The Big downgrade

Barry walsh

Hi All currently driving a 1999 Honda Accord Type R fuel very poor urban fuel consumption figures big tax etc is currently breaking the bank. I am looking at an unwilling downgrade to a smaller engined car.The conditions are as follows

Engine size 1.8 or less
Ok Fuel consumption dont do that much mileage work is only ten mins away fuel is currently 30 EUR a week for about 120miles
because of the reason above i think turbo petrol and diesel are out not enough time in the car (short hops to work not enough time to properly warm up and cool down engine and not enough mileage for a diesel)
Something Quick and or rare above 130bhp
Has to be 5 door or estate (other half has the non practical 2 door)
Like Jap stuff in general but open to suggestions
Small Budget about 3K

I am thinking a Civic VTI-S 1.8 B18C4 OR similar any suggestions???

Henry Ford III

You won't save enough to make sufficient difference. Don't bother.

Anan1

Henry Ford III wrote: »

You won't save enough to make sufficient difference. Don't bother.

+1

captainwang

Henry Ford III wrote: »

You won't save enough to make sufficient difference. Don't bother.

Exactly, same fuel costs and only slight tax reduction hardly noticeable over 12 months

johnos1984

I can see no savings being made what-so-ever.

OP change because you want to, don't kid yourself your saving money

Mr Benevolent

johnos1984 wrote: »

I can see no savings being made what-so-ever.

OP change because you want to, don't kid yourself your saving money

Bingo. OP, I spend about that on petrol and I'm running a 1 liter. It's madness spending 2k to save 1k.

Yakuza

+1 to the other points above, you wouldn't save much, if anything by changing, and an old car that you buy for under 3k could cost more in repairs etc.

If you're only 10 mins away by car doing urban speeds, why not cycle? You'll save on fuel and still have your car (whose history you know) for evenings / weekends.

unkel

Everybody's downgrading. That makes bigger cars worth very little and smaller cars quite expensive. Don't follow the herd here, keep your Accord and convince yourself you are not wasting money

Might not feel like that at the pumps or at the tax office, but it's the truth

And you'll be driving a much nicer car...

eringobragh

unkel wrote: »

Everybody's downgrading. That makes bigger cars worth very little and smaller cars quite expensive. Don't follow the herd here, keep your Accord and convince yourself you are not wasting money

Might not feel like that at the pumps or at the tax office, but it's the truth

And you'll be driving a much nicer car...

...agreed....Couldn't have said it better


Smiles per gallon > Miles per gallon

Yakuza

eringobragh wrote: »

Smiles per gallon > Miles per gallon

That is priceless!

Notch000

get a 1L micra for topping about in & save the accord for the weekends, micras are uber cheap to run

coolbeans

Notch000 wrote: »

get a 1L micra for topping about in & save the accord for the weekends, micras are uber cheap to run

Not a practicable suggestion. Exactly how would running two cars be cheaper than running one?

Ardennes1944

the cost to buy, tax, maintain and run a micra, no matter how small, will far outweigh the costs of the type r

coolbeans

What Deutschland forever said. Why not cycle to work? Seriously?

johnos1984

coolbeans wrote: »

Not a practicable suggestion. Exactly how would running two cars be cheaper than running one?

SSSSHHHHHHHHHHH.........I've convinced myself it is

Rowley Birkin QC

eringobragh wrote: »

...agreed....Couldn't have said it better


Smiles per gallon > Miles per gallon

I'm currently thinking about moving in the opposite direction for the same reason, from a small engined run of the mill car to something I've wanted for a long while that will cost me more in terms of tax/insurance and fuel (<€1000p/yr I reckon) but will vastly increase my Smiles per Gallon!

It's a seriously tough call.

Mycroft H

coolbeans wrote: »

What Deutschland forever said. Why not cycle to work? Seriously?

First practicable suggestion. Get a bike, save fuel and get fit in the process. Win win situation.

vectra

Barry walsh wrote: »

Engine size 1.8 or less
Ok Fuel consumption dont do that much mileage work is only ten mins away fuel is currently 30 EUR a week for about 120miles
because of the reason above i think turbo petrol and diesel are out not enough time in the car (short hops to work not enough time to properly warm up and cool down engine and not enough mileage for a diesel)
Something Quick and or rare above 130bhp
Has to be 5 door or estate (other half has the non practical 2 door)
Like Jap stuff in general but open to suggestions
Small Budget about 3K

I am thinking a Civic VTI-S 1.8 B18C4 OR similar any suggestions???

On those 3 points above.

I had a '02 Mondeo 1.8 Zetec, A good low mileage one.

125 BHP < 130 you look for

1.8 as you suggest

Used it solely for dropping my son to school each day and return trip later.
Would trot to the shop daily as well.
Some weeks never got more than 70 miles for 30 euro

Keep your Accord.
Dont fool yourself.

coolbeans

johnos1984 wrote: »

SSSSHHHHHHHHHHH.........I've convinced myself it is

So you've managed to convince yourself that you're not lying to yourself even though you're the one doing the lying...to yourself. Nice! Don't tell yourself though.

vectra

coolbeans wrote: »

So you've managed to convince yourself that you're not lying to yourself even though you're the one doing the lying...to yourself. Nice! Don't tell yourself though.

That man has all the qualifications to be a politician i'd say :pac:

Mar4ix

I had significant downgrade to save my bank, .. went from nissan skyline to fiat punto .... from 200 horses to 54 ....
was thinking also keep two cars, ... but .. sorry... keeping two cars not saving money at all.....
was trying figure out cheapest way to keep skyline..... no joy, so sold skyline for pennies.

Yakuza

BX 19 wrote: »

First practicable suggestion. Get a bike, save fuel and get fit in the process. Win win situation.

*Second* practical suggestion *points to post 7*
Last year, I went from a 2.2 petrol to a 1.5 daysul (for room reasons, not economy) but not a week goes by without a tinge of regret. Keep the Accord

Barry walsh

Thanks everybody for the replys you are all saying what i am thinking i think i will hold on to her there is nothing broken or wrong on the Accord and she has just got her NCT until 2013 (was done in May) so I will keep her despite objections.

mmarks

Barry walsh - is the Accord the saloon or hatch - would love to see pictures. Great cars they are.