What car have 7-9k spend almera astra or focus

Psygnosis

Hi,
First off
Basically I am changeing my car shortly, I currently have a 97 fiesta with 55k on the clock 5 door, I will be looking to trade this in. How much should I get for this. Its in tip top condition and is quite nippy.

Secondly

Im looking to buy a car between the 7-9k mark the lower the better as money is tight. I would hope to purchase either a ASTRA ALMERA or FOCUS
they would have to be 1.4l as I am still on a provisional although I'm 29 and 2 years NCB,

What guys do you think is the best and can you provide some links also I'd really like a car with low mileage those it make that much of a difference I would be looking for a car with under 60k on it,

Rudolph Claus

Civic coupe. If your 29 its not too late to own a coupe with 2yr Ncb you should be able to insure a vtec one. Stay away from them pissy almeras,foci and whatever the other dirty 1.4family wagon you mentioned was.

Anan1

Personally, I've never seen the point in coupes. They're smaller, more awkward to get into and out of, and generally more expensive to boot. Sure they sometimes look nicer, but you can't see a car when you're driving it. Just a thought.

Lex Luthor

The Focus is prob the best all rounder of the 3.
Almera will be more reliable though.

www.cbg.ie
www.carzone.ie
www.autotrader.ie
www.buyandsell.ie

maidhc

I would go with a Focus, and I dont think there is any reason to suspect it would be any less reliable than an Almera.

Lex Luthor

maidhc wrote:

I would go with a Focus, and I dont think there is any reason to suspect it would be any less reliable than an Almera.

except for the fact that in a recent survey of cars 8yrs old, Nissan came 2nd for reliabilty. In the Top 5, were Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Honda & Hyundai. Don't think Ford featured in the top 10. Needless to say, I know a good few people with Focus's and they report very little trouble with them.

Padraig Mor

Psygnosis wrote:

Hi,
they would have to be 1.4l as I am still on a provisional although I'm 29 and 2 years NCB,,

I would check with your insurance company. I had a provisional licence (and no NCB) when I bought my 1.6 Focus and there was no problem - in fact it didn't cost any more to insure than my old 1.25 Fiesta!

BTW I will be selling my 00 Focus at the lower end of your price scale when I get it NCTed (4th April) - send me a PM if interested; I am in Cork.

bucks

I cant see why you would be restricted to 1.4 even though you are still on provisional. You have age on your side afterall.

Out of the three cars youve narrowed it down too i would probably pick the Almera, its a personal choice at the end of the day but id suggest trying to get a test drive in all three of them and see what you think.

Whatever about Ford, i wouldnt go near an Opel !! (again personal reasons)

mondeoman

from the top 10 reliable car manafactures Ford came 5th beating BMW:eek: ,VW:eek: & SEAT:eek:
http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/top10.html?apc=3128339010848601

RobAMerc

DO NOT BUY AN ALMERA.

Please please please don't buy an Almera.
Horrible out of date tarted up old trash.

While Nissan are doing a great job with their new model line up, the Almera is from a time when things were dark at Nissan and the Almera simply does not cut it compared to the others mentioned here.

Reliable maybe: but down right terrible dynamically.

kluivert

mondeoman wrote:

from the top 10 reliable car manafactures Ford came 5th beating BMW:eek: ,VW:eek: & SEAT:eek:
http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/top10.html?apc=3128339010848601

Skoda came first, Skoda rules!!!

I have a 99 Opel Astra 83k, bought it with 54k on the clock no problems.
Wheel needs to be changed and the head gasket had to be changed but i knew that already.
Apart from that good handling and performance. 38.95mpg keeps me happy.

Lex Luthor

mondeoman wrote:

from the top 10 reliable car manafactures Ford came 5th beating BMW:eek: ,VW:eek: & SEAT:eek:
http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/top10.html?apc=3128339010848601

Maybe so, but the survey I was relating to was cars 8yrs old, which is typically when the OP will be owning this car.

signs

The best in order:

(1) Ford Focus
(2) Opel Astra
(3) Nissan Almera

(1) Suits younger person, reliable, great handling
(2) Suits younger person, reliablish, handling ok,
(3) Suits oulfellows/farmers, ment to be reliable-work with 3 Almera owners not too happy, handling like a wheelbarrow

colm_mcm

please avoid the Almera. The new model isn't as reliable as the old. doesn't have ABS and feels as solid as an Airfix model

maidhc

colm_mcm wrote:

...as solid as an Airfix model

I got a lift in an 03 one before and the inside door handle came off in my hand...

colm_mcm

that'll be the Renault influence

Rudolph Claus

Just get the Honda and you wont even have to spend time debating reliability. The Focus is as slow as fook in 1.4form, the almeara is boring as hell and dodgy quality, and the astra is hard on fuel. All astras are hard on petrol.

Just get a honda civic, they made 1 to suit every individual from class hatchbacks, saloons and coupes. Everyone has owned one from the young 18yr old to the 98 yr old granny. The car has never dated or lost its niftyiness or reliable eputation. (I speak of the pre 2001 models only) After 2000, the civic was killed as we know it and replaced by that abortion of a new look that they must have asked Nissan to help design. The only decent Honda to buy new is the Accord, all the rest are **** womens yokes. So back to the topic, get a pre 2001 civic.

colm_mcm

or a Corolla

Lex Luthor

colm_mcm wrote:

or a Corolla

for his budget he'll only get the ugly liftback fat a$$ previous model or the smaller 3 dr hatch.

Focus still best of 3 but look at carzone.ie
plenty of '01 Civics at the top end of your budget and a couple of low mileage ones aswell. Friend of mine is looking for a Civic for about 9-10k at the moment so we trawled all the websites today and saw plenty of good ones.

colm_mcm

I was thinking of a 3dr hatch. excellent VVT-i engine, rock solid reliability, good equipment. arguably nice looking car

tred

Lex Luthor wrote:

Maybe so, but the survey I was relating to was cars 8yrs old, which is typically when the OP will be owning this car.

I am almost sure that the Ford Focus was the voted the most reliable second hand car to buy in 2001. The survey took place in germany and was a shock in that VW didnt make it to top....it was well publicised..

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Out of the 3 cars you have picked, i would go for the focus. But i would go for a civic or golf before a focus!

HungryJoey

Colm, you always seem to be arguing about the Corolla's looks, They are brutal looking But then, I supose its down to personal looks.

Id' have to say a focus out of the lot, I never really did like the old Astra.

Hj

TempestSabre

mondeoman wrote:

from the top 10 reliable car manafactures Ford came 5th beating BMW:eek: ,VW:eek: & SEAT:eek:
http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/top10.html?apc=3128339010848601

You have to wonder about that survey. VW and Audi at opposite ends of it.

Villain

Well I have owned both an Almera and an Astra and drove a Focus for a few weeks. From those 3 for best driving performance it would have to be the Astra, its 1.4l engine is more powerful than the Almera's 1.5l and it handles a lot lot better. I was going to buy a Focus but drove one for nearly 2 weeks and hated it, it was flat no kick at all and while the handling was better than the Almera it wasn't as good as the Astra. However a mate has a Focus Zetec and he assures me it packs a lot more power.

Reliability - well thats where the Astra fell down, after about 80k on the clock I had to replace the wiper motor and few other bits, while not major it just seemed to be starting to creek so I sold it and got the Almera which was very reliable as you would expect from Nissan but I hated it to drive so I got a Subaru Legacy AWD 2.5l and well lets just say there was a slight difference

I'd go for the Astra but one with low milage.

LundiMardi

one word. PASSAT.

I've finally decided after months of looking that my new car will be a Passat.. They are just sexy.

Don't worry about engine size, you're 29 with 2 years NCB ffs! 1.6 won't make that much difference and i'm sure with 2 years driving behind you your driving test is on the way soon enough.. You could pick up a gorgeous Passat for that money! It's gonna be a few months before i can get mine, and i'm 22 with 2 yrs NCB, so there's no reason you couldn't.

SEXY!!! mmmm:D

Psygnosis

Ok guys appreciate all the reply's looks like a 1.6 or 1.4 is the same insurance for me so happy days.

Will I get alot lower MPG with a 1,6 60% of my driving would be motorway long distance.

Looking at the leons and they look well nice.

By what people are saying here it looks like II may get a Focus.
Keep up the replys though

Squirrel

I'd recommend a Mazda 323F. My older brother got a 01 1.3 on Thursday with 40K for 7 grand. It was bought off a friend of my uncles and he was going to sell it for 8-8.5 grand but did him a favour. It's a nice car I think, and he likes it, trading up from a 97 Micra 1 litre

Lex Luthor

LundiMardi wrote:

one word. PASSAT.

I've finally decided after months of looking that my new car will be a Passat.. They are just sexy.

Don't worry about engine size, you're 29 with 2 years NCB ffs! 1.6 won't make that much difference and i'm sure with 2 years driving behind you your driving test is on the way soon enough.. You could pick up a gorgeous Passat for that money! It's gonna be a few months before i can get mine, and i'm 22 with 2 yrs NCB, so there's no reason you couldn't.

SEXY!!! mmmm:D

Liked the front of the Passat when they came out first, but hated the rear. Then slowly they grew on me, even to the point I was starting to like them in estate form. Now every tom, dick & harry has one, so I hate them again. Also, that chrome front grill after a year or 2 is going to look absolutely battered once it starts getting chipped.
Still like them in estate form, but I'd opt for a Civic. Looking for a hatch for the missus soon, budget up to 10k and swaying towards the Civic.

Henry Ford III

Psygnosis wrote:

Will I get alot lower MPG with a 1,6 60% of my driving would be motorway long distance.

Little or no difference on motorway journeys. Most modern 1.6's will have at least 100 bhp so you may actually have a bit of fun on the way.

Buy a Focus 1.6 Zetec. You know it makes sense

Silvera

I bought a '03 Astra 1.4XE Njoy (top of the range spec) back in August '05 and am very happy with it. It had 29k (35k now), one owner and Opel s/h when I bought it.

It handles great, has 90bhp on tap (Golf and Focus have 75bhp) and is much better value than either the Golf or Focus.

My previous car was a 1997 (45k) Civic 3dr (which I bought new).

Silvera
(Ex-Panel Beater).

Henry Ford III

New Focus 1.4 has 80 bhp Silvera. Still not enough imho.

cargrouch

MPG?

Gearing will make a big difference - examples from vague memories:
1.4 12V SOHC fiat, 5th gear,70mph was about 4000rpm - thirsty.

1.4 16V DOHC nissan,5th gear, 70mph was under 3000rpm - ran on air. Lighter car though.

I would say a bigger engine able to cruise along at the speed limit on lower revs would be better than a smaller engine doing higher revs for miles and miles.

tred

Psygnosis wrote:

Ok guys appreciate all the reply's looks like a 1.6 or 1.4 is the same insurance for me so happy days.

Will I get alot lower MPG with a 1,6 60% of my driving would be motorway long distance.

Looking at the leons and they look well nice.

By what people are saying here it looks like II may get a Focus.
Keep up the replys though

Buy a focus with low miles and a good service history. there was an issue with an engine coil, thats easily replaced, and u should ask for it to be replaced, but apart fromt that there a sweat drive and great handler. I wouldnt touch the 98 Astra on, the more stories i heard about Timing belts , engine failure and apparently there a very incomfortable driving seat, but then i might be passing a chinese whisper. Almera is grand but looks boring. Golf is a nice car as well, you wont go wrong with either focus or golf if u ask me.

Villain

tred wrote:

Buy a focus with low miles and a good service history. there was an issue with an engine coil, thats easily replaced, and u should ask for it to be replaced, but apart fromt that there a sweat drive and great handler. I wouldnt touch the 98 Astra on, the more stories i heard about Timing belts , engine failure and apparently there a very incomfortable driving seat, but then i might be passing a chinese whisper. Almera is grand but looks boring. Golf is a nice car as well, you wont go wrong with either focus or golf if u ask me.

Unless your talking about a Zetec Focus, its far from a sweet drive, because its standard engine has about as much power as a wheelbarrow going downhill.

You talk about a 98 astra but for 7k to 9k you can easily get a 2000 to 2002 Astra???

colm_mcm

irish1 wrote:

You talk about a 98 astra but for 7k to 9k you can easily get a 2000 to 2002 Astra???

He said "98 on"

Villain

Well I'd like to hear what problems he knows of with the timing belt and Engine of the 2002 Astra?

Henry Ford III

irish1 wrote:

Unless your talking about a Zetec Focus, its far from a sweet drive, because its standard engine has about as much power as a wheelbarrow going downhill.

A Zetec spec. actually has nothing to do with the engine. In the mk1 Focus you could get slow but sure and secure 1.4 Zetec, all the way through to a 2.0 litre, which was pretty zippy. Even the basic car drove nicely, but was no road rocket. It is insurance and road tax friendly I guess.

Zetec spec. means sports seats and suspension, plus some other trim options.

On the Mk2 Focus Zetec a/c, fuel computer, and more goodies were added. The 1.4 engine gave 5bhp more or 80bhp.

colm_mcm

even so, 5bhp would hardly transform it!

slumped

Buy a 1998 BMW 318i - or 1997 model.

Will get one with less than 90k on clock - runs well.

S

Villain

My Apologies I meant a 1.6 Zetec because the 1.4 is dead imo no power at all.

Psygnosis

I got my loan approved today guys 8k also have my 1.3 Fiesta 97d 55k on the clock to trade in. Passenger lock is not working I have a spare lock with a new key in the drawer it is also due a service.
How much should I get trade in on it do you think