Getting a 'new for me' 05 car - advice

joxers25

All,

Usual Question on here....please comment on cars below or recommend another.

Would like to get a new (used) car at least 05

Requirements:
Reliable - Economic - Comfotable - not a corolla - safe

I test drove a corolla saloon and it ticks 4 out of 5 boxes above but 1.4 for such a big car is not good. Corolla doesn't get through the gears fast enough - I drive a 94 golf and it is as resposive as the corolla.
I Drive 60 miles each day so some overtaking is necessary

Budget is 12k appox - with scrappage trade. max 1K
Choices so far are:

Focus
http://www.cbg.ie/Car_Detail.aspx?ID=2168348# or similar
Astra (with original parts) - or similar
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Opel/Astra/SXI-Leather/1063008/
Mazda 3
http://www.cbg.ie/Car_Detail.aspx?ID=2103396 or similar
at a strech Octavia
http://www.cbg.ie/Car_Detail.aspx?ID=2152930

Any help appreciated

Joxer

charlesD

The European Focus looks so much nicer than the American version.

American Focus

Mazda and Ford have often worked together, for instance my Mazda Truck is actually a Ford Ranger. I know they work together overseas as well, so I wonder if the Mazda is related to the Focus...

leex

Ford own Mazda

bazz26

Mazda 3 and Focus MkII along with the Volvo S40 all share the same platform and various engines.

The US still get the MkI Focus with numerous facelifts.

GERMAN ROCKS

astra looks class imo

Vegeta

Does it have to be a 05?

You'd get more bang for your buck if you went a few years older?

Henry Ford III

Focus Titanium is the only 1.6 there, and it's a good one. The rest are 1.4, and the Octavia will be glacially slow.

It's a UK import so check it out fully.

joxers25

wouldn't be against getting older than 05 - thinkin i suppose of resale maybe 4 years away. while i know the value will be gone the fact that someone iwll buy a recoginised name will make it easier to trade - sell on.

anyone know of a car as reliable as corolla but will a bit more go?

joxer

Biro

leex wrote: »

Ford own Mazda

No they don't. They have somewhere between a 25% and 33% stake in them.
They share some platforms and have some common engines, but not everything is the same. Each have their own unique engines also. The most popular shared engines are in fact from the PSA group. On the platform thing, the last model 6 for example shared the platform with the last mondeo, but had differences in suspension. The 3 and Focus are on the same platform.

charlesD

Biro wrote: »

No they don't. They have somewhere between a 25% and 33% stake in them.
They share some platforms and have some common engines, but not everything is the same ... The 3 and Focus are on the same platform.

Yeah, that is what I was thinking.

ardmacha

The second generation Focus was introduced in 05, so you get a current model (bar some small changes) and a 1.6 meets the bill for having some get up and go acceleration wise.

Examine the specs for different trim levels closely and decide what is useful to you, the differences are not always proportionally priced in the used market.

Dubdude

To be honest OP i think the corolla hatchback would beat any of the cars you have mentioned the 05 - 07 are really nice to drive and the standard 1.4 is 95bhp i think correct me if im wrong and wil run a lot longer without any problems

cabrwab

Being a mazda fan, i think that3 the milage is too high for the money, the vvti corrolla was a great engine in the last model, not sure about the auris, haven't being in one yet.

I personally preferred the 3 over the focus, thought they felt similar, but there was somthing that won me over the mazda.
I do think out of the list you had there the focus would be my buy, as somebody said its a UK import check it out properly.