Argh, I need a new car!

Mr Benevolent

Right, I'm sick of the Corsa so I'm starting to save towards a new car. I'm looking to work my way up the car ladder, so next stop will be an FWD 1.6, max budget €2000-€2500 depending on the car and whether I get a new job or not. Insurance and not tax is the limiting factor here, as I can't cancel my policy with Aviva as they'll charge me the full amount if I do, the f*ckers. I'm on a provisional licence at the moment but that'll probably change before I get the car.

Requirements:

Enough power to get out of trouble.
4 star NCAP if possible
Good to excellent handling
Reasonably reliable without being a Corolla.

That's it. I know the above screams 'Buy a Focus!', but I'd like more opinions. I don't mind the brand.

Wait. No feckin' Opels.

GTDolanator

Confab wrote: »

Right, I'm sick of the Corsa so I'm starting to save towards a new car. I'm looking to work my way up the car ladder, so next stop will be an FWD 1.6, max budget €2000-€2500 depending on the car and whether I get a new job or not. Insurance and not tax is the limiting factor here, as I can't cancel my policy with Aviva as they'll charge me the full amount if I do, the f*ckers. I'm on a provisional licence at the moment but that'll probably change before I get the car.

Requirements:

Enough power to get out of trouble.
4 star NCAP if possible
Good to excellent handling
Reasonably reliable without being a Corolla.

That's it. I know the above screams 'Buy a Focus!', but I'd like more opinions. I don't mind the brand.

Wait. No feckin' Opels.

dont rule out opels because of an experience with a corsa.Would i be right in sayin the corsa you have is a 1.0 litre with the huge 3 cylinder engine?

Mr Benevolent

GTDolanator wrote: »

Would i be right in sayin the corsa you have is a 1.0 litre with the huge 3 cylinder engine?

Yup. It'd make Ned Flanders cry.

Al Capwned

You should look into a peugeot 307.... Should be able to get one within that budget, and if you go for the briliant HDi engine, fuel economy will be exceptional...

EPM

The 1.6 16 valve mark 1 Leon is a nice car. Much better than the 8 valve in the mark 2. All were Signo spec afaik so they'd have a decent amount of kit.

Would you go down the route of a Hyundai Coupe? What about a Puma?

colm_mcm

alproctor wrote: »

You should look into a peugeot 307.... Should be able to get one within that budget, and if you go for the briliant HDi engine, fuel economy will be exceptional...

Excellent handling - no
Reliable - one of the least reliable cars of the last decade
Enough power to get out of trouble- not unless you get a 2.0 hdi


This has to be the worst possible suggestion given the criteria

Em, the vvt-i celica.
1.8 140hp and insurance is supposedly very cheap. will do 40mpg if driven easy. have spotted 99-01 models at about 2500

Al Capwned

colm_mcm wrote: »

Excellent handling - no
Reliable - one of the least reliable cars of the last decade
Enough power to get out of trouble- not unless you get a 2.0 hdi


This has to be the worst possible suggestion given the criteria

I've had two since 2004, and stand over what I said - excellent car - only work it needed apart from regular service was a couple of anti-roll bar bushings.

challengemaster

EPM wrote: »

What about a Puma?

I doubt anyone who's a regular reader of this forum would ever go near a puma incase it explodes

TestTransmission

Deleted User wrote: »

Em, the vvt-i celica.
1.8 140hp and insurance is supposedly very cheap. will do 40mpg if driven easy. have spotted 99-01 models at about 2500

He's on a provisional,his insurance will be stupid

TestTransmission

TestTransmission wrote: »

He's on a provisional,his insurance will be stupid

*Must read more carefully* Missed that

alproctor

alproctor wrote: »

I've had two since 2004, and stand over what I said - excellent car - only work it needed apart from regular service was a couple of anti-roll bar bushings.

Fair enough you reckon they are reliable, you can't think they offer good to excellent handling though.

Big Nasty

You only have the Corsa a few weeks dude?

Alanstrainor

Confab wrote: »

...That's it. I know the above screams 'Buy a Focus!', but I'd like more opinions. I don't mind the brand.

Wait. No feckin' Opels.

As i was reading i was just thinking focus, focus, focus...

It'll be cheap enough to insure, and it handles well. The 1.6 would do the job, it's not exactly a fast car, but it's better than the 1.4.

Mr Benevolent

MCMLXXV wrote: »

You only have the Corsa a few weeks dude?

6 weeks now. The fuel consumption is crap - I'm getting 350km to a tank (getting a new coolant temp sensor shortly to see if that cures it), it was leaking oil and now another oil leak has sprung up. I bought it from my brother as a stopgap first car. It's also fairly rusty in the engine bay, the right rad bracket is broken, the righthand part of the front ARB is rusted and cracked right along the bar. Oh yeah, and there are flecks of oil in the coolant. I knew this car had been in a minor frontal (rad replaced) by my bro's fiancée but didn't give it much thought. Lucky I only paid €300.

Hyundai Coupe is a contender, as is the Focus. The 307 is frankly crap. I'd sooner buy a Laguna 2. The Celica isn't on the radar.

vectra

I know you said no Opels, But I assume this is because of the Corsa was such a let down
How about a big brother..
This I would seriously consider as a cheap replacement car for myself.
I was going to push my own son to go have a look at it but it was decided to keep the Civic.

Vectra 1.8 GTS

Big Nasty

Confab wrote: »

6 weeks now. The fuel consumption is crap - I'm getting 350km to a tank (getting a new coolant temp sensor shortly to see if that cures it), it was leaking oil and now another oil leak has sprung up. I bought it from my brother as a stopgap first car. It's also fairly rusty in the engine bay, the right rad bracket is broken, the righthand part of the front ARB is rusted and badly cracked. I knew this car had been crashed by my bro's fiancée but didn't give it much thought. Lucky I only paid €300.

350Km on a full tank? On a 1L Corsa? :eek:

I get about 400 miles out of a full tank on a 735, ok it's an 85L tank but still!

To be honest you're probably better off going for a boring reliable Toyota or Ford. Actually a 3 door Focus in black with a nice set of alloys wouldn't be too bad!;)

challengemaster

Black cars are evil. Its like they've got dust magnets installed. :mad:

Confab

Confab wrote: »

Right, I'm sick of the Corsa so I'm starting to save towards a new car. I'm looking to work my way up the car ladder, so next stop will be an FWD 1.6, max budget €2000-€2500 .........................

Requirements:

Enough power to get out of trouble.
4 star NCAP if possible
Good to excellent handling
Reasonably reliable without being a Corolla.

........................

It's not a 1.6 but won't be left behind my many of them, 100+bhp
Not a 4 star NCAP either but handling is excellent

MG ZS 1.4

Redisle

How about a 1.6 Fiesta zetec-s? Something like this. Was very close to buying one of these myself before but ended up getting a Corolla hb cheap off a relative (Probably a bad move really!).

1.6 FWD. Quick enough at @ ~120bhp and handles very well. Also cheap to insure (When I got a few quotes it was only working out 60 or 70quid more than the 1.25)

Al Capwned

RoverJames wrote: »

Fair enough you reckon they are reliable, you can't think they offer good to excellent handling though.

If you drive it like what it's supposed to be - a mid-size family car, it handles fine. It's extremely comfortable in fact.
Now on the other hand, if you're going to be throwing it around back roads, it's not going to handle like a sports car.... Nor should anyone expect it to.

MetzgerMeister

+1 re RoverJames's suggestion of a ZS. Try that or the ZR (Warm hatch).

Here's something a little over your budget but no by too much:

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mazda/323/2.0-SPOR/201115201985042/advert?channel=CARS

Good, reliable car. Not bad looking either!

bazz26

RoverJames wrote: »

It's not a 1.6 but won't be left behind my many of them, 100+bhp
Not a 4 star NCAP either but handling is excellent

MG ZS 1.4

Indeed, some good value on them.

ZS:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201009197146971

ZR:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201115202038685

Ardennes1944

get a 1.4 mk4 astra, much faster than the 1.4 focus. get the 1.6 if you have to though, good car. dont know why your not considering opels tbh, quite silly, especially if you want other opinions besides the focus

Squall19

ZS + ZR are fine yoke's as long as the headgasket have been sorted.Great little engine in them.

Only thing is, the insurance?

I don't think they are that cheap to insure on a provisional.

I might be wrong.

350km from a full tank on the Corsa 1l, that has to be wrong.People are getting that from Evo's!

What about a Clio, Renault's best car imo.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201111201667198

Mr Benevolent

Squall19 wrote: »

350km from a full tank on the Corsa 1l, that has to be wrong.People are getting that from Evo's!

Nope, I brimmed it, reset the mileage and 350km later there's no petrol left.

Max Power1

Squall19 wrote: »

ZS + ZR are fine yoke's as long as the headgasket have been sorted.Great little engine in them.

Only thing is, the insurance?

I don't think they are that cheap to insure on a provisional.

I might be wrong.

350km from a full tank on the Corsa 1l, that has to be wrong.People are getting that from Evo's!

What about a Clio, Renault's best car imo.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201111201667198

what if the tank is not a constant measurement :rolleyes:

vectra

Confab wrote: »

Nope, I brimmed it, reset the mileage and 350km later there's no petrol left.

What did it take next time to brim it after putting 350km on it?

Mr Benevolent

vectra wrote: »

What did it take next time to brim it after putting 350km on it?

43 liters.

Confab

Confab wrote: »

43 liters.

Jaysus! 23mpg :eek:

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Jaysus! 23mpg :eek:

Urban driving, am I the only one not shocked?

listermint

Confab wrote: »

Nope, I brimmed it, reset the mileage and 350km later there's no petrol left.

Ouch! My M3 does 480 Km

listermint

RoverJames wrote: »

Urban driving, am I the only one not shocked?

Still extremely poor, urban or not.

Mr Benevolent

RoverJames wrote: »

Urban driving, am I the only one not shocked?

Well it's suburban, plenty of starts and stops but not much idling, I slow down in gear etc. Max speed would be 60kph and I spend most of the time in 4th. That really should get me 35mpg.

challengemaster

listermint wrote: »

Ouch! My M3 does 480 Km

Yeah, but you're still getting 22MPG, it's just you've a 62L tank as opposed to a 46L one

Mycroft H

Confab wrote: »

Well it's suburban, plenty of starts and stops but not much idling, I slow down in gear etc. Max speed would be 60kph and I spend most of the time in 4th. That really should get me 35mpg.

Your not going to get much better in a bigger car tbh, try get into fifth more often, rather then staying in fourth

Confab

Confab wrote: »

plenty of starts and stops

So plenty of accelerating from stopped to back up to 4th.
Sitting at 50 odd mph it would return 40 to 50 mpg, you're getting half that.

Mr Benevolent

Fair points, I'll try that.

I can't see a 1.0 3 cylinder being overly happy in 5th at less than 40mph.

Mr Benevolent

Right, I tried coming home (Santry to Baldoyle) in fifth instead of fourth @ 60kph. Funny enough it was better. Less engine noise, more relaxed drive and hills weren't a problem. I'll do it it fifth in future and I hope for a reasonable mpg improvement too. Block shifting from third to fifth at 40kph was no problem either. My respect for the car is growing.

Mr Benevolent

Ok, to update:

The Corsa is shagged, the NCT is in 6 weeks and it probably won't pass. Just got a quote to change my insurance to a 2002 1.6 Focus and it's only an extra €35 per month.

Focus it is. Now to find a nice 2001MY-2002 Ghia for around €2000.

Max Power1

Confab wrote: »

My respect for the car is growing.

Confab wrote: »

Ok, to update:

The Corsa is shagged,.

Think you jinxed it

Mr Benevolent

Ok, now I'm looking around the Bangernomics level, sub €1000ish, NCT'd and a 1.6 FWD. Suggestions? There are Foci in that range but I'd be a bit dubious.

CoalBucket

Alanstrainor wrote: »

As i was reading i was just thinking focus, focus, focus....

That happens to me all the time. I think its something to do with my attention span