Hi guys,

I wondered if I could get some recomendations here.

I will soon be after a second car for local trips and for SWMBO to use on rainy days (she has just moved jobs so now works just 15 minutes walk away from home which she enjoys but if its raining she will want some transport, understandably).

It has to be fun to drive, have five doors, have room in the back for the baby seat and be fairly reasonable to tax, run and service.

Equipment wise it needs A/C and ABS.

Id rather buy new or nearly new so we have the warranty cover.

Budget would be circa 8k.

My current thinking is a Panda 100HP, purely based on reviews from the magazines but I havent (yet) driven one and always vowed I'd never own a Fiat

What other options are there out there that would fit my criteria? Any ideas would be greatly received

Lee

Punto sporting i drove was reasonable built, however I found the steering so light it was really numb. I was told you could make it even lighter, but not heavier :(

That might be a good thing around town mind.

We tried a Punto, a Corsa, a Fiesta, and a ZR before we settled on a (second) Fabia for my wife - we felt it was so much better than the rest! Although you're budget's twice what we had, and I've heard nothing but good stuff about the new Panda...

Being facetious, I might add third-hand 530d before Welshy comes along to suggest it.

:sofahide:

Speaking of whom, has he been back on since the 'RS4 incident'? In some ways I feel a bit bad for picking holes in his fanciful story...

Is a Focus ST 170 (previous shape) going to be too big/expensive to run?

Ford : st170

Is a Focus ST 170 (previous shape) going to be too big/expensive to run?

Ford : st170

Definetly not a car for us, spent a few years in and out of them and I dont like them tbh and too big and juicy for our 'town' car.

Want a few years of manufacturers warranty too but thanks for all the suggestions so far.

Lee

Nearly-new Suzuki Swift 1.5.

Alloys, aircon, ABS, 5 door fun to drive. Should get one no older than 1yr for 8k

Nearly-new Suzuki Swift 1.5.

Alloys, aircon, ABS, 5 door fun to drive. Should get one no older than 1yr for 8k

Nice idea, I'll have a look into them, thanks

It is a Skoda site yet eveyone has failed to mention a Fabia???

It is a Skoda site yet eveyone has failed to mention a Fabia???

:confused:

We tried a Punto, a Corsa, a Fiesta, and a ZR before we settled on a (second) Fabia for my wife - we felt it was so much better than the rest!

A 1.2 Fabia or Polo might fit the bill...

However, if I had that money to spend, a Panda would be top of the list - absolutely cracking little motors!

Nearly-new Suzuki Swift 1.5.

Alloys, aircon, ABS, 5 door fun to drive. Should get one no older than 1yr for 8k

Seconded - son has had 1.5 GLX one 4 months now - brill little motor. Good economy, nippy, toys etc, roomy inside, well built. Impressed.

Was 21 months old (15 months warranty remaining), 11k, listed at £6,700 then at VW dealers (part -exed for Polo as ins group too high for lady who wanted her daughter to drive it)

A 1.2 Fabia or Polo might fit the bill...

However, if I had that money to spend, a Panda would be top of the list - absolutely cracking little motors!

Tom - have you driven one, presumably? Im going to set up a test drive sometime in the next two weeks but anyone that I know that has driven one, raves on about it. Amazingly there also seems to be little going wrong with them too!

Lee

It is a Skoda site yet eveyone has failed to mention a Fabia???

Since he has an Octy vRS already, I thought that if he was after a Fabia, he'd just have said so, or gone and bought it already

What other options are there out there that would fit my criteria?

Micra Sport SR/160 SR would fit the requirements and be easily within budget...

Rob.

Yep, I test drove one on the back of Daves review (Shifty). Bloody fun little motor, for not a lot of cash. Only £10k list and nice discounts available too...

The other thing with Fiat is they (in my experience) will happily just hand you the key and tell you to have some fun!

Since he has an Octy vRS already, I thought that if he was after a Fabia, he'd just have said so, or gone and bought it already

Spot on.

The Micra 160 is available in 5dr? I have to be honest and say its probably the least impressive looking (to my eyes) out of the Panda and Swift, then again, everyone I know thinks the Panda looks awful I think it looks purposful and almost sporting in its 100HP guise. Reading up on the Swift right now, looks like a very interesting alternative.....

Just to add, Buy a Car, Deals on New Cars, drivethedeal.com, New Car Discount, Car Deal Online are showing them at under £8200 for a brand new Panda 100!!!! Thats awesome value. If they were out when I bought my Corsa last September I dare say I'd still have it.

Hi guys,

I wondered if I could get some recomendations here.

I will soon be after a second car for local trips and for SWMBO to use on rainy days (she has just moved jobs so now works just 15 minutes walk away from home which she enjoys but if its raining she will want some transport, understandably).

It has to be fun to drive, have five doors, have room in the back for the baby seat and be fairly reasonable to tax, run and service.

Equipment wise it needs A/C and ABS.

Id rather buy new or nearly new so we have the warranty cover.

Budget would be circa 8k.

My current thinking is a Panda 100HP, purely based on reviews from the magazines but I havent (yet) driven one and always vowed I'd never own a Fiat

What other options are there out there that would fit my criteria? Any ideas would be greatly received

Lee

Lee, I'm looking to sell my one-owner BX GTi, which would come in at about £7,900 under budget, but unfortunately whilst it does have ABS, 125bhp and big nice alloys, it doesn't have aircon

MITSUBISHI COLT

The only solution!!

Great car, cheap to run, well built and acres of room in it.

SIMPLE!!

The Micra 160 is available in 5dr?

It is, though admittedly most seem to be 3dr - not that it's actually that hard to put a young 'un in the back of a 3dr Micra though due to the seats going right forward and there being plenty of headroom.

I didn't drive the Panda 100...sat in it but found it quite uncomfortable, and the dealer was a bit of a c*ck so didn't pursue it.

I liked the Suzuki (1.5 GLX), but it feels smaller inside than the Micra and had less power.

Rob.

Another vote for the Mitsubishi Colt 1.5 sport 16V , theres an 05 one at my local dealer with next to no miles on it for £7995 , comes with aircon , CD , ABS elec windows and 16" alloys.

i think the panda 100hp looks awesome!

Yep, I test drove one on the back of Daves review (Shifty). Bloody fun little motor, for not a lot of cash. Only £10k list and nice discounts available too...

The other thing with Fiat is they (in my experience) will happily just hand you the key and tell you to have some fun!

*votes for the panda 100....

and as Tom says , when I went to the fiat garage, they gave me the keys, said have fun, and I took it for about 3 hours! great fun..... made it into the top ten greatest drives in EVO magazine! If you want a gokart for the road the panda 100 is it...

ABS and dual zone climate control is standard.... (ESP is an option, and if you choose it, you CAN'T turn it off! so if you want sideways action, and max fun don't order it.... if you want a saftey net, order it....)

you can also get them for about £8500 brand new!!!! beat that for value.....

if you need convincing, ask our own Shifty about his test drive experiance!

*votes for the panda 100....

if you need convincing, ask our own Shifty about his test drive experiance!

Yes, but I think the guy wants sensible recommendations

So, all settled then - easy - Swift, Colt, just possibly a Miker, Mockery, erm Micra