3500, what to buy

flyingsnail

I am looking for a newer car and I have 3500 to spend on the car. I have been looking at a couple of 01-03 focus / mondeo's. Is there anything else I should be looking out for.

I have taken a couple of mondeo for test drives and really like them. Is there anything in particular that I should be looking for in a mondeo of that age? The one I was looking at are 1.8 lx petrol.
what large bills could be around the corner?

I currently do about 8k-10k miles a year and about 75% of that would be motorway miles, 20% national roads and the rest town driving.

I currently drive a 99 1L corsa, I would like more power but for the most part I am happy with the performance. I am more concerned with comfort.

Thanks for the help:)

Mr Benevolent

flyingsnail wrote: »

I currently drive a 99 1L corsa, I would like more power but for the most part I am happy with the performance. I am more concerned with comfort.

I feel your pain. '99 Corsas are not known for anything nice. I drove mine for the first time yesterday and witnessed two separate drivers go around me instead of risking me scratching their paintjob (from their perspective anyway). It's the horrible whine from the 1L engine that gets me. Still, it's a lot better than walking.

On topic, avoid the LX Mondeo/Focus, they're not well specced. Try to find a Zetec or Ghia.

Graphite Chunks

I'd feel like a copper in a Mondeo. I despise nearly every Ford car interior.

Looking for a Mercedes for around 3.5k, 01 to 03.

Have a supplier of new and secondhand parts, who fits them as well. Not as costly as some of the horror stories said by people who have never owned a Mercedes.

Conor_M1990

e39 520i Sport ?

flyingsnail

guess I should have mentioned I would like to keep the engine 2L or under.

Eric Cartman

flyingsnail wrote: »

guess I should have mentioned I would like to keep the engine 2L or under.

in that case, as above 520i , or 320i , keep it petrol, youll have more fun

Conor_M1990

Eric Cartman wrote: »

in that case, as above 520i , or 320i , keep it petrol, youll have more fun

yea the newer ones are 2.2

What about an Altezza or Is200 op

flyingsnail

Conor_M1990 wrote: »

yea the newer ones are 2.2

What about an Altezza or Is200 op

I have never driven an IS 200, might take this for a test-drive during the week. Something about the wheels are putting me off though.

YouTookMyName

2002 Avensis. Great car, very reliable.

liam7831

This should be quite comfy............

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1974732

squod

Get a 1.6 zetec focus and put in an armrest (from your ford dealer). Ignore the interior and enjoy one the best drives you'll find for that money.

Max Power1

liam7831 wrote: »

This should be quite comfy............

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1974732

Is it under 2 litres

Conor_M1990

flyingsnail wrote: »

I have never driven an IS 200, might take this for a test-drive during the week. Something about the wheels are putting me off though.

well there rank get one with the standard 17"s

cup of tea

flyingsnail wrote: »

I have never driven an IS 200, might take this for a test-drive during the week. Something about the wheels are putting me off though.

it doesn't seem to sit right. Needs some lowering

cadaliac

Get this guy down a bit and you have enough money left over for the timing belt, which is whats probally needed. .....
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2042115

Looks well cared for though.

cadaliac

or this:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2042484

Melion

A BMW 318i with €500 left over? Check the sig if interested

flyingsnail

Melion wrote: »

A BMW 318i with €500 left over? Check the sig if interested

thanks for the offer but I just don't think that is the car for me. Good luck with the sale.

bazz26

How about a Honda Accord:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1501566

x in the city

flyingsnail wrote: »

I have never driven an IS 200, might take this for a test-drive during the week. Something about the wheels are putting me off though.

if you got shares with maxol a is200 is a good car, i would keep away from 01-03 models or so

they are almost all skangarised.

x in the city

bazz26 wrote: »

How about a Honda Accord:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1501566

over priced but accord is a good car.

bazz26

x in the city wrote: »

over priced but accord is a good car.

I don't know, you would be hard pressed to find a similar low mileage decent 03 Mondeo/Passat/Vectra or Avensis in or around that price.

flyingsnail

I am currently looking at this but I can't find it on carzone or dealers website. 04 mondeo 1.8 lx. 70k miles, 3 months tax, test until July 2012 €3700. I know people say get a zetec because the lx is base spec, but considering I am coming from a base spec corsa it's a hell of a jump up and my insurance will only go up to 643 from 497.

By the way thanks for all the suggestions

bazz26

Its not just the spec that is different, 1.8 litre has different power outputs on the LX, Zetec and Ghia. The LX has the least powerful engine.

I'd prefer this higher Ghia one:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201112201725950

I'd be inclined to get the best spec available for my money too.

flyingsnail

bazz26 wrote: »

Its not just the spec that is different, 1.8 litre has different power outputs on the LX, Zetec and Ghia. The LX has the least powerful engine.

I'd prefer this higher Ghia one:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201112201725950

I'd be inclined to get the best spec available for my money too.

thanks for the info, what order do the spec levels go . ie lx, zetec , steel, ghia?

Vicxas

1.8 petrol would be a bit a demon on petrol, am i wrong?

bazz26

flyingsnail wrote: »

thanks for the info, what order do the spec levels go . ie lx, zetec , steel, ghia?

01 to 03 - LX > Zetec > Executive/Ebony
04 to 05 - LX > Zetec > Ghia
06 to 07 - Steel > Platinum > Titanium X

Engines: 1.8 LX/Steel (110bhp) 1.8 Zetec/Platinum (125bhp), 1.8 SCi Ghia (138bhp).

flyingsnail

bazz26 wrote: »

01 to 03 - LX > Zetec > Executive/Ebony
04 to 05 - LX > Zetec > Ghia
06 to 07 - Steel > Platinum > Titanium X

Engines: 1.8 LX/Steel (110bhp) 1.8 Zetec/Platinum (125bhp), 1.8 SCi Ghia (138bhp).

thank you very much.

MidlandsM

Vicxas wrote: »

1.8 petrol would be a bit a demon on petrol, am i wrong?

you're not wrong, a durty running 1.8 mondeo will fleece you in petrol costs.

dharn

you probably need to give us more info anything would give you more power and comfort than your corsa but i doubt you will be jumping to 520s or mercs for your budget you would get a good zetec fiesta which are brilliant cars

flyingsnail

Vicxas wrote: »

1.8 petrol would be a bit a demon on petrol, am i wrong?

MidlandsM wrote: »

you're not wrong, a durty running 1.8 mondeo will fleece you in petrol costs.

What sort of mpg would you be likely to get on a motorway with a 2003-2004 1.8 mondeo?

dharn wrote: »

you probably need to give us more info anything would give you more power and comfort than your corsa but i doubt you will be jumping to 520s or mercs for your budget you would get a good zetec fiesta which are brilliant cars

I am definitely looking for something around the mondeo size, or at the very least a focus. power is not really a concern but space and comfort is, if that makes sense.

Idbatterim

look if your doing mostly motorway miles, something small and struggling at high rpm unless your doing 80kmph, will actually cost you more in fuel! weight and how you drive and at what speed (rpm) are the main things that determine fuel consumption. a 1.8L engine means nothing, could be 10 years old and poor or two years old and more than adequate! I love mondeo's, a 1.8L engine is hardly big!

dharn

flyingsnail wrote: »

What sort of mpg would you be likely to get on a motorway with a 2003-2004 1.8 mondeo?




I am definitely looking for something around the mondeo size, or at the very least a focus. power is not really a concern but space and comfort is, if that makes sense.

in the mondeo class hard to beat the avensis even though i find them bland and boring but they are very reliable ,pretty comfortable im sure and pretty economical

bazz26

More suggestions:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201113201857601
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201113201854648