Cheap family(ish) car

Buford T Justice

Folks

Looking to change my 02 inca for a family(ish) car.

Skint and have no real money to spend to be honest. I'm looking for something round the 00 to 03 mark, with no bigger than a 1.6 engine. 1.9 HDI / TDI even though I love them are out due to tax etc.....

Any suggestions folls.... I'm looking at so far, an almera and a laguna.

So if anyone has any advice, or any suggestions on pitfalls etc for these cars I'd appreciate it..


Thx..........

CJhaughey

How about a Corolla Estate?
I'm not sure what your requirements are for a family car?

Buford T Justice

Basically, I need a car to hold myself, partner and two kids. They're small at the minute so both are in car seats and would be progressing to booster seats in a year. I'm a big car person and tbh, should we be unfortunate enough to be in an accident I want to make sure there's plenty of car around us to squish before us, if you get me.

I'm fairly handy myself, so the upkeep is no problem. I wouldn't be 100% averse to an estate, but I do think the corolla looks awful for a car.

Thanks guys.

shamrock55

if its a big car with safety in mind you wouldnt go too far wrong with a laguna imo

Matthewjohn

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2773518
Volkswagen Passat 1.6?

Buford T Justice

Not overly impressed with a Passat. Had one before, and unless you've got a TDI under the bonnet its a very heavy body to be dragging around.

CJhaughey

Budget?

h3000

What's your budget OP?

Buford T Justice

I'd rekon I could stretch to about €1500 max, but I think I should be able to pick something up for less than that.

Buford T Justice

Buford T Justice wrote: »

................. I'm looking for something round the 00 to 03 mark, with no bigger than a 1.6 engine. ................ I'm looking at so far, an almera and a laguna.

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

shamrock55 wrote: »

if its a big car with safety in mind you wouldnt go too far wrong with a laguna imo

Buford T Justice wrote: »

I'd rekon I could stretch to about €1500 max, but I think I should be able to pick something up for less than that.

An 00 to 03 Laguna for less than €1500 would be an epic piece of sh1t.

Matthewjohn

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2821671
If you want a safe reliable cheap car this would be more suitable

johnos1984

OP would you go for something with a 1.8l engine like a Mazda 626 of Ford Mondeo?

h3000

johnos1984 wrote: »

OP would you go for something with a 1.8l engine like a Mazda 626 of Ford Mondeo?

I was thinking the same. There are some lovely Accords around for that money too.

Tea 1000

€1,500 and 1.6 or less usually leads to a pile of worn out poo in my experience of looking. It's rare enough to find something decent with those two in the equation.
As said above, you really should consider 1.8 and 2.0. The Tax difference between a 1.6 and 1.8 is only about €100 per year.

CJhaughey

I reckon you will be looking at something like this
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2836881
or http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2845308

Buford T Justice

RoverJames wrote: »

An 00 to 03 Laguna for less than €1500 would be an epic piece of sh1t.

Fair enough. I know how much I can spend, and I'm looking for opinions from more people.

I've spotted these two. They look ok to me, but maybe I'm missing something.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Renault/Laguna/CHEAP-CA/131912915457330/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Renault/Laguna/1.6--**T/201142205145411/advert?channel=CARS

Not a bad spot with the Volvo there either. How would a 1.8 fair out on juice though, would they be heavy on it?

I'd only be zipping about in it. Say 10 miles a day if lucky with the odd weekend trip out say 100 miles round trip kinda thing.

Buford T Justice

johnos1984 wrote: »

OP would you go for something with a 1.8l engine like a Mazda 626 of Ford Mondeo?

Never thought of that. Must have a looksie..... Mondeo.... hmmm....

h3000

Buford T Justice wrote: »

How would a 1.8 fair out on juice though, would they be heavy on it?

Very little difference to a 1.6 may be even better in some of the heavier cars if you drive it correctly.

Buford T Justice

As far as reliability goes, what's the Mondeo like?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2837327

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2465707

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2840156

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2779567

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2753246

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2830526

Tea 1000

Buford T Justice wrote: »

As far as reliability goes, what's the Mondeo like?

That 1.8 isn't fantastic, Ford replaced it in 2002 and started using the Mazda 1.8 instead.

Buford T Justice

Buford T Justice wrote: »

As far as reliability goes, what's the Mondeo like? ..........

It's a lot better than a Laguna
If stretching to a 1.8 get an Accord.

Buford T Justice

RoverJames wrote: »

It's a lot better than a Laguna
If stretching to a 1.8 get an Accord.

What's the benefit?

For €1500 you'll get a fresh enough 1.8 Accord with less than 100,000 miles on it, these cars are one of the few almost bulletproof cars out there made post 00, you could expect to knock another 100,000 miles out of one with nothing more than routine servicing and maybe the likes of a backbox thrown in due to old age.

Neither a Laguna or 1.8 Mondeo offers that.

JJJJNR

+1 for the accord, they can be a bit a of squash in the back though, if your tall or your kids are tall, wouldn't rule out a citroen picasso.? best car for the money.

Buford T Justice

JJJJNR wrote: »

+1 for the accord, they can be a bit a of squash in the back though, if your tall or your kids are tall, wouldn't rule out a citroen picasso.? best car for the money.

I'm a bit tall alright. 6 foot 4 me, and my kids are growing.

Not a fan of the picasso. Look more like a bubble to me though.

JJJJNR

same here and I had the accord for a couple of years and would take it off the list down to space, picasso looks the biz once you get over the initial shock.



One here for a grand and a Ford ka also.. not a bad deal

http://cars.donedeal.co.uk/for-sale/cars/2854046

Buford T Justice

Can't see myself sticking with a picasso tho. Every time I see one I have visions of Ashley and Maxine in Coronation street...... /Shudder

JJJJNR

Think of the brownie points! and if you use your head you have a little run aboout for the missus also.. happy wife, happy life.

zizou_

Tea 1000 wrote: »

That 1.8 isn't fantastic, Ford replaced it in 2002 and started using the Mazda 1.8 instead.

AFAIK the mondeo used two ford 1.8 engines - the lx with 110bhp and the zetec with 125bhp. The zetec is the one to get as it has enough poke to pull it around but isn't the best on petrol.

In my experience they are very reliable and nice to drive. The most common problem seems to be the manifold flaps which can fail and ruin the engine. Makes a fairly obvious ticking noise when it's warm so easy enough to spot. Costs about €400 from a main dealer to replace.

Big car inside and get a hatchback and there's tonnes of room in the boot.

Buford T Justice

JJJJNR wrote: »

Think of the brownie points! and if you use your head you have a little run aboout for the missus also.. happy wife, happy life.

Already have a focus as a runabout, and I have the van too which I want shot of. Replacing the van for a car will give us a main car and a runabout which will be win win. Besides - Ford Ka's are just hideous inventions.

Thinkin seriously about a Mondeo now. They look like nice cars, and small ish money.


Obvious ticking noise when warm. I'll keep an ear out for that one.