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Last year I picked up a Mazda3 1.6 for my sister who does 20kish a year or so. The theory being that it was great value (They are very cheap), was Japanese, and despite being frankly a pretty awful car, would just.... work.
It has emerged from it's MOT with a bill of almost £600 for new shocks on the front and, bizarrely, the sump was completely rusted through. On a 2005 car. Brilliant.
So given its only point in existence was to provide reliable hassle free motoring and it's failed to do this, I'm tempted to move it on and sort her out with...
.... a diesel.
The reason the Mazda3 was purchased is because buying a car last time went against every rule in my book. Her previous car expired, she needed to get to work, so I had to find a car PDQ and had no time to excercise my usual patience in finding something great.
This time I have all the time in the world so I'm tempted to do it properly.
With a budget of between £2k and £3k and with the following criteria:
a) Must be as reliable as is reasonably possible from a £2-3k car
b) Must be economical on a 60 mile a day dual carriageway commute (the Mazda3 manages 25mpg on this. I've never got to the bottom of whether it's simply broken, crap or she droves with lead feet, but hey).
c) Must be at least a bit 'nice'. Can't feel like a downgrade from her 05 Mazda3. Seeing a few Todeloo's with cream leather, climate control, etc.
d) No 17 or 18 inch wheels. Must be able to put 4 decent tyres on it without spending £500.
Seat Todeloo's with the horrible, nasty, noisy and gutless 110 TDI engine appear to fit the bill.
Do they?
I'd be buying a Mondeo TDCi if they didn't have a tendancy to lunch DMF's and drop big bills.
It has emerged from it's MOT with a bill of almost £600 for new shocks on the front and, bizarrely, the sump was completely rusted through. On a 2005 car. Brilliant.
So given its only point in existence was to provide reliable hassle free motoring and it's failed to do this, I'm tempted to move it on and sort her out with...
.... a diesel.
The reason the Mazda3 was purchased is because buying a car last time went against every rule in my book. Her previous car expired, she needed to get to work, so I had to find a car PDQ and had no time to excercise my usual patience in finding something great.
This time I have all the time in the world so I'm tempted to do it properly.
With a budget of between £2k and £3k and with the following criteria:
a) Must be as reliable as is reasonably possible from a £2-3k car
b) Must be economical on a 60 mile a day dual carriageway commute (the Mazda3 manages 25mpg on this. I've never got to the bottom of whether it's simply broken, crap or she droves with lead feet, but hey).
c) Must be at least a bit 'nice'. Can't feel like a downgrade from her 05 Mazda3. Seeing a few Todeloo's with cream leather, climate control, etc.
d) No 17 or 18 inch wheels. Must be able to put 4 decent tyres on it without spending £500.
Seat Todeloo's with the horrible, nasty, noisy and gutless 110 TDI engine appear to fit the bill.
Do they?
I'd be buying a Mondeo TDCi if they didn't have a tendancy to lunch DMF's and drop big bills.
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