Looking for an upgrade

Joined
5 Aug 2006
Posts
11,359
Location
Derbyshire
Afternoon OCUK.

As 2 months time I will be 23, 2 years ncb, driving for 6 years and will be living in the second best area code. The car will be kept in a private multi-storey covered in cameras, so getting it bashed isn't likely to happen.

I drive a 2000 1.0 micra. It has been brilliant and cost me 1 hour of labour to fix in the 6 years I have owned it. However, it is time for an upgrade.
I start getting paid each month and within 2-3 months I can top-up my car savings to have £5000. In 6 months I could have £8000 though.

I don't really need a car but I am torn between keeping the Micra as it is mechanically perfect, or to upgrade through nothing but pure want. I would be doing about 3000-5000 miles per year, so diesel can sod off.

I would like something with a touch of poke to it, aircon, electric windows - Not exactly narrowing it down am I :p.
I have had insurance quotes on many hot hatches and the only ones that came in over £1000 were imprezas (£1600 for the 300hp STI).

I have been looking online at the first generation Skoda Octavia VRS. The insurance comes in at a decent £750ish (£200 less than a Golf GTI!) and the car is significantly cheaper, yet has the same powertrain. I have also looked at Golf GTI's MK4, Leon Cupra MK1 (inc. R), Civic Type-R, Mondeo ST220. I have also looked at Jettas as they seem to be a 'Golf Saloon' yet are very reasonably priced.
The Mazda 3 MPS is going in the bin as I am not paying £450 to tax a car, but I have no issues with £250 tax ones.

I want a car that is fun with decent reliability.
I have test driven nothing at the moment.
 
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3000miles p/a = under 58miles per week.

5000miles p/a = under 97 miles per week.

Your mileage per week is less than mine yet I don't use my car from Monday to Friday as I work and live in my truck all week....

It seems a tad low to put it mildly! ;)

If its accurate, then you may as well find a nice V8 or V12!!! (although your insurers would probably think otherwise alas)
 
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3000miles p/a = under 58miles per week.

5000miles p/a = under 97 miles per week.

Your mileage per week is less than mine yet I don't use my car at all from Monday to Friday.

It seems a tad low to put it mildly! ;)

I live on Campus and have no need to drive to work. I would drive 5 miles a week to Tesco and possibly the 80 mile around trip to home may be twice a month.

In 6 years the Micra has done 22,000 miles and one of the years I worked 5 days a week in one place then Sundays somewhere else that was an 80 mile around trip, which means some years I only did 3000 PA.
 
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Tbh in that case I'd keep the Micra if I were you (painful as it may be with an itch to change), keep saving & have something really* nice once you graduate. :)


* NOT an MG!:p:D
 
We've already seen one prominemt Motors member chage 'for the sake of it' and he isn't happy, and trying to flog it off. My advice - stick with the Micra till it dies!
 
We've already seen one prominemt Motors member chage 'for the sake of it' and he isn't happy, and trying to flog it off. My advice - stick with the Micra till it dies!

Assuming we are talking about Fox he bought a new car because his spreadsheet told him he could have a newer car for the same monthly outlay. Completely different to the OP's situation of wanting something new for change sake.
 
A man with impeccable taste ;)

I love my one but that is because of the mix of practicality and performance on a budget. If you don't need the practicality of a hot hatch how about something like an MX-5?

I am 6ft 3 and a bit chubby, so no MX5 I am afraid!
I have briefly considered the idea but I would want a hardtop (a soft top convertible is just madness in the UK!) and these cost a fair bit more.

Is that really a deal breaker??

Any extra 50/60p per day...

Almost half my monthly income on tax just seems mental. Especially when it pays for a small white circle in my windscreen that does absolutely nothing.

We've already seen one prominemt Motors member chage 'for the sake of it' and he isn't happy, and trying to flog it off. My advice - stick with the Micra till it dies!

I had the Micra at 17. I said I will keep it until University ends. Then I did a year and changed course, just one more year extra. Then I did a placement.

The time has come where I have put up with a slow, uncomfortable car all my driving life and just want something nice for once.
Everything works on the Micra, if I keep it until it dies it could be another 5 years.....
 
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Clio 182 :p

Focus ST must be in that price range also?

Members on here have posted about their Clios and it seems they need a lot of repairs each year to keep on the road.
I have also heard they are uncomfortable for tall drivers.

An ST Focus can be had for £7000-8000 for a 2007 one.

I forgot to mention, I point blank refuse to purchase a Peugeot, a Citroen or a Vauxhall :p.
 
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That is pure pot luck, they are pretty cheap to run. 35+mpg on a long run.

Servicing is dirt cheap, brakes etc are all very cheap. Yes the belts have to be changed at 36k but then its expected.
 
Is a MK1 Octavia a good bet? A relative's (who is very good hand-on with vehicles) son had a Leon Cupra MK1 with the 1.8T engine and it was a nightmare, but I don't know the condition nor mileage of the vehicle. I have heard the 1.8T is pretty reliable though.

I just see the Octavia as really good value almost-hot car, that looks good yet with a VAG drivetrain it should be pretty good at not breaking. I have looked at Leon's online and it seems they have various niggling issues.
 
The 1.8T engine can be quite niggly don't think VAG = trouble free. My 306 in comparison was MUCH more reliable than my Octavia and it was both older and higher mileage.

My one has needed 2 coolant sensors, lamda sensor, clutch and DMF, 2 front springs, tie rod, a section of wiring loom, oil level sensor, steering rack, new coil packs and probably some other stuff that I forgot :p on top of the usual consumables. That is in 4 years and just shy of 60k.

That said I agree with you when you say that it is a good value warm hatch. I also think it looks better than the Mk4 Golf and Leon alternatives but that might just be me :o

If you want to take it from a warm hatch into dipping your toe into hot hatch territory a remap will see it at over 200bhp with shed loads of torque and a rear anti roll bar is the best bang for buck you are ever likely to get from a handling mod.
 
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Assuming we are talking about Fox he bought a new car because his spreadsheet told him he could have a newer car for the same monthly outlay. Completely different to the OP's situation of wanting something new for change sake.

Links? When did he decide he wanted to flog it?
 
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