Fuel Economy - Cheap car

matt_fsr

matt_fsr

matt_fsr

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Durham
I'm after a bit of advice on a car with decent fuel economy - my girlfriend is currently chewing through ~300 miles a week, and the 1.4 Skoda Fabia is gradually dropping to bits, so it'll be time for a replacement soon.

Don't want to spend too much, we never do on cars - So probably a max budget of around £2k, and wanting to aim for something with the best fuel economy for that sort of money.

Current thoughts is a Ford Focus TD 1.8, rated as around the 50MPG mark.

It needs to be something bigger than a super-mini class, but most things could be considered. Servicing costs isnt much of an issue as I'll be doing that myself. (yay... servicing in December with no garage.... :( )

Anyone else got any good suggestions as to what would give similar or better MPG for that age/cost? Ta very much :)
 
[TW]Fox;15402081 said:
You are not going to get much thats much if at all newer than her Fabia for this sort of money.
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This is true I'm afraid. Is the Fabia THAT bad on fuel? Also when it comes to bits falling off and extraneous costs I usually err on the side of better the devil you know...especially at this sort of money.
 
have you got the 16v fabia? because my dad drove my sistes car to kent from london recently and manged to get something silly like 50 mpg maybe a bit more. Something might be wrong with your if not getting at least 35/40 out of it.
Assuming your doind motorway.
 
Superewza said:
Megane?
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Old and French are not synonomous with low maintenance costs in my experience but hey!

I've had both a Fabia and an Octavia and found the Octy to be the better screwed together and more substantial feeling of the two. A quick look on Autotrader shows there are diesel Octys within your price bracket but some stellar mileages also. I'm guessing 90% of taxi drivers must buy them for a reason though!
 
Who said old? I've got a Scenic (albeit diesel) which is much the same car, get great economy, probably around 50MPG. With less weight the Megane should be even more efficient. Haven't had any real problems with it, and it's not the newest...
 
I was in your boat a while back, had a commute into work every morning and a girlfriend that lived 16 miles in the opposite direction, in a 2.0 Petrol Pug 406 it was adding up to lots of miles.

Sold it and paid £795 for a 1998 Rover 220SDi and my fuel bill was cut in half straight away now i'm managing 47MPG in traffic and a lot better on a run. Ok it's not as nice to drive as the 406 or anywhere near as refined and there are rattly interior bits, but at the end of the day it's more money in my pocket.

And before anyone says they fall to bits, i've done 23,000 miles in mine since April (it's now on 134k), almost none of which is motorway driving and my driving style is a little harsh to say the least, but it went through it's MOT yesterday and didn't even get so much as an advisory.

All i've done to it work wise since i bought it is change the timing belt, do an oil change and replace the passenger side airbag blanking cover for one out of an MG-ZR as it gives me a little shelf to put my phone on.
 
Biohazard said:
They aren't exactly porches or bimmers are they?..
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Glad someone could read between the lines ;)

Nah seriously though at this sort of money its a lottery with any make of car you buy but my experience of French motors has put me off for life at any price point so I am a bit anti them full stop.
 
Iamzod said:
*snip*
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One thing never done on OcUK is to recommend anything British, I gave up months ago :p

I have a ZS diesel, same engine as yours just brought upto date, and it's brilliant. Tis my 4th British car, and in total I've spent less than I did in 10 months on a Fiesta Diesel, just to keep it on the road...

The L series engines all use Bosch fuel pumps, which are pretty reliable. The only common failures are MAF sensors (on later models) and it's essential to keep to cambelt change intervals.

I paid £1800 for a 2003 reg car with A/C, alloys, half leathers and reliability... can't be bad. ;)
 
VAG TDI, pre PD, maybe a Passat / Golf. I picked mine up for £900 ('99 S Plate 110) and it's the most uninspiring drive ever, but returns 600+ miles to tank easily (around 55mpg)
 
The 1.8TD is rubbish, the 1.8TDCi is good - not sure which you're looking at, but avoid the former.

For decent economy on the cheap, I'd be looking at small petrols (Fiesta 1.25?) but I wouldnt want to do 300 miles a week in one.

Mondeo would handle the mileage well - at sub 2k you're looking at an old Mk3, which is either going to be a high mileage TDCi or an old TDDi, I wouldnt really want either. If you're looking at the Mk2, you're back to the same 1.8TD engine just in a bigger car.

406 HDi isnt a bad option but will probably be a bit rattly/tatty by now, knowing french interiors (although as french interiors go, the 406 is one of the better ones)

Passat TDi would probably get my money - or possibly a Toledo. I sold my V reg SE for 2300 2 years ago - was perfect although due a cambelt change imminently, didnt rattle at all, had loads of kit and wasn't bad on long mileage.

Golf will be expensive for what you get
 
Thanks for the tips so far - Pretty much avoiding the small car area as she often needs to carry pond nets, buckets, chest waders, leaflets by the 1000's and roof bars in the car. (Dont ask...)

Sadly the Fabia is the rubbish old 1.4 8v petrol, so its neither fast nor economical. I used to be able to drag 43/44 out of it on a good run, now thats slid down to around 37/38.

iaind - Thanks a lot for the Ford TD engine tips, I'll read up some more on that as I'm not fully clued up on what engine is what. May as well pay a tad more for the TDCi if there's one around worth looking at. I like the Mondeo, even the older shapes, so might be worth a look.
 
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