Cost efficient car for ~ 900km per week

MrMischief

Hi,

I live in Dublin but work in Limerick. I have a car to trade in which should get me about €4k (paid €4750 in Aug for it) and i have approx 5/6k to add to that.

So with a budget of ~10k what is the best car out there that is cheap to run and also in a low tax band. i.e. Hyundai i30, Opel Insignia, etc

Thanks in adavance

JJJJNR

Is getting the train not an option, or even digs 4 days a week, thats almost four hours a day in a car.

Train ticket would only be about a grand a year.

keithclancy

JJJJNR wrote: »

Is getting the train not an option, or even digs 4 days a week, thats almost four hours a day in a car.

Train ticket would only be about a grand a year.

900 km / week = 90 km / day, less than an hour each way.

Totally doable.

MrMischief

Sorry guys should have given a bit more detail.

I have digs 4 nights of the week.

Monday morning - drive down ~ 200KM

Wed evening - drive home ~ 200KM

Thurs morning - drive down ~ 200km

Fri evening - drive home ~200km

With about 100km each week from digs to job.

Unfortunately, the train is not an option.

JJJJNR

keithclancy wrote: »

900 km / week = 90 km / day, less than an hour each way.

Totally doable.

huh 90 each way ! but yeah I've done similar and done the train over the same distance. Train wins IMO.. but then again my office was beside the train station.

Harcrid

Basing it on a 5 day week it would be approx 180km a day which isnt too bad if you can ignore the boredom of the M7. I doubt the OP is doing 5 days a week though because 180KM wont get you from Dublin to Limerick and back.

MuppetCheck

MrMischief wrote: »

Sorry guys should have given a bit more detail.

I have digs 4 nights of the week.

Monday morning - drive down ~ 200KM

Wed evening - drive home ~ 200KM

Thurs morning - drive down ~ 200km

Fri evening - drive home ~200km

With about 100km each week from digs to job.

Unfortunately, the train is not an option.

What I would look for is something quiet with cruise control, comfortable seats, air con (preferably climate control) and good headlights. Something 6 speed will usually make it more economical on the motorway and a little bit of poke would be handy.

What springs to mind for me would be an Accord 2.2 or Mondeo 2 litre diesel.

bear1

Being in a similar position as you I would recommend buying something older and keep the difference for any maintenance.
Something like this:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/08-fiat-punto-sporting-for-sale-diesel/6232378

I bought my wife one last August, although the 1.9 JTD version and it hasn't put a foot wrong and very comfortable.

keithclancy

JJJJNR wrote: »

huh 90 each way ! but yeah I've done similar and done the train over the same distance. Train wins IMO.. but then again my office was beside the train station.

Not all of us are that lucky.

I do 128km each way mon -thurs.

Car is 1hr 10-15 minutes.
Train is 3 hours door to door.

MrMischief

I have been swaying between a Diesel Mondeo (had a petrol mondeo before) or a Diesel Focus.

Thanks for the feedback to date

MuppetCheck

MrMischief wrote: »

I have been swaying between a Diesel Mondeo (had a petrol mondeo before) or a Diesel Focus.

Thanks for the feedback to date

The Mondeo is a much better car on the motorway.

MrMischief

MuppetCheck wrote: »

The Mondeo is a much better car on the motorway.

Thanks for that.

It's working out aprox €25 in petrol each way with the Fiesta so i'd be expecting the Mondeo to be approx half of that!

MuppetCheck

MrMischief wrote: »

Thanks for that.

It's working out aprox €25 in petrol each way with the Fiesta so i'd be expecting the Mondeo to be approx half of that!

At current prices if you got 42mpg you should get 100km for €10 diesel. Anything better is a bonus.