Used car options for ~£8,000

[eggy]

I'm buying a new car soon; just wondered the majority's opinions on options within my specs and price range. I've had quite a few small cars in the past, looking for something a little more sturdy on the road. So, I put together a list of my wants, and came up with this...

• At least 1.6 petrol or 1.9 diesel
• 5-door hatchback
• No French makes (or Rover/MG)
• Nothing older than a '53 plate (that's 2nd half of 2003 for foreigners)
• Preferably 2004+
• All the standard 'luxuries' - air con/cd stereo/alloys/electric windows etc
• No more than 20,000 miles
• Around £7,000-£8,000

So, looking at my own needs, I've come up with several options...all of which I like the look of.

I'm test driving them at the weekend, but any advice on alternatives I haven't considered, or specific models/engine types etc on these cars would be great!

• Honda Civic 1.6i SE
• Ford Focus (unsure of model/engine types - need advice)
• Seat Leon (again, uncertain which one!)
• VW Golf (prolly 1.6 SE)
• Skoda Fabia (high-end, possibly VRS)

On first looks, I've always thought VWs to look pretty dull. All of the above cars are reliable and well-built. Previously had a Toyota - hesitant about a 'Grandpa' Corolla (although was considering it)...

My current favourite is the Civic idea.

Any advice or thoughts are welcome.

 

[Lamp]

Seat Leon, definitely.

(Re-read the post title after mistakenly reading "used tampons for £8000"...don't ask why...)

 

[tris-]

cant you get a new focus for around 6k?

VW may look plain outside, but they are good cars. i have a 1.4 polo and its like shit off a stick when the pedal goes down.

fabias are 'ok'. ive tryed driving my mothers but i cant get to grips with the shitty gear box and the way things are only a milimeter from their point of action. like the hand break and the accelerator peddel. touch it slightly and all hell breaks loose.

 

[eggy]

cant you get a new focus for around 6k?

VW may look plain outside, but they are good cars. i have a 1.4 polo and its like shit off a stick when the pedal goes down.

fabias are 'ok'. ive tryed driving my mothers but i cant get to grips with the shitty gear box and the way things are only a milimeter from their point of action. like the hand break and the accelerator peddel. touch it slightly and all hell breaks loose.

Doubt it; if so, a really really low-end crap one.

Aye, I know VWs are good (and therefore Skoda and Seat, same basis), but I have always considered them pretty boring cars - although I will definitely test one at the weekend.

I'd be thinking a VRS Fabia by the way.

 

[[slim]]

My mates just got a brand new Clio .. £8k very smart indeed.

 

[Calaen]

if you can pick up a leon for that price go for it they come with all the shit.

 

[Alan]

Id put 6k in an ISA then spend 2k on a bog standard car to get me through the next 4 or 5 years

 

[cHodAX]

You just can't beat a Honda, they go for ever, do everything you ask of them and then dare you to try for more. Seriously though, I know 4 people with Honda's and they all rave about them to the point of fanatacism. They might not be flash or trendy but 18 million V-TEC engines and counting without one major failure cannot be a bad thing.

 

[Sparx]

the newer focus are nice

 

[eggy]

Id put 6k in an ISA then spend 2k on a bog standard car to get me through the next 4 or 5 years

Why? Money isn't a problem, I don't want any aspect of my life to be bog standard

 

[Sparx]

is it just me or was that the worst grammer ever?

 

[Alan]

Why? Money isn't a problem, I don't want any aspect of my life to be bog standard

Damn i envy you.

Still, another 12-18 months and ill be 700 a month better off cant wait.

 

[Dandare]

For looks I'd go for the Leon.
But after owning a Focus I'd say go for that with all round performance, handling, and relability.
Mine was the 1.8 zetec 16v, which is miles better than the 2.0 version.
Can't advice on the 1.6 focus but had mine superschipped and was good for 130bhp.

 

[eggy]

You just can't beat a Honda, they go for ever, do everything you ask of them and then dare you to try for more. Seriously though, I know 4 people with Honda's and they all rave about them to the point of fanatacism. They might not be flash or trendy but 18 million V-TEC engines and counting without one major failure cannot be a bad thing.

Aye, I've been told the same things!

 

[Chronictank]

Audi A8 but the insurance on it will make you cringe, voted focus from the options above.
If you are getting a civic i wouldnt get anything other than a sport because they are <3, only thing that may or may not bug you is that everything in the newer models is controlled electronically so you will need to pay a official/associatd dealer to perform your service to reset the counter or whatever, which is normally more expensive than a generic one
Stick with a german car and avoid french ones like the plague and you will be ok

 

[Dreamor]

I'd say for money value probably a VW Golf but I am drawn to the Ford Focus - mainly cos a few at work have them and when we go away for events etc its a comfortable drive and they have never had any real major problems with them
Honda Civic was nice to drive, Seat Leon has some nice deatures nowadays but only on the new new ones

For a bargain I'd go up north for value for money, a guy here went to Nuneaton and bought a Focus and saved himself a whopping £3-4000 on his original quote.

 

[eggy]

Audi A8 but the insurance on it will make you cringe, voted focus from the options above.

lol, Audi A8 doesnt' quite fit the price range I've specified there

If you are getting a civic i wouldnt get anything other than a sport because they are <

I was considering a 1.6 Sport, but they only come in 3 door. Not necessarily a problem though.

 

[Darzil]

I'd go with Focus, but then I've said that ever since I first test drove one (and had one for 3 years).

Personally I prefer the looks of the 3 door Focus over the 5 door, and prefer the shape and dashboard of the older one (pre 04 I think it is). Sadly the all the gubbins Focus only came in 5 door, so I went for that one last time.

Darzil

 

[Chronictank]

lol, Audi A8 doesnt' quite fit the price range I've specified there
.

depends if you want it now, or are willing to wait around for a good deal.
Car auctions are great , but you need someone who knows their stuff to go with you

 

[Calaen]

I got myself a Ford Mondeo Zetec S 2.0 TDci for £8000 in february had 28k miles on it and nice sports kit. fucking love it.

I had ordered a seat leon sport in December but the garage really fucked me about so I spent what I had saved as a deposit which was 9k on my car my insurance and my private reg plate so happy days!!!!!!

 

[Alan]

Actualy I've decided...

Other

Spoiler

Drooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool.

 

[eggy]

Motorbikes are the most idiotic, careless and dangerous contraptions ever invented.

Wouldn't touch one with a pole.

 

[Belgerath]

Evo 4/5 with full service history and only about 30K miles is no more than 8k 5 doors and shit ur pants performance, + ull look the man in 1 of those 2bh

 

[eggy]

Evo 4/5 with full service history and only about 30K miles is no more than 8k 5 doors and shit ur pants performance, + ull look the man in 1 of those 2bh

Nah, don't like em.

 

[Dreamor]

Actualy I've decided...

Other

Spoiler

Drooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool.

Oooooooo, nice! what is it? (other than a bike)

 

[Serbitar]

this, this or this

\o/

 

[cHodAX]

Evo 4/5 with full service history and only about 30K miles is no more than 8k 5 doors and shit ur pants performance, + ull look the man in 1 of those 2bh

Usually any second hand Evo with 30,000 or so have 9 times of out 10 been hammered, the people who buy them can't resist taking the revs over 5000 before the recommended 3,000 mile mark and end up ragging the engine. A bloke I used to work with was doing 120mph on the motorway within a week of getting his brand new from the showroom. Suffice to say that by the time 20,000 miles came around he was getting engine problems and having to get it retuned on a very regular basis.

For that reason alone I would stay away from second hand Evo's and Impreza's, people just can't resist running them hard for 3 years and then expecting punters to pay top dollar for a half shagged engine.

 

[cHodAX]

Oooooooo, nice! what is it? (other than a bike)

Look's a bit like Valentino Rossi's bike without the decals, lovely eye candy.

 

[cHodAX]

this, this or this

\o/

The Alfa is a lovely looking car but not the most reliable by any stretch of the imagination sadly, Alfa have a real knack for designing killer looking cars though.

The Elise is a great drive, can't knock that car at all.

As for the MR2, my brother has an older model Japanese import, it has the top spec Jap interior and all the trimings. Beautiful beautiful car and it goes like a demon.

 

[- English -]

Id put 6k in an ISA then spend 2k on a bog standard car to get me through the next 4 or 5 years

can only put 3 grand in an isa a year