Morning Chaps,
I've got about £3,400 and My R-reg renault Clio 1.2RN to trade in, so I reckon thats about 4k to spend on getting a new car.
I've had a good look on Autotrader and have narrowed my cars down to a
Mondeo, Astra or Focus all around the x-reg mark with upto 40,000 miles on the clock. What do you guys reckon, I was more tempted by the Astras but not to sure about them? any advice would be much appreciated.
thanks
Lee
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What are you going to be using the car for? Personally I'd choose a Focus over an Astra of that vintage.
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Life is complex; it has real and imaginary parts.
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Reckon Mondeo's offer best value, but depends on the type of driving you are doing. Focus is the most enjoyable drive and very comfortable.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Just general use really, to and from work etc about 20/30 miles a day, reliability is an issue to be honest, I've had my clio from brand new and pretty much everything has gone wrong with it :)
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If reliability is an issue why not look at an X or so reg Honda or Toyota, plenty on Autotrader site to your left.
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But Fords are also high in reliability these days. There is a much greater stock of used Focuses around. Take you time and choose a nice one with a/c.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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I went through this at the beginning of the year:
*Astra - choose carefully, some have nasty shiny trim/dash, some have nasty engines. Otherwise, well-built and good as a steady motorway-type car.
*Focus - I was anti-Ford before-hand but ended up buying one. Not as well-built as Astras (look at external trim, even saw rust on 51-reg Ghias around the chrome trim above num.plate).
*Mondeo - hmm, you will get similar Mondeo for Focus money, but imho worse-built than Focus. Not a terrible car though.
Choices -
*Engine - petrol/diesel. Diesel Focus at that age means TDDI. RUN AWAY! If you want a diesel go for the Vaux. Petrol engines in the Fords are nicer than Vaux, though.
*Handling - you'll know if this is important. Best handler would be a Focus Zetec but you pay the premium over an LX. Worst of the three is Astra, but not bad.
Not many Focusses around for 4k, but lots of Astras and Mondeos. that means you should get a mint one of those but might struggle (relatively) with Focus. I went for a higher mileage 51-reg Focus LX (as I put 210k on my last car this really doesn't bother me).
HTH
Jon :)
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Thanks a lot guys.... and thanks to JV for the breakdown.
From what I've read, I decided against the Astra for sure, although I must say thats the one I had at the top of my list :)
I want a bigger than my clio that i've for over 7 years so Im now favouring of the Mondeo. Im thinking of a petrol not diesel what do you guys think is the best one? 1.8? I know ford do many variations Zetec etc? sorry for all the questions I just don't know an aweful lot about the different types of engines and which are bad 'uns etc
Thanks again chaps....
Lee
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IMO the 1.8 is a wee bit underpowered in the Mondeo, and hence thirstier, although as some say Mondy weighs no more than Focus. I understand the 2.0 is actually more economical, but could insurance then be an issue?
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>>although as some say Mondy weighs no more than Focus>>
My son's 1.8 Focus Zetec TDCI is 104kg lighter than my best mate's recently departed Y-reg 1.8 petrol Mondeo LX which was PX'd for an 04 two-litre petrol Ghia.
I know the weight differences because I compared both cars with my VW Bora - the Focus (same class) was 89kg lighter and the Mondeo just 15kg heavier, yet is a class higher than the VW.
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A work collegue has an astra of that vintage. He bought it about 2 years ago with 25k on it. Quite a few things have gone wrong with it, including failed wheel bearings at 30k and replacement cam tensioners and a few other things. Something also went wrong with the cooling system so the fan was running all the time. Vauxhall's attitude to the car at 4 years old was 'it's an old car what do you expect'. For that reason alone I'd avoid them. If you like a sofer ride then definitely avoid them as they have very firm suspension. It is tweaked by lotus so it handles very well but don't expect to absorb bumps!
If you want reliability then buy japanese. Otherwise I'd probably spend the money on the mondeo rather than the focus as you get a lot more car for the same money.
teabelly
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You'll find the Focus eats wheel bearings. I've replaced 3 on mine and Dad 1 before that.
Definitely the best handling out of all the suggestions - one of the reasons my next car could very well be another one. However, I like having some fun in it and ask quite a bit of the handling so if you don't, then the others are good suggestions - the Mondeo included. If you wanted the good handling though but a bigger can than the Focus, it has to be the Mondeo.
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Adam
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I'm similar position to Adam and Jon - the Focus, generally speaking, is reliable, certainly more so than any French car...and mine's practically got 100,000 miles...all I've done to it in the last 10 is change the cambelt and usual things (oil, brake pads etc).
If you don't want a bigger car than the Clio, then I'd suggest a Fabia, since they're supposed to be reliable and nice-enough.
I would say, however, and I know it's a bit out there...but a Puma? I took a test-drive in one of the 1.7's the other day...and well...OH MY GIDDY AUNT. Yes, it's a bit girly for some (but then some say so is a Clio), and yes, it's a Fiesta's interior largely, but Wow! Celica, included, I've never driven a car that drove so well (the gearbox edges it ahead of the Celica - what can I say, I'm a shut-in). Good on the juice too, from what I hear. Just not on insurance for the young-like-me...
So that's my endorsement for those that appreciate driving-style. And they're fairly reliable too.
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A Puma, especially the 1.7, has always been very highly regarded as a genuine driver's car - hardly surprising as it was based on the mid to late 1990s Fiesta. Holds value well too.
My son has a Focus 1.8 TDCI and loves its handling and ride but isn't happy with the noise levels on longer runs.
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My brother runs a 1.7 Puma as 'his' car (family carted about in a 406 estate). Performance, ride and handling brilliant, but has had to replace most of the suspension as the mileage has mounted. Had his alloys nicked once too :(
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I would have the Mondeo without a doubt. Due to the curious nature of supply and demand you'll now get a newer, better Mk2 Mondeo for under £4k than you will a Focus. This is enough money to get you a rather mint 2.0 Ghia X on an X plate, with full leather, heated seats, climate, 4 airbags, cruise, CD changer, etc. Basically, everything you need.
Focus is smaller, has less kit, and cost more. And is older.
Bit of a no brainer really. As for reliability - as HJ will testify they are very reliable and even if something goes wrong, it's cheap to fix. Except the clutch, but then my 130k one is still on its original and you've got the money for a much lower mileage one, so I doubt that'll be an issue.
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Focus generally does better in reliability surveys than Mondeo or Astra - though probably not much in it.
And, needless to say, newer tends to mean more reliable than older, but it would probably have to be at least 2 or 3 years newer to make much difference.
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I've not seen a reliability survey which includes the Mk2 Mondeo for quite some time - all the ones in the last few include the Mk3, not the Mk2. The Mk3 is a bigger, more complex car with, I assume, more potential for faliure. Much of the Mk2 Mondeo is the same as the Focus, such as the engines etc, and will thus offer similar reliability.
Don't forget that you'd be looking at a 2001 (last ever) Mk2 for same sort of money as a good 1999 Focus - and a £3.5k 99 Focus would be a £2-£2.5k 99 Mondeo..
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