I'm looking to buy a small jap car (UK model, not import). Nothing too quick, but something that will happily sit on the motorway. The most important thing I'll be looking for is something cheap to run. Does that mean a diesel of small petrol? I've looked on various reviews, but cant quite make my mind up.

Honda Civic?
Suzuki Swift?
Toyota Yaris?
Nissan Micra?

Any suggestions on anything upto £3,000.

 

Depending what you want it for.. I had a toyota carina estate that i bought for £300 with an MOT... Flipping bomb proof, happy on the motorway, cheap as chips to run, and as reliable as any more modern jap car. Ok it was grey and borring as sin but bomb proof!

 

I have a Toyota Starlet 1.3CD. A bit plasticky but will cruise all day at 80-90 on the motorways, does around 40 to the gallon, accelerates quite well for a 1.3, cheap insurance, cheap tax, cheap servicing and never seems to go wrong. No air con but has comfortable seats and a large boot when rear seat down. Comes in 3 or 5 door versions. I like mine, had it for 5-6 years now.

 

My sister recently bought a 52 plate yaris vvti for less than £3000 with only 20,000 miles on clock one owner, even came witha/c, alloys and a roof spoiler!!

She is chuffed to bits with it, nippy round town, cruises happily on motorway everyday on her commute to work and is very frugal on fuel and cheap tax plus toyota reliability! ; )

 

Have you considered one of these?:










Currently have one as a run-a-bout and use the STi for weekends etc..

Spec as follows:

UK model Petrol Daihatsu YRV 1.3 VVVT-i (same as toyota yaris) but with Turbo and intercooler and pushing out 130BHP.
4 speed Automatic with F1 style Steershift function.
0-60 in 8 seconds!
Full electrics with air-con. Insurance Group 8 and currently £140 a year to tax.

Already started to modify it.

 

Toyota Corolla, for £3k you get one with 30k miles and they are bullet proof.


Nik

 

i just cant picture you in one of those mate

 

I currently have a 95 toyota carina e 1.6 petrol as my daily runaround and im very happy with it....It cost me £450 with 5 months MOT nad Tax, and as said above, its bombproof, lively enuf and cheap enuf to run too (im getting about 400miles to £50 petrol raking around my local roads, which is not bad at all Its also cheap to maintain as i was able to give it a full service myself(oil,filter, plugs,fuel filter etc) for around £50!!

Id defo recommend a toyota of some sort, or maybe a nissan almera or one of the older primeras?? My dad has always had nissans and swears by them, they never need looked at from one service to the next!!

Hope this helps matey!!

 

Toyota seems to be the choice of champions....... I like the Yaris, but think its abit too small? I've got a month to make up my mind.....

Watch this space.

Thanks for all the suggestions, keep them coming!

 

Nissan Almera 1.5. No cambelt to change, zero image so left alone. 45 mpg Cheap spares and servicing. Done 3 long trips to France, 5 up with car fully loaded in wife's car without incident. 3k will get you a decent one. Second choice would be a Micra

 

Go for the old classic, a Charade turbo. If you can find one thats not knackered.

Even better, if you want something larger, try and find a Subaru L series turbo (very rare now) 4x4 with high and low ratio, quick and an estate. 30mpg but good fun.

 

A bit too much performance........ I have the WRX for weekend fun! lol

 

Narrowed the search down to a Mazda 323 (not fastback) & 3 door Honda civic

 

Think i've made my mind up on this Mazda 323 1.5 GSE. All the extras including the private plate.

 

Bugger!!!! The sodding thing has been sold. Doh!

 

Does it have to be a modern car? I used to have a Honda CRX import and for £3000 you could pick up an SRi in top notch condition. When the back seat is folded down, it's like a mini estate car. No real room for more than one person on the back seat though normally.

It's a 1.6Vtec with ~170bhp so it's fairly economical unless you get into the upper valve timing range.

 

Thanks for the advice....... the car above sold, but I've found a better car closer to home. Still a MAzda 323 GSE. Pick it up next week! Just hope the mpg does what it says on the tin. At least I've got low insurance and tax!

 

Seriously you have missed the best car of the lot. Go any find a Daihatsu Sirion Rally II. My girlfriend wanted a new car and we looked at loads of different cars and this one looks decent, good build quality, very quick for a 1.3 with 108bhp, and does stupidly mpg that my scoob could only ever dream of. Decent drive too, handling pretty good, nice ride and excellent brakes. Engine almost like VTEC of 4500rpm

Daihatsu have a fantastic reputation for reliability also as the YRV owner will know.

Cannot think of another car that runs it close for fun and value for money.


AllanB

 

Fancied a Sirion Rally 4 but they are rare as hens teeth. Ended up with the YRV Turbo @ 130BHP from a 1.3 instead, just needs lowering and wider tyres for better handling. By the way Daihatsu=Toyota small car firm.

Good luck with your new purchase . You'll appreciate the scoob better when you take it out for it's weekend spin. I Know I do
I'm on my 4th Run-a-bout but my 2nd Impreza. And it still gives me grin factor 9

The Mazda should help you save up for more mods on your scoob.

 

Mazda 323 GT or GSI has the 1.8 engine out of the MX5 would get s 2002 model for 3k. We picked up a 60K miles 2000 model for 1,600 last year
We have one, only problem so far has been the coil packs.

will return 35 on a run and 30 driving it like you stole it.

It performs well and handles exceptionally well, almost as good as the Puma we had, it is nimble and rewarding when pushed on
5 doors, rear seat move back-forward for extra boot or rear passenger space.

well worth a look

Blimey, just seen your recent post, great minds and all that.

Have a look at Club 323F: The best BA, BG and BJ Mazda 323f, Astina and Lantis club on the net

Yours is the BJ model (yes i know, no smart comments)

 

Great advice....... The Rally thing mentioned above sounds alot of fun, but I have to use this new car for business. The main reason I dont want to use my Scoob is people tend to think your some kind of boy racer showing up on your first day with a big blue wing on your car lol.

Glad to know that there is good feedback on the 323....... I pick it up next week. I might even bring it along to one of our meets ?

 

I'll let the girlfriend know