Due to unforseen circumstances, I've suddenly found myself needing to get a new car in the next 2 - 3 weeks, on a tight budget. My current car is a 2008 pre-DPF, pre-facelift Octy 4x4 and I've absolutely loved it. Previously I had two A4 Avants (2003/03 generation), both 1.9TDI PD130s, and a Fabia SDI (my first love ).

 

I'd love another B6-gen A4 or Mk2 PFL Octavia, but obviously that pre-DPF engine is now at least 12 years old so it's getting harder to find decent examples.

 

Criteria is that I need an estate which will be reliable, not ridiculously expensive to run and not utterly soul destroying to drive... all for under an absolute maximum of £2.5k but probably less - I was not planning to have to change cars at this point! I've only ever driven diesels but if the more reliable option at this price point is petrol, I'd be open to it.

My main worry about newer diesels is the DPF and other associated issues that seem to cause people loads of expensive problems - is this justified? If I were to stay with VAG, with a newer Octavia, B7 Audi A4 or similar, which engines (diesel or petrol) are the best?

 

What else would you recommend I look at? I'm open to both VAG and non-VAG suggestions. Really have no idea where to look this time!

Cheers

 

 

 

 

What happened to your current car?  The 1.9tdi is usually pretty reliable.

as above, what's killed octy?

 

youll probably get another octy in budget. or a superb. the early dpfs were a nightmare but since theyve been designed i to the engine rather than tacked on they are failure prone for most people. whats kills them in numbers is all the tools who bought diesels for a 2-10miles dsily commute because of the road tax being cheap.

@alessio92 Sorry to read about your bad luck in the Insurance section.   Maybe members can check the post there.

You either want PD pre DPF, or skip straight to the newer CR engines IMO (which probably isn't in your budget depending on the car condition and mileage) you are at risk of buying somebody elses problems otherwise.

 

 

12 hours ago, alessio92 said:

Criteria is that I need an estate which will be reliable, not ridiculously expensive to run and not utterly soul destroying to drive... all for under an absolute maximum of £2.5k but probably less

Reliable - Japanese petrol cars will always be the most reliable. Honda Civic 1.8? Not an estate, but very clever seats and roomy boot. Avensis Estate?

Expensive - Jap cars can be expensive for parts, but you're not likely to need any.

Soul destroying - Personal perspective. I tend to buy lower value cars out of choice, so its 'blandness/aesthetics' is frankly irrelevant when spending such little cash in my experience. 

 

Let us know what you choose in the end.

 

 

I'm still trying to work out how £2.5k is a tight budget? Never spent that much on one of my own cars.

As superbTWM says, if you're sticking VAG, its either old PD or a jump to a 2.0CR engine. If not, then Suzuki/Kia/Hyundai/Toyota etc are usually good bets for something decent, the fact you need an estate will probably rule most of them out though.

Same here 

 

My general rule buying cars at this end of the market is to spend half my budget, and save the other half for making sure it's right. I tend to think the only difference between most £1000 cars and most £2000 cars is a wax and polish. 

 

I bought a mk2 octavia 1.9 in a hurry back in November, spent about £1000 on the car, and left myself some budget for what it's needed (wheel bearing, header tank, battery, MAF), which is stuff I'd be suspecting most cars it's age would be needing sooner or later anyway. £300 and some spanner time and I'm happy that it doesn't really need anything. 

If I went away from VAG I would look at a Ford Focus estate. Loads of those about for a decent price and they drive well. I think the petrol engines are OK and the TDCI engines arn't too bad if you stay away from the 1.8

Do you still need a diesel?

 

If so then you really can't go wrong with a 1.9 TDI. With your budget as well you'd be able to get hold of a FL too.

What about Softscoop's Octy in the classifieds?

 

Looks a good buy to me.

 

Gaz

Something naturally aspirated else with a turbo pop u are back with no car as cost to fix is more than you paid. 

 

Depending on how important running cost are a 8 to 10year old Ford or GM with no turbo. Fix with costs of tens of pounds rather than hundreds and thousands. 

On 11/02/2021 at 21:23, MikeTheThinker said:

What happened to your current car?  The 1.9tdi is usually pretty reliable.

 

On 12/02/2021 at 00:59, mac11irl said:

as above, what's killed octy?

 

youll probably get another octy in budget. or a superb. the early dpfs were a nightmare but since theyve been designed i to the engine rather than tacked on they are failure prone for most people. whats kills them in numbers is all the tools who bought diesels for a 2-10miles dsily commute because of the road tax being cheap.

 

Got it stuck in snow whilst trying to get past somene else who was stuck... had to abandon the car after AA couldn't get me out. Overnight some lovely people decided to roll the car into a field, smash a window, steal the battery etc etc... It's basically a write-off.

 

On 12/02/2021 at 12:55, robt100 said:

I'm still trying to work out how £2.5k is a tight budget? Never spent that much on one of my own cars.

As superbTWM says, if you're sticking VAG, its either old PD or a jump to a 2.0CR engine. If not, then Suzuki/Kia/Hyundai/Toyota etc are usually good bets for something decent, the fact you need an estate will probably rule most of them out though.

 

I've never spent more than £1500 but that was 2 years ago so assumed I'd have to spend more! Less is best if poss!

 

On 12/02/2021 at 13:55, StevesTruck said:

Same here 

 

My general rule buying cars at this end of the market is to spend half my budget, and save the other half for making sure it's right. I tend to think the only difference between most £1000 cars and most £2000 cars is a wax and polish. 

 

I bought a mk2 octavia 1.9 in a hurry back in November, spent about £1000 on the car, and left myself some budget for what it's needed (wheel bearing, header tank, battery, MAF), which is stuff I'd be suspecting most cars it's age would be needing sooner or later anyway. £300 and some spanner time and I'm happy that it doesn't really need anything. 

Would be ecstatic if I could spend nearer a grand!

 

On 12/02/2021 at 14:08, SuperbTWM said:

If I went away from VAG I would look at a Ford Focus estate. Loads of those about for a decent price and they drive well. I think the petrol engines are OK and the TDCI engines arn't too bad if you stay away from the 1.8

Hmmmm... Dad has had a couple of Focuses and they're alright actually. Thanks for warning about the 1.8

 

22 hours ago, Phil-E said:

Do you still need a diesel?

 

If so then you really can't go wrong with a 1.9 TDI. With your budget as well you'd be able to get hold of a FL too.

Erm, my mileage is pretty mixed. I drive for work but some days I'm doing no more than 20 miles, others I'm doing 50. Defo not mileage that would suit a DPF.

 

2 hours ago, Gaz_ said:

What about Softscoop's Octy in the classifieds?

 

Looks a good buy to me.

 

Gaz

Cheers, he's just messaged me!

 

Those of you who generally buy at £1000-2000, where do you look? I'm guessing Autotrader, where else?

 

Cheers!

Ebay every time for me but then I usually go after vehicles with faults.

These days private sellers for sure are not gonna be listing cars for a few thousand on Autotrader, these are now found on the likes of facebook as its easy and free and everybody has a facebook account these days. 

 

You do get a lot of lazy idiots though that take 1 picture of the car through the kitchen window and puts 'needs a clean' but there are some genuine sellers.

 

The majority on Autotrader now are trade, so it depends which route you want to go down

Edited 13 February, 20215 yr by SuperbTWM

2 hours ago, alessio92 said:

Those of you who generally buy at £1000-2000, where do you look? I'm guessing Autotrader, where else?

 

Cheers!

 

The AA sometimes have some interesting cars in this price range.    Bought a nice Jaaaaag Type S for silly money.  Ford's 2.5 V6 paired with ZF 6 HP gearbox so would do 40 mpg on a run sat in luxury....

& Sabine doing a 9 min 12s lap in the 2.7 l diesel version, also economical and quickish. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 13 February, 20215 yr by lol-lol

Interesting, would never have thought of them. Is that through their website or do they have forecourts/dealers somewhere? I usually find that most dealers don't list their sub-4K cars online.

 

14 hours ago, lol-lol said:

Sabine doing a 9 min 12s lap in the 2.7 l diesel version,

Nice! Top Gear when it was worth watching

Ring some of the dealers and ask as a trade enquiry on what they’ve had traded in. You’ll have to take it as is, but it’ll be quite a bit less. Most will sell trade first and then auction. 

20 hours ago, alessio92 said:

Those of you who generally buy at £1000-2000, where do you look? I'm guessing Autotrader, where else?

 

Cheers!

 

My last two have been small traders listing their p/x's on ebay. Both have had niggles, but nothing major. 

Love to know what the problem was with the 1.8tdci....

 

had them and it was the most reliable car of all inc multiple vag and had over 200k on it.

 

the 1.6 tdci had problems and the 1.8 tddi are a bit agricultural but reliable...

Edited 15 February, 20215 yr by cheezemonkhai

DACIA Sandero from £99 a month with no worries ie warranty etc. 

 

New Sandero, based on mk 4 Clio will be brenchmark for all cheap 4 wheel transport IMO. 

3 hours ago, lol-lol said:

DACIA Sandero from £99 a month with no worries ie warranty etc. 

 

New Sandero, based on mk 4 Clio will be brenchmark for all cheap 4 wheel transport IMO. 

 

The OP said...

 

Criteria is that I need an estate which will be reliable, not ridiculously expensive to run and not utterly soul destroying to drive

 

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/490369-car-for-sale-skoda-mkii-octavia-vrs-estate-2007