€3000 to spend

ssmith6287

need a car asap, have about 3k to spend. took a c3 for a spin yesterday and i felt dead to the world, also took a clio out and the term nut cracker comes to mind. any ideas? looking for something smallish, 1.4 max

EPM

fiesta 1.25 zetec. Try get either a ghia or lx spec with air con. Pretty peppy for what it is and reliable. Should get a decent 01 or 02 with low mileage with a bit of searching

ssmith6287

had a 1.4 98 escort and she was terrible at accelerating but good in the high gears, wud the fiesta be similar

Tony Broke

Civic's are quite nippy and ultra reliable.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1322399

1.4 vvti Corolla's are also worth looking at, as are Colt's.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1309080

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1299819

MG Zr's are the nippyest things around for a cheap 1.4 ( 105bhp ), worth looking at if you can find one that has its head gasket replaced.

zilog_jones

ssmith6287 wrote: »

had a 1.4 98 escort and she was terrible at accelerating but good in the high gears, wud the fiesta be similar

It's a completely different engine - the 1.4 was a CVH which was an awful old yoke. The 1.25 Zetec-SE engine in the Fiesta was a much newer twin-cam 16 valve design and is quite highly regarded in comparison. The 1.3 Endura-E (the cheaper option in '95-'02 Fiestas) is none of those things though. There was a 1.4 90bhp Zetec-SE available in the Fiesta too but I doubt many (or any?) were sold over here.

As EPM said you should be able to get a decent '01 or '02 Fiesta for that money.

ssmith6287

Tony Broke wrote: »

Civic's are quite nippy and ultra reliable.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1322399

1.4 vvti Corolla's are also worth looking at, as are Colt's.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1309080

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1299819

MG Zr's are the nippyest things around for a cheap 1.4 ( 105bhp ), worth looking at if you can find one that has its head gasket replaced.

just sold an mg zr, fabulous car to drive but she broke my heart, dont think i cud even consider another one, i like the corrollas though, theyd g for ever aswell id say

BillyGoatGruff

What about a ford focus. Good, comfortable nippy-ish car for the money.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1290974


(On a side note.... Are all the cars that are on carzone also on driving.ie? Find that site much easier to use)

Black_Knight

As said about the civics above.

Mines for sale here. Just a bit over your price range but you never know.

EPM

BillyGoatGruff wrote: »

What about a ford focus. Good, comfortable nippy-ish car for the money.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1290974


(On a side note.... Are all the cars that are on carzone also on driving.ie? Find that site much easier to use)

Trust me, if there's one thing a 1.4 focus aint is nippy. My first car was a 1.25 fiesta and I had a 1.4 focus afterwards. Obviously the focus was the more comfortable and capable car but it was woefully underpowered to the point that i used to avoid overtaking and quick exits onto roundabouts because it used to bog down when you tried a quick get away. 1.6 is a much better option. Seriously though, the fiesta is a great little motor but just make sure its not the 1.3!

BillyGoatGruff

Have driven a few of them and haven't personally found them too slugish. I did save myself a small bit with the -ish at the end.:D:D

TestTransmission

Get the fiesta 1.25 Zetec,im selling mine after nearly 3 years of loyal service as my first car,passed the nct first time today no probs.Im only changing as i fancy something a bit bigger.

EPM

BillyGoatGruff wrote: »

Have driven a few of them and haven't personally found them too slugish. I did save myself a small bit with the -ish at the end.:D:D

I get ya! They're not too bad in town but open road is just not too relaxed. I only changed to a 1.6 car the same size purely for an extra bit of pep when i need it. Its only a small difference but makes for an easier time at the wheel. Plus its cheaper to fuel because you dont drive it as hard half the time...

ssmith6287

jackncoke wrote: »

Get the fiesta 1.25 Zetec,im selling mine after nearly 3 years of loyal service as my first car,passed the nct first time today no probs.Im only changing as i fancy something a bit bigger.

how much? any pics? im not really sure about the fiesta, was looking at boras and almeras aswell. i like the kinda mid size cars

EPM

bora 1.4 can give trouble with higher miles. Do a search here for 1.4 golfs and you'll get the picture. The almera is ok, but newer model ones can have timing chains that stretch needing replacement. Not a good thing when the chain is supposed to last for the life of the vehicle. Maybe an older shape almera would be a better bet. If you want mid sized one, 1.6 focus would be a great choice. Have a look at a leon too. Can be had at some good prices. Again a 1.6 would be the one to go for because the 1.4 is shared with the golf. Or maybe a toledo because its saloon version as the bora is to the golf

ssmith6287

yeah just had a gud look at golfs, always taught they were too common but must say they have an appeal. only started driving in september, got the full licence in november so a 1.6 wud be pricey to insure. not sure what to look for in a golf, lookin at driving.ie there, theres a few golfs with around 100k miles for round 3 grand, good or bad?

Tony Broke

If you want trouble free, albeit slightly boring motoring get a Carisma.Mitsubishi's don't break.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1320768

1.8 115bhp Mitsubishi

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1186068

If your over 21 with full licence insurance isnt going to be too much extra, especially coming from a 1.4 MG which some insurance companies class as a sports machine!

EPM

seriously dont go near a high mileage 1.4 golf. 1.6 honestly wont make a huge difference to insurance

ssmith6287

with the MG they gave me €30 back on my insurance from my escort :rolleyes: my mate has a 1.3 lancer, really sluggish. my escort used to leave him for dead. how s the 1.6 golf on fuel

EPM

well, if its the old 8v 1.6 like my 06 leon best i managed out of a tank was 38 miles to the gallon. My 04 focus 1.4 was about 35 on average so its a ait better but around town the difference isn't much. The 16valve 1.6 was in the mk4 golf from 2002ish which would probably be slightly better. For your money the 8v 1.6 is an old engine but a reliable enough one. Maybe pm limerick may about 1.4 golfs. He's got a nice one afaik

Tony Broke

ssmith6287 wrote: »

with the MG they gave me €30 back on my insurance from my escort :rolleyes: my mate has a 1.3 lancer, really sluggish. my escort used to leave him for dead. how s the 1.6 golf on fuel

Yeah the lancer 1.3 is dead alright, a 1.4 focus/Golf/Bora etc will be the exact same, much too big for the engine.Funnily enough my brother has a Red MG Zs 1.4 and its quick even with 3 in the back, super engines on them, pity about the reliability but his one has been perfect.He had a big issue with the insurance, 3 or 4 crowds had it bracketed in with Celica's etc.

Hyundai Coupe 1.6 aren't bad, 115bhp or so and not blacklisted by the insurance companies, very reliable and cheap as well.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1292561

ssmith6287

haha i always saw the hyundai coupes as a posers car. im a bit wierd like this, id rather have a car that can perform rather then look like it can perform, e.g i love cars like the lancia delta, rs escort etc. hate cars like pretty much any coupe, hyundai, audi tt, nissan 350z, mazda mx5 etc. evry time i see them i think gay man or hairdresser. speed isnt a huge factor being honest, but like i said i took a 04 c3 for a test, 1.4, and it just felt dead, now fair enough i was driving an mg zr that morning. a punto eft me for dead the other morning, i know it wasnt the 1.2, can ya get a bigger engine in them. what insurance bracket would a 1.9D octavia be classed in

EPM

octavia would be costly ish i would say. You might get lucky with a good quote though. You need to shop around for a few quotes though. You've got a pretty wide variation of cars so home in on what you need and ignore the rest

VolvoMan

EPM wrote: »

octavia would be costly ish i would say.

It would be well worth it though. Have you seen the size of the boot?:eek:

ssmith6287

EPM wrote: »

octavia would be costly ish i would say. You might get lucky with a good quote though. You need to shop around for a few quotes though. You've got a pretty wide variation of cars so home in on what you need and ignore the rest

thats what i did the last time and i bought an mg zr, so im not been as stubborn this time round, gonna listen to opinions

are meganes any good, my mam owns one and its nice enough to look at, but they look a lil girly

also saw a volvo s40, any opinions?

VolvoMan

ssmith6287 wrote: »

also saw a volvo s40, any opinions?

They are a comfortable, well styled car. The handling is a bit rolly polly on them but they do represent good value. You could probably bag yourself an '01 Phase II model with full leather for that money.

The GDi engine is supposedly rubbish but I have no personal experience of it.

EPM

ssmith6287 wrote: »

thats what i did the last time and i bought an mg zr, so im not been as stubborn this time round, gonna listen to opinions

are meganes any good, my mam owns one and its nice enough to look at, but they look a lil girly

also saw a volvo s40, any opinions?

Unless you're on first name terms with your local auto electricin dont touch the megane. Safe route would be a corolla tbh. S40 can be hit or miss reliability wise. My buddy has hit 170k on his 00 1.9d one. Some suspension work recently but otherwise solid

TestTransmission

ssmith6287 wrote: »

how much? any pics? im not really sure about the fiesta, was looking at boras and almeras aswell. i like the kinda mid size cars

Ive got a buyer already....

ssmith6287

is a 1.4 corrolla sufficient. dont like the hatchbacks with the long boots, was looking at some of the smaller ones. wud they feel underpowered like the golf nd focus

EPM

the pre-00 corolla had a 85 brake 1.3 and after that a 1.4 unit with 97 brake. The later 1.4 would be a peppy enough for a 3door corolla i would imagine. The focus and golf 1.4's only have 75 brake horse power so its a useful increase

Sqaull20

ur mg would have been quicker than basically every other car in that engine range.Only way your going to get more performance/as much fun is to go mivec route.easy enough to insure colt mivecs, levin and so on, adverts have a few.

riverstick

something like this know. there fairly modern in design with the likes or aircon etc

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Peugeot/307/1.4-FULL/200906191720999/advert

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Peugeot/307/1.4-16V-/200840190266163/advert

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Citroen/Xsara/1.4-HDI-/200905191678334/advert

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Citroen/Xsara/200904191549846/advert

ssmith6287

i like the 307 but they look alot heavier then a focus or golf, how are they to drive.

I know the mg was a good car to go, i know i prob wont find a 1.4 with the same fun, but i just dont want one that id prob pedal quicker then it. are the 1.4 206's and saxos any good. id imagine its abig engine for them

L-M

You imagine right.

Come resale, they'll be a harder sale as they are the type of cars first time buyers buy, most of them buying the 1.1's etc. Pedal in the 206 are very close together as well.

fintinh2oya

hi there. just saw this post. my girlfriend is selling her 206 as she's heading to china to teach english. it's a 1.4 just taxed and nct'd. 2000 registered and metalic blue in colour. sony exploed headunit with 10 disc cd changer in the boot. serviced regulary and she' never had any prob with it. ooooo and it's a 3 door hatchback if that helps. she's been looking for like 3500 euro but it's comming close to her heading away so i'd say she'd re-evaluate the price if a serious offer was made. if your interesed i can send you a few pic's.

All the best in the car hunt.

ssmith6287

yeah send em on, 3500 is a bit much for a 00 though, where in the country would it usually be driven?

fintinh2oya

were in limerick ourselves. Car is only used to get too and from work as she works for a car rental company and she gets to bring the cars home mostly for the weekends and stuff. will get a few pics for ya's up there sometime tomorrow i'd say as only just saw the reply there now. and sure if your not that interested please fell free to pass on the information to anyone you think might be.

All the best,