non-dull, kinda practical second car for £7500?

[GeX]

Current family car is a Civic (1.8). It's big enough for us (two small kids), but it's not the most fun thing in the world. We don't do a lot of miles in it (about 5K a year) and so getting a second car seems daft, BUT, the school that one of my daughters now goes to is a pain to walk to and it's taking me 90minutes round trip in the morning.. it's only two days a week.. but.. why not get another car?

I'm looking for something that's not dull, I need to be able to get child seats in the back, it's going to do a lot of small trips as I'll use it for work too which is only a mile and a bit away. I don't have a garage or driveway, or the time to do extensive work on a car myself (have done engine transplants and all sorts in the past). I started looking at GT86s, and MK2 Audi TTs.. then realised the GT86 is closer to £10k and a TT has even more comedy spec rear seats. I began thinking I should get a second car that can at least stand in and carry the family on small trips if I don't want to drive the Civic.

I'm flailing from spending more for something I really want, vs just getting something cheaper that'll do and maybe look again when the second hand car market is less crazy?

Some cars I've considered. Perhaps not these specific ones;

Alfa Romeo Giulietta​

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207258112855 (1.4t / MultiAir)
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209199907875 (1.8t / TBI)

Honda Civic​

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206026430894 (2009, type r)
Not sure I want two Civics, but.. meh, I know the platform

Audi TT​

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209230035958 (2008, 2.0 TFSI)

MINI Hatch​

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208299225164 (Cooper S)

or do I spend more and get something like this Golf GTI https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/13933549 (though that's CAT S, hence price?).

Not really sure what do, or if there's stuff I should be considering. I'm weary of 'cheap' high performance cars with massive V8s or multiple turbos as I expect in my budget they're all ticking timebombs and I need the car to stay reliable.

 

[GeX]

If you like the idea of the Golf, surely the obvious answer is a Seat Leon. For 7.5k you can find FR’s or older Cupra’s.

I had a look at them, but wasn't sure where they compared and the ones I looked at looked.. poor inside. I'll look again though.

The most fun would be the mini cooper s. I have a plain Cooper (slightly newer model) and it's a blast. The s would be even better. But keep in mind it really is a small car.

When you say semi practical what do you mean? E.g. the mini back seats actually aren't too bad but the boot is tiny, while the TT has a great boot and tiny back seats.

Semi practical in that I'll be using it to take the kids to school. It needs backseats that I can put rear facing child seats in.

Do you know of things to watch out for them, or aware of decent buying guide? I know next to nothing about them.

Worth noting that an FR is just a trim level, usually just a tad lower and bigger wheels. It's not a performance model, they're all mundane except the Cupras.

Thanks for the tip there.

Got to be a Mini Cooper S. Anything else is just too similar to the Honda (and you may as well combine budgets and get one all purpose car).

We do need it to be a second car, despite us doing such low mileage. There are times were we just need two vehicles.

That version Type R is the most boring ever made, literally the worst R.

I was looking at them as it's the same gen as the 5 door Civic we already have, and it takes boxes for not (too) dull and practical due to the rear seats and boot size.

 

[GeX]

Mazda 6 ? handling, practical, and a reliable NA engine, like civic, https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208259121506

It's ended up too practical, I'm not looking to replace the Civic as the main family car. I remember the MPS being interesting though, I'll take a look at smaller ones!

I just picked up a Fiesta St 2014 for 6k - if you can get over the image its tons of fun for not a huge amount.

I can't, unfortuneatly. There was a house down our broken into (middle of the night, they smashed a 6ft x 6ft double glazed window with a hammer to get in) so that they could steal the Fiesta ST that was parked outside. It's put fast Fords on the 'nope' list for our family. (Yes I know it can happen with any car, but it is what it is)

Common Gen 2 MINI Problems

Lohen is a MINI specialist based in Staffordshire, providing a wide range of new MINI parts, upgrades, and performance tuning for all generations and models of MINI...

www.lohen.co.uk

I'm not a Mini expert but I believe chain tensioner failure is the biggest issue with them. So listen out for chain rattle when cold.

I've been warned that the Gen 2 is a PSA Prince engine and is not good, better to avoid and get a Gen 1 or Gen 3. I'll keep looking though, thanks.

You could have a look at a five-door ZC32S Suzuki Swift Sport. Lots of upgrades, compared to the regular Swift, and a hoot to drive. They're also compact, easy to live with, reliable, and the running costs are sensible (you'll probably average in the region of a true 40mpg, for example).

Comfortable enough to use for long trips, too, and they come with stacks of equipment – including excellent bi-xenon lights (so refreshing compared to the junk halogens of many an alternative), climate control, keyless entry and start, and cruise control. Got Isofix in the rear.

Random example: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209260128816

Just watch out for excessive valvetrain/timing chain noise (the latter of which is rare, but it's still worth listening for), inoperative air conditioning, and used 'n' abused examples that could require significant titivation. Quite a few are getting to that point now where they probably need discs and pads all round, and possibly some suspension bits, so it's worth having a good look at any potential purchase and crunching any relevant numbers before jumping in with both feet.

Plenty of comparatively inexpensive upgrades available, too, which is always neat. Go for an aftermarket intake straight away; the usual pitfalls aside, it's just worth it for the noise. The engine's quiet and unexciting when pressing on, otherwise, in standard form, which is a bit at odds with the car's nature.

Just a fun and uncomplicated naturally aspirated hatch.

These weren't even on my radar, I'll take a look - my only concern is it is straying into being too much like the Civic.

 

[GeX]

It is a shame, and me 15 years ago would've been all over one

Things like https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206056490029 keep popping up on my search now though...

 

[GeX]

It would be the Swift sport for me

Looking at them, they're around the same power and 0-60 as the Civic we already have. I'm not looking to replace the Civic, I wanted something more fun that'd be primarily 'my' car (but I do need be able to put the kids in the back to save me getting soaked getting them to school)

That will be a money pit. Huge doors making getting in and out in car parks and putting the kids in the back a massive pain too.

buutttt *makes zoomie noises

 

[GeX]

Yeah, granted it's about 200KG lighter but it's book time is 0.1 seconds slower to 60. That's probably because it requries another gear change, so it's not a decent comparison either.

I won't get an ST for reasons stated above!

 

[GeX]

Yeah, regardless of the security system if people are willing to be so brazen in taking them then I don’t want one. I saw them escape, and the police came to see us about it. The family whose car it was moved. There were faster / more expensive cars on the street.
As I say, on the nope list.

 

[GeX]

Totally agree, car keys stay downstairs and on the table / sideboard. If someone breaks in then they can take the car and leave me and my family alone!