Find me a bangernomics car

Soarer

Actively looking for something at the minute lads. Made tripe of the engine in me Astra (half reading the internet and AdBlu incident!).
Anyways, my current car use is...
4 x 5 mile journeys back and forth to work every day.
2 x 7 mile journeys back and forth to ball.
2 x 10 mile journeys back and forth to a different game of ball.
Probably 8 x 2 mile journeys back and forth to the chipper/shop.
And a few incidentals of 3 or 4 miles each way during the week.

So I'm looking at about 600 miles per month, with 90% of them less than 5 miles at a go.
Looking for something reliable, (fairly) economical, and something that can accommodate the two kids in the back.
The Astra was a 1.7, so I'm used to paying that tax. Would rather pay less, but would pay a bit more for the right car.
Don't really want something too small, and don't want something like a Scenic as the pedals are too close together for my fat feet!
Oh yeah, and ideally it'll have a sunroof.

Ye come across anything like that?

Kaiser D

What's your budget?

Soarer

Kaiser D wrote: »

What's your budget?

Kinda Bangernomics budget really, but would ideally like to be in the small side of €1500.
Twould depend on the car I suppose.

Edit: That Impreza Wagon from up the page is something I've always wanted. But I'd say it'd break my heart on juice.

Kaiser D

Soarer wrote: »

Kinda Bangernomics budget really, but would ideally like to be in the small side of €1500.
Twould depend on the car I suppose.

Well, I had a 2002 Ford Mondeo estate a while ago. It was an early one; 2.0 TD LX spec (not very good) and had 260,000 miles on the clock. It was bloody fantastic. Seriously reliable, really good to drive, MPG was fantastic etc. I could go on all day about it. Honestly, it was brilliant. I was doing pretty high mileage at the time and it was just fantastic.

Honestly, look out for one.

Have I said it was fantastic?

Soarer

What would it be like for all the short journeys, what with it being a "modern diesel" an' all?

Kaiser D

Soarer wrote: »

What would it be like for all the short journeys, what with it being a "modern diesel" an' all?

Ah fine, its not that sort of modern diesel you see.

Best look out for an early one around 01/02.

Soarer

Good man.

What are Mazda 6's like? Either the 1.8 petrol or the 2.0 diesel?

Kaiser D

The 2.0 diesel is known for being very unreliable whereas the 1.8 petrol is anything but.

Kaiser D

Another two worth considering - the MK1 Focus 1.6 and the MK4 Golf 1.6

I had a 1999 Focus 1.6 petrol about 2 years ago and it never wanted for anything outside regular servicing. There was initially when I bought it an erratic idle but that can be a common problem with the idle control valve, which was simply taken off the top of the engine and cleaned with carb cleaner. Very easy thing to do yourself. Parts should be easy and cheap to find if you need any. Also, temperamental central locking and a few more electrical maladies are things to look out for.

As for the Golf, the 1.6 is known for having fragile o2 sensors, they generally tend to "go" quite often. Coil packs are dodgey in the 16vs (1.4 and 1.6) and, if you look anywhere online about the reliability of the 1.6 there is bound to be something in there about the gearbox, apparently they're quite weak and again tend to "go" a lot but only in earlier models.

Two nice examples of each, no sunroofs though!

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-focus-estate/7207102

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/for-sale/7090923

Soarer

Kaiser D wrote: »

The 2.0 diesel is known for being very unreliable whereas the 1.8 petrol is anything but.

That's good to know.

There's a petrol one after popping up n the last few hours. 03 with 115k on the clock. Nct until Feb and I mention of tax. Has Xenons, sunroof, electric everything. Looking for €1600, but hopefully there should be a bit of movement in that. Might have a look tomorrow.

Kaiser D

That'd be worth looking at.

Link?

Soarer

Your wish.....

Mazda 6

Kaiser D

A member on here only recently sold one just like that.

Definitely worth a call at least!

bazz26

Have a look at the bangernomics thread on the main motors forum.

Foxhole Norman

I'm 100% sure that was Ardennes1944's last car, only sold 2 weeks ago or there abouts. Would be well worth picking up if it was his!

From Ardennes's Ad:

New front brake discs and pads &

New rear brake pads last week

Sylfex US Aux-Mod System (Very rare)

This guys Ad:

New front break discs and pads, new rear break pads, smartphone jack,

Exact same mileage too. Wondering why he's shifting it so fast?

Soarer

bazz26 wrote: »

Have a look at the bangernomics thread on the main motors forum.

Thanks bazz.

I actually posted this in that thread, but Colm moved it to a seperate thread.

Soarer

To bookend this thread:

Picked myself up a car today that just about scrapes into Bangernomics teritory.
03 Avensis (old style), 1.6 vvti. 121k on the clock, nct'd in April but backdated to January and taxed 'til the end of July. Has everything I need including the sunroof! As near to pristine as I was going to get for the princely sum of €1000!
Ad was only on Done Deal 32 minutes when I saw it. Rang, asked him to hold it, went straight down for a look, and gave him the deposit.

Chuffed to bits I am. Should be plenty of years in her, and should get the most of my money back when I eventually sell her.

Thanks for all the help lads.

Bigus

Soarer wrote: »

To bookend this thread:

Picked myself up a car today that just about scrapes into Bangernomics teritory.
03 Avensis (old style), 1.6 vvti. 121k on the clock, nct'd in April but backdated to January and taxed 'til the end of July. Has everything I need including the sunroof! As near to pristine as I was going to get for the princely sum of €1000!
Ad was only on Done Deal 32 minutes when I saw it. Rang, asked him to hold it, went straight down for a look, and gave him the deposit.

Chuffed to bits I am. Should be plenty of years in her, and should get the most of my money back when I eventually sell her.

Thanks for all the help lads.

Good luck with that , and that model is actually a nice drive, much better than later wooden one, many years in that.