Car advice small hatchback diesel

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Wed 5 Apr 2017 21:06
Car advice small hatchback diesel - Rog46

Hi guys Im after an economical small hatchback doing approx 10-12k mileage. Ive narrowed down to

Hyundai i30 1.6 diesel

Mazda 3 and

Kia Ceed All 1.6.

My budget is around 3/4k and ideally under 60/70k so I would like some advice on these

Thanks

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Wed 5 Apr 2017 21:31
Car advice small hatchback diesel - SLO76
I'd personally stick to petrol at this money but the Cee'd and i30 are both good options if you simply must have diesel. As long as you avoid anything with a DPF they're pretty robust cars but they do rot underneath so get under it and look carefully at the front crossmember and both subframes.

You'll get a newer lower mileage petrol for your money which is also a less complex engine and thus less likely to go wrong as it ages. These chain driven units are largely vice free if serviced every year.

As for the Mazda, the chain driven petrol 1.6 is pretty bulletproof if serviced regularly and the 3 is a much nicer drive than the other two. It shares its floorpan and suspension with the Mk II Ford Focus which is regarded as the best driving family hatch but uses Mazda's own petrol engines which are again of little worry. The PSA 1.6 diesel is a nightmare and to be avoided at all costs unless handed to you for free. They rust round the edges, wheel arches and door bottoms are weak points but structurally they'll outlast the Kia or Hyundai.

I'd buy based on condition, history and mileage before anything else among these three but if all things were equal I'd pick the Mazda because it is genuinely great fun to drive.

I'd add the Mk II Ford Focus with either the Yamaha 1.6 petrol or Mazda L series 1.8 petrol to that list too. Again forget the 1.6 PSA diesel of doom. The Astra H 1.6 petrol is another good buy and your budget will get you something low mileage and in spotless condition due to supply outstripping demand. The 1.7 Isuzu diesels are good news too if looked after and pre DPF.

With your relatively modest annual mileage you'll only be saving £300-£400 a year on fuel by opting for diesel yet purely by the more complex nature of the motor itself you'll almost certainly encounter higher repair and maintenance costs which will most likely wipe this out and that's before you factor in that any diesel will have a higher mileage than an equivalent used petrol model. I really would bodyswerve diesel unless your driving requires a lot of B road overtaking and you need that extra pulling power.

Edited by SLO76 on 05/04/2017 at 21:39

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Wed 5 Apr 2017 22:18
Car advice small hatchback diesel - badbusdriver

I heard some of a discussion this morning on radio scotland regarding the changes to road tax, specifically regarding diesel cars. A motoring journalist was refuting a point made by a previous caller that there was no escaping the fact that diesel cars cost less to run by virtue of the higher mpg figures. The journalist in question pointed out that due to diesel cars costing more in the first place, are more costly to maintain as well as that diesel is once again (slightly) more expensive than petrol, the simple fact was unless you covered more than 20k miles per year, a petrol car would cost less to run overall.

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Sun 9 Apr 2017 23:14
Car advice small hatchback diesel - Rog46

I think ive narrowed it again to the honda civic 1.8 or 2.2 diesel.

or the Ford focus facelift model 08. tempted to go for 1.8 diesel due to no dpf.

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Sun 9 Apr 2017 23:29
Car advice small hatchback diesel - SLO76
Neither the Civic 2.2 diesel (until 2012) or Focus 1.8 TDCi had a DPF but neither is anywhere near as reliable as their petrol equivalent.

The 1.8 VTEC Civic will easily do over 40mpg which is only around 6mpg worse than the diesel version of the Civic or Focus yet has no turbocharger to worry about or any other of the numerous other worries you'll have to contend with on an aging diesel. You'll save not one single penny by going for the diesel. But they do have more midrange pulling power for overtaking

The Focus is much more robust than the weak 1.6 PSA diesel but isn't brilliant on fuel for a diesel and nowhere near as reliable as the Yamaha designed 1600 or Mazda designed 1800 petrol options.

Again, I'd stick with petrol.

Edited by SLO76 on 09/04/2017 at 23:30

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Sun 9 Apr 2017 23:30
Car advice small hatchback diesel - elekie&a/c doctor
The focus 1.8 is an old fashioned engine that goes back to the Escort of the 80s.No dpf on these,but it does have a "wet"timing belt that can fail and cause catastrophic engine failure.Stick to a petrol,far less to go wrong.
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Mon 10 Apr 2017 22:08
Car advice small hatchback diesel - Rog46

whats good examples of Yamaha designed 1600 cars.so what are the best pics for cars like the civic/focus around 4/5k 08 onwards with good economy ideally 40mpg plus/110 bhp plus

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