I'd like a car for under £5K

fiveub

fiveub

fiveub

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Hey all,

I am after a new car, currently have a Ford Focus 1999 1.6 Black, had it for 2 years, and done me well. However things are starting to go wrong on me now, and I fancy a treat.

So these below are the 'I wants'.

I want to spend no more than 5K.
I want a car which doesn't cost too much to run, my Focus was a nice cost for me.
I want something that is new, has great features on it.
I want something reliable.
I want a smallish car, so hatchback/coupé or something similar.

I have been thinking, as I like the Focus so much to get a newer model, with more bells and whistles. However, this was my first car, and I feel something different may be better, and I may be able to get something better for 5K.

So what do you think Motors? :)

I did like the Honda Civic 1.8 Type S, but seems like most of the ones in my budget have done a lot of miles.

So this thread is made to hopefully give me some insight, and settle on a car I want and like!
 
The Civic has many more 'bells and whistles' than the mk2 Focus, which doesn't have many more bells and whistles than the old one.
 
rossk26 said:
Check out a Mazda 3 sport

They come fairly well equipped compared to the equivalent Focus/Astra
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This.

£5k should easily see you getting a nice face-lift version with around 50k miles on it, like this one. Standard spec is excellent with cruise, xenons, auto lights, auto wipers, Bose audio and good looking 17" wheels. Comfortable for the class of car, decent economy (mid 40s on a run) and cheap to service as they're a focus/mondeo underneath, and pretty much bomb-proof.
 
I don't know if it is new enough but I picked up my 2004 64k mile Audi A4 1.8t (190) S-line for £4900. The level of kit is however dependant on whatever the purchaser chose. I think the SE model has more kit?

You just have to watch out for roof gutter corrosion on them that's all.
 
What you want Steve is a well looked after, enthusiast owned Civic Type R. In Cosmic Grey

For £4k.
 
Voxination said:
This.

£5k should easily see you getting a nice face-lift version with around 50k miles on it, like this one. Standard spec is excellent with cruise, xenons, auto lights, auto wipers, Bose audio and good looking 17" wheels. Comfortable for the class of car.
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I agree. I've got a 2008 2.0 Sport almost identical to the one above, mines only done 40k.

decent economy (mid 40s on a run)
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I can't get that out of mine. Best run is 39MPG with the cruise set just under 70mph on the motorway. At 80mph it drops to 36MPG. Around town, 29-30MPG if you're careful and short shift. I've averaged 33MPG since I've had mine.

Cheap to service as they're a focus/mondeo underneath
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They share a lot of parts with the Focus. I can't think of anything other than an oil filter it might share with a Mondeo. Service parts are cheap, but anything from a Mazda dealer is very expensive. I could do with a couple of bits of trim for mine but the prices are laughable. Glove box lid £160. Bit of trim around the electric window switches - £45.

and pretty much bomb-proof.
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They are generally solid, but both front and rear suspension seem nowhere near as strong and solid as a Focus. Listen carefully for any knocks or clunks. I found the steering on mine a bit vague at speed. I swapped the front droplinks out a couple of weeks ago and it has improved matters, but the front wishbone bushes look surprisingly worn for a car that's only done 40k.

I would describe my 3 as fit for purpose. I wanted a medium hatch so my GF would drive it, and I wanted climate and cruise control which are both difficult to find on a Focus, let alone together. I don't think it steers as well as a Focus, and the handling isn't quite as sharp - but it rides pretty well. The 2.0 engine is quite torquey low down - I was surprised coming from a 2.2 diesel, but it doesn't come alive until it hits the VVT about 4K.

The 2.0 3's are not well loved on the used market, so haggle hard. You can get a nice one for £4k. For £5k, try and find a 58 or 09 plate car. These had a standard leather interior, piano black interior trim and a radio with MP3 and aux in.
 
blueboy2001 said:
I can't get that out of mine. Best run is 39MPG with the cruise set just under 70mph on the motorway. At 80mph it drops to 36MPG. Around town, 29-30MPG if you're careful and short shift. I've averaged 33MPG since I've had mine.
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I must drive like a granny, as geekman had the same sort of economy you're saying, but my record was 47 MPG on a run at 65/70, average throughout ownership was 33 like yours, but that was mostly town driving.

They share a lot of parts with the Focus. I can't think of anything other than an oil filter it might share with a Mondeo.
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Probably very little shared of the Mondeo, the guy who serviced mine (not Mazda) said something about Mondeo engines so I nodded and said ok, whilst handing over my cash :p



Also Mazda servicing is quite £lol, they told me it had to be done by age and not mileage, and then tried to sell me a service plan at many hundreds, ended up taking it to an indy lol. Basically only go to Mazda if you have to.
 
Some different views on the Mazda 3 then. Sounds similar to a Focus with modern style/features on it. But costly to run when it comes to servicing/parts?
 
The servicing parts are cheap, the expensive bits are the various parts that you could go to Mazda for (like interior trim, or replacement panels etc) however they are expensive at every manufacturer, not just Mazda.
 
For short journeys should I consider petrol? With what sized engine? I am quite liking the Mazda, seems to come out well in reviews I've seen so far. :)
 
Petrol for short journeys.

The 1.6 petrol is nice, though personally I was looking at the 2.0, perhaps test drive both.

It seems like a good alternate to the focus. I would check the rear arches on any 3 you look at, both the 2004 and 2006 plate one I checked had rust, the third did not.

Do not let this put you off though hopefully the newer ones you look at will not have this issue, just look after it.
 
5UB said:
For short journeys should I consider petrol? With what sized engine? I am quite liking the Mazda, seems to come out well in reviews I've seen so far. :)
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Definitely Petrol, everyone wants Diesel yet are unsure of why and just decides to buy them because it's 'the' thing to do. (my uncles after a car and it's been infuriating me as to him just looking at Diesels when all he does is zip around the town a bit.
 
So at the moment, the Ford Focus, and Mazda 3 are the two to choose from, any other cars which are similar or think that are better for the price and for what I will be using it for?
 
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