At the end of February 2016, I'm going to be lucky enough to have a bonus through work. The majority is going into my pension, a new bathroom and my 25th wedding anniversary. However, my nearest and dearest has given me the green light to buy a car with the rest

Budget will be around £6k.

It will need 4+ seats, need to do 30+mpg (it'll be my occasional daily commute) and won't embarrass my children on the school pick up!

Early thoughts are....

Civic Type R
Focus ST
Scooby STI
Brera

Anything else I should consider?

Mk II Leon FR (170bhp diesel or 200bhp petrol) and around your £6k budget.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/seat/leon/fr/driving-performance/

It's the obvious choice.

A not-so-obvious choice:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201505253752344?postcode=st72pd&radius=1500&maximum-mileage=up_to_70000_miles&minimum-seats=4&search-target=usedcars&zero-to-60=fast&transmission=manual&maximum-age=up_to_7_years_old&page=8&onesearchad=used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew&price-to=7000&sort=ageasc&logcode=p

Never been a fan of the new shape Leons.....

The Laguna is definitely left field choice!

I'm hoping in the next 4 months the price of these drop a bit more.

I like to be different

The RCZs are nice but being a more obvious choice hold their value better. They use the Peugeot/Citroen/Mini turbocharged 1.6 engine, right? In some guises, they were reported to be troublesome. Need to check which ones.

What about a Volvo C30?

My issue with the RCZ is that it looks to me like an almost straight copy of the original TT. Not necessarily bad, just too derivative to be exciting.

Or if age, absolute consumption, and the reality of 4 seats is negotiable:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201510107687822?radius=1500&search-target=usedcars&price-to=8000&onesearchad=used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew&make=jaguar&postcode=cv211ts&page=1&model=xk8&sort=mileage&logcode=p

FN2 Type R are awful to drive, EP3 are awesome but old (although I would have one tomorrow)

I saw a Brera the other day & could not help but think they look like a poor mans mild exotica due to the chronic depreciation Alfas suffer -

Scooby great cars,

Focus ST I love and sould the nuts, Yet a subtle car compared to an STI roaring along..

MAzda 3 MPS??

Going back to a Scooby is appealing (had a classic, Blob WRX and a Bug STI) as they're pretty bombproof, but its a case of been there and done that. An ST in Orange ticks most boxes as does a CTR in Red

Luckily, I have a couple or 3 months to test drive and decide.....

Alfa Giulietta 170bhp Diesel remapped to 200bhp plus would be good, and still do 45mpg+
They are also very reliable (not just for an Alfa but in general) I have one myself, but I haven't had it mapped yet.


Focus ST
Renault Megane R26

Testing one tomorrow for the Mrs

A guy by me is selling a 5 dr Orange ST in great condition, Stainless exhaust & drilled dicsc are the only mods, he barely uses it & is not a boy racer, it's really low mileage @ 55k and on a 56 plate, he wants £6k

I very nearly went for an ST myself, but the fact that I could get a Giulietta that was 4 or 5 years newer for the same sort of money swung it towards the Alfa for me.

Plus there was the small issue of 25mpg in the ST.

They look, sound and drive great though.

Don't buy a megane! Second hand they are nothing but expensive trouble. Electronicly worse than an alpha and made from cheese.

Don't say that! I'm about to buy a Trophy 225!

Interesting thread,

I too am looking for a replacement for my 2005 Alfa 156. I don't really have any real must have items on my list but I suppose I would like - A/C, Leather & cruise control. Having borrowed my sons 2008 Fiesta last winter I was impressed with the heated screen gadget too.

My budget is sub £5000 with a desire to spend as little as possible.

I've been looking at;

Audi (A3 / A4 & TT)
Volvo (C30)
Fiat Grande Punto (1.9tdi and 1.4 tjet)
Suzuki Swift 1.6 GT
Ford Fiesta ST (Old model)

Any other ideas?

I currently have a base model Suzuki Swift on a PCP which is a cracking little car. My wife and I were at the Suzuki garage yesterday looking at a Vitara for my her. On the forecourt was a White 3dr Swift Sport. While my wife was looking at the Vitara I had a closer look at the Sport. Nice spec and being a 3dr looked a little less Noddylike than my current Swift. Turned out it was one of the salesman's cars and he let me have a spin in it. Ok it isn't in the same category as those I put on my initial post but it ticked most boxes.

My current Swift shows I do 54mpg (actual from my brim to brim check is 52.5) and the Sport showed 39mpg. Quite impressive from a warm 1.6 Hatch.

So, the Swift Sport is now another one to consider.

Just resurrecting this old thread......

Since I posted this, along with my TT DSG thread and Bob's Audi thread, I've done a lot of driving, a lot of reading and a lot of searching down the back of the sofas for loose change!

The criteria for a new car changed quite a lot from the initial post, ala Bob and his sub £5k budget. I was able to persuade my wife that all I needed was an occasional 4 seater. I also wanted as new a car as I could afford.

After a 2nd test drive out went the Swift Sport. Also discarded were the Type R, Focus ST, STi and the Brera. Having said that I came within an inch of putting a deposit down on a gorgeous red Type R.

So I'm down to a shortlist of 3. These are the actual cars, I've test driven the 1st, testing the 2nd tonight and I've driven the same model as the 3rd at a local dealer.

DS3 DSport

Pug RCZ

TT 1.8 FSI

I don't expect huge thumbs up for any of them on here but I thought I'd share them with you.

For me it would have to be the RCZ, it has a certain "Je ne sais quoi" and I know it's a TT clone but better looking IMHO. The DS has so many quirky design features that would annoy me after a short while: the dash looks a mess (again IMHO) and those wheels may be modern and trendy but... Should the spoiler be up on the TT at 0 mph?

I like the look of the last two. The RCX looks quite unusual and I like them, but I've never had a Pug so don't know much about their quality, residuals and reliability. So I think the Audi would win this the race for me

TDi S-line In Black? with BOSE sound.

Another black Tdi S-line? with LED, cruise & reverse sensors.

Or a white 1.8?

I really like the look of THIS ONE with DSG but it is miles away

Have you not considered an older TTS?

I was really tempted by these and a test drive blew me away, it is one quick car. Also when looking at Audi's you have to play close attention to the specification and options fitted. I looked at similar cars at similar prices but one would have over £4000 worth of optional extras fitted. You can download the original sales brochures and discover what the original specification was and how much each of the options cost. S-line usually brings nicer seats and things like an upgraded lamps pack.

Audi TTS in black... or Orange This one was on Auto Trader when I was looking and was on sale for much more! Lots of expensive extras but a bit heavy on the mileage

Thanks Bob, some interesting picks there.

I'm trying to stay away from an older TT but the 59 plate TTS looks wonderful.

The white 1.8 is very nice, I do like that.

If I plump for a TT I'll be picking your brain about specs etc. as I know you've done the research.

The DS3 was a bit of a left field choice. After I decided I only needed a 2+2 the TT and Pug were my top 2 picks. One positive about the Pug is it's basically a 308 so the parts and servicing are relatively cheap compared to the Audi.

I will try and find the links to the sales brochures I found and send them on to you. Since I bought the A5 someone at work has bought a white TTS. The bugger keeps parking it next to or near my car too

But...

How about An A5 3.0 Tdi? or a 2.0 Tdi?

Thanks Bob, that'd be great,

My advice.

I know the RCZ looks good, but do... not... buy....a.....Peugeot....

Simply based on the two woeful cars I've had (307 and 208). My 208 is in the dealers more than on my driveway. Makes Fiats and Alfa's look bullet proof. Just my honest opinion.

Well................ My wife has a Pug 5008. Had it 4 years now, done 60k miles and it hasn't missed a beat. And I've also had a 306 and a 206 and didn't have an issue with either. Guess it's the luck of the draw.

I'd never class any of my 4 previous Fiats as bullet proof

I know matey. I wondered if it was the two models I've had.

I think the older Pugs were better, my dad had two 306's and I know of a few 206s which have been fine.

The 307 ate a clutch every 10k, and the carpets were held in by gravity alone.

The 208 has been shocking. The overall build quality seems ok, but the suspension rattles, the clutch slips, and it's just come back from an engine pulley / tensioner failure which lunched the belts. A full day in the workshop.

Audi TT Brochure 2008

TT Brochure 2009

TT Brochure 2010

TT Brochure 2011