Your Thoughts Please....

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Mon 28 Dec 2009 14:48
Your Thoughts Please.... - SuperBuyer
Afternoon Backroomers,

Those of you who retain useless information may recall that I used to have a Shogun... Well with 3 kids now the Vectra is getting difficult (5months, 3 years and 4 years old mean that the youngest has to be lifted out of the middle...). Therefore I am looking at potentially:-

Buying another Shogun (new shape, 2008).

But can't really afford to fuel it for work purposes (32k per annum)

So thinking of buying a banger, however has to be respectable (work policy is 5years, 5 seats less than 100k but am prepared to ignore these as long as it looks okay!!).

Any suggestions - I've seen the Kia Picanto 1.1 - 55mpg average? It won't get used for really long trips, I'd take the Shogun for that, but it will get used for a 70 mile commute, consisting of the A456 from West of Bewdley through to Blakedown, up through Belbroughton to the M5, North to West Bromwich (I realise this means nothing to you if you are in Liverpool, London or Lanarkshire, but in effect it is every type of road - 60mph country, dual carriageway, motorway and general city)

Anyone want to throw some suggestions in the pot - I've got about £2k to play with, and am also considering panel damaged vehicles...
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Mon 28 Dec 2009 15:40
Your Thoughts Please.... - perro
How about something like this ~

tinyurl.com/ye2e97r
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Mon 28 Dec 2009 15:49
Your Thoughts Please.... - Rattle
Forget the picanto my mate tested one and said it drove worse than is 14 year old Fiesta it was so slow. He bought a 1.1 Panda eco which he said was far nippier.m I am quite impressed with his Panda, its a cheap car and it shows but it is very well built.

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Mon 28 Dec 2009 16:39
Your Thoughts Please.... - Avant
I'm not sure what your total budget is (i.e. including another Shogun) but maybe there's something cheaper that will take 3 child seats in the back? Then you could afford to keep the Vectra for your commute or spend a little more on the commuter car.

A 1.3 Toyota Yaris would do the job better than a Picanto, or perhaops a larger-engined Fiesta. I've never been convinced about the merits of diesel engines in small cars, but for 32k a year a diesel is worth considering - maybe something with the durable VAG 1.9 TDI engine: Golf, Polo or (perhaps the best bet) Fabia.
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Mon 28 Dec 2009 17:04
Your Thoughts Please.... - teabelly
The Bewdley M5 route is quite a switchback in places! I'd put the next shortest in the middle on the assumption they could make it out of the car on their own..... Stick the youngest in passenger side so easier to get out. Means zero cost and just a small amount of griping from whoever gets stuck in the middle... I don't have kids so I don't know how feasible this would be!


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Mon 28 Dec 2009 17:19
Your Thoughts Please.... - WorkshopTech
32k a year in a Picanto would not be fun. How about a diesel kia magentis. they drive ok and economy is good. A popular taxi in asia and they will hold three kids in the back.
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Mon 28 Dec 2009 21:39
Your Thoughts Please.... - SuperBuyer
As usual, some good comments back.

I realised that I missed some key points:-

The Vectra is a company car inc free fuel for private miles
The reason its not big enough is that the only way to get all the seats in is with baby in the middle

Cost wise, the Shogun is up at £12.5k.

Will have a look at the Magentis, or the VAG is a good call, maybe a Bora. Sold my 150bhp Golf (04 53) with 151k just over a year ago for £3k, that would be ideal...!
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If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?