Medium/Large Car for £1500

[anonymous-user]

Decided to help a work colleague out. He’s looking for a Medium to Large car for work. He’s looking for something:

Petrol
Auto or Manual
5 Door
Fun to Drive
Gadgets

Any recommendations?

[Jag_NE]

My recommendation with cheap cars is to buy the one most likely to not be a turd I.e. you want solid history and good condition above anything else as there is loads of rubbish out there at that end of the market. Give me a postcode and I’ll look on autotrader

[Richard-D]

Same, you don't need to be scouring the country for a good example of a specific model. After you've seen a few all the travelling will see you spending £2500 for a £1500 car. Stay local, set a budget and research common faults on whatever turns up nearby.

[anonymous-user]

Jag_NE said:

My recommendation with cheap cars is to buy the one most likely to not be a turd I.e. you want solid history and good condition above anything else as there is loads of rubbish out there at that end of the market. Give me a postcode and I’ll look on autotrader

Thanks very much. Postcode is L19 2RF I was thinking 40 mile radius.

[Richard-D]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-FRV-2-0-petrol-SE...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-BMW-3-Series-2-0-3...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2009-09-Ford-Focus-esta... (not fun, but good)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-Jaguar-S-Type-3-0-... (can he weld?)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-Toyota-Auris-1-6-V... (is he over 70?)

Edited by Richard-D on Sunday 29th November 15:42

[anonymous-user]

The Focus Estate looks okay. The Jag looks good too. Not keen on the Honda and the BMW needs quite a bit of work (misfire and electrical)

I’ve seen this:

Jaguar S Type

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-Jaguar-S-Type-3-0-...

Mondeo:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011256...

Jaguar X Type:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011035...

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 29th November 15:55

[Richard-D]

Mr.Nobody said:

The Focus Estate looks okay. The Jag looks good too.

I’ve seen this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-Jaguar-S-Type-3-0-...

I prefer that to the one I found, that's smart.

The Focus is dull but would probably be a really good car at that money.

[anonymous-user]

I’m not keen on that Jag. It’s 21 years too. I just know he wouldn’t go for something that old tbh.

[Richard-D]

Mr.Nobody said:

Mondeo:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011256...

That'd be a great car. The 2.0 Duratec is a brilliant engine, very strong and fairly powerful (145bhp ish)

[anonymous-user]

Ive also seen this:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011035...

[Richard-D]

I'd avoid the X-type, they rot like nobody's business. The Mondeo you found is a much netter car.

[anonymous-user]

Richard-D said:

I'd avoid the X-type, they rot like nobody's business. The Mondeo you found is a much netter car.

Thanks I didn’t know I will avoid suggesting the X Type.

[ZX10R NIN]

Haggle & stretch the budget then the ST220 ticks every box:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-MONDEO-ST-ST220-SI...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-MONDEO-ST220-3-0-V...

Focus ST170

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-Ford-Focus-2-0-ST1...

MK2 Ghia sweet fun steer with a nice bit of kit.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011216...

Mazda3 Sport not as good a steer as the Focus it's based on but it's a decent steer

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007181...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011236...

Mazda6 TS2 based on the newer Mondeo platform make it a sensible pick

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011176...

Vauxhall Signum Elite not the most fun but for under 1.5k these are very hard to beat.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010285...

[anonymous-user]

ZX10R NIN said:

Haggle & stretch the budget then the ST220 ticks every box:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-MONDEO-ST-ST220-SI...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-MONDEO-ST220-3-0-V...

Focus ST170

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-Ford-Focus-2-0-ST1...

MK2 Ghia sweet fun steer with a nice bit of kit.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011216...

Mazda3 Sport not as good a steer as the Focus it's based on but it's a decent steer

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007181...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011236...

Mazda6 TS2 based on the newer Mondeo platform make it a sensible pick

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011176...

Vauxhall Signum Elite not the most fun but for under 1.5k these are very hard to beat.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010285...

Thanks for them. The ST170 is a good option. He would love a ST220 but £1500 is the absolute max. So will see if one comes up local. The Mazda 3 looks okay. That Mondeo I found has no service history so may avoid that.

It’s not really that big but what about:

Golf GTI 1.8T

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011216...

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 29th November 18:53

[anonymous-user]

Vauxhall Vectra:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010144...

Astra:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011095...

SAAB:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011236...

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 29th November 20:06

[ZX10R NIN]

Astra is good shout, the Saab is decent but I'd be buying that Signum first & the 1.8 in the Vectra is better with the 2.2/2.0T engine.

[Richard-D]

The 1.8vvc engine is the same in the Astra and Vectra. It leaves the Vectra feeling a little underpowered. The gearing in the Astra is just odd too, it's extremely short. I had a 5 door version and it was a good little car. It would be very tiring on motorways though, felt like you were in 3rd all the time.

[anonymous-user]

ZX10R NIN said:

Astra is good shout, the Saab is decent but I'd be buying that Signum first & the 1.8 in the Vectra is better with the 2.2/2.0T engine.

Thanks for that, the Astra does look okay. He said that he’s not a fan of the Signum. I agree with possibly the Vectra having a bigger engine. Shame I can’t find any local.

The SAAB is a little left field, my only worry would be the reliability and sourcing parts.

[anonymous-user]

Richard-D said:

The 1.8vvc engine is the same in the Astra and Vectra. It leaves the Vectra feeling a little underpowered. The gearing in the Astra is just odd too, it's extremely short. I had a 5 door version and it was a good little car. It would be very tiring on motorways though, felt like you were in 3rd all the time.

Oh right, I didn’t know that I will make sure to tell him about that.

[anonymous-user]

Found a Golf GTI 1.8T that looks quite good:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011216...