Afternoon,

 

After a few weeks in our new house, my wife has realised that with no bus route and the station about 2 miles away, if I have the car, she is a bit stuck, especially if I have the car and she has the 2.5 yr old.

 

So I am second car hunting. Budget is £5,000 max and I need something to pop into the village, get to the station, maybe do the 8 mile school run and which in 7 months time allow one of us to take one child whilst the other car takes the new arrival (i.e we can fit in a buggy/pram plus all the stuff you suddently accumulate with a little one).

 

I am thinking 5 doors for ease of access, petrol  engine no larger than 1.6 but happy with less, manual, 5-6 yrs old, less than 50K on the clock and it just needs to potter. We've got the Octy for motorway and big trips

 

At the moment a 1.6 Focus Zetec seems to be a fairly good bet since I cannot find a Fabia in that range for the price. Astra's seem too unreliable? Peugot's are more costly to run? Fiestas seem more expensice and I get more space for my buck with a Focus?

 

Anyone got any other recommendations please?

 

Thanks

 

Yours-stuck-in-autotrader.

Try a Mazda 2 - pretty much bullet proof, typical Japanese build quality.

207 or new shape citroen c3. Ud be amazed gow well built and reliable they are these days.had both as second cars a 1.4 petrol and a 1.4hdi. Both great in their own way but the diesel used no fuel at all and was 30 to tax. Lots of equipment on both. 1.4 petrol was gutless in 8valve form but again cheap on fuel. Avoid base models and they are nice places to be

A Fiat Bravo.

 

Don't dismiss it - mine has been great over the last four and half years and you'll easily get something that meets your needs in budget - probably a lot newer than the other cars you've considered.

Thanks for these suggestions - all of these are interesting. Currently getting an insurance quote on a Bravo 1.4 16v...

My beloved Octy TDi was off road due to an exploded brake pad last weekend. I'd a 57 plate Focus LX hire car as a replacement, and it was thirsty and no fun in comparison.

With the Bravo there's three 1.4 petrol engines. A normally aspirated with 90bhp, and then 120 or 150bhp turbo (or T-Jet in Fiat speak). As you would expect, performance is better with a turbo but fuel economy suffers.

 

If you wanted to go diesel then Multijet is what to look for. The 1.9 was available with 120 or 150bhp and no DPF.
From 2009 on those were dropped and replaced with a 1.6 with either 105 or 120bhp and a 2.0 with 165 but all had DPFs so avoid these for your driving patterns.

 

At the age of the cars you're looking at you'll have a choice of four trim levels.

 

Active is bottom of the pile but that's not too basic - should have aircon and front electric windows and will may have Blue & Me which is an excellent bluetooth and media player system - look for buttons on the steering wheel.

Active Sport is mostly cosmetic changes - better seats and different wheels
Dynamic is the equivalent of Elegance spec with dual zone climate and all round electric windows plus a few other improvements.
Sport was available with the 150bhp petrol or the higher performance diesel engines and as you would expect had different suspension, wheels and interior trim.
 

Sat nav was an option, as was a nice panoramic roof but they aren't common.

 

I don't know where this one is in relation to you, but it looks decent for a 2010 car.

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201310049116060/sort/ageasc/usedcars/price-to/6000/price-from/4000/fuel-type/petrol/maximum-mileage/up_to_50000_miles/model/bravo/make/fiat/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/keywords/conditioning/page/1/postcode/b617bf/radius/1500?logcode=p

Edited 1 November, 201312 yr by Dr Zoidberg

Thanks Dr Z,

 

I am going for petrol since the station is a bit far on foot, but not enough to keep starting-stopping a diesel IMHO.

 

Your link is v similar to one I've found about 25 miles from us.

 

Ken:  Thanks for that - we used to have a 2002 Focus CL 1.4 which was forgiving to drive, not too thirsty between 60-70 and then guzzled like a drunkard over 75, and which was very, very boring on long drives. However it was also very reliable and took our buggy in the boot.

You're welcome. As I said, I was a little cautious going for a Fiat, but it's been far better than their reputation might suggest. After an initial DPF issue (that also affected GM cars that used the same diesel engines) it's only needed scheduled maintenance in 67k miles.
It's not a vast car inside compare to an Octy, but considering what you get for your money now it's well worth considering. I'll be interested to see what you think if you go for a look in person.

Thanks Dr Z,

I am going for petrol since the station is a bit far on foot, but not enough to keep starting-stopping a diesel IMHO.

Your link is v similar to one I've found about 25 miles from us.

Ken: Thanks for that - we used to have a 2002 Focus CL 1.4 which was forgiving to drive, not too thirsty between 60-70 and then guzzled like a drunkard over 75, and which was very, very boring on long drives. However it was also very reliable and took our buggy in the boot.

I don't think the mk 2 focus have the same 1.6 engine as the mk 1 as I believe the standard 1.6 duratec engine is similar to the 1.6 petrol engine used some Mazdas (The 3 and a very few mk1 Mazda2 - the postman pat style one).

Anyway I think its widely thought the duratec is not as good as the zetec. Things change and no doubt the mk2 is heavier and has stricter emissions controls which dont help. I manage with the 1.6 in my Mazda although a few more miles to the gallon would not go amiss.

I would say the focus and the mazda3 are rather large cars compared to the room you actually get so not for everyone. My wife manages the kids with a Nissan Micra so size isnt everything.

Thanks Dr Z,

 

I am going for petrol since the station is a bit far on foot, but not enough to keep starting-stopping a diesel IMHO.

 

Your link is v similar to one I've found about 25 miles from us.

 

Ken:  Thanks for that - we used to have a 2002 Focus CL 1.4 which was forgiving to drive, not too thirsty between 60-70 and then guzzled like a drunkard over 75, and which was very, very boring on long drives. However it was also very reliable and took our buggy in the boot.

No problems; I've just checked distances and got maybe 30mpg, cruising mid-50s mph and shortest run 5 miles. By comparison my Octy would do more like 50mpg over the same roads/trips (literally).

Auris?

 

The Focus got too fat at the age you'll be looking at (imho).

Kia Cee'd. 1.4 or 1.6 with decent spec levels and most likely still with warranty at the price your looking at. Mines been brill and will do everything you need.

Auris?

 

The Focus got too fat at the age you'll be looking at (imho).

Funny you say that...my mother bought a 2012 Focus and ditched her aging Vetra. The Focus just squeezes into her garage. Given that the house was only built in 1997 that's a plump car!

 

The only Auris I drove sounded like (and felt like) a biscuit tin so I'd not thought it is. Should probably sit Mrs H down and run through the list of people's suggestions some point gnis weekend.

Kia Cee'd. 1.4 or 1.6 with decent spec levels and most likely still with warranty at the price your looking at. Mines been brill and will do everything you need.

 

Are these very nearly a Seat Leon? Which I'd started to wonder about too?

No problems; I've just checked distances and got maybe 30mpg, cruising mid-50s mph and shortest run 5 miles. By comparison my Octy would do more like 50mpg over the same roads/trips (literally).

 

I'd love to just get another Octy but can only afford fairly high mileage ones.

The Cee'd is very different to a Leon.

What about a roomster? Plenty in your budget with low mileage

My wife's a nanny and managed 2 kids, one a baby without any problems in a 3 door Yaris

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