Advice & Opinions Please 3-10k 1.4l Bulletproof

Advice & Opinions Please 3-10k 1.4l Bulletproof

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Noluckhere

Original Poster:

4 posts

10 months

Tuesday 16th January
quotequote all
Hi All,

In a spot, after a nightmare year involving 10k & 3 bangers down the drain I’m absolutely torn on which way to jump.

Need the most reliable motor possible for 5 days a week, 60-150 miles a day 80% motorway or A roads.
Prefer 1.4 or above, as I’d like a little poke for motorways and the hellacious roundabouts of Hertfordshire.

I like Astras but after one great (SRi) one awful I’m a little gun shy on going back. Corsa is off the menu due to 3 bought, 3 thrown away inside a year.

Im not fussed about colour, toys or gadgets.

My main problem is budget. 3k now gets very little and it’s a chunk for me to walk away from. If I go to 10kish, my limit then I’m looking at 1 litre if new. And I don’t like the choices there.
If I go 5-8k I have great options, almost too many. But if a 5-8k motor goes west on me I’m stuffed, no way I could write it off and the thought of continuing to pay the local mechanics 3rd mortgage is grating. Don’t begrudge anyone a living but £50 an hour adds up fast.

Advice & recs appreciated, I’ve got myself into a pickle - looking for direction.

911Spanker

1,857 posts

23 months

Tuesday 16th January
quotequote all
You need something simple and reliable. A number of years ago we bought a 2009 Nissan Note 1.6 auto. It gets a thrashing, is treated like a POS and never breaks.

It's somewhat under damped but it happily does longer journeys, is pretty practical and actually quite comfortable. I even quite like throwing it around - lots of lean but it slides predictably and you can even get some oversteer.

Something like that would do the trick. Small, Japanese, petrol. Don't be tempted by anything else.

£3k should be plenty.

andburg

7,677 posts

176 months

Tuesday 16th January
quotequote all
top end £10k might just squeeze you into something with manufacturer warranty, Japanese or Korean.

Reality is doing 40k miles a year is going to mean lots of servicing and a diesel probably fits the needs better, shame is even spending the full budget i cant see you having any warranty left after 6 months.

2019 Kia Ceed / hyundai i30 1.6CRDI or the 1.0 turbo petrol engine but thats still 120bhp. (hyundair 5 year unlimited mileage warranty vs 7yr 100k miles on the kias)

Sewing machine reliability to me also says suzuki, perhaps a current gen vitara


40k miles a year, assuming mostly business I'd be having a chat with my employer about a company car!

Noluckhere

Original Poster:

4 posts

10 months

Thursday 18th January
quotequote all
andburg said:
top end £10k might just squeeze you into something with manufacturer warranty, Japanese or Korean.

Reality is doing 40k miles a year is going to mean lots of servicing and a diesel probably fits the needs better, shame is even spending the full budget i cant see you having any warranty left after 6 months.

2019 Kia Ceed / hyundai i30 1.6CRDI or the 1.0 turbo petrol engine but thats still 120bhp. (hyundair 5 year unlimited mileage warranty vs 7yr 100k miles on the kias)

Sewing machine reliability to me also says suzuki, perhaps a current gen vitara


40k miles a year, assuming mostly business I'd be having a chat with my employer about a company car!
Rolled the dice and picked up a 19 plate 1.6 Ceed, now I’ve just gotta learn how to use all the gadgets 😊
Thank you for the recommendations

Raymond Reddington

2,982 posts

117 months

Thursday 18th January
quotequote all
Excellent choice with the Kia they seem to be very dependable.

I'm in a similar situation really although not 10k deep, I've overspent massively both buying and fixing my current POS shed. Very annoying.

Best of luck with the Kia! Is it petrol or diesel?

Noluckhere

Original Poster:

4 posts

10 months

Friday 19th January
quotequote all
Diesel, I’m hoping to stick a good 100k on it because my tight fisted nature abhors spending smile