UKC

After years of saying to myself that I really should get a new car, I am finally getting around to it.

My criteria is pretty simple, mid sized hatchback (golf / astra sized), fuel efficient with zero or very low tax, commonly available and reliable. Will probably buy something 2 years old.

Not driven anything yet, had a quick look at a Golf 1.6D Bluemotion, which looked OK, but I am not the sort to flick through car magazines and would be interested in suggestions of different cars to look at.

In reply to The New NickB:

Seat Leon? There is one that is highly fuel efficient.

Prius?

Neil

In reply to The New NickB:

I'm sorry I think you misunderstood. The official UKC car is the Octavia. Please report for immediate retraining.

In reply to The New NickB:

Hard to beat a Golf Nick, it is often regarded as the benchmark mid sized hatch.

In reply to marsbar:

I believe a van is also permissible? T4, obviously!

In reply to The New NickB: Golf or Focus. Both do efficient diesels and petrols, both great cars, last time I looked Golfs were more refined but Focuses drive better.

In reply to The New NickB:
Volvo V40 would be my choice, I currently drive a C30 that I've had a couple of months, the interior is a very nice place to be but is not that practical ( I can drop the seat and get my snowboard in though.
The V40 is it's sort of bigger brother, although the C30 is no longer made.
Focus would be a good shout too, my previous car was a mark 1 focus.

In reply to eltankos:


I was thinking of one for my next car but you pay a lot more for what is effectively a more refined Focus.

In reply to girlymonkey:

I'm literal enough to say I was talking about car not van. I think a wider choice of vans are permitted from what I have seen on meets.

In reply to The New NickB: Oh, boot size in the Golf can be a problem if you have 4 people and kit.

In reply to The New NickB:

Bluemotion is that the DSG engine?

If so every 40K miles it required a filter and oil change on the DSG unit £180!

you should get an Octavia or push the boat out and get a Superb

In reply to The New NickB:

Hyundai i30. We got one of these instead of an Astra and I prefer it (having had a number of Astras as hire cars in the same period). 1.6 Diesel version is in the zero tax band and does 55-60 mpg under varied driving conditions (my wife farts about town with it during the week, but it tends to get a longer run at some point most weeks).

In reply to malky_c:

My parents have one, its OK but not easy to park and they have had battery draining issues that haven't been sorted out.

In reply to marsbar:

Have you considered the VW Jetta ? Ok it isn't a hatch back, but it is a Golf with an enormous boot and a longer wheel base. Same choice of engines etc.

In reply to The New NickB:

Golf estate - just got one (mk6, not new) - love it.

In reply to krikoman:




I might consider the Rapid Speedback if I can find a second hand, but I really don't want an Octavia or a Superb.

In reply to The New NickB:

Yes you do. Don't be so hard on yourself!

In reply to The New NickB:

Rapid, in either of two body styles, gives you the best bits of an Octavia in a more compact form.
My wife's car is a 1.2 and it does everything you would want a mid range hatch to do. Being the Spaceback it has more leg/headroom than any competitor but boot room may be compromised as a result, though for two people it will never be a problem.

In reply to The New NickB:

Come on, this is UKC. You know you don't want an Octavia, but in the end you'll succumb. It's inevitable...

In reply to The New NickB:

I used to drive a Golf estate then got a Focus estate. Both had their pros and cons but the Golf had the big disadvantage that it had very low ground clearance which meant that anything other than a well made road was a hazard. In fact I managed to ground it on a roughish road on one of the smaller of the Orkneys and bust the oil sump. I preferred the Golf for road driving but wouldn't have one again as I tend to find myself on small roads and parking on verges etc quite often.

In reply to The New NickB:

Got to be a sport line transporter.

In reply to The New NickB:

Fabia. It'll look like you wanted an Octavia but got confused at the dealership. They do a small one? Brilliant, I'll take it!

Just the sort of car you want in a car park of full size Octavias.

In reply to The New NickB:

You need to tell us whether its for 2 or 4/5 in the car. A hatchback is great for two with the rear seats down as you can get so much gear in the back, but it'll be on display in the car park while you climb, something I try to steer clear of. For four people the pathetic boot in a Golf or anything similar simply won't cut the mustard.

I think the suggestions of Golf estate (for 4) or Jetta (for 2) make more sense. Much greater luggage capacity and all hidden away. Obviously you could swap Ford, Peugeot or Ferrari equivalents according to budget. I have a BMW 2 series which is a Jetta-type car that is nicer to drive, better looking but pricier. I'd highly recommend a 2 year old version as a great second hand buy but they only came out a year ago.

Once you go any bigger it's a full-sized estate you'll be after and, at that point, resistance is useless.

In reply to BnB:

I wanted to go golf but couldn't justify paying for a badge on the front. I then thought a fabia would do but realised I would regularly need 5 seats plus room for all the kit. I ended up with an octavia and other than the occasional "this car is soooo big" I love it.
I ruled out the seat leon, I30 and Volvo over price, reliability and durability

I tried not wanting an Octavia it didn't work.........

for me.

In reply to marsbar:


You'll need to ditch labels in favour of kit from Lidl for the complete look

In reply to The New NickB:

v40

In reply to The New NickB:

Get one of these, London to Scotland in 30 minutes:

http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/

In reply to markh554:


Focus with leather seats.

In reply to BnB:
Two adults and a teenager often just the adults, current car is a Seat Ibiza, which is big enough 95% of the time. Just need a little bit more room for the family camping trips.

In reply to The New NickB:

How about a Fabia estate?

In reply to paul_in_cumbria:


Not complete without Ikea rope bag

In reply to The New NickB:


If you're happy with Seat, what about a Leon? Same engine as the Golf but cheaper, and considered more 'fun' by some.

In reply to The New NickB:

I just got a Kia ceed estate and am very impressed with it. Best car I've ever owned and you seem to get a lot for your money.

In reply to The New NickB:

I had Astra estates for years but they're hopeless for boot space now. So I went for a Passat which was huge, far too big.

I've had my Golf Estate for 4 years now and I'll be changing it for another one in September.

In reply to paul_in_cumbria:

My favourite down jacket is from oxfam, and these dry bags from aldi are great still working well years later
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=603942

In reply to Mike Stretford:


Didn't know that... Really? I wanted one for my next car.

In reply to Mike Stretford:


Had a look at a couple of Leon and another look at the Golf today, think I liked the Leon more and it was £1500 cheaper.

In reply to The New NickB:


I'm on my second Octavia Estate, but my hire car in Mallorca last year was a Rapid Spaceback. It was a basic 1.6 diesel which was a bit sluggish compared to my 1.4tsi Petrol Octy, but coped with the mountain roads no problem. It swallowed my hard bike case and our 2 suitcases. Rear legroom looked a bit lacking - wouldn't want to do a long journey in one as a rear seat passenger -- but that was also the problem with my first Octavia (53 plate).

With some regret my son sold his Nissan 350Z and has recently bought the Seat Leon ST (FR) which is basically the Spanish Octavia vRS. Goes like shit off a stick in sport mode (and also has room for the baby seat and all the associated paraphenalia heel soon be needing to cart around!)

In reply to The New NickB:

If you going for Leon/Octavia over Golf try on the motorway - I almost had my cheque book out for an Octavia but was surprised by the wind noise. This isn't a problem on the VRS as the tire noise drowns it out. Leon may be different but I was glad I checked first.

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

I drove my wife's Spaceback to Tesco today. I'm six foot tall and the seat is still at my setting. I've just popped outside and sat in the back seat with a tape measure and there's just shy of 4 inches between my knee and the back of the driver's seat. I call that adequate.

In reply to Tom Valentine:

It can depend on your trunk height, and the length from your foot to your knee, and from your knee to the top of your legs.

What one person of the same hight finds fine can be not quite enough for another person to have room to stretch (vaguely speaking with it being the back of a car...).

In reply to featuresforfeet:

I was amazed how quiet my 12 plate Octavia with roof rails is compared to my old 53 plate without roof rails - though I guess it's mostly down to to the 1.4 litre tsi petrol engine compared to the old 1.9l tdi diesel!

In reply to The New NickB:

Why not? The Octavia is a Golf with a different skin.

What about a C Class estate?

In reply to Father Noel Furlong:


I'm not keen on them aesthetically, but mainly it was an appropriate title for a UKC car thread.


A new shape A class probably fits the bill better, but a bit of a premium for the badge.

In reply to andy.smythe:

I second the Kia Ceed estate (or Sportswagon as they like to call it). When I was looking for a new motor I could sleep in last year Passat/Octavia/Fabia/I30 estates plus the Roomster and Yeti were all under consideration. I ruled out the Yeti and Roomster on lack of sleeping room, and the Passat on cost compared with the Octavia. When it came down to it the Ceed estate offered the best in terms of price, performance, gear/man room and equipment over the rest.
I've had mine now for 14months and over 20000miles and all is well.

In reply to The New NickB:

I'd just do it on gut feel, obviously you've got a few quid if you're on a 13 plate, so just enjoy yourself go and flirt with the salesman, after all it's a buyers market, so many cars out there that you'll get what you're looking for, take a lot of test drives and find that connection.

In reply to The New NickB:


I gather from a relative that reliability still isn't what it 'should be' for Mercedes, if one thinks about older Mercedes built up until about 1994 which are as solid as anything. It was around then that Mercedes decided to increase their volume and the quality started to go down hill. I probably wouldn't pay the badge premium for a newer Mercedes if it was me. I half see them as being a different brand to older Mercedes.

In reply to The New NickB:

I'm just about to buy a new Mondeo. I can give a review in a month or so if any use? May be too big for your requirements.

In reply to estivoautumnal:

Deadline for purchase is 2 weeks. My car is so old I'll probably just scrap it, I don't want to put it through an MOT first.

In reply to The New NickB:

Toyota Avensis, Audi A6

In reply to The New NickB:

My dad gave his 97 P reg Audi A6 estate to my old neighbour and friend since childhood instead of scrapping it, and it passed it's MOT after having the brakes sorted and a new suspension spring, but that was after it'd been sitting stationary for 9 months and I imagine some corrosion had started to set in on the brakes.

If you're currently driving it I can imagine somebody would be pleased to take it off your hands for free.

To my mild annoyance ( about 1 out of 100 since he's been a friend since I was 3, and I've not yet passed my test ), my neighbour is well chuffed to have been given a free Audi estate, even if it is pretty old now for a car.

In reply to The New NickB:

I've had 2 Focus's. First one did 200,000 miles with hardly a problem. This one is on a third of that and has been in the garage every couple of months with silly problems. But I would still buy another if I didn't need the extra space of the Mondeo. Great handling and good mpg. 5 star NCAP, cheap to insure and tax. Good if you want an A-B transport. A bit dull on the roads here in the Highlands where you can drive a bit. I also spend a lot of time in Hampshire where the roads are always busy and if I lived there permanently I would drive any old car. Handling and driving enjoyment wouldn't be a concern. So if you live in southern England a Focus will do the trick. North of that an Alfa Romeo 159 estate would be nice.

In reply to The New NickB:
If you can be fussed, I bet there'll be loads of hard up people around Rochdale and in Manchester who'd snap it up, if you posted on facebook or similar that your car would be scrapped if nobody wants to take it off your hands.

It'd probably be the green(er) thing to do, too, I imagine, to keep your current car in circulation rather than having it scrapped. (:~))

In reply to The New NickB:

I had an a3, loved it. Now have a 3 series, hate it. Never liked golfs, bit too small. Had an astray estate but smashed it up before I formed an opinion. Loved my old mondeo for the price, Deffo worth a look. My two pence

In reply to The New NickB:

We bought an Golf Estate about a year and a half ago and it's great. Doesn't use much diesel and generally works well.

In reply to jimjimjim:


That's a rather unusual perspective. On the wrong tyre and suspension combination BMWs can be hard riding but that's the only grumble I could envisage. Don't you like driving?

In reply to Timmd:
I do dabble with paint brushes but that's where any similarity to Toulouse-Lautrec ends.

Top Gear describes the rear legroom as "generous", Autocar as "great" and the AA as "impressive". I think the widely quoted figure of 64 mm is probably a bit conservative.

In reply to Timmd:

Days off the MOT with at least 2 significant issues to sort out, I don't think if get much interest. A scrapper should hopefully give me a few quid and parts of the car will get re-used before the bulk of the metal is recycled.

In reply to The New NickB:


True but I never thought how much you could enjoy driving until i got the 220 diesel saloon. All the power you need, smooth as hell and over 50mpg if you stay light on the right foot.

In reply to The New NickB:

I would have got a V40, except they had only just come out and were too expensive when I last changed cars.

After testing quite a few, I have an Audi A3 Sportback. It happens to have tinted rear windows, so not that easy to see in if the seats are down. 2l diesel, £30 tax. It's a size down from my old Focus Estate - I didn't need another estate, but did need something with reasonable boot space.

I didn't want another Ford, even though my Focus was fantastic, as I didn't like the new Focus and wanted a change from Ford. I didn't want a Golf, as I don't like them and the boot is too small. Toyota Auris was HORRIBLE. Hyundai i30 was ok - I had an i40 estate as a hire car last year and was actually very impressed with it.

My sister gets through a lot of these size cars as company cars, and loved the Seat Leon and currently has a Focus, which she also really likes.

In reply to The New NickB:

The Fabia estate has ridiculous amounts of space in the boot. If I had found one with better engine than the ddire 1.4 diesel it would have probably been bought.

In reply to The New NickB:

This thread is perfectly timed for I, too, am looking to buy a vehicle.

That Hyundai i30 looks brilliant, particularly with the 1.6 Blue Drive Diesel. I'd be buying the vehicle to get to hiking and climbing (and skiing, snow-shoeing, camping, sailing, cycling...) destinations - possibly with friends and gear - and I care far more about efficiency and amenities than acceleration.

Is it any good?

On a side note: I know that Diesel is currently the most hated fuel on the roads but, honestly, I think people have lost all perspective. Ultimately, Diesel is less refined and consumed at a much slower rate, by volume. At the very worst, these newly discovered emissions from Diesel engines negate those benefits, yes?

In reply to Father Noel Furlong:


It's in his op, he wants a mid-sized hatchback. The Octavia estate in great, but the 'hatchback' version is more saloonish, and pretty big, more like a mondeo.

There's a Seat Leon out there with Nick's name on it. Nice cars and good value, and I once climbed with a bloke who worked at the factory in Catalonia.

In reply to The New NickB:

Bought a Leon on a 63 plate this morning!