I've just got a new job so I need to drive 40 miles a day, rather than the 8 miles I was doing before.

I want to replace my local commuting car which is a Ford Ka. The good thing is that I rarely get stuck in "stop-start" traffic and the roads aren't too narrow with a mixture of fast A and B roads, so a bigger car is now more viable than before.

I'd like the following:

* Good handling
* Reasonable preformance
* Reasonable fuel economy
* Ideally four seats, but a majority of the time it will be just me
* Reasonable size boot (for those rare occassions I need to ferry my daughter)
* No bigger than say an Impreza or thereabouts
* Insurance friendly as it will be insured by my wife who has 4 years NCB
* T-reg or newer to allow me to use a tarty number plate

Budget of up to £10k (less would be a bonus), with a preference for an older car with lower miles, rather than a newer with high, but open to ideas.

To get a feel of what I've been considering:

Honda Integra Type R DC2 - Hard ride and thrashy engine is putting me off!
Audi S3 - Mostly driven by people who don't warm up & cool down!
VW Golf TDI 150 - Head says yes, heart says why
Alfa GTV - Legendary Italian built quality and high insurance rating is putting me off
Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo - See above
Saab 9-3 convertible - Hairdresser? (the normal coupe does not have the same appeal)
Mercedes CLK 230K - Fuel economy is putting me off
BMW M Coupe - Only two seats and high insurance
Seat Leon Cupra R - Seems to fit the bill, but rarely in my budget
Skoda Fabia/Seat Ibiza TDI - in budget, but not much car for the money!

I don't want another Subaru, as I already have the 'burden' of an automatic Forester giving me 18-25mpg!!

Cheers
Andy

 

Accord Type R?

 

Ford Cougar 2.5ltr V6 24v funnily enough I have 1 for sale on a '98 plate with 34k miles £4500??? lol full heated leather, heated front windowscreen etc etc

you know your interested

 

Remapped Fabia vRS

 

What are they like on fuel?
I assume they are a little less raw (read: more comfortable) than the Integra (which is not a bad thing for my poor old aching bones!)

 

Forgot to mention T-reg or newer, so I can use a tarty number plate!

 

Have test driven a standard one, it made me feel sick!

I could put my finger on it, but it was either the boaty ride, or the dash cleaner the dealer had used.

Either way, I would find it hard to spend around £10k on a car, then have to carry out suspension modifications and get it remapped. If the Fabias were around the £7k mark, I would do it.

 

Type 25 ?

 

You've read what I want then??

Although it could be tempting, if it were in my budget!!

 

What you write , and what you want are likely to be poles apart

 

How about Octavia vRS? Economy on an indicated 80mph cruise was 37mpg.

 

Something I considered, but preferred the size of the Leon over the Octavia.

No problem with the Skoda badge, but the Octavia doesn't light my fire!

 

You're right, but Amelia is eating into my Porsche fund, so until she moves out in 16-18 years time....

 

I bet your daughter really looks forward to trips in the car

 

Not sure, 30mpg I would think. My uncle's had one for about 4 years now and he loves it. Took me out in it once and I was disappointed with the performance, until we hit the motorway sliproad and he VTEC'd it all the way up

Very nice car IMO and cheap to buy too.

 

What about a nice classic shape impreza in silver?

 

Bought the wife a new 3 dr (you can get 5 dr if needs) Sport TDi Ibiza 100 BHP PD engine. Nippy, good spec, A/C, Elec windows, Sport seats, 16"s, f and r fogs, CD etc.

Interior a bit dark but averaged 67 mpg on a recent trip to south Germany, some long 90+ blasts. Not an ache or pain in 2200 miles. £10K with mats, flaps and fuel straight out of the box.

 

Focus of sorts?

 

CTR?

 

ATR - Now on the list to try

Indifferent about the Seat Ibiza now

I'd probably want a Focus ST170, but not sure if I want the depreciation associated with a Ford!

The CTR is OK but rarely seen in the £10k price range, but I prefer the looks of either the ITR DC2 or the ATR.

 

I would have to say the Accord as well, great car, reliable etc, asl ong as you dont go into Vtec zone too much I think they will do over 30mpg, also great seats.

 

* Good handling
* Reasonable preformance
* Reasonable fuel economy
* Ideally four seats, but a majority of the time it will be just me
* Reasonable size boot (for those rare occassions I need to ferry my daughter)
* No bigger than say an Impreza or thereabouts
* Insurance friendly as it will be insured by my wife who has 4 years NCB
* T-reg or newer to allow me to use a tarty number plate

theres only one car that fits the bill IMO, for under 10k

CLIO 182 EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!

 

Looks like I'm going to test drive an ATR and ITR back to back.

Clio... sorry that falls into my beware of French cars mentaility (having owned two of them), right up there with my Italian car preconceptions.

 

sorry i just see that as ignorant stereotying...

you may aswell say, every **** on here wears a burburry cap and a gold sovereign.

try it, ya might like it, if ya dont then dont buy it...simple.

 

BMW 328

 

Only going on reports from friends who have owned 172's and the amount of times they go back to the garage, and things that rattle, creak, squeek and break. The build quality may be better with the 182's but you do need to own a car to get a picture of it's reliability and it's one of the only things you can't establish with a test drive (hence speaking to owners and getting their opinions)

I'm sure there are plenty of happy owners, or all the people I know are moaners.

Don't they??

I like Fiat Coupes and some Alfas, but speaking to other owners is normally enough to put that into touch! As I say driving and owning are two different things, especially if I have to foot the bill!

 

Are you calling me a w*****????

 

well havin just sold my 182 for which i owned for 12month i can catagorically state that it was the best 10k ive ever spent on a car!

no problems, no issues, no rattles, more smiles per mile that anything ive ever driven. until mr scoob came along anyway.

 

I've got an 2001 Black ATR they are very good. I had a MY98 UK Turbo and the ATR is so much in so many different ways.

The Scoob had low down torque which is the ATR doesnt but flip the coin and where the Scooby starts runs out of puff the ATR only starts to get going. Once you've VTEC'd you'll have a problem getting the smile of your face.

There's a well priced one on Honda Rev at the moment

http://forum.hondarevolutions.com/viewtopic.php?t=54825

Also get a 2001> face lifted version, there's a few well known problems with the 99 -2000 ones. I learnt the lesson of not doing further research when I brought a MY98 Scooby.

If you've got any questions drop me an email.

Cheers

Dan

danbaylis@yahoo.com

 

Thanks Dan and thanks for the heads up about the facelift. I was considering 1999/2000 ATRs as well!

Funnily enough I was reading that advert last night and thought Cleveland was a big trek away. Then again, you can argue with a price like that!!