Morning all

My friend is looking for a round-around and she has up to five grand to spend. Anybody any good recomendations? I thought about a fab VRS or golf tdi, not sure on the prices though!!...She not looking for a big car but then not a small car!! Any thoughts would be appreciated

K:)

£5k gets a nice Focus.

What Tom said

Yeh i mention that to her and i think she had seen one on a forecourt somewhere She is near sevenoakes so i cant go with her on the hunt!!...Think she'l end up with a shed!! How are the focus diesels? I had a mark 1 petrol but have never driven a smokey one!!

K:)

I had a TDCI, apart from its appetite for flywheels, it was ok! I'd stick to a 1.8 petrol ideally for the best compromise of performance/economy etc.

Dad had a 1.8 Zetec, was a good drive, decent enough power for a run around

5k will get you a lower spec MK II focus 1.6 TDCI or a MK I 1.8TDCI (flywheel on ours is fine, but tuning boxes etc will kill the flywheel) with some change to spare.

Citroen Xsara/Pug 306 XUDt or HDI can be picked up for £1000 or less and would leave £4 in the bank for other things.

If it's a "run around" does it need to use the devil's fuel?

How about a nice Fabia?

See my sig below.

I'm only about 20miles from 7oaks.

A pink* one?

*substitute for her favourite colour

She needs a better set of requirements really

What sort of annual mileage is going to be done? Neither big nor small would lead me to the Focus\Golf sized sector.

I found my friend a very tidy 53-plate PD100 Golf Mk4 SE earlier this year for that budget. But as Babs says, fuel choice may be dictated by annual mileage. The Golf was chosen because of frequent Manchester>London and Manchester>Edinburgh trips, so derv made sense.

Steve

I think she does a few trips a week to heathrow and gatwick around the M25. Other than that i havent got a clue!! She the ex so i dont ask too much!! All i know is that she has five grand to spend and doent want anything too big or thirsty! I suggested she gets a grands worth of car with a years MOT and just run it for a year then sell it on:)

K:)

£5k should see her in a E46 320d Compact, smallish, economical, stylish, should tick all the boxes.

MDK1 pm sent to ya

Cheers

Kit

Pm replied to,

thanks.

If it's a "run around" does it need to use the devil's fuel?

Not at all, although older derv engines can usually cope with higher miles than a small petrol engine so if you can get both with 100k on for similar money then the derv might be a better buy.

All depends what you want it for.

She going to give mike (mdk1) a call and go round and see his motor I dont really know how many miles she'l be doing or if she is going to be going far!! All i know is that she has about 5k to spend!!

K:)

That's nice to know, do you know when?

The Fabia has done only 44,000miles and has plenty of life left in it and will be a cracking car.

Mike i gave her your deatils and she said she would ring:)...Im afraid i dont know when she might do it!!...sorry :(

K:)

What does she need it for?

Older MX5

Nearly new Panda

Used Golf dervs are a bit over priced IMHO

Vauxhall Astra 1.6

Seat Ibiza 1.4

Chevy Lacetti (orrible but cheap)

Grande Punto

Mike i gave her your deatils and she said she would ring:)...Im afraid i dont know when she might do it!!...sorry :(

K:)

Ok, no worries.

Citroen Xsara/Pug 306 XUDt or HDI can be picked up for £1000 or less and would leave £4 in the bank for other things.

To replace parts as they fall off

To replace parts as they fall off

Never had anything all off any of them we've owned and they all got to far higher mileages than the VAG cr*p traded over the last few years.

Regardless it makes no odds as she is going to call re mdk's car.

I had a TDCI, apart from its appetite for flywheels, it was ok! I'd stick to a 1.8 petrol ideally for the best compromise of performance/economy etc.

1.6 is better Focus engine - lighter, more economical and not that less powerful

But honestly you can't go wrong with a Focus, generally speaking for an all round medium size car. All models have their duff examples of course...