Hello everybody,
I've just got a new job in Surrey and it's going to involve a fair bit of driving so I need to get myself a car. I've never owned my own car before, always been driving my parents' cars sp i want to get something that is going to be suitable for me. The thing is I know very little about cars... I've got a budget between £3k and £5k.
As it will only really be for myself and my girlfriend it doesn't have to be too big however, I am 6'3 and do suffer from lower back pain so I do really want a car that is going to be comfortable for me to drive - I'm thinking about driving around Europe next summer as well and unless I have a car that is comfortable enough I don't think it will be possible.
I'm also up for having reasonable fuel economy. I'll give you a list of the cars I've been looking at so far so any comments on them with regards to what I'm looking for would be much appreciated, particularly if any tall drivers have experience with these cars. My dad has a Ford Focus which I have never had a problem with but I'd ideally like something a bit smaller. I'm not too fussed diesel or petrol.
Here's what I've found:
Golf 1.6 S FSI 52,000m 3dr £4,500 and a 5 dr for £5,250
Peugeot 207 Hatchback, 1.4 HDi S 5d 2007/07 £4,700 - now I think this one is a very good price although the ad doesn't give the mileage. I know it's not a very powerful car but it boasts 62mpg.
Peugeot 307 1.6 S 5dr Auto -- 2006 '56' 30,000m £4,780
Vauxhall Astra Hatchback, 1.6 Club 5d 18,000 2004/54 £3,995
Renault Clio Hatchback, 1.4 16V Privilege 5d 46,483 2006/56 £4,848
Ford Focus Hatchback, 1.8 TDCi Edge 3d 2005 £3,989
Citroën C4 Hatchback, 1.6i 16V Cool 5d 15,513 2006/56 £4,995
Vauxhall Astra Hatchback, 1.6 SXi 5d 2004/04 54,824 £3,741
At the moment I'm in Guildford and I don't have transport so I'm basically stuck with doing internet based research right now - once I've narrowed it down a bit I'll find a dealership where I can maybe test drive some of the cars.
Any questions just ask, advice much appreciated.
Cheers,
Rob
Edited by Pugugly on 09/12/2009 at 22:23
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My experience of Fords is very positive, I'm guessing the Focus Edge you refer to is a Mk I, could you not get a Mk II for this money ? Make sure it has aircon though - early Mk II Zetecs didn't have it as standard but bizarrely lower specced LXs did.
Personally I wouldn't touch a 307 or a Renault, I may be showing an unfair prejudice but the web is full of horror stories regarding their reliability and repair costs.
Astra might make a good buy too, probably best to avoid complex diesels with DMFs and turbos to fail if cost is an issue.
Golfs are good (although not quite as reliable you might hope), maintenance will be more expensive than the Focus from my experience.
Have you considered a Honda Civic (pre 2006) or a Toyota Corolla ?
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...My experience of Fords is very positive...
So is mine, and as a used buy with this sort of budget, I'd be reluctant to consider anything else, with the possible exception of a Vauxhall.
I've had no trouble with two diesel Focuses, but some people have, so a petrol might be a safer bet secondhand.
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The choice of diesel or petrol depends on how many miles you're doing every year.
Unless you're expect to be doing more than 15k a year diesel isn't cost effective.
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With your budget you will get a far better Focus MK1 than MK2. Focuses are great cars but they are also very expensive for what they are. On the plus side it means they won;t loose much value either, if you keep a £3k one for a year you can probably get most of that back.
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With 5k you could get a newer car at auction it will have been serviced at 3yrs old plenty about,
Or go private seller but at a garage you will buy a little older.
The astra sporthatch is fine for me im 6ft-3 but on a longer run a little more leg room would be nice so the vectra might suit you better.
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>>always been driving my parents' cars sp i want to get something that is going to be suitable for me.
Do what my kids did!
Take mum or dad's car and let them buy a new one. You know how good it has been and get them to have it serviced before you borrow it for a year or so.
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Shouldn't your primary concern be for your back? Find the car that fits you really, really well ie one that the seats aren't too hard or too short on thigh support that they stress your back not just on motorway journeys but as you move to steer and change gear. Problem will be that the French cars will seem more comfortable but will be potentially less reliable. Astra seats are IMHO too firm so I'd go Focus or Golf or Octavia if you'll consider Skoda. £5k won't necessarily buy you a car that's £2k better than a £3k car. Look privately first for top condition, fully serviced. Buying from a dealer gives you superficial peace of mind but you'll pay a hefty premium on that value of car and a dealers warranty on a £3k to £5k car will be poor value (ie rubbish)
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I'm only 5'8'', so I can't really comment and which have great space. A lodger in the house is well over 6'6'' and he can only really manage larger cars, so so he has an older BMW 5 series. He sat in my Megan for a lift recently and he wouldn't want to go too far even with the seat all the way back. However I do have a bad back from a climbing accident years ago, so good back support is essential for me on longer journeys. Like others have said sit in them and test drive to check it supports well. Best cars for taller people and with great back support in my driving experience would be Merc C class, Renault Espace and Citroen C5. 207 will be too small. Good luck
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I am 6ft 5 and have a 2008 207 1.4 HDI S 3 door. Currently on 30k miles and so far hasn't missed a beat! Cheap road tax and insurance. All I can say as someone who has problems with back pain and a curved spine is that I find it very comfortable and spacious. I'd advise you try and get a longer test drive first to ensure whatever you decide on will be ok for the job....
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I note that you haven't owned a car before, but drove your parents car - assumed on their insurance. I wuold check insurance costs on all your selections, as being a first time policy holder (unless your parents policy allows you to build up no claims bonus) you might have quite a hefty premium.
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You might find a new Fiat Panda (petrol) at just over £5,000 suitable. (fiatsupersaver)There`s plenty of headroom and a low insurance group. Also new car peace of mind with a three year warranty.
There was someone on the forum recently who would well have been advised to do that, but instead tried to go `upwards` for luxury in a used car, but was left desperate when repair bills surfaced and they could not afford to get it fixed again. It seems £1,000 repair bills are not unusual, these days for diesels.
Never has the little petrol engine seemed more attractive.
Another thought is to rent a car for a weekend and see how you get on with your back. A friend of mine got caught out with a new Micra and had to swap to a Yaris. (or was it the other way around)
Point is, the problem was undetectable when sitting in them both in the showroom and he thought it not the car, but just his back being a problem, at that particular seating angle.
That with someone else with a back issue, (with all the variables in back issues and body sizes) the reverse may be true re comfort in the cars.
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Volvo S60. Extremely comfortable, and affordable if a little older. Heated seats are a boon for back pain, too.
£5k should get you a nice 04 D5 or a more recent T5 or 2.4 petrol.
Best of luck,
Alex.
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