Buying a new car for the missus.. Almera, Fabia or Peugeot 206.. Help me decide

grantk2

Hey,

im looking at buying a small car for the girlfriend, baby coming in march and she has a 3dr 98 polo. Need a 5dr now!

looking to spend about 5k.. 2000-2002 (also hoping to get 2k back on the polo)

The 3 we have narrowed it down to is

Nissan Almera
Skoda Fabia
Peugeot 206

I dont know anyone with these cars so any advice on which would be best would be much appreciated.

Also i've been told that 2nd hand cars should drop in price next summer when the changes come in. is this true? should i wait?

cheers

Tipsy Mac

From the 3, the Almera, cheap, good size and reliable. It's unlikely either of these 3 will drop much with the new tax/vrt changes next year.

green123

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

It's unlikely either of these 3 will drop much with the new tax/vrt changes next year.

why do you mention this ?

grantk2

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

From the 3, the Almera, cheap, good size and reliable. It's unlikely either of these 3 will drop much with the new tax/vrt changes next year.

did i hear something about the almera timing chain being a bit dodgy? would want the one that gives most mpg. but no real way of knowing?

JHMEG

grantk2 wrote: »

did i hear something about the almera timing chain being a bit dodgy? would want the one that gives most mpg. but no real way of knowing?

Almera. Fabia is sh!te and the Peugeot is french.

Phone Nissan Ireland with chassis number of any prospective Almera you're buying and ask has recall work been done. There was an issue with oil seals that if let get bad enough affected the timing chain, but all were recalled. Inevitably some owners had moved house etc and didn't get the letter from Nissan.

grantk2

thanks, i suppose i want to be sure that the recall work was done, and if not forget it.. that right?

there does seem to be a lot of almeras on the road, they are 1.5l though.. are they hard on the petrol i wonder?

the emissions thing is only for new cars yeh? so i dont really need to worry about a 00 or 01? am i right there too?

Saruman

almera's are grand as far as i know... just boring.
Oh and people seem to get 39 - 43 mpg on them

grantk2

boring.. the interior? cos it looks slick enough on the outside...

arybvtcw0eolkf

JHMEG wrote: »

Phone Nissan Ireland with chassis number of any prospective Almera you're buying and ask has recall work been done. There was an issue with oil seals that if let get bad enough affected the timing chain, but all were recalled. Inevitably some owners had moved house etc and didn't get the letter from Nissan.

Thats very interestng as a friend in work has an Almera who's timing belt just went at 35 thou.K

green123

grantk2 wrote: »

the emissions thing is only for new cars yeh? so i dont really need to worry about a 00 or 01? am i right there too?

yes , you are right
thats why i asked tipsy mac what he was talking about

youtheman

My advice (based upon personal experience is):

1. if you are spending your own money on a car make sure it's Japanese

2. if you don't agree with 1. above, at least make sure it's not French

I've owned Renaults and Peugeots (both from new, and treated better that my wife), both cost me a lot more than I bargained for - bit like the wife really.

Having reviewed your list of cars, I'd be inclined to opt for me second piece of advice and go for the Fabia.

Is there some independant customer satisfaction survey that will give you a better idea?.

grantk2

yeh my choice would be the fabia.. for reliability... plus should get a 01 or 02 for cheaper than the others.. cant find many complaints about it either (compared to almera and fabia)

only thing is to convince her, she reckons its a little tinny.. doors are light and its a little boxy..

if i see an almera and find out it was called back, that means it was fixed and should be safe enough to go for?

JHMEG

grantk2 wrote: »

if i see an almera and find out it was called back, that means it was fixed and should be safe enough to go for?

Phone Nissan with the chassis number and ask are there any outstanding recalls on the car. You'll soon have your answer.

S.I.R

almera is the best built car but the 206 is the best looking... fabia isnt a bad car and is a nice mix of both... but they drive like.... :mad:

bazz26

Fabia and 206 are not really much bigger than the Polo (the Fabia being a Polo underneath) that your misses already drives. Granted they are available with 5 doors which makes them more practical but overall there may not be much of an improvement. Make sure you and the misses take both for a test drive and see how they fit.

If I were looking at an Almera size car then I would include the Octavia in this list. As has been said many times before on here it has a huge boot and is an ideal family car more than the others on the list. It is also available in 1.4 litre from 2001 if running costs are a concern.

Supercell

The Fabia won't break down.
It won't be the most exciting car to drive ever.
The Fabia won't break down.
Get a diesel Fabia and you'll have great mileage and great reliability.
The Fabia won't break down.

The choice is yours.

JHMEG

Fabias are small (as Polo), ugly, poorly specced, and suffer from the same problems their VW counterparts suffer from.

206 is French. That statement should be enough to put anyone off. It is a nice looking car tho, for a girl car. It is a girl car as the pedals too close together for any foot bigger than a size 5.

Almera will be the most reliable. It will be a big step up from a Polo in size, and is ultra reliable, recall work having been done of course. It's not a fun car to drive, but it is very easy to drive, and is very practical. They are cheap to buy (there are loads around), cheap to run and cheap and very easy to maintain

Octavia is more of a saloon than all the above, and is considerably longer than any of the above. I would take it any day over a 206 or Fabia, but not over an Almera.

BostonB

Almera is tiny in the back, have you tried it? Also Nissans (or at least used) to have the locking thing on the rear seat belts which personally drives me nuts. I'd go for a bigger car myself.

spank_inferno

I own a fabia and have driven an Almera (both 01) for a time
and in almost every dept the fabia is better.

Better interior space, better comfort, better spec (skoda's are not poorly spec'd)

though the toyota drives nicely, the skoda ticks more box's as a 2nd car

chump

My opinion

I've sat in a fabia or 2. Small.

Almera is much nicer size.

Einstein

i'd avoid the almera, my gf had one for few years. we both hated it. crappy interior plastic...uncomfy seats..
Fabia is a great lil motor, as is the 206. Had a 206 myself years ago and never had an ounce of trouble with it.
I'd go with the Faba or 206...

JHMEG

spank_inferno wrote: »

though the toyota drives nicely,

ninty9er

JHMEG wrote: »

206 is French. That statement should be enough to put anyone off. It is a nice looking car tho, for a girl car. It is a girl car as the pedals too close together for any foot bigger than a size 5.

Strangely, this is the one French car I would have. It's anecdotally the most reliable Peugeot in recent years, and of the countless people I know who've had them, only 2 have had issues.

1 was stolen and burned out (nothing Peugeot could do to stop that) and the other had a head gasket problem.

Make sure to get the higher spec in a 1.4, look out for auto wipers and electric mirrors to tell the higher spec apart.

grantk2

bazz26 wrote: »

If I were looking at an Almera size car then I would include the Octavia in this list.

nah, want a smaller car, i have a 01 seat cordoba estate at the minute 1.9 SDI. (124k on the clock) Getting 55-60mpg.

people have good things to say about them all, but swaying towards the almera after the comments thanks..

i am going to open a can of worms here, but i have the option to swop (da's car) my cordoba for an 03 Laguna 1.9 DCi with 163k on the clock. (approx 45mpg)

tough decision because lagunas having such a bad name and the high milage. but i cannot turn down the offer on comfort alone.

am i mad!

ninty9er

grantk2 wrote: »

nah, want a smaller car, i have a 01 seat cordoba estate at the minute 1.9 SDI. (124k on the clock) Getting 55-60mpg.

people have good things to say about them all, but swaying towards the almera after the comments thanks..

i am going to open a can of worms here, but i have the option to swop (da's car) my cordoba for an 03 Laguna 1.9 DCi with 163k on the clock. (approx 45mpg)

tough decision because lagunas having such a bad name and the high milage. but i cannot turn down the offer on comfort alone.

am i mad!

I'd swap in your position. The Laguna may have a bad rep, but it must be a well cared for one if it's gotten to 163k in the first place!

and not the almera...please....do it for the child....you'll blind the poor kid!

JHMEG

ninty9er wrote: »

Strangely, this is the one French car I would have.

You have small feet then.

OP the Laguna can be had dirt cheap with average mileage at auctions. It's one of the worst cars for depreciation, if not the worst, in this country.

ninty9er

JHMEG wrote: »

You have small feet then.

size 12 and I have driven one without a problem!