Sub £1000 mile muncher

ChrisD.

ChrisD.

ChrisD.

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Joined
20 Sep 2006
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My GF goes to Uni in London 3/4 times a week. She currently gets the train which costs her just under £40 each time she travels, plus I have to take her to the train station at silly O'clock because buses round here are scarce.

Adding her to the insurance on my Teg is a possible solution, however, it's expensive, and I will need the car daily so not really viable. It'll be roughly 90 miles each way so something that is economical is a must. Reliability and comfort are also essential as I do not want her breaking down on the M25 in rush hour.

Any idea? I'm tempted to give her some cash and stretch for an early Focus Derv but I don't know what these are like reliability wise and I don't know what to look out for.

Suggestions appreciated. :)
 
I would be suprised if buying, taxing, insuring and then running and parking a car works out cheaper than using the train, IMHO.
 
A peugeot 306 HDI? Can be had for under a grand. Cheap to run, insure, reliable if serviced!
 
[TW]Fox;16209976 said:
I would be suprised if buying, taxing, insuring and then running and parking a car works out cheaper than using the train, IMHO.
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My first thoughts too, however if it works out more convenient to own a 2nd car (not only due to the commute, but also the advantages it brings outside of the commute), it isn't necessarily a "bad" idea.

For a cheap budget and "economical diesel", I'd be looking at a PSA engined car (Peugeot/Citroen), 306, 406, Xsara, etc
 
[TW]Fox;16209976 said:
I would be suprised if buying, taxing, insuring and then running and parking a car works out cheaper than using the train, IMHO.
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Sounds to me like its more that he cba to take her at 'silly o'clock' :p

I would say citroen xsara?

imagen8we2.jpg


Normally I would say mk2 mondeo, but for a girl maybe not..
 
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[TW]Fox;16209976 said:
I would be suprised if buying, taxing, insuring and then running and parking a car works out cheaper than using the train, IMHO.
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It's for convenience as well, like if she wants to go and see mates, go shopping etc, I don't have to ferry her about. Plus, she can give me a lift home from the pub, which is a nice bonus. :)

Mainly though, if I'm away with work for a week or so (happens often), then she's stuck for getting to and from the train station. For example, the first bus past our village doesn't leave till almost 8 in the morning, she needs to be on the train at 6.15 normally so she'd have to get a taxi into Salisbury (around £7), walk (not viable really due to safety, it's an A road, and it'd take about 45 minutes) or beg a lift from someone which is plausible but a pain to organise I imagine.
 
He doesn't want to get out of bed (and probably doesn't want her driving his Integra but wont admit that), so is prepared to pay for the convenience. I can fully understand.

The diesel Mondeo option is the best choice in terms of economy comfort, safety and cost. A diesel Focus may be more palatable to her but will probably cost more.

I think 180 miles 4 times a week is definitely into the territory where diesel is the best option, but at sub £1000 anything "chic" is going to be a complete nail by now. You're looking at ex repmobiles if you want reliability. Mondeo.


Edit: A Citroen Xantia may also be worth considering. Can't beat them for comfort and if you find a mechanic that knows to get the suspension parts from a generic hydraulic components supplier rather than from Citroen, shouldn't cost too much to run. (Are non-ruined Xsaras really in the sub £1000 bracket these days?)
 
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She's driven my Teg a few times however adding her on the insurance more than doubles the annual price so not worth it. I like the idea of a Mondeo, but don't they have rubbish rear calipers that can be costly?
 
[TW]Fox;16210896 said:
Why bother when GSF sells Spheres for 15 quid?
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I was thinking more of the hoses. Obviously the spheres aren't a generic hydraulic part. An independent Citroen place that knows what they are doing will buy the hoses on a drum for buttons rather than buying them cut to length from a motor factors for a comparatively high price.
 
I thought you wanted a "mile muncher"?

I can't think of anything worse for "munching" miles in than an uncomfortable, loud, craply built, tiny diesel French hatchback.
 
Mondeo DERV will be the result of this thread , Mondeos are allot cheaper than focus of the same year and better for munching the miles.
although the Endura diesel on the MK2 are very underpowered MK3 diesel has a PSA/Ford engine in it with much more power.
 
I can get 60MPG out of my 1.9 Derv Polo, They are Cheap as chips & can be sold for the same in a year. If standard parts are pennys, Uber cheap motoring. :cool:
 
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