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Economical.
Comfortable.
Estate.
Not mega mileage on the clock.
Up to 6k.
Not a Skoda.
Mondeo.
Focus (or a mondeo)
Define economical, the petrol does 40-42mpg, the diesel 50+, but the diesel would need 4 completely reliable years to payback the differene in price and £6k would probbaly be looking at 60k mileage, which puts you within 4 years of the 100,000mile diesel self distruct button where the DMF, turbo, injectors and fuel pump all seem to go wrong.
100,000mile diesel self distruct button where the DMF, turbo, injectors and fuel pump all seem to go wrong
Can of worms well and truly opened.
That sort of money would get you a lot of Mondeo (Ghia or Titanium X for nice extras), petrol vs diesel would depend on your mileage. If you go for diesel the above is kind of true - these things CAN all go wrong if it's not looked after. Higher mileage + FSH (invoices etc as a record of what's been done and when, not just 'stamps in the book') would trump low mileage (potentially lots of short trips....?) and no history.
Mazda 6 diesel looks tempting. There are reports of the DPF clogging up, however there are also a few places that will remove the offending article and maintain MoT requirements.
For 6k you'll get a low mileage one.
Passat or Mondeo I guess (although Octavia would have been the obvious answer, why not a Skoda?). You'll be looking at 50k+ miles though and both have known issues. Depends what engine size you want to as some of the smaller engined estates have pretty crappy performance
Vauxhall Vectra 1.9cdti exclusiv (with no e on exclusive...that's how exclusive it is). Uber comfy seats and galactic boot.
Re: Skoda - I can't get passed the name either.
Skoda - I can't get passed the name either.
yet in the same breath you suggest...
Vauxhall Vectra
odd.
The Vectra would have to have a galactic boot, there's sod all storage space anywhere else to put anything.
yet in the same breath you suggest...Vauxhall Vectra
odd.
Must be some sort of weird inverse status thing I imagine, where for irony he wants to be seen in the least fashionable brand possible....
I drive a Vectra for ironic reasons.
Cougar - really? loads in the Mk3
If by Mk3 you mean the Vectra C, I'm open to suggestions as to where you'd conveniently carry, say, a 1.5L bottle of Volvic, as is my wont for long journeys.
The door pockets are useful if you need to carry a sheet of tissue paper or a blade of grass I guess.
The door pockets are useful if you need to carry a sheet of tissue paper or a blade of grass I guess.
😆
Mondeo.
For 6k you could get a decent mileage 57 plate TDCI Titanium (maybe) with a spec to die for. It's a cavernous car, comfy and economical too. What more do you want?
Having driven a Mazda 6 sport diesel saloon for around 8 months (getting rid in 2 weeks for a Q5) I would definitely have the estate version as the car runs very smooth, goes well when I want it to and in 8 months have had 0 issues. All be it this is an 2008 car with only 45K on the clock and is in fact an emergency response vehicle, its a very nice drive and even the 08 sport one I have can be had for around £8000.
EDIT: Forgot about boot space...In the saloon version I reckon I could fit 3 adult bikes with relative ease, I have already managed 2 easily.
Flowergirl just swapped her AudiA3 for a Skoda Yeti - take it from me the Skoda is miles better.
Oh man a Skoda Yeti...You know I had the choice of swapping the above Mazda for a Skoda Yeti or an Audi Q5, you know the price difference wasn't even enough to justify such a downgrade as that...
Cougar - 2x500ml in the drinks holders behind the hand brake is normally enough for me. I've never seen a drinks holder take a 1.5l sized bottle before.
Flowergirl just swapped her AudiA3 for a Skoda Yeti - take it from me the Skoda is miles better.
Come on ! Both cars are from the same manufacturing group in any case but to say Yeti is superior to an A3.
Cougar - 2x500ml in the drinks holders behind the hand brake is normally enough for me. I've never seen a drinks holder take a 1.5l sized bottle before.
Stashing a bottle down the side of the seat used to work fine in the Cavalier. (-:
In seriousness: I've had two Vectra C's, a posh Elite and a cattle-class Club, and I think the only real complaint I had (other than the DAB radio needing retuning every 20 yards and the exterior paint having the thickness and resilience of a dragonfly's foreskin) was the lack of sensible cockpit storage. Me being deliberately awkward with water bottles aside, there's still a dearth of stash space.
Is it mainly a ford issue the dmf,injectors etc at around 100k.
I am looking for a car have been thinking of at
1) 05-06 ish Mondeo Mk3 130 or 155 tdci (estate or hatch)
Is this just a case of looking at the history etc and hoping it doesn't go tits up.
2) Accord 2.2 would probably high miles
Could be expensive to repair but no dmf etc.
3) Civic 2.2 100k ish
Does this engine suffer the same issues or similar as the ford?
4) Early version of mk4 mondeo but really getting out of my price range. You do get great spec ones. Are these going to run into problems at 100-120k with full history.
(At the price,age & spec of vehicle I don't see a great deal of difference in purchase price between a petrol or diesel.) There is wide difference in prices for the same car though.
Touran?
What??
Sensible suggestion no?
I can see if you're a premier league footballer and need a decent badged car to fit in with the Bentleys and Porsches in the car park then a Skoda is a no-no but seriously, you're looking at Fords, Mazdas, Vauxhalls etc. and you have badge-snobbery? lol
+1 on the touran,
Yeah but Skodas are generally **** ugly, that's the problem.
Citroen C5
Octavia VRS estates seem less ugly once you realise how easy they make it to overtake.
Myself I'm in a 52 plate Focus TDdi, 197K on the clock, no serious issues yet. The perk of an older car, less time-bombs built in 🙂
I'm sorry, but the Superb estate is not an ugly car. It's also cavernous in the boot and very well appointed. Granted, it's not likely you'll get one for under 6k, but they are lovely cars.
As above about the VRs though. I looked at getting one before deciding they were out of my budget and buying a Passat instead. As a fast estate car though, they would be the on to go for. It would be the perfect size for me.
I actually drive a C Vectra and would consider another (I don't do mineral water) if the turbo issues that the current one has end up being terminal.
I don't dislike them. The Elite in particular was a largely decent motor. Just found them slightly irritating in niggly little ways.
the 100,000mile diesel self distruct button where the DMF, turbo, injectors and fuel pump all seem to go wrong
That's bolx. They are things that go wrong sometimes, but there's no time limit where they all suddenly go wrong together.
Mondeo, Focus, Mazda 6, Astra, Honda Accord. I ended up with a Mondeo, but could have been happy with any of those 5. Focus is astonishingly big inside considering its footprint, it's actually easier to get my downhill bike into my old Focus than my Mondeo. Mind you, once it's in, it rattles inside the mondeo 😉
If I could've found a nice 2.0 TDCI Focus, I'd have had that- fantastic package. But 9/10ths of the used ones on the market seem to have the orrible 1.6 engine in them or the 1.8 diesel.
thisisnotaspoon - Memberwhich puts you within 4 years of the 100,000mile diesel self distruct button where the DMF, turbo, injectors and fuel pump all seem to go wrong.
Ford must have forgotten to fit the button to my 2. Typical bad workmanship 😉
MONDEO ONLY if it was an auto diesel. Manual diesel will onetime...only once bite you and wipe out all savings.
Otherwise using your criteria; Honda.
Harry - turbo issues could be a stuck EGR valve. Bung a garage £50 and they'll clean it out for you. 1hour job tops.
Is it mainly a ford issue the dmf,injectors etc at around 100k
Not at all it's pretty much any modern diesel engine from any brand.
passat?
id have a skoda over a vauxhall anyday...
Toyota Avensis estate ... automatic ...
I have an Accord tourer diesel and love it. However as someone already mentioned the injectors on pretty much any modern diesel can go and are costly to replace.
The Honda diesel does have a DMF (Dual Mass Flywheel) but I'm not aware of it being particularly problematic. However the clutch can be a bit pants, mine is slipping now and again at 87,000 miles. An uprated replacement from Honda (including fitting) are around £800. There is a place up in Leeds that will fit an even more uprated clutch (paddle) and also replace the DMF whilst they're in there for £1000 or there abouts. The fitting is so expensive as the engine has to be lowered slightly, although not completely dropped.
For your price you can get a decent Accord but there are more Mondeo's about to choose from and they are a little cheaper.
Oh yeah the old shape Accord (which I've assumed you're talking about given the price range) doesn't have a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) but the newer one does. Not sure about the other cars you mention but I do know they can go to shit and need cleaning or replacing if you do lots of local stop start driving where the engine never gets up to temperature.
Knackers. Turbo issue diagnosed and fixed for £72 inc VAT 😕 I'll never get a new car at this rate!
When they sold me The Mighty Vectra I wish they would have said that it was immortal.
I'd go for a Mondeo over a Focus any day.
They are cheaper to buy, better specced, more room, drive better.
Also agree that at £6k < there is very little difference in purchase price between petrol and diesel.
Back to my Op... If The Mighty Vectra was dead I was going to have a look at [url= http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201226476896480/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-age/up_to_4_years_old/price-to/7000/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/seller-type/trade_adverts/transmission/manual/price-from/6000/fuel-type/diesel/model/vectra/make/vauxhall/page/1/postcode/m252su/radius/100/keywords/elite?logcode=p ]This[/url]
No room for my Evian 😉 but plenty of space for everything else.
after seeing the pro team cars tear-arse past us as we sat outside a cafe at the Giro D'Italia earlier this year, I now want a Skoda Octavia. One of those 4 wheel drive ones.
Mondeo...i made the mistake of getting a golf instead of the mondeo because my dad has a battered old mondeo...big mistake...the mondeo, is bigger, faster, more efficient, quieter, better to drive, more fun, cheaper....in the ideal world every1 would have a ford mondeo....my housemate has an 2006 Audi A6 which he wants to swap for a mondeo because the current mondeo beats it in everyway....Just buy a mondeo...the onse with triangle lights are cheap and great to drive...
the 100,000mile diesel self distruct button where the DMF, turbo, injectors and fuel pump all seem to go wrong
Utter, utter, rubbish spoken by a true "something I read on the internet so it must be correct" man...
I had an 05 Mondeo ST TDCI for a 120mile a day round trip commute. Apart from an alternator and tyres, it was perfect. Missed this magical 100,000 mile destruct way point by about 20k miles and admittadely, it did need the DMF doing when I sold it but I certainly don't remember it 'self destructing'. Quite the opposite. Guy I sold it to knew his Fords inside out and was dead chuffed with the car, despite the DMF needing doing...
Own another suggestion now (Octy vRS estate) and whilst its good fun shoving your foot down, I preferred the build quality, ride and epic amounts of space my old Mondeo provided. Come the end of the year I'm hoping to get rid of the Octy and get another Mondeo... either a new shape 2.2 TDCI Titanium X or one of the very last of the old shape ST TDCI estates with all the optional extras like Recaros and sat nav etc ticked...
To clarify, when I say is missed the 100,000 mile point at which someone on the internet said it should explode and kill me, I mean it went waay past that. Was on 120,000+ when I sold it.
Mk3 Mondeo is a great car to own and drive (Mine had only a split rubber inlet hose in 110K miles). The size was just about right for me.
Mk4 Mondeo is also a great car to own and drive (better in some ways, not in others), if a little too wide/small windows. The engine is superior.
A lot of people know that they are great cars although a lot of people do turn their noses up at a Ford (or a Skoda). This puzzles me. Why?
I work in a company in which half of the people drive 'expensive' German (or Land Rover) cars and SUVs. The others, in similar jobs, drive a mix of 'non-prestige' cars. People don't look up to the flash car drivers, everyone gets to work and back, most of the cars have more [i]luxuries[/i] than you need or can shake a stick at, it just costs some people more than others.
Mondeo.
Accord.
V70.
Probably in that order.
.
And no-one has mentioned yet, but on that budget you could have the pick of the MG ZT-Ts an still have plenty of change. Comfy, quick, 55mpg, but they do get through front brakes quickly and aren't as big as Mondeos/Passats/Vectras, bigger than 159s though.
Aristotle - interesting, I was going to ask at some point whether anyone on her had real life experience of the mk3 and mk4 Mondeos. I know even the very last mk3 is nearing 5 years old now but I still think the look of both the hatchback and estates is nicer than the current ones (unless you throw a load of extra money at it and get the Sport exterior pack etc).
What do you think are the main differences? Would be looking for a 2.0 or 2.2L mk4. As much/similar space inside and in the boot?
Mondeo is probably the sensible option, however if like me you just cant stand ford and teh cheapness of them id go for an Accord.
I did and while i have had a couple of problems i think i have been unlucky but they have cost next to nothing to fix.
The car was £6500 with 103K on it on an 07, 2.2diesel and has ever conceivable extra, leather, sat nav, posh sound system, tow bar etc, penta alloys, etc.
The Manifold cracked first putting fumes in the cab but Honda have extended the warranty to 7yrs/125K so that was done free by Honda.
And in the last couple of weeks the rear callipers ceased and needed replacing, recon ones cost £65 each and did the pads and discs too which were £28 for discs (pair) and £15ish for pads. Im replacing the brake lines too as they had corroded.
Sounds bad but thats basically the two known problems sorted, total cost of a full service, parts and labour around £300 (luckily know a great guy in Mossley).
On a plus, its massive, nice to drive, more refined than a mondeo/vecra, loads cheaper than a bmw/audi, pretty efficient if you stay under 70 (over 60mpg on a run)
My second choice was a passat, now these have more known problems than is healthy so glad i avoided it!
Also try automatic geared car but not those with fancy tiptronic auto gear system or those with paddles at the steering. Just traditional automatic geared.
Mk3 estate was a good size, comfortable, nice place to sit and very good handling (suspensions might be getting tired now. I fitted new rear shocks to mine after one leaked at 80k miles which revived the handling).
The TDCI 130 was adequately powerful (120mph cruising across Europe), but not as smooth, linear or economical as the Mk4 (Peugeot) TDCI 140. There's a reputation for unreliability, but I had no issues. warming up a turbo diesel properly and not thrashing from cold can only help. The 1.8 (or 2.0, but quite thirsty) petrol might be a good used buy if you're not too worried about performance when fully laden.
The Mk4 estate is wider and longer. It fills UK parking spaces. The width is accentuated by the way the doors bulge outwards halfway down, obscuring the ground. (I'd read about it and didn't believe it, but the Mk4 [i]is[/i] the most awkward car to park that I've driven), but it's not that bad.
The boot is even bigger than the Mk3, but it might not be necessary for most people. The roof line is quite low, so a bike with long forks/high bars won't go in upright (unlike they would in my old Mk1 Focus estate.)
The handling, ride and grip are very, very good for a big car and it is surprisingly 'composed', although it does feel slightly bigger/heavier than the Mk3 when threading it enthusiastically down a twisting road. It requires a [i]little[/i] bit more 'smoothness', but most people probably wouldn't notice this ....or care.
The Mk4 interior is very spacious and nicely-laid out, albeit with a few too many bits of shiny chrome for my tastes, but I don't care that much (at all)
The TDCI 140 is a great engine with a good, broad torque curve, even if it doesn't have a headline-grabbing peak bhp. Economy is good if serviced properly and driven on long runs. Not ideal for dawdling around town.
"ford and teh cheapness"
I'm sorry but the interior of my 04 plate Mondeo is far superior quality than VW's I have owned.
In fact Mrs FD recently looked at a new car and Ford was certainly nearly on a par with Audi.
I had an 05 Mondeo ST TDCI for a 120mile a day round trip commute. Apart from an alternator and tyres, it was perfect. Missed this magical 100,000 mile destruct way point by about 20k miles and admittadely, it did need the DMF doing when I sold it but I certainly don't remember it 'self destructing'. Quite the opposite. Guy I sold it to knew his Fords inside out and was dead chuffed with the car, despite the DMF needing doing...
So you had it for a 20k, the £800 DMF failed and you still think it was good? How much needs to go wrong for a car to be considered bad? My petrol one's got half the miles on the clock for the same price, did 20k last year and the only thing it's needed was a hose on the steering pump (which is probably a common part accros both fuel types so can't really hold that against it, warrentied but would have been £20 and DIY otherwise) and front tyres.
Not that anyone will care, but I also drive a Mighty Vectra. Estate. Diesel. Owned from new (2008). Not necessarily the most involving or exciting car to drive but it has been pretty reliable, pretty comfortable and pretty easy to own. One issue with a seized water pump at around 80,000 miles. Currently has 108,000 miles. Aside from the water pump (and cam belt done at the same time) all it has had are the regular services (every 20,000 miles) and tyres. This is the 3rd Vectra I have owned and the story has been the same with all of them. Father in law has a Touran and it has been the most unreliable heap of junk he has had in all his motoring years (and he has quite a collection of highly "unfashionable" cars in his time).
Personally I quite like the Vectra as a car. And the Astra. I also like the Fords although, for me, the Fords tend to have softer, more squidgy seating compared to the Vauxhalls. Anyway, try one. You never know, you might just find that in your own opinion it's not that bad. 🙂
Thats just it- you have a valid contribution taken from actual experience and not heresay.Not that anyone will care
How did you spot the water pump? Usually the first time someone notices is when its too late!!
No, I had it for 18 months and 35k miles. Alternators go on all cars, fact of life. As do tyres.
The DMF Ford reccommend changing at around 100k miles and I when I bought the car I knew it'd need doing (unfortunately I then got a job with an epic commute so the need to do it rolled around a little quicker than I was expecting).
Still, when I did over 3 years worth of average mileage in 18 months, I didn't think the work that needed doing on it was too bad. Looking back through the history of the car, it'd never needed anything but consumables before I got it so 80k+ on consumables which any car would need isn't too bad... If I'd had it from new, I wouldn't have put up too much complaint at having to spend a grand on a DMF after 100k of motoring.
Another vote for the mighty Mondeo
Crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their vimmin
Sorry wrong forum
A funny noise and steam were the giveaway signs. Fortunately we spotted quickly enough and were handy enough to our local garage to take it in for a look. Agreed, it could have been a lot more concerning if we hadn't spotted it or it had happened while we were thrashing along the motorway! 🙂
Just back from picking The Mighty Vectra up. Problem was a split hose on the variable intake flap (oo-err missus). It must have been going for ages as the bloody thing took off like a rocket! They also replaced a drop link which was clunking away.
Damn thing drives like new. It will be with me forever... like herpes.
ps. If you buy a Mk4 Mondeo, legend has it that the 18" wheels/sports suspension are very hard riding.
My Mk4 car has 16" wheels, which won't win any Top Trumps, but ride well and have cheaper tyres
Quick note... Octavia has a crap boot entry, smaller than it should be and with a big lip which makes it much less easy to use the space it has. (put a washing machine in a Mondeo or other proper estate and it slides out, put one in an Octavia or other silly estate and it needs deadlifted out. Bikes get stuck, and you can't sit on the edge. Sitting on the edge of the boot is the best thing about an estate- under the bootlid, out of the rain.
This annoyed me, you might be able to tell- I'd have had one like a shot if they'd just done that right. Instead I have a scabby 2.2 Mondeo that you could park an Octavia in.