap to buy too, I've seen new cars advertised at £11,300 OTR, which could leave a significant chuck of the budget to go endulge on something else. Or think about a Mondeo, they are everywhere for under £15k new, just need to do a bit of searching via the net.

If you are looking to buy nearly new or low mileage second hand then the possiblities become huge, I can if you like talk to you on the phone at length about all this, though I should warn you the last few people who spoke to me had their ears fall off.

Other possibilities that spring to mind right now are Citroen C5's, they are dirt cheap nearly new, I've seen one year old diesels for £7995 and that is not a typo either, OK they had big miles already, but if you are looking for a comfy motorway cruiser they hit the nail on the head.

Drop me a line if you want to talk to the address in my profile and I will call in the evening sometime.

 

Early, private (especially import) BMW 330d are now down to £15k - you won't find a better diesel mile muncher.

 

Smart Pure 6295 and 70 mpg

 

I had a smart Passion (quite early, on a V) and the 6th cabrio in the UK (on a W). The only way you'll get anywhere near 70mpg out of one is if it's on a trailer for 30 of them, trust me. Even the diesel only gets 52mpg

Fen

 

....for doing 750 miles per week?

I almost blow those things over as I pass them on the motorway have had to take to giving a lane-wide-berth

 

erm, no. Not for 750 mile per week. When I had mine I had about 35 miles each way to work and it was OK. I did take it to Holland for a service once though. At least you can't get done for speeding.

Fen

 

Used Honda Insight? Get one for about £12,000. Does 80mpg or something ridiculous and is pretty nippy (if 12 secs to 60 is considered nippy)