Downgrading, what next?

Tombles

Tombles

Tombles

Associate
Joined
10 Jun 2005
Posts
765
Hi guys,

Sorry to be a pain for yet another ’what car’ thread but I am looking at downgrading my current car (Mini Cooper S JCW) as I need the money to purchase a property.

I am looking at spending around 4-5k and it must be fairly comfy as I will be mainly commuting on the motorway once I have moved. I would also like it to be fairly spacious (not hard coming from a Mini!) and reliable as I need to keep costs to a minimum when my mortgage arrives. I will still want it to have a bit of poke after coming from my current car and if possible some sort of decent handling. I will be doing around 15k miles a year so nothing too bad on mpg but will consider anything!

I have looked at cars like Mondeo 2.0 ghia x, Accord 2.0, Focus ST170, Mazda6, 3/5 series etc. (sure I have missed a load out) but I am not sure when it comes to this type of car what would suite my needs best.

I like the 3/5 series but they will be more costly to run than a Mondeo for example with things like servicing, tyres etc. and at my price bracket they will be quite a bit older than other cars I have listed. I am slightly worried about going from such a small car to a car like a Mondeo so I am not sure if something like a Focus would be better for me unless a bigger car is that much better for the money.

I have a sneaky suspicion that OCuK will say the answer is a Mondeo :p

Any help much appreciated
 
Thanks guys.

Not sure about the MG or Celia. The MG seems all well and good but i just can't get over the fact it's an MG :(

The celica i think will be too small for rear seat passengers and they look better than they actually are.
 
Third Opinion said:
Keep the car for another then think about it. Why buy a house when prices are falling? Wait till it settles down and bottoms out surely.
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Because my girlfriends parents suddenly decided to move away and put their house up for sale leaving her with nowhere to live.

We were always planning to move out in 1-2 years but because of this it has to be a lot sooner unfortunately.
 
If you aren't on the property ladder now is not a good time to get on it unless you have a high deposit to improve the LTV and are in it for the long haul, most first time buyers buy entry level places to start with and then move on in a few years, this will only let you increase your property if you have equity in it and as things stand that's not likley. Also from what you've said neither about your other half living with her parents would I be right in thinking you've not lived together before ? Do the sensible thing and at least rent for 6 months, you have no idea if you will be able to live together much less buy a house together.
 
Don't want to get this to go off topic so will keep it brief :)

We know we can live togher. We are not going to rent, it is dead money to us. We will have a decent deposit and the sale of my car will improve this.

Now back to the cars :P

After the suggestion of the MG ZT 190 i can't shake how much good value they can be. Anyone have much experience with them? How reliable are they?

Also anyone had any experience with an Accord? I like the look of these and as a Honda it should be pretty easy to run into the ground without many problems.

Are the Mondeos that much better? Of course OCuK have a big following of these as we all know but i just think they are quite bland but am happy to be proved wrong.
 
All the cars suggested are pretty good choices..

(Although personally I don't like the newer celicas)

Mondeos are pretty dam reliable but also pretty dam boring :p

MG ZT's are good cars for the money and I would consider one.. But if you have a bump a lot of people say body parts are hard to souce and can easily write it off..

I would'nt be able to comment properly on the reliability of the MG and Accord but I do believe both are quite good...
 
Tombles said:
Thanks guys.
The celica i think will be too small for rear seat passengers and they look better than they actually are.
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Fair enough on the leg space issue, there is sod all in the back, i'd have to call you on the looking better than they are thing though. They got pretty much universal praise in the press and I love mine ;)
 
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