Cheap car for commuting
17 August 2003, 08:10 PM
#1
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It seems I may be doing a lot more miles in a few months time so I'm considering changing my current daily driver for something much more economical. Current second car is a Mondeo, as much as people slate them on here I find it to be a very capable car for its size (proper suspension and 17s helps loads) plus all the toys, heated leather seats etc. It has also been totally reliable all the years I've owned it. Slow as hell compared to the scooby but still sees off 95% of the boyracers on the road 
Anyway point is that I've been very happy using the Mondeo for doing a few hundred miles a week getting around ~30MPG but if my mileage increases significantly (I'm talking 600+) I want to be swelling the chancellor's coffers via the petrol station as little as possible!
Thinking along the lines of a smaller car either diesel or LPG, cheap to buy (<£2000) and cheap to run. I realise the car will have relatively no luxuries compared to the Mondeo and will probably handle like a bag of $hit and have a 0-60 timed with a calender but those are sacrifices I'm prepared to make (it'll make me appreciate the Scooby even more
).
Been considering 106 Diesel - seems reliable and decent handling but not sure if it likes the M-way and I've heard the driving position is very "girly" - pedals too close together etc. What about other small diesels or would I be better going for a pre-converted LPG car (most of these are a bit bigger but the cheaper fuel offsets this)?
Thanks in advance!
Anyway point is that I've been very happy using the Mondeo for doing a few hundred miles a week getting around ~30MPG but if my mileage increases significantly (I'm talking 600+) I want to be swelling the chancellor's coffers via the petrol station as little as possible!
Thinking along the lines of a smaller car either diesel or LPG, cheap to buy (<£2000) and cheap to run. I realise the car will have relatively no luxuries compared to the Mondeo and will probably handle like a bag of $hit and have a 0-60 timed with a calender but those are sacrifices I'm prepared to make (it'll make me appreciate the Scooby even more
).Been considering 106 Diesel - seems reliable and decent handling but not sure if it likes the M-way and I've heard the driving position is very "girly" - pedals too close together etc. What about other small diesels or would I be better going for a pre-converted LPG car (most of these are a bit bigger but the cheaper fuel offsets this)?
Thanks in advance!
17 August 2003, 09:29 PM
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If you don't mind a girly looking car try a citroen ax 1.5 diesel. I bought mine in december for £400. M reg, only 1 owner from new, 167,000 miles but full citroen history.
I've done 15,000 miles in it in 8 months and only had to change the brake pads + its just sailed through its MOT.
Its not too bad on the motorway, usually get 60ish mpg too.
I've done 15,000 miles in it in 8 months and only had to change the brake pads + its just sailed through its MOT.
Its not too bad on the motorway, usually get 60ish mpg too.
17 August 2003, 09:59 PM
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I have a 1.8 fiesta diesel encore cost 1K and its a 1996 new shape one. Great fuel enconomy as well. I just went round grages asking if they would sell there part X cars and my local ford dealer said yes 
had it about a year now now probs at all yet
had it about a year now now probs at all yet
18 August 2003, 09:29 AM
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My girlfriend had a 106 had 130k miles + on the clock and returned approx 65 - 70 mpg !
(she never really thrashed it )
Didnt like hills though !
I sold it and got her a Ka as she is to be traveling up and down to Aberdeen over the next year and wanted something a bit more substanstial and newer.
Agree with the pedal thing.
The Ka is a fantastic wee car !!!........perhaps a bit girly though (especialy in purple !! well, shes happy)
(she never really thrashed it )Didnt like hills though !
I sold it and got her a Ka as she is to be traveling up and down to Aberdeen over the next year and wanted something a bit more substanstial and newer.
Agree with the pedal thing.
The Ka is a fantastic wee car !!!........perhaps a bit girly though (especialy in purple !! well, shes happy
)
18 August 2003, 04:15 PM
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Thanks for the suggestions, I've got some time to have a look around and think about what to go for.
Having had a look at the specs for some of those small diesels they're worse than I thought - 106 1.5D was something like 16 secs to 60! Don't think there's much chance of nipping out of a junction in busy traffic with that.
It is just a means to an end to keep my fuel bills down so I might be able to put up with it, will have to try one and see.
However I'm getting more into the idea of picking up a cheap petrol with LPG conversion already fitted, there's a filling station en route to where I'm travelling so that's not a problem and it means I can get a bigger car with better performance (say a 1.8 Pug 405 which I seen for around £1k) and it will still work out roughly the same as the diesel maybe cheaper if I can get the LPG cheaper (smaller suppliers can be substantially cheaper than the big companies). Only the potential reliability issue puts me off, I'm not totally convinced on it with LPG but at least if it fails drastically the car ain't worth much anyway so I could just ditch it and go back to the diesel idea...
Plenty to think about, I'm almost putting as much research into buying a banger as I did when spending 10 times as much buying the scoob
Having had a look at the specs for some of those small diesels they're worse than I thought - 106 1.5D was something like 16 secs to 60! Don't think there's much chance of nipping out of a junction in busy traffic with that
.It is just a means to an end to keep my fuel bills down so I might be able to put up with it, will have to try one and see.
However I'm getting more into the idea of picking up a cheap petrol with LPG conversion already fitted, there's a filling station en route to where I'm travelling so that's not a problem and it means I can get a bigger car with better performance (say a 1.8 Pug 405 which I seen for around £1k) and it will still work out roughly the same as the diesel maybe cheaper if I can get the LPG cheaper (smaller suppliers can be substantially cheaper than the big companies). Only the potential reliability issue puts me off, I'm not totally convinced on it with LPG but at least if it fails drastically the car ain't worth much anyway so I could just ditch it and go back to the diesel idea...
Plenty to think about, I'm almost putting as much research into buying a banger as I did when spending 10 times as much buying the scoob
19 August 2003, 12:25 AM
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On the banger run theres a good deal near me -
alfa 75 twin spark, bodily straight, bit scruffy plastic but miserable paint, scruffy interior, all good electrics (on an alfa!), no rust (again, on an alfa!), mechanics excellent, good handling, 12 months mot, 6 months tax and just serviced! 500 quid too. I was tempted, but no room for another car... or need i suppose
alfa 75 twin spark, bodily straight, bit scruffy plastic but miserable paint, scruffy interior, all good electrics (on an alfa!), no rust (again, on an alfa!), mechanics excellent, good handling, 12 months mot, 6 months tax and just serviced! 500 quid too. I was tempted, but no room for another car... or need i suppose
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