Some of you will probably have picked up on my car situation by seeing various posts I've made on threads but, to cut a long story short, the Fabia VRS SE has to go to free up much needed cash for house renovations.

I want to purchase a replacement vehicle with cash for approx £4k, up to an absolute max of £5k. However, I only want to spend £5k if I really want the car and feel like stretching, so £4k is perhaps a better benchmark figure to work towards.

I'm strongly considering an Octy mark one but the popular engines seem to carry a hefty premium and the only good one I've seen locally is a 2.0l Ambiente on a Y plate with 40000 miles for £3.5k.

I had a brief love affair with a W reg BMW 323i online but then realised it was undervalued so there must have been something fishy going on!

Now, I'm tempted to try and get my hands on a MKIV Golf GTI as I think I'd probably be able to get something around the year 2000 and with 40-50k miles on it within budget.

So what do you reckon peeps? It needs to be a bit bigger than the Fabia, my mileage is low so we're looking at a cross between a toy and something to stick my mountain bike in / on when I fancy a ride in the country.

All your suggestions are very much welcome ... oh yeh and buy my car!

mark I octy vRS, circa 51 plate, circa 70k-100k.... £4-£5k....

Something with low mileage and service history.

Before I looked at Fabia vRS was tempted by Nissan Almera SXE diesel - Almeras supposed to be quite dull (and consequently undervalued) but as reliable as sin. SXE 136bhp TD might be out of your price range but other variants should prove to be reliable workhorses.

mark I octy vRS, circa 51 plate, circa 70k-100k.... £4-£5k....

Yeh, I have wondered what I could get Vrs wise in budget but autotrader hasn't really provided me with anything yet. I'm also still old fashioned when it comes to mileage so 70-100k seems 'high'. I'd be interested to know how long the VRS engines, and perhaps clutches etc, are supposed to go on for so I can try and put things in perspective. I must admit, I do like the look of the Mk1 VRS and it would offer me a decent combination of performance and space for the bike etc. Practical and exciting?

Something with low mileage and service history.

Before I looked at Fabia vRS was tempted by Nissan Almera SXE diesel - Almeras supposed to be quite dull (and consequently undervalued) but as reliable as sin. SXE 136bhp TD might be out of your price range but other variants should prove to be reliable workhorses.

Yeh, I'm with you on the history and mileage. I've thought about Jap cars too; my first car was a Honda Civic and, whilst it was incredibly dull, it really did the job and was so quiet and smooth. I'm completely inexperienced when it comes to Nissans though and I'm not sure I like them tbh. I should perhaps do some research; see what there is in my price range and go and have a look at something to get a feel for them.

If you're cost saving then reliability and low maintainance costs etc are the main considerations.

Almeras / Micras are supposedly bulletproof.

Basically, get your house and family 'in order' - then consider the 'frivolities / toys' (i.e. car / tv / sound system etc ) later.

mark I octy vRS, circa 51 plate, circa 70k-100k.... £4-£5k....

:iagree: achievable, and newer and less miles seems possible too:

Skoda : OCTAVIA VRS 210BHP - Black Magic

(if it hadn't sold already!)

Steve

If you're cost saving then reliability and low maintainance costs etc are the main considerations.

Almeras / Micras are supposedly bulletproof.

Basically, get your house and family 'in order' - then consider the 'frivolities / toys' (i.e. car / tv / sound system etc ) later.

Well, it will have to be an Almera as opposed to a Micra as they are bloody small!

I've got to order a new kitchen tomorrow at a cost of £6000!?!?!!?!!?:eek:

Now you know why I decided to chop the nice new SE in!

:iagree: achievable, and newer and less miles seems possible too:

Skoda : OCTAVIA VRS 210BHP - Black Magic

(if it hadn't sold already!)

Steve

Cheers Wardy. I hope so; whilst I want to make sure the car ticks the sensible boxes to some degree; I'd still like something which would excite me. Hey, I'm only human after all and I do like my cars!

I've found something of interest online at a Skoda dealer and have sent them an email!

>I've got to order a new kitchen tomorrow at a cost of £6000!?!?!!?!!?:eek:

You heard of DIY ? :eek:

I hadn't until I got similar quotes. Surprising what you can do yourself - or what mates can do for you

Used to be lazy so and so till I got married - then I too got similar prices. Funny how you can do most things yourself given the 'right' incentive

>I've got to order a new kitchen tomorrow at a cost of £6000!?!?!!?!!?:eek:

You heard of DIY ? :eek:

I hadn't until I got similar quotes. Surprising what you can do yourself - or what mates can do for you

Used to be lazy so and so till I got married - then I too got similar prices. Funny how you can do most things yourself given the 'right' incentive

No ... that's just for the units / appliances ... the fitting and the other bits such as flooring, tiles, radiators etc would cost extra! It's a money pit this doing up houses lark!:eek:

Was just gonna say - the 6k is probably just for the parts

Good grief - if you could manage to throw another £500 into the pot you never know what might turn up :eek:

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/skoda-cars-sale-others/03-silver-octavia-vrs-jabba-remap/99222/

(I know this is another one that's sold, but gives you hope at least!)

Would have suggested Almera, and Civic too.

1.6 Golfs.

Some older Volvos

Toyota Carina, Corolla (very reliable if dull as a very dull thing on a rainy day)

Good grief - if you could manage to throw another £500 into the pot you never know what might turn up :eek:

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/skoda-cars-sale-others/03-silver-octavia-vrs-jabba-remap/99222/

(I know this is another one that's sold, but gives you hope at least!)

Yeh, I saw that one too! You never know. As time goes by I don't think the SE will lose a great deal (on a month by month basis) whilst the loan I had to finance some of the vehicle goes down quite a bit. The budget is always fluctuating and dependent on what I sell my car for.

Would have suggested Almera, and Civic too.

1.6 Golfs.

Some older Volvos

Toyota Carina, Corolla (very reliable if dull as a very dull thing on a rainy day)

All sensible options.

We had a 1990 Volvo 360 GLT which we ran into the ground actually. It drove like a tank ... it was good fun while it lasted!

Incidentally, I've just run the Octavia I've seen through the Glass guide and it has produced this...

Skoda Octavia Ambiente

2.0 Petrol 5-door Hatchback

5 Speed Manual Front Wheel Drive

Year: 2001 Y

Mileage: 40,000

Estimated value of your car

Part-exchange Price:

Excellent condition:

£2270

Average condition:

£2030

Below average condition:

£1785

The independent dealer has it up for £3590 or something similar. It also had flaky paint on the front bumper where it looked like it had taken a scrape / knock but he has apparently now had the painters in to sort it (probably another cheap Chipsaway-style repair like the one which caused the problem in the first place!). Either way ... it seems steep but he thinks it's good as it's 'low mileage'.

I thought you were after something interesting?

I thought you were after something interesting?

Yeh, possibly. I need to get someone to commit to my car and then see what money I have left to play with. Or I beg my dealer to track me down a decent mk1 octy vrs and not try to rip me off too much. It's all well and good them offering me a decent part ex for mine but their cars are 'overpriced' in the first place!

Just buy a Focus TDI and be done with it.

Decent cars to drive , cheap to run , more spacious than a Fabia and plenty of good ones to choose from in your price range.

Autotrader - FORD FOCUS 1.8 TDi CL 5dr Diesel Hatchback

Edited 26 October, 200916 yr by Dr Zoidberg

Id try for an octy estate, especially if doing up your house, plenty of room for all them trips to the tip!

Just buy a Focus TDI and be done with it.

Decent cars to drive , cheap to run , more spacious than a Fabia and plenty of good ones to choose from in your price range.

Autotrader - FORD FOCUS 1.8 TDi CL 5dr Diesel Hatchback

I had one of them. It was a good car and I really regretted changing it for the Clio.

I still see it going round occasionally. I sold it with 68k on the clock nearly 5yr ago.