Recommend a car - €7,000

dodzy

Anyone care to throw up recommendations of what you would suggest as a reliable buy for the money (or if trying to off-load an owned vehicle) ? Lad I'm searching on behalf of is very open to suggestions. Ideally a 2-3yr keeper. Not doing big mileage either.

Thanks in advance.

bazz26

You need to be a bit more specific in what type of car he wants as 7k can get you a wide range of cars.

fatbhoy

Does he want a blue car, or a white one, or what? 💁‍♂️

dodzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122683236#Comment_122683236

Sorry lads for lack of specificity, something along the size of a focus / megane. 4 door / 2 door / boot / hatch - all unimportant. As is colour. He did say he is keen on a coupe but that's just a mid-life crisis thing I feel. So to summarise, very flexible.

mikewest

Skoda Octavia 1.6D, Renault Megane/Fluence 1.5D, VW Golf/Jetta 1.6D. A mechanically straight one of any of these will give years of pretty reliable motoring.

fatbhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122683578#Comment_122683578

Don't get those VAG 1.6s if they're 2012 - 2016 basically. Injector problems.

con___manx1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122683666#Comment_122683666

The price of injectors to replace is unreal aswel.

Mad_Lad

Hyundai i30 ?

As MikeWest said above the 1.5 Megeane/Fluence diesel, bullet prof engine.

If he's not doing big mileage then consider a petrol.

I test drove the 1.4 L Opel Corsa when I was looking for a car for my Sister and it was a lovely smooth drive, nice poke from the engine, better than the 3 cyl turbos you get these days with all the lag etc. A petrol astra too maybe ?

Avoid Mazda diesels and is it the 1.6 or 1.7 L ? ford diesels like the plague, the timing chain on the fords can give issues on this and it's expensive to repair and carbon build up on the Mazdas can cause huge issues and basically they're dirt but Mazda petrols are excellent.

bazz26

I'd stay away from diesel if they are not doing big mileage. An Auris, Corolla or Civic petrol will be low risk trouble free motoring. However 7k will probably mean your looking at 10 year old examples.

Toyota Auris: https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-auris-2014-1-3-petr-120-k-km-new-nct-10-25/38062210

Honda Civic: https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/honda-civic-1-4-i-vtec-se-5dr-ph-owen-0874755538/38021587

Nissan Pulsar is another one to look at which gets totally overlooked by the public. They are drab as you can get but prices tend to reflect their unpopularity: https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/nissan-pulsar-142/37835739

BrianD3

if he is thinking of a Megane III DCi the 09-10 models are the last without a particulate filter. That's one less thing to go wrong and it also means you can use cheaper oil. I've just done an oil and filter change on mine for 25 quid.

Not that I've heard much bad news about post 2010 Meganes that do have the filter. In general, a very reliable and long lasting car. But as always with used cars in this price range, finding one that hasn't been abused by morons is the issue.

Rows Grower

A Honda Civic will be hard to beat.