Good long-distance car, less than 14k

thatkindofgirl

Right.

I've been doing some research but I'm no genius when it comes to cars. I expect to be facing a 160km/100mile daily commute in the near future, and I am giving up my annual bus/rail pass in favour of purchasing a car.

Now. I said 14k, but I'd rather spend less than 11k unless the car in question is brand new.

I need motorway fuel efficiency. The car would rarely be in a town/city.

I need a low insurance banding, because I'm driving on an international licence until I get my full licence test.

I like automatics, but can drive manuals.

I like small cars and I have short legs, so I have no need for legroom.

The car is not a family car, would not be used for travelling, needs to be good for the long daily drive and for picking up groceries, etc.

Any suggestions? I've been looking at 03 Micras, 04/05 Pandas, Lupos, puntos, etc.

Could I be better off looking at older, higher-range cars rather than the newer budget models?

I'm grateful for any help you guys can give me!

prospect

Welcome to Boards,

There is a whole lot of personal prefernce thing here, you'll get people saying this make is great, and this is crap, then others contradicting them, etc.

I would recommend, you stick with the smaller car, and go for a 1.4 diesel engine, that'll last the high mileage, and give you very good fuel economy. Also, it is no more expensive to insure, or tax.

Best of luck.

Also, browse:
www.carzone.ie
www.cbg.ie

thatkindofgirl

Thanks for the welcome!

Sure, I know I'll get loads of opinions, but that's what I want, because there's always some information to be found amongst it all!

-- another question, airconditioning is quite important to me. Is this something that can be added to old cars, or would I have to find something that already has it in?

prospect

Have to find something that already has it in.

Try these:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=search&sortby=PriceAsc&maxrows=100&Engine_Min=1000&Engine_Max=1400&FuelID=2&Year_Min=2000&Price_Min=8499&Price_Max=14001&GroupID=738

css

You'll find that the bigger cars mondeo/avensis class will have much more comfortable roadholding for long hauling it. The smaller cars just jump around too much. You'll also get AC standard on most of these models, and performance won't be impacted as much by using it either. AC on a 1L or 1.4 is a joke imho..

Bill Gates

I'm selling this car, and I think it would be ideal for what you want

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=261509

thatkindofgirl

Bill Gates wrote:

I'm selling this car, and I think it would be ideal for what you want

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=261509

of course you do! ha ha

dcGT

prospect wrote:

Welcome to Boards,

There is a whole lot of personal prefernce thing here, you'll get people saying this make is great, and this is crap, then others contradicting them, etc.

I would recommend, you stick with the smaller car, and go for a 1.4 diesel engine, that'll last the high mileage, and give you very good fuel economy. Also, it is no more expensive to insure, or tax.

Best of luck.

Also, browse:
www.carzone.ie
www.cbg.ie

Good suggestion about the 1.4 Diesel. You said you like small cars, so how about the Fiesta 1.4 TDCi ? It's by no means blisteringly fast, but it will be very ecomonical given the high milage you're going to do.

DC.

css

The disadvantages of the smaller cars at motorway speeds is that if the wind is blowing you're gonna be all over the place.. In a bigger car it'll be much more comfortable.. I used to do similar mileage as you are doing and a lot of it at motorway speeds..

Eoin

thatkindofgirl wrote:

I'm selling this car, and I think it would be ideal for what you want
[URL=http://]http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=261509[/URL]

of course you do! ha ha

Actually, you could do a lot worse than a Mark 4 golf, it sits nicely between a city run-around and a long-journey car.

css

eoin_s wrote:

Actually, you could do a lot worse than a Mark 4 golf, it sits nicely between a city run-around and a long-journey car.

If you're commuting you want operational lights. Forget about anything from Volkswagen is this is a requirement..

Stephen

Sorry... What?

Eoin

css wrote:

If you're commuting you want operational lights. Forget about anything from Volkswagen is this is a requirement..

Do you mean that Golfs blow lights quite a lot? Lots of threads here about rear-lights going on Golfs, but at most this is a minor annoyance and they are dead easy to replace.

thatkindofgirl

I've looked at some of the older Golfs... but I've never seen a mark 4. I've seen a mark 5 though.

What's the reason for saying Mark 4 would be good?

css

eoin_s wrote:

Do you mean that Golfs blow lights quite a lot? Lots of threads here about rear-lights going on Golfs, but at most this is a minor annoyance and they are dead easy to replace.

Right, well if you ever come upon one in fog you'll see how much of a 'minor annoyance' this is.. they blow a lot of front lights too from what i've seen. And that's just looking at the other cars on the roads. Not a problem you might say, but if you are after an easy to look after car, changing bulbs every few weeks isn't my idea of 'easy to look after'... sorry..

Eoin

thatkindofgirl wrote:

I've looked at some of the older Golfs... but I've never seen a mark 4. I've seen a mark 5 though.

What's the reason for saying Mark 4 would be good?

You must have seen a Mark 4! - it is this type

I had one before my current car, and apart from niggly little things like the rear lights going I found it a pretty solid car, and one that was a good mixture between a city run about and also quite comfy on long journeys.

I also think it is one of the nicest looking hatchbacks around. It appeals to a huge range of people, so re-selling it won't be a problem. They can be considered quite expensive for what you get, but if you find one for a good price - and the one posted on boards.ie does seem reasonably priced - then I would consider it.

unkel

I agree about getting a small Diesel car. If you're buying new, than the Fiesta is thousands outside your budget. The Fiat Panda has a list price of €14k and has the excellent 1.25 Fiat Multijet Diesel engine

On motorway / main road journeys you can expect to get 70MPG, it's cheap to tax and insure

Here's what honestjohn says about the car:

honestjohn wrote:

Very small. Very handy. A hoot to drive. Surprisingly refined. Excellent gearshift. Worthy Car of the Year winner. Multijet price £7,747. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

EDIT: Airconditioning is indeed an optional extra for around €600 but I'm confident they'll throw that in for nought

thatkindofgirl

Thanks for all the advice peeps, I've a lot to think about!

prospect

css wrote:

AC on a 1L or 1.4 is a joke imho..

Dunno about 1L, but I have a 1.4L petrol megane, and when driving the air con has absoloutly 0% noticable impact on teh performance or driving of the car. Fuel economy drops by 1% or 2%, but thats all.

RedorDead

For motorway efficiency and fuel economy for the money you are looking to spend you can pick up either of the following

Nissan Micra 1.5 DCi
Peugeot 206 LX 1.4 HDi

or Fiat Punto Multijet 1.3

All have neccesary torque to assist in motorway overtaking whilst being particulary stingy on fuel. Expect to get in the region of 55-65 mpg from all 3.

Some pre 04 206's have air con as standard too as well as rain sensing wipers and auto headlights. Lots of goodies.

See Prospects link to cbg cars.

css

RedorDead wrote:

For motorway efficiency and fuel economy for the money you are looking to spend you can pick up either of the following

Nissan Micra 1.5 DCi
Peugeot 206 LX 1.4 HDi

or Fiat Punto Multijet 1.3

All have neccesary torque to assist in motorway overtaking whilst being particulary stingy on fuel. Expect to get in the region of 55-65 mpg from all 3.

Some pre 04 206's have air con as standard too as well as rain sensing wipers and auto headlights. Lots of goodies.

See Prospects link to cbg cars.

Try driving any of the above on a windy day and you'll be all over the shop. And the bigger cars will be wanting you to pull over outta the way.. while you struggle to keep your little peapod between the white lines..

Alun

css wrote:

Try driving any of the above on a windy day and you'll be all over the shop. And the bigger cars will be wanting you to pull over outta the way.. while you struggle to keep your little peapod between the white lines..

Many larger cars are badly affected by side winds too, you know? It has more to do with aerodynamics than pure size or weight. And if, indeed, you're driving a car that is badly affected by side winds, regardless of it's size, then yes you should reduce your speed and drive more carefully ... no shame in that.

prospect

css wrote:

Try driving any of the above on a windy day and you'll be all over the shop. And the bigger cars will be wanting you to pull over outta the way.. while you struggle to keep your little peapod between the white lines..

If it is so bad, why is there so many on the road,
I am afraid this is BS. Sure alot of cars to catch side winds, but if you drive it carefully and reduce speed, then no problemo.

Funnily, you will find that 40ft curtain side truck are probably the worst affected by motorway cross winds, is your car 'bigger' or 'heavier' than these?

css

I'm giving my opinion because I was in a very similar position a few years ago. Test drive some of those small cars and see how they sit at 120kph, and then take out a bigger car and see the difference at 120kph. Then notice how much more comfortable the bigger car is, and then sit back and think, i'm gonna be doing 500 miles a week in this car, do i want something that's going to be comfortable to drive at the speed i will want to, and be comfortable to sit in for the time i'm going to be spending in the car, or does the extra 5mpg that i'll save by getting a smaller car justify the lesser comfort. It's a trade off. 1.4 and 1.5 diesels sound good in theory, but in reality you'll have to drive the nuts off them, and the quoted mpg figures aren't accurate when you do this. It's nothing to do with shame either alun.

Like I said i used to do over 120 miles a day and had the exact same decision to make. My advice is to make a list of your priorities as to what you want from the car and make your decision accordingly. Oh and make sure you have ABS near to top. If the year on the reg plate is near the top, then off you go with a smaller newer car, but i'd look at 3 year old mondeo/avensis/laguna sized cars personally, having done the commute thing.

css

prospect wrote:

If it is so bad, why is there so many on the road,
I am afraid this is BS. Sure alot of cars to catch side winds, but if you drive it carefully and reduce speed, then no problemo.

Funnily, you will find that 40ft curtain side truck are probably the worst affected by motorway cross winds, is your car 'bigger' or 'heavier' than these?

Why? Tax, insurance, and loads of other non-related reasons.

It's aerodynamics, go read about it. Those smaller cars are usually higher to make them seem roomier. Plus the shorter wheel base will exaggerate the effect. BS? Drive each car and see what's affected more :rolleyes:

Alun

css wrote:

Why? Tax, insurance, and loads of other non-related reasons.

It's aerodynamics, go read about it. Those smaller cars are usually higher to make them seem roomier. Plus the shorter wheel base will exaggerate the effect. BS? Drive each car and see what's affected more :rolleyes:

Aerodynamics is about more than just height. The shape of the side of the car and the shape of the underfloor can affect this too ... remember the first "jelly mould" Ford Sierra's? They were terrible in side winds despite their size.

No one's disputing that some cars are more affected by side winds than others, and size and weight will have some impact on this, although it's not the whole story by any means. The question is whether the difference is big enough to sway a buying decision one way or another, since there are many other reasons why someone might want to buy a smaller car that may override this one factor.

prospect

css wrote:

Why? Tax, insurance, and loads of other non-related reasons.

It's aerodynamics, go read about it. Those smaller cars are usually higher to make them seem roomier. Plus the shorter wheel base will exaggerate the effect. BS? Drive each car and see what's affected more :rolleyes:

BS, yes, Aerodynamics!!! The larger the surface area exposed to the wind, the stronger the wind-push effect.

I drive cars of every type, every day, its part of my job.

Yes small cars do feel lighter on a motorway, but absoloutly nothing worth mentioning. You try drive an empty LWB transit van with a raised roof and you'll know all about it.

css

prospect wrote:

Yes small cars do feel lighter on a motorway, but absoloutly nothing worth mentioning.

That's your opinion prospect, i gave mine.

prospect

True.

css

Alun wrote:

Aerodynamics is about more than just height. The shape of the side of the car and the shape of the underfloor can affect this too ... remember the first "jelly mould" Ford Sierra's? They were terrible in side winds despite their size.

No one's disputing that some cars are more affected by side winds than others, and size and weight will have some impact on this, although it's not the whole story by any means. The question is whether the difference is big enough to sway a buying decision one way or another, since there are many other reasons why someone might want to buy a smaller car that may override this one factor.

I agree, but I have driven in gales and the car's been rock solid and i've seen cars around me struggle to hold their lane even. I'm saying it's a factor to be considered, along with all the other ones I've mentioned. Telling someone to buy a city car for a commuting car is f**king stupid, there's a hell of a lot more factors to taking into account apart from mpg.

prospect

css wrote:

Telling someone to buy a city car for a commuting car is f**king stupid, there's a hell of a lot more factors to taking into account apart from mpg.

City Car = Dihatsu Domino, Fiat Cinciquento (spellin), Hyundai AtoZ, Seat Aroza

As for the Fiesta / 206 / Clio / Micra / Polo, IMO all these cars are very capable for longer commutes. The OP said 100miles per day, which is presumably two 50 mile trips, which isn't really that much, I have regularly done my commute to work (over an hour and a quarter each way) in an MX-5 without complaint. I believe all these cars are easily good for alot more.

Now, if you are a rep, or something, putting up 300 miles a day regularly, then we are talking something different.

Alun

Come on, cars like a Punto or a Fiesta aren't "city cars", they're small admitttedly, but they're more than adequate for a decent daily commute. A city car, by most peoples' definition would be something like a Smart, which admittedly wouldn't be suitable for the task.

lorraine78

Have you found a car yet?
If you haven't let me know, I am selling a 03 polo, in showroom condition and its totally within your price range. Am looking for a quick sale as I'm leaving the country.

css

50 miles doesn't sound much, all depends what traffic you encounter. I used to do the first 40 miles of my commute in 45 minutes or so, and the other 20 miles in 1 hour 15..

As for the cars being capable, i'm sure they are capable, but would you want to be stuck with one when there are other better options out there??

Let's put it this way, which would you rather own? For doing a hundred miles a day? A mondeo sized car or a focus/fiesta sized car?

prospect

CSS, I think you are deviating from the OP.

She, (I am assuming the OP is a she), wants:
Fuel Efficiency, Low Insurance, A Small Car, and I am guessing from the post shed rather a newer car, with a budget of 14K.

So considering these requirements, I think the biggest sizes she should consider would be 307/corrolla/C4/Almera type cars.
But, I think her best options would be a Fiesta/206/Panda with a diesel engine.

Let's put it this way, which would you rather own? For doing a hundred miles a day?

I would rather a Lamborghini Gallardo....

Alun

Let's put it this way, which would you rather own? For doing a hundred miles a day? A mondeo sized car or a focus/fiesta sized car?

I own a Focus (1.6 TDCi C-Max actually) and I'd travel 100 miles a day quite happily in that, thank you very much. A Mondeo would offer me nothing extra, except maybe a smaller luggage compartment!.

The Clown Man

Having driven one for years I'd have to say that a very comfortable and economic car to drive is the Volkswagen Passat. You could get a relatively low mileage 99-01 for under 14k second hand. (Most of them were bought with distance travel in mind)

It is a very comfortable drive and I absolutely take on ccs's point about a larger car being more comfortable, especially if you are going to be sitting in it for long periods every day. It's so important to be comfortable in it; nice seats, nice space, nice dash etc.

And the majority of Passats sold were 1.9 Deisels so finding one shouldnt be a problem.

I used to get 600-700 miles of long distance travel from a full tank of what was then around €40 out of the passat and it never gave one bit of trouble.

eljono

RedorDead wrote:

Peugeot 206 LX 1.4 HDi



Some pre 04 206's have air con as standard too as well as rain sensing wipers and auto headlights. Lots of goodies.

See Prospects link to cbg cars.

That was going to be my recommendation. 206 is a very comfortable car for it's size and the engine is extremely economical. The pre 04 lx's and post '02 had A/C.

unkel

RedorDead wrote:

Nissan Micra 1.5 DCi
Peugeot 206 LX 1.4 HDi

or Fiat Punto Multijet 1.3

The Nissan is not for sale here afaik, and the 206 is €18k. The Punto is also outside of budget at €16k. The only one within budget is the Panda

To put a high mileage on a second hand (say 2-3 year old) 206 Diesel will probably cost more in depreciation than buying a Panda new

Saturnine

Mondeo or Focus dont bother with anything else.

eljono

@css The 206 1.4 is a hdi (turbo diesel). I've driven a few different ones and they're a smashing car. It's not underpowered and it's quite smooth. The o.p. said she wants low running costs and it fills the criteria.
You could get a '03 with A/C but highisg mileage for 13,500 http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=234827

or

the same but without A/C and 16,000mls for 13,995 http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=243334

Plus, I'm sure if there is no trade in you'd get a nice discount on them.

dingding

You should be able to get a good 01 volvo S40 diesel for that. Stiff suspension so no problems from side winds, economical, safe and good power for overtaking.

lomb

prospect wrote:

As for the Fiesta / 206 / Clio / Micra / Polo, IMO all these cars are very capable for longer commutes.

those cars are a disaster for a long commute. apart from being more unsafe than a large car their dynamic handeling and solidity on the road is affected by their narrow wheelbase. literally the wheels arent far enough apart to be any good.

they are cheap to run but what good is that if your skull gets cracked open if it leaves the road and hits something.