yeah and I appreciate the input but when I say I dont want one, I dont want people to go "no you do, you just dont know enough" I dont particularly like the old shape Leon (and I cant afford the new one) the reason I have been looking at them though is that they are hatchbacks, cheap and reliable (from what I've heard) as I've said, if I really didnt care, I'd have bought a mondeo 10 minutes after deciding I need a new car.
Too good to be true?
- Thread starter anksta
- Start date
yeah and I appreciate the input but when I say I dont want one, I dont want people to go "no you do, you just dont know enough" I dont particularly like the old shape Leon (and I cant afford the new one) the reason I have been looking at them though is that they are hatchbacks, cheap and reliable (from what I've heard) as I've said, if I really didnt care, I'd have bought a mondeo 10 minutes after deciding I need a new car.
I think people just need to understand what your thinking is for specifically wanting a hatchback - if we understand then we can help better. So why don't you want a saloon? If a Leon is cheap and reliably, so is a Toledo. The Toledo's actually cheaper to insure IME anyway. Is it an image thing?
is it a bit of an image thing I have to admit, I'm trying to save money and it keeps me up at night worrying about things like getting a new car and there isn't much stopping me just going and getting cheap, crappest thing going like a corsa or something, simply because it goes.
I know that that argument could be easily used to justify buying a toledo or a mondeo, but if I resort to buying something like that, I definitely wont be spending that amount of money, I'd drive a mondeo or a toledo and perfectly satisfied with both the reliability and the looks, but certainly not for 1500 quid.
If I have to drive soemthing like that, then I'm definitely not paying more than a grand, and even then begrudgingly, if I'm spending 1500, then i'm getting something that I like.
I hope that clears it up a little bit, sorry for snapping a little bit in my last post, I know you guys only come on here to offer advice and I do appreciate it, I just really worry about spending this amount of money.
Best small hatchback diesel for £1500.
http://pistonheads.com/sales/1223710.htm
2003 110bhp common-rail diesel with long mot and tax, auto wipers, lights, aircon, trip computer, cd changer etc.
Ok it looks pretty horrible but you can't really be picky at this price point.
http://pistonheads.com/sales/1223710.htm
2003 110bhp common-rail diesel with long mot and tax, auto wipers, lights, aircon, trip computer, cd changer etc.
Ok it looks pretty horrible but you can't really be picky at this price point.
The thing is, 1500 quid really isnt a lot of money for a car so you can't be fussy or even expect to fully satisfy every requirement/desirable you have.
The first thing I do when buying a car is put together a list of what I want, specific or otherwise in order of priorities and try and work from that. If it appears that I cant satisfy everything, I'll start knocking them off from the bottom until my budget works. So your list of requirements as I see it are:
1)Cheap to buy (relatively, lets talk value for money rather than cost)
2)Cheap to own
3)Reliable
4)Image/style
So going through the options
- Focus TDDI probably ticks 1,2 and maybe 4 (although not in white)
- A3 probably ticks 4 and a bit of 3.
- 306 ticks 1,2 and 4
So its beginning to look like your budget wont get you all 4, so the sensible thing is to satisfy 1, 2 and 3 and something that doesnt make you look like a pleb for a bit of 4. Thats the Toledo unfortunately - very good VFM (lots of car for the money), cheap to insure and economical, reliable (in my experience) - and, although you may not like saloons, they're smart and subtle.
The first thing I do when buying a car is put together a list of what I want, specific or otherwise in order of priorities and try and work from that. If it appears that I cant satisfy everything, I'll start knocking them off from the bottom until my budget works. So your list of requirements as I see it are:
1)Cheap to buy (relatively, lets talk value for money rather than cost)
2)Cheap to own
3)Reliable
4)Image/style
So going through the options
- Focus TDDI probably ticks 1,2 and maybe 4 (although not in white)
- A3 probably ticks 4 and a bit of 3.
- 306 ticks 1,2 and 4
So its beginning to look like your budget wont get you all 4, so the sensible thing is to satisfy 1, 2 and 3 and something that doesnt make you look like a pleb for a bit of 4. Thats the Toledo unfortunately - very good VFM (lots of car for the money), cheap to insure and economical, reliable (in my experience) - and, although you may not like saloons, they're smart and subtle.
yeah I appreciate those 4 points iaind, does a golf not tick all 4? There hasn't been much talked about golfs, they might be dearer to buy than say a toledo, or in fact anything that has been mentioned other than an A3 perhaps but I have seen some decent ones, diesel, mileage around 100k for about the 1500 mark, is that not worth it?
That xsara is alright for the money, but again my point from before is if I'm gonna spend that money, I wanna get something that I at least like, I'd get a xsara for less, around the grand mark, but the way I see it, if I have to sacrifice one of the points iaind said above, I'm gonna do it to boost one of his other points.
That xsara is alright for the money, but again my point from before is if I'm gonna spend that money, I wanna get something that I at least like, I'd get a xsara for less, around the grand mark, but the way I see it, if I have to sacrifice one of the points iaind said above, I'm gonna do it to boost one of his other points.
but would you not want a golf/A3 for that money because you dont particularly like them or for a specific reason? Because I've always liked Mark IV golfs and I'd definitely take a half decent one without ridiculously high mileage for 1500 quid.
Mainly because you can't buy a decent A3 or MK4 Golf for £1500.
I'm probably one of the few people on here who like the Mk4 Golf! I still wouldnt have a 1500 quid one - double that and you're probably onto something.
I'd never buy a car at the very bottom of the price range - they're cheap for a reason. Mk4 Golfs only start at about 1500 quid, whereas something like a 306/Focus/Toledo will start at sub 1k
I'd just get a Tidy 1.6 Focus
I'd never buy a car at the very bottom of the price range - they're cheap for a reason. Mk4 Golfs only start at about 1500 quid, whereas something like a 306/Focus/Toledo will start at sub 1k
I'd just get a Tidy 1.6 Focus
I was thinking about that but they're petrol aren't the 1.6s? What with it being 1.6 and petrol the insurance wont really drop and how reliable are the petrol engines? What sort of mileage as well on a 1.6 petrol Focus?
well I checked the mpg in my coupe for the first time the other day and it said 38.8mpg and that was over 800 miles, of which I'd say at least 700 were motorway so 40 in a Focus isn't gonna make that much difference is it?
Having said that though, 45 in a diesel isn't gonna make any difference in my fuel costs is it given the cost of diesel?
Just to add my usual dump of 306 propaganda, in the diesel bracket you have 2 options (3, but the na derv is
) : The DT (XRDT,XTDT,DTurbo) - This has a pretty bomb proof engine which can be screw modded for ULTIMATE POWAH (115ish BHP) if you are that way inclined. Otherwise its not a bad engine, rather economical - interior can wear badly if mistreated as can bodywork, servicing and parts are fairly cheap and it will likley see you past 200k if looked after.
The HDi is the better engine, its common rail derv and can be easily remapped if you wish, its even more economical but parts and servicing can get expensive as its fairly complex - usually comes with better spec and is usually reliable also.
They only do one 1.6 Petrol. Zetec is the trim/spec to go for. You want to be spending £1500 for one, if you were willing to part £1400 for a nasty old diesel Focus, why would you consider parting with less for a much better model?
You shouldnt be setting your budget based on the fact you think they're "alright" (presumably from looking at pictures) - set your budget based on what is necessary to buy the car that meets your requirements. As janesy said, that number's about 1500 quid not 1200