Time for Mrs Wishy to replace her current steed and we aren't really sure what to go for so thought we'd open it up to you good people for ideas. She currently has a 1.0l 106 but later this year will be starting a new job that involves a 25 mile round trip commute so is looking for something that will feel a bit more solid on the motorway.

Wishy list

• More solid than current car (shouldn't be hard) Tick
• Bigger engine (1.3/1.4) Sod it, lets just call it a 1.6.
• Petrol Tick
• Manual (this is an absolute must) Tick
• More room (enough to fit three kids in the back every now and again but doesn't need to be massive as I have a 9-5 estate for serious lugging about duties) Tick
• More mod cons than current steed (given this is an 02 plate base model then anything more than striped seats and an interior light would fit the bill). Tick
• Reliable Tick
• Four doors (although not essential)[ Lets just call it 3.5 doors instead shall we?

We haven't really thought of a budget yet as undecided whether to pay cash or borrow some money if there's something beyond budget that she really liked. I'll just say £5k as a rough budget for now. DOH, we'd have had some change for petrol and insurance if we'd bought the Jag!

A quick look at Auto-trader last night came up with an initial running list

• Fiat 500 (note how this blatantly ignores the most of the wish list but is still top)
• Honda Jazz
• Toyota Yaris

Your thoughts on a postcard please. Leftfield suggestions welcome but bear in mind I've already had this suggestion turned down.

Shame it's an auto as it's not that far above budget.

SEAT Leon/Ibiza. Sorted.

A mini cooper and change over. Cheap insurance for the ladies and a hoot to drive.

Skoda Fabia
Suzuki Swift
Ford Fiesta

Cheers for those ideas. Her reaction to Fiesta was which made me giggle. The others are all worth considering.

Ford Focus, plenty of room and good on motorways. I know you said a 1.3/4 but the petrols are quite frugal if you don't mind going for a bigger engine.

Honda Jazz looks like it's winning so far but we haven't physically looked at any cars yet.

Mini Cooper Clubman has just made it onto the list (we'd be getting a loan out for one of them though).

You need to work out your budget, as there's a totally different range of cars available when going from £5k to £8k.

If you joined the club you'd be entitled to the affinity discount at Fiat & Alfa Romeo. The affinity scheme offers *big* discounts on new cars, eg a brand new "12 plate" 1.4 Punto Evo Dynamic is around £8.8k, and new Mitos start at £10.6k.

I know of a lovely mini cooper that would see you with plenty of change for insurance from £5k.

Pm me for more details

The budget sort of depends on how much she likes the car. Up to about £4k would be the cash limit and a Honda Jazz would fit in there. £8k that the mini would cost would need a loan but she likes those (a lot) so would probably be prepared to do that for one.

Mind you if she gets a Honda Jazz then that could almost count as the main family car which would give me an excuse to change this (similar to my current steed) to one like this or perhaps return to the fold

It's the Clubman body shape that she likes. Is it one of them?

Have a look in the eBay section and ask her to take a look.

Thanks will do, she's out at the moment so will show her when she gets back. Looks nice that does.

She says it looks nice but she would really be after the Clubman bodyshape and it's several hundred miles away. Thanks for the suggestion though.

fiat panda 100hp

Honda Jazz... only if she's over 70 (my folks have the 'sporty' one, it's 'orrid!!)

Golf, any day, all day.

Well she hits 40 soon, is that old enough? I had two Golfs and both ended life with terminal engine failure on less than 6ok miles so not a massive fan although they did run rather reliably apart from that.

Revisit the mini.

Jfdi

It's a great little 'without feeling it' cool styled car!

My dads second car is a 1.4 Jazz, amazing load lugger but utterly gutless unless driven on the red line. If tootled about in then yes is good.

Well if it stops raining we'll go and have a look round some garages today at random cars. She is getting a bit put off the Jazz idea now, my dad didn't help the image yesterday by pointing out that one of his friends has one!

If she likes mini's, she will probably also like the Citroen DS3

Clicky

Still prefer a smaller one

.... not wishing to urinate on your pyrotechnics

Had a look at Skoda and Suzuki today before we got sick of dragging a four your old around in the cold and wet. Suzuki Swift has moved up the list and Skoda Fabia has moved down it (she didn't like the interior). Had a drive by the Citroen dealer without getting out and she likes the look of a DS3 from the outside so that is another option to look at.

Conclusion time, cheers for all of your suggestions. Pretty much doubled the budget and Mini Cooper Clubman wins. Here's a piccy of the new addition with one of it's soon to be passengers. Paid deposit today and pick it up next Saturday.

Wise purchase Whats the spec and mileage etc?

28k on an 09 plate, you'd be hard pushed to see any use on it though, looks like it could be a brand new one. The only options listed were a DAB radio and something else that escapes my mind but compared to the poverty spec 02 plate 106 she had it's a different world. It has a six speed box, push button start, start/stop technology and traction control but I'm guessing these are standard as they weren't listed as options.

Looking at the Mini website I think the other option it had is the black roof/wing mirrors although the site lists DAB as standard equipment. Maybe it used to be an option.