Evening all,

My wife's C5 estate is just dying (blown gasket I think; anyone know much about a 2002 C5 2l HDI?).

I'm looking for a replacement to meet the following criteria:

- mainly local commuting (20 miles/day)

- occasional motorway trips of up to 200 miles each way

- "presence" on the road so as not to get bullied by bigger traffic (Citroen AX experience)

- preferably not an estate

- 5 doors

- assuming petrol for economy at low miles

- reliable & cheap to run

- budget about £1500 or less

Pat's preferences also include:

- a VW engine/running gear (she like my Octy 1 estate)

Can anyone offer any recommendations, please?

Regards, Mike

Sell her yours, and buy yourself a new one!!

How about a mk1 Fabia?

How about a Seat Toledo. Nice size of motor and you will get a nice, low milage one easliy within your budget.

VW golf

I recently sold a Golf - worst car I've ever owned. Lots of little niggles and a big running issue I could never solve.

Aside from that though it's an incredibly bland and really common car, rattled/creaked quite a lot, didn't go too well (PD 150), handled really badly too. Was quite comfy and quite refined though.

Seat Altea, cheap as chips.

The Seat Altea XL is the same car but with a bigger boot.

Go for the 1.9 TDi 105bhp it'll outlive you and is better than the petrols on fuel.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-SEAT-ALTEA-2-0-SPORT-TDI-DIESEL-SIX-SPEED-FULL-HISTORY-T-T-CHEAP-AT-1995-/200770563979?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2ebedbaf8b

The HDI engine is fairly strong, so it might actually be repairable quite cheaply.

Nothing else will ride quite like a Citroen on that suspension.

What are the symptoms you're getting to make you suspect a blown head gasket?

Mk1 Octavia hatch?

Hi, for budget and reliability and based on my own experiences I'd still back the Felicia, but suspect you're looking for something a little newer. Failing that the Fabia is a very good all rounder & can return excellent running costs coupled with good reliability. Just have to source within your budget. Happy hunting.

Petrol + presence ? economy

Doesn't mean it's not do-able but you'll have to manage your expectations.

£1500 doesn't give you much to play with an reliability at that price point is going to be a bit of a lottery.

I'd only suggest what ever you look at you get something fairly low spec so there is less to go wrong and don't be seduced by small engines in large cars when you think of economy. Might be better to spend more on petrol and get a larger engine which will hopefully have lead a less stressed life.

Older A3/A4 2.0

Mondeo

Maybe one of the larger unpopular Korean cars (Kia Magentis, Proton Impian?)

Old Audi A6 (C4), they are galvanised and very reliable, go for the 5 cylinder petrol if you could. Lots of change from your £1500.

Otherwise an E36 BMW (318is), good on fuel, reliable, powerful enough and 4 cylinders keep maintenance cost down, again lots of change from your budget.

Or this: http://www.carandcla....uk/car/C292264 Looks very clean, easy to change clutch, chain cam, reliable and would appreciate in value or this: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C301596, reliable XUD engine, extremely lo mileage, looks like it has been well looked after and looks like a 1 owner car from new.

Edited 28 June, 201213 yr by My_Yeti

XUD good (me biased)

FWIW, I think you'd easily get change from £400 to do the head on the HDI.

What are the symptoms that make you think the head gasket has gone?

Edited 28 June, 201213 yr by cheezemonkhai

Never buy a 4 cylinder petrol BMW lol especially a 318. Worst engine on the road

Never buy a 4 cylinder petrol BMW lol especially a 318. Worst engine on the road

Why? Apart from not being as refined as the 6 cylinder, they are very reliable which I think is what the OP is after. I am interested as I am looking at one for a friend and would appreciate advice.

Edited 29 June, 201213 yr by My_Yeti

Plenty of older petrol beemers hanging around. I assume from that they tend to last ok. I thought the main issues were suspension arms and bushes wearing our regularly leading to painful bills.

Ere I like that Saab. I'd drive about in that quite happily.

The BX isn't my cup of tea but there are hardly any of them on the road now. You could run that and sell it for a profit potentially.

Edited 29 June, 201213 yr by Aspman

FWIW, I didn't look at the link until now, but that BX (much as I really like them) isn't an XUD, it's a 16TGS, so a 1.6(ish) petrol engine.

My suggestion is a MK1 Fabia 1.4TDI(hatch). Good round town economy. ( Mine does approx 50mpg), Motorway - it's got lots of poke, I've had several trips on over 350miles over the years( 410 miles in around 6 hours, though this was in an emergency). ( again good economy), . Not good on the "presence" factor.

5 doors, cheap & economical to run . And fun to drive.

It's not VW running gear, but SKODA quality running gear . .

My only regret is that SKODA ,in their wisdom chose to ditch a lovely body design for a crap one.