Reliable reccomendations for £2k-3k

Kingy

Kingy

Kingy

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
3,400
Location
Leicester
o/

My brother is looking to change cars to something more reliable, ultimately in an attempt to minimise his total cost of ownership, so a beady eye will be kept on depreciation, cam-belt/consumable changes, and the likelyhood of any other unexpected repairs.

He has a private plate, so anything must be a Y plate or newer, and my first thought was a Mk3 Mondeo Ghia X, but I'm looking to identify other options, including similar to the mondeo, something a little less visually boring and/or a bit more poke / more fun to drive, or something smaller and more economical to run.

He had an MG ZR 120+, which he liked, but got bit by a headgasket and cambelt change bill, and is now driving a dying Astra 1.8 CDX.

My shortlist so far is:-

Mondeo Mk3 Ghia X
Seat Leon 1.6 SE/SX
Astra SRI 2.2
Astra Coupe 2.2

Any other suggestions?
 
Firestar_3x said:
P11 Primera, no cambelt, rock solid reliable, cheap to buy.

Forget the Y plate or newer thing, sell the plate....
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I did think about the Primera GT, but the old nissan stigma is bad enough, but we live in Leicester... :eek:

Plus, the age is a non-mover as the plate was a 21st birthday gift...
 
Kappa said:
well since earlier, 2002 Passat 2.0 Sport :(
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LOL... :D

Aside from the Mondeo supposedly being better to drive and better equipped, I don't think he's looking at saloons from a practicality standpoint on the basis that if he can't have something interesting, it might as well be practical...
 
aproctor said:
Passats are ok, but i would rather have an octavia vrs for similar money.
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Sore point that one, as I only found out about the swiftcover thing after I sold my vRS, which he'd got his eye on... Don't think the early one's are quite in budget yet are they?
 
Kingy said:
o/

My brother is looking to change cars to something more reliable, ultimately in an attempt to minimise his total cost of ownership, so a beady eye will be kept on depreciation, cam-belt/consumable changes, and the likelyhood of any other unexpected repairs.

He has a private plate, so anything must be a Y plate or newer, and my first thought was a Mk3 Mondeo Ghia X, but I'm looking to identify other options, including similar to the mondeo, something a little less visually boring and/or a bit more poke / more fun to drive, or something smaller and more economical to run.

He had an MG ZR 120+, which he liked, but got bit by a headgasket and cambelt change bill, and is now driving a dying Astra 1.8 CDX.

My shortlist so far is:-

Mondeo Mk3 Ghia X
Seat Leon 1.6 SE/SX
Astra SRI 2.2
Astra Coupe 2.2

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...


Best of the list there would be an Astra 2.2 imo. Mondeo is a diff class of car, commuter mobile vs hatch / coupe.

Consider a civic VTI 1.8 and for that money, you can get a nice un modded 50k miler 00 reg, 5 door practicality and a sweet ride.
 
restricting your car choices just because you want to use (what is probubly only a £250) private plate is a bit sad. There are a lot of options if you go older...

But then again, Y isnt to bad, gives you a good 8 years....

Newer than Y means new Tax too remember
 
Wont that get you a focus in good nick atleast?

FAO Firestar_3x - When you press the boot release on the keyfob for your passat does the boot totally open or just 'click' up a bit so you can pull it up yourself? Reason I ask is my boot is incredibly stiff and I think its the gas struts that need replacing.
 
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