Recommend me

[Lozzo]

A car.

Requirements are:

Diesel
Hatchback
Reliable
50 mile a day round trip commute
Toys (CD player, electric everything)
Comfortable
Cheap to run
Under 3 grand

Do your worst, but I will state NO Alfa Romeos, Fiats or anything Italian or French

[CheGuevara]

I'd have a Toyota Corolla or Avensis in a second. If Diesel wasn't required than a Honda Civic or Accord would be in the mix.

[Stig]

You said nothing French but I have a Pug 106 1.5D. 70 mpg, 600 miles from a tank. Engine is bullet proof. Tyres are £35 a corner. I do 130 miles a day commuting in it. It'll cruise at 80mph and do 90-95mph without stress.

[johnnyrod]

Can't you get a diesel Civic for that? Anything Japanese really I'd say, Brit cars are cheap but there's a reason. Now you know as much as I do.

[G]

If you had not said 'no french' I would have said peugeot 306 1.9TD.

60mpg, reliable even when abused and not serviced and can run on chip fat with a fuel filter change every 12k.

As you said no french though... I'll recommend a ford fiesta diesel, stupidly cheap to run and easy and cheap to fix... older 1.8TD's are also rapid and can run on chip fat.

[CheGuevara]

Can't you get a diesel Civic for that? Anything Japanese really I'd say, Brit cars are cheap but there's a reason. Now you know as much as I do.

I think the older Honda diesels are supplied by Isuzu -reliable maybe but not very refined from what I've read.

[Paul the 6th]

I had a 2005 ford mondeo for 3 years - 2.0 tdci, 130bhp, 500 motorway mile or 450ish mixed miles to a £50 tank of diesel. AirCon, heated seats, heated mirrors, cheap on insurance, biggest maintenance bill in 3 years was a rear bearing or hub (can't remember which) - a pattern part was about £200 + vat.

Apart from that it sailed through MOT's (One mot was £90 all in - that was the mot test, 2 new front tyres, and a load of rear bulbs all replaced by the dealership).

Really comfy, did europe trips 3 times without any drama, would definitely recommend as you get ALOT of car for little money

[Lozzo]

You said nothing French but I have a Pug 106 1.5D. 70 mpg, 600 miles from a tank. Engine is bullet proof. Tyres are £35 a corner. I do 130 miles a day commuting in it. It'll cruise at 80mph and do 90-95mph without stress.

Too tinny and no toys. I like comfort and Pug 106s just don't have any

[Lozzo]

If you had not said 'no french' I would have said peugeot 306 1.9TD.

60mpg, reliable even when abused and not serviced and can run on chip fat with a fuel filter change every 12k.

As you said no french though... I'll recommend a ford fiesta diesel, stupidly cheap to run and easy and cheap to fix... older 1.8TD's are also rapid and can run on chip fat.

I had a Pug 306 TDi Meridian as a company car that I was going to be stuck with for 3 years, I hated it that much I changed job asap (3 months)

[gettin2dizzy]

A car.

Requirements are:

Diesel
Hatchback
Reliable
50 mile a day round trip commute
Toys (CD player, electric everything)
Comfortable
Cheap to run
Under 3 grand

Do your worst, but I will state NO Alfa Romeos, Fiats or anything Italian or French
Ford Focus TDCI

Does 55mpg easily. 45 with a heavy right foot. Cheap insurance, parts, servicing.
Zetec models come with aircon, leccy windows, remote locking, CD etc.

It's a good motor (115hp), and a pleasure to drive. £3k would get you a good MK1, and their residuals are good :thumbsup:

[Lozzo]

I had a 2005 ford mondeo for 3 years - 2.0 tdci, 130bhp, 500 motorway mile or 450ish mixed miles to a £50 tank of diesel. AirCon, heated seats, heated mirrors, cheap on insurance, biggest maintenance bill in 3 years was a rear bearing or hub (can't remember which) - a pattern part was about £200 + vat.

Apart from that it sailed through MOT's (One mot was £90 all in - that was the mot test, 2 new front tyres, and a load of rear bulbs all replaced by the dealership).

Really comfy, did europe trips 3 times without any drama, would definitely recommend as you get ALOT of car for little money

I'm liking this suggestion.

[Lozzo]

Ford Focus TDCI

Does 55mpg easily. 45 with a heavy right foot. Cheap insurance, parts, servicing.
Zetec models come with aircon, leccy windows, remote locking, CD etc.

It's a good motor (115hp), and a pleasure to drive. £3k would get you a good MK1, and their residuals are good :thumbsup:

Had one and did a lot of miles in it - mine was an 08 plate company car. It was ok but, as it was only the Style model, not really very well specced. Haven't had a good look at earlier models really, may do this.

[gettin2dizzy]

Had one and did a lot of miles in it - mine was an 08 plate company car. It was ok but, as it was only the Style model, not really very well specced. Haven't had a good look at earlier models really, may do this.
I used to drive that model alot as well. The newer focus feels a lot heavier, bigger and more cumbersome. It has a nicer interior, but I don't look at that when driving.

[TamSV]

Vectra "Design" or above is well specced. Like the Mondeo - a lot of car for your money. Cause there's so many of them you can pick up spares cheap.

Not very interesting though.

Or, for the discerning gentleman, may I show sir the Mercedes E-class Estate? :)

[Lozzo]

Or, for the discerning gentleman, may I show sir the Mercedes E-class Estate? :)

Ordinarily I'd like a Merc E class estate, I used to have an E class saloon. However it's a bit overkill for my needs right now.

[Paul the 6th]

In austria
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v72/209/75/665535365/n665535365_300951_2382.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v72/209/75/665535365/n665535365_300953_2979.jpg

In germany with 4 people and a weeks luggage for each of us (80mph average speed across europe - 1016 miles in 16 hours :D)
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v72/209/75/665535365/n665535365_300954_3299.jpg

Loved that car :D

[barwel1992]

you might be able to pick up a cheep ford mondeo st, or a zetec s

[Paul the 6th]

i looked into the mondeo st diesels but the lead mechanic at my local ford dealer told me to avoid them like the plague. "They're well kitted/look smart and pick their feet up but they're all out of warranty now and when the injectors go they'll eat you out of house and home"

Shame really 'cos it'd be a nice comfy nicely packaged diesel motorway muncher

[martianskippy]

Audi A4 Tdi?

By far the best diesel engine I have come across..

[barwel1992]

Paul, ahh never knew that, dad had the 3l v6 st220 and the recaro seats and intearior and touch screen radio sat nav were very nice untill my mum got car jacked in it.....

the zetec s 1.9 diesel is very nice as well if you get the leather trim and 18" alloys

[JamesMio]

I had a 2005 ford mondeo for 3 years - 2.0 tdci, 130bhp, 500 motorway mile or 450ish mixed miles to a £50 tank of diesel. AirCon, heated seats, heated mirrors, cheap on insurance, biggest maintenance bill in 3 years was a rear bearing or hub (can't remember which) - a pattern part was about £200 + vat.

Apart from that it sailed through MOT's (One mot was £90 all in - that was the mot test, 2 new front tyres, and a load of rear bulbs all replaced by the dealership).

Really comfy, did europe trips 3 times without any drama, would definitely recommend as you get ALOT of car for little money

I had one of them, great cars indeed. I'd certainly have another one, put it that way.

[Paul the 6th]

Paul, ahh never knew that, dad had the 3l v6 st220 and the recaro seats and intearior and touch screen radio sat nav were very nice untill my mum got car jacked in it.....

the zetec s 1.9 diesel is very nice as well if you get the leather trim and 18" alloys

I would have loved the petrol one if I could afford the fuel & insurance etc. but the diesel was the more viable option. If there wasn't a reasonably common issue with the injectors on the st diesel then they'd be a fantastic car for the money

[AndyBrad]

focus old shape for that money.

[Lozzo]

Have found a few Mondeos I'm going to look at once I've called up and interrogated the sellers. Decided I don't really need a diesel because my mileage isn't that high, so have lined up some 2.0L Zetec and Ghia post 2003 facelift models. I've been steered away from the earlier pre-2003 models cos they eat throttle butterflies which wreck the engine.

You get a lot of car for very little money with the Mondeo.

[Paul the 6th]

certainly do mate, I absolutely loved mine :) all day comfy as well