£3k for a cheap to run daily - Page 1 - Car Buying

Friday 21st May 2021

Hi, I am thinking of selling my car (clio 182) as im fed up of the 30mpg. I'm spending 25% of my salary on petrol and want to drive something that will be cheap to run, for a while.

I've been browsing autotrader to find free / almost-free tax, 60+ mpg diesels.. but there are so many cars claiming to do 60-70+ mpg economy and I can never tell how inaccurate those claims are.

My miles are mostly B-roads / country roads, so not motorway miles, and I do about 1,000-1,500 miles per month.

Any suggestions of what to buy? I'm very tight on my monthly spending currently, and would want to spend maybe £2-3k (i.e. less than the value of my current car). I wouldnt totally rule out a Up!-size type car, but would prefer something a bit bigger and nicer.

Current frontrunner in my mind is mk6 Golf Bluemotion, you can just about get them for £3k. I'm not fussed about high mileage, in fact I'd prefer high mileage as I could get more for my money.

Any ideas welcome smile

thanks.

Xcore

1,499 posts

118 months

Friday 21st May 2021

Fabia vrs 1.9tdi. Pulls like a train etc

30,467 posts

153 months

Friday 21st May 2021

treeroy

Original Poster

564 posts

113 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021

ZX10R NIN said:

Thanks a lot for those suggestions! DS3, thats not a bad shout. New enough and quite funky and cool. Don't think that Astra is quite what I'd be looking for, just in terms of economy. Peugeots are quite cheap, can even get a modern 208 for the money.

High mileage really doesn't bother me, as long as it's a relatively reliable model. i'm a mechanic so have access and ability to fix things myself.

30,467 posts

153 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021

treeroy said:

Thanks a lot for those suggestions! DS3, thats not a bad shout. New enough and quite funky and cool. Don't think that Astra is quite what I'd be looking for, just in terms of economy. Peugeots are quite cheap, can even get a modern 208 for the money.

High mileage really doesn't bother me, as long as it's a relatively reliable model. i'm a mechanic so have access and ability to fix things myself.

Cool but you don't have to go high mileage, you can get the 208 in XY spec which is great spec & the same drivetrain as the DS3 but better interior & spec:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102118...

DailyHack

4,379 posts

139 months

Sunday 23rd May 2021

SAAB 9-3 TTiD saloon 180bhp, goes like a stabbed rat and has fantastic seats for a daily drive, can get a fairly new car 2010/11 for £3k and £30 tax if your lucky.

Had mine for a year, paid just over £3k for it 111,000 miles on it now, had 100,000 when got it.

Edited by DailyHack on Sunday 23 May 11:16

W201_190e

12,738 posts

241 months

Sunday 23rd May 2021

Not a big car but my 14 year old Peugeot 107 1.0 genuinely returns 60 mpg regardless of how I drive. 35 litre tank and I get 450-470 miles out of it. Also good fun to chuck around. For my 30 mile round daily commute I don't think I could realistically do it cheaper.

A500leroy

8,299 posts

146 months

Sunday 23rd May 2021

W201_190e said:

Not a big car but my 14 year old Peugeot 107 1.0 genuinely returns 60 mpg regardless of how I drive. 35 litre tank and I get 450-470 miles out of it. Also good fun to chuck around. For my 30 mile round daily commute I don't think I could realistically do it cheaper.

THIS

InitialDave

15,051 posts

147 months

Sunday 23rd May 2021

A 107/C1/Aygo will give great economy, and they're fun to drive in that cheap tinny hatchback kind of way. As long as they're physically big enough for your needs, they're a very good option.

The inevitable VAG 1.9TDi is a good choice, too, but not as much fun.

ChrisH72

3,068 posts

80 months

Sunday 23rd May 2021

I think I’d want a bit bigger than an Aygo for 1000-1500 miles a month.

If you like your Clio you could maybe move to a newer 1.5 dci 105bhp. Should still be good to drive and decent torque for some fun.

Another nice chassis would be a Fiesta Zetec S 1.6 tdci.

Both of those would be low tax and should crack 60mpg.

A bit bigger but more power and decent reliability maybe a Civic 2.2 cdti. There’s loads around under £3k and the 3dr type S gt still looks good. My mate loved his and it went like stink. Claimed mpg is 55 so not too far off.

30,467 posts

153 months

Sunday 23rd May 2021

InitialDave said:

A 107/C1/Aygo will give great economy, and they're fun to drive in that cheap tinny hatchback kind of way. As long as they're physically big enough for your needs, they're a very good option.

The inevitable VAG 1.9TDi is a good choice, too, but not as much fun.

Comfort NVH & a nice interior are all reasons I wouldn't go near one of those considering the OP will be doing 12-18k in.

treeroy

Original Poster

564 posts

113 months

Saturday 29th May 2021

InitialDave said:

A 107/C1/Aygo will give great economy, and they're fun to drive in that cheap tinny hatchback kind of way. As long as they're physically big enough for your needs, they're a very good option.

The inevitable VAG 1.9TDi is a good choice, too, but not as much fun.

Thanks for suggestions but I think that would be a little too small.

ChrisH72 said:

I think I’d want a bit bigger than an Aygo for 1000-1500 miles a month.

If you like your Clio you could maybe move to a newer 1.5 dci 105bhp. Should still be good to drive and decent torque for some fun.

Another nice chassis would be a Fiesta Zetec S 1.6 tdci.

Both of those would be low tax and should crack 60mpg.

A bit bigger but more power and decent reliability maybe a Civic 2.2 cdti. There’s loads around under £3k and the 3dr type S gt still looks good. My mate loved his and it went like stink. Claimed mpg is 55 so not too far off.

Fiesta is definitely very high on my list, the Econetic or any of the diesels really are good. I've had a couple of Fiestas before and know I wouldn't be unhappy with it. But I was thinking maybe to get something a bit newer and nicer.

Objective Alpha

97 posts

65 months

Sunday 30th May 2021

could always get a honda cr-z
fastish, nice looking and good interior that looks quite modern IMO
theyre a manual hybrid too so economy is going to be pretty good
would mean you dont have to completely sacrifice the fun factor
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105192...

30,467 posts

153 months