Car hunting time :-)

BlastRadius · 9 Dec 2010 at 17:03

The money is in the bank and I'm ready to spend.

I have looked at all options to meet my requirements and over the past couple of months have decided on a 7th Gen Civic type S (EV1 with a K20A3 - I believe).

This has the internal room I need for 2 adults, a ten year old and a 2 year old in a car seat. I think it still looks good enough, and with 160BHP (Vtec yo) it should be enough to shift me about when needed.

I am going to test drive another one tomorrow, sounds promising.

55 plate so it has the facelift along with VSA, also has parking sensors and a couple of other extras - not the nav unit though. 34k on the clock with 5 honda stamps.

Does anybody on here have any advice on what to look for apart from the usual? Does anyone have any particular reason to hate it?

I would like to have reliable, reasonably economical driving for 3 years - any other options?

Matt-Page · 9 Dec 2010 at 17:29

What's your budget?
What's your mileage per year?
What sort of driving do you do? (Around town? Motorway?)

BlastRadius · 9 Dec 2010 at 19:55

Budget is 6k to 7k.

Driving is A road nsl mainly, occasional 400 mile round trip.

I do 5 to 8 thousand miles a year.

Have already discounted golf, mondeo, focus and any Hyundai.

ajstan · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:05

Wait 7th gen Civic? By that you mean this shape?

£6k for that would be a pretty large amount of money for an old shape civic

BlastRadius · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:14

Yes that is a 7th gen civic.

The one I want is priced under 6k, and is a facelift 55 plate, probably the last one out of the factory? I have wrestled with the fact It's a 5 year old car that has been superseded by a new model. Being a type s seems to mean that they hold value well? Not too sure I like 8th gen civic.

Am struggling to find something I want, I always loved the civic.

ajstan · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:17

Well if you like it I'm sure it's a good car (although I've never driven one) - I just wanted to point out that you can get an 8th gen like this for only a small amount more

BlastRadius · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:31

And that is my dilemma in a nutshell. 500 quid and it could be an 8th gen, not sure on the performance difference though.

[TW]Fox · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:32

Buy a Jetta. It's like a 7th gen Civic only not cheap and nasty.

What the hell is it with me and the Jetta love recently.

DM · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:36

[TW]Fox;17966779 said:
Buy a Jetta. It's like a 7th gen Civic only not cheap and nasty.

What the hell is it with me and the Jetta love recently.

Yea its worse than me and Saabs, shape up

[TW]Fox · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:37

Just think they are great generic vehicles. I mean thats all he wants, 'some car'. A Jetta is 'some half decent car' for £6k. The 7th Gen Civic is 'some epic lol' for £6k.

ajstan · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:45

[TW]Fox;17966779 said:
Buy a Jetta. It's like a 7th gen Civic only not cheap and nasty.

What the hell is it with me and the Jetta love recently.

Not Jettas again :rolleyes:

They are super rare as well actually, I was just looking on autotrader, and there are 20 Petrols for sale in a 100mile radius of my house (in London).

And yh OP, £6k is quite a lot to spend on an old shape civic

[TW]Fox · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:46

Petrol anything is rare, it's all about saving 10p a week on fuel by driving a noisy clattery pile of crap these days.

BlastRadius · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:48

[TW]Fox;17966779 said:
Buy a Jetta. It's like a 7th gen Civic only not cheap and nasty.

What the hell is it with me and the Jetta love recently.

Oddly enough you have said this often enough for me to now go and have another look on autotrader - for Jettas.

The wifey has a golf though, too similar?

ajstan · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:49

It's just a golf saloon, bit quieter on motorway with a bit less practicality and quite a bit cheaper

DM · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:50

BlastRadius said:
Oddly enough you have said this often enough for me to now go and have another look on autotrader - for Jettas.

The wifey has a golf though, too similar?

Just make sure you park the Jetta nose in on the drive so people can see the boot and tell the difference

[TW]Fox · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:51

BlastRadius said:
Oddly enough you have said this often enough for me to now go and have another look on autotrader - for Jettas.

The wifey has a golf though, too similar?

It's a Mk5 Golf with better spec and is a saloon instead of a hatchback. They tried to make it an upmarket alternative to a Golf. Obviously they failed, but it's still not that bad for just going from A to B and stuff.

BlastRadius · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:54

That's a negative on the Jetta. Nothing within 100 miles of me that isn't diesel and moon mileage.

Should also state that I will need to trade in my current car. As a trade in it's worth £1200 to £1500 ( what I have been offered already) so I will be topping up with £4.5k cash.

DM · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:55

Travel further, it takes one day to travel, you got to live with the car years.

BlastRadius · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:58

DiamondMark said:
Travel further, it takes one day to travel, you got to live with the car years.

To be honest, I am having trouble finding any Jetta that tickles my fancy. The listed cars seem a bit ropey, or too much or low spec or aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrghhh.

ajstan · 9 Dec 2010 at 20:59

Is a saloon ideal for someone who wants to carry a 2year old and probably (and I'm just guessing) a whole load of toddler crap, like small bikes, tricycles and a buggy.

Maybe something that's a hatchback is a better idea?