WTD: Car!! Simple!

Barneyballbags

Old School Grand Master
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OK, so our car got written off the other week - we're just negotiating with the insurance company now.

So we're after a replacement. The car which got written off was a 2005 (05) Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec (Petrol) with 89K on the clock.

We've got a budget of about £3,500, and we want something 2005/2006/2007 ish with under 80K on the clock (for a petrol) and under 100K (for a diesel).

If it's petrol, then we want either a 1.6 or 1.8.
If it's diesel, then we want a 1.9 or 2.0.

Reliability is an absolute must, and it has to be Focus-like in it's size (so no Saxos, Fiestas etc!). We'd definitely consider another Focus, or perhaps a slightly older Audi A3.

What's out there?
 
So something that doesn't fit your criteria at all (well not quiet) but i'm about to sell my motor.
I've a 53plate Honda Accord Type S. Will have done 130,000 trouble free miles! I've put over 50,000 on that and its not missed a beat. Long runs its awesome MPG, drive it hard and it flies 2.4 and in the rev band its keeps up with most quick stuff. Fully loaded... £2k as i'm emigrating soon for a no fuss sale. Really is the best hassle free motor i've had!!!
 
Awkward Kid":15hctzui said:
So something that doesn't fit your criteria at all (well not quiet) but i'm about to sell my motor.
I've a 53plate Honda Accord Type S. Will have done 130,000 trouble free miles! I've put over 50,000 on that and its not missed a beat. Long runs its awesome MPG, drive it hard and it flies 2.4 and in the rev band its keeps up with most quick stuff. Fully loaded... £2k as i'm emigrating soon for a no fuss sale. Really is the best hassle free motor i've had!!!

Thanks, but we've also got to think about Tax, Insurance and running costs too.

We're test driving a 2005 (55) Focus 1.6 Zetec TDCi today which is advertised locally for £3k with 96,600 miles on the clock. Group 7 insurance, £30 road tax and 60+ mpg average on a steady run :)

I know that the 1.6 TDCi isn't the best (on paper) of Ford's diesel engined Focuses, but it suits our needs the best and the price is pretty good too. My brother in law is an engineer down in Fords Essex plant and apparently the 1.6 TDCi is more reliable than the 2.0 which is nice to know :D
 
Avoid the older 1.6 TDCi which suffers quite significant turbo problems. They also have DMF and DPF, replacement of which will be more than the car is worth, and they WILL require replacement at some point if it's got 96k on it.

Unless your mileage is quite significant (say 18 or 20k miles plus a year) the cost of maintaining a high mileage small bore diseasel quite heavily outweighs any economy saving. Turbos, DMF s and DPFs are cyclical expenditures on these cars costing a grand each, none of which you'll have to worry about on a petroL Fucus because they simply don't have them.

The2 litre has less if an appetite for Turbos, but is still saddled with DMF and DPF, and is also a couple of road tax bands higher.

For your budget I wouldn't try and be too clever. Your choice was spot on before, and I'd be inclined to stick to a similar theme of petrol Focus, with maybe a fall back position of Petrol Astra should an especially smart one give into view.within budget. Simple, tough, cheap. A bit like me.
 
Its off topic I know but I had 450,000 miles on a Mondeo TDDI on its original turbo - much more reliable car than the Focus. Theres a lot about and there is much to recommend them but they do have their faults.

TCDI models are more refined but more flaky.
 
Settled for a 2006 (55) Astra 1.6 SXi with 70,000 on the clock and a full service history for a not too shabby £2.5k

Got fed up of trying to find a decent Focus local to us for our budget!

We're off to pick it up on Tuesday :D
 
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