Recommend me
 

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

Re: Recommend me
 

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.

Re: Recommend me
 

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.

Re: Recommend me
 

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.

Re: Recommend me
 

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.

Re: Recommend me
 

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

Re: Recommend me
 

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

Re: Recommend me
 

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

Re: Recommend me
 

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)

Re: Recommend me
 

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: