Commuting Car Recommendations - 35000 Km Per year - Sub 12k Budget

floyd333

Folks, I’m looking for a bit of advice on what car to get next. I commute an hour each way to work. I do about 35000 KM’s per year.
I currently have a Citroen c4 1.6 Diesel. The Clutch/ flywheel is gone, I don’t think its economical to fix it now.(900 Approx)
The most I’d spend Is 12,000. I prefer to spend less.
Cars I’m looking at:

• Skoda Octavia (Lots of 1.6 litre diesels out there)
• VW Golf
• Ford Focus/ Mondeo
• VW Passat (Preferred option but expensive)
• Toyota Avensis (Some nice 2 litre)
• Mazda 6

Any recommendations on what to go for? My main considerations are fuel efficiency, reliability and comfort. Whatever I get I hope to get 4-5 years out of it.
I’m trying to stay below cars with 100knm on the clock. (I just picked this number out of thin air!!)

noel100

floyd333 wrote: »

Folks, I’m looking for a bit of advice on what car to get next. I commute an hour each way to work. I do about 35000 KM’s per year.
I currently have a Citroen c4 1.6 Diesel. The Clutch/ flywheel is gone, I don’t think its economical to fix it now.(900 Approx)
The most I’d spend Is 12,000. I prefer to spend less.
Cars I’m looking at:

• Skoda Octavia (Lots of 1.6 litre diesels out there)
• VW Golf
• Ford Focus/ Mondeo
• VW Passat (Preferred option but expensive)
• Toyota Avensis (Some nice 2 litre)
• Mazda 6

Any recommendations on what to go for? My main considerations are fuel efficiency, reliability and comfort. Whatever I get I hope to get 4-5 years out of it.
I’m trying to stay below cars with 100knm on the clock. (I just picked this number out of thin air!!)

A 2ltr diesel Mondeo, engine is suppose to be bullet proof.

893bet

I had similar requirements (I do higher miles, closer to 50k).

Opted for a Megane 1.5dci.

2013 cost me 9k from NI with 100k on the clock.

Engine is well reviewed. Going well so far but early days (well 10k on my clock already).

floyd333

893bet wrote: »

I had similar requirements (I do higher miles, closer to 50k).

Opted for a Megane 1.5dci.

2013 cost me 9k from NI with 100k on the clock.

Engine is well reviewed. Going well so far but early days (well 10k on my clock already).

I have a relation who is a mechanic and he says the new Renault engines are very good. I'm just worried the 1.5 engine might lack a bit of bite. Do you find it comfortable?

893bet

I have the 110bhp 1.5 and find plenty of bite. 6 speed so plenty of power in 3/4 for over taking if needed. Comfortable drive for the price.

selectamatic

If considering an avensis go for the 2012 facelift they're very reliable and great motorway cruisers. The 09-11 model has some issues with the electric handbrake and the door pillar cracking (toyota goodwill sorting this) both issues are practically non existent in the 2012 model.

If going vag the 2.0tdi is pretty reliable in transverse configuration (golf, jetta, octavia) the 1.6tdi suffers more regular egr and dpf issues than the 2.0 both pricey fixes and they only have 5 speed box. Passat reliability is patchy early oil pump issues and the electric handbrake gives bother too (it's a dearer fix than an avensis' one)

Strike the Mazda 6 off the list if reliability is a concern.

floyd333

selectamatic wrote: »

If considering an avensis go for the 2012 facelift they're very reliable and great motorway cruisers. The 09-11 model has some issues with the electric handbrake and the door pillar cracking (toyota goodwill sorting this) both issues are practically non existent in the 2012 model.

If going vag the 2.0tdi is pretty reliable in transverse configuration (golf, jetta, octavia) the 1.6tdi suffers more regular egr and dpf issues than the 2.0 both pricey fixes and they only have 5 speed box. Passat reliability is patchy early oil pump issues and the electric handbrake gives bother too (it's a dearer fix than an avensis' one)

Strike the Mazda 6 off the list if reliability is a concern.

Sound. Thanks for the advice. So the skoda 1.6 diesel could be problematic? Thats a shame I was tempted by them.

Zurbaran

Honda Civic 2.2 Reliable & powerful. You'd be looking at 12k for a 2012/13 one.

selectamatic

floyd333 wrote: »

Sound. Thanks for the advice. So the skoda 1.6 diesel could be problematic? Thats a shame I was tempted by them.

They're not bad and certainly not ticking time bombs like some other modern diesels but egr and dpf issues are common. However they won't be an ongoing issue if you're prepared to remove them should they ever give bother. Some octavias have given a touch of bother with faulty water pumps but this isn't really all that common. I certainly wouldn't rule them out if you're tempted by them.

The big plus for the octavia is the sheer volume of choice you will have on the 2nd hand market so finding a good one and staying in budget should be easier than it would be for some of the other options.

floyd333

Thoughts on this:?

http://ryanmotorpowerskoda.ie/used-cars/?make=Volkswagen&mdel&yearrange=2008%2C2017&pricerange=0%2C75000

Idbatterim

How's it not economical to fix? If that's the only issue with the car...

floyd333

Idbatterim wrote: »

How's it not economical to fix? If that's the only issue with the car...

Well the price to fix the issue is worth more than the value of the car (or thereabouts) and with 250K on the clock other things could start to go pop..

Idbatterim

Thing is, you are buying another used car. Who's to say issues won't arise with that fairly soon? I'm just playing devils advocate. If you are borrowing 12k, the interest alone will be a hell of a lot more than e900 on it... throw in depreciation etc...