Sized Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Hi boys and girls, I'm going to be buying a shed soon and was after some opinions on what to go for from you nice folk please. The car will be used by me to transport my mountain bike at the weekend and by my girlfriend (who has recently passed her driving test) to drive to and from work. Therefore, I'm after something: - Cheap as poss to insure for a new driver - Fits a bike in the back easily (i.e. hatchback) - Good on fuel - Reliable - Up to Focus size Not really bothered about it being fun to drive as long as long as it does the job! Budget up to £1,400. So far I'm thinking of something roughly 10-11 years old in the vein of: Corsa 1.2 Focus Mk1 1.6 zetec (which would have the bonus of being a half decent steer) Any other ideas? Thanks in advance guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beetleben Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 A golf sdi is group 4 insurance I think, does 50+ mpg on a run. Not very quick but will happily do 70 all day long and you'd get one for about £1100 with decent miles on the clock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoogyRev Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I think for that money you will have a lot of choice. I would also look at an Van type thing as well if it were me. Chuck you bike in the back without having to take it apart, and also may be useful for carting other stuff about. I guess that option will depend on how happy you girlfriend would be trundling about in a van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRF4N Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Older shape civic? Will be more reliable, nicer to drive, less embarassing than most sheds and should be roomy as well http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/honda/civic/honda-civic-1-5-v-tec-low-mileage/1000889 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Focus. Class-leading drive as you say, reliable, cheap to run. I used to 3x guitars, 3x amps and 4 persons in my old one, pretty roomy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 - Up to Focus size Think you answered your own question there Common as muck hence cheap to buy, nice drive, reliable & a decent drive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I just sold my shed a few months back. It was a 2003 Peugeot 307 2.0HDi. I sold it for £1500, so well within your budget. I used it for my daily commute which was 90miles a day. It returned 56mpg every single week without fail. Nice, comfortable on long trips, massive load space - bigger than my mk4 & mk5 golfs. Running costs over 12 months were practically nothing. I replaced the top mounts which cost me £10, tie rods which were another £10, a full service was about £60 and MOT cost £25 at local garage. Certainly cost me a lot less to run than my VW Golf TDI i had before that. Insurance was cheap as they are quite low insurance groups. So id certainly recommend the 307! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-350 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 E36 BMW 318is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sized Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Thanks for all the replies chaps Some interesting suggestions there. Doogyrev, van would be great but no way is my missus going to be thrilled with that The beemer is a bit on the old side, although I do have a soft spot for E36 325 tourings 307 and civics I will check out, but you might be right SMD - maybe I answered my own question! Do like a good Focus. Prior to the zed I had an ST170 which I loved despite it's shortcomings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoony Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Volkswagen Golf is a winner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeroy Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I'm currently running a 1.8 Zetec Focus shed that cost a princely £600. Try as I may, I still haven't managed to destroy it and all it's needed so far is a DIY service, wheel bearing and front L+R drop links (£6 each, 10 mins fitting!). If you're going to shed, do it properly I say - there's something liberating about using car park walls as parking sensors 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S1 HNK Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Focus is a great car. Avoid an old vauxhall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Volkswagen Golf is a winner! Be outside of the guys budget. I had a mk4 Golf GT TDI for 4 years and did 90k in it. Had 175k on it when i sold it. The 2001 model I had is fetching £2000 on ebay looking at current prices. Tyres last 40k on the Golf, the brake pads & discs need changing every 80k, the wheel bearings went at about 120k, the front lower wishbone bushes go on them at about 100k, suspension went at 140k. Plus load of niggly common problems like the brake pedal switch failing, engine temp sensor failing, hazard light relay going, electric windows breaking, the centre arm rest catch breaking and the clutch pedal breaking in half. Servicing on a golf is well easy. A full service (pollen, air, oil & fuel filters + oil) came in at 60quid for parts and I could do it in exactly 16minutes. Insurance on it was higher though as its a higher insurance group than the 307, and since you get an older golf for the same money they are higher tax brackets for the same engine size. Also the TDI Golfs have some mad service interval on the cambelts. Mine had to be changed every 40k or something. Lovely cars to drive however, and 2nd to my beemer it was the nicest car ive owned to drive. Very relaxing and comfortable. But, running costs compared to our 307 were a lot higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeroy Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Volkswagen Golf is a winner! ....load of niggly common problems like ..... the clutch pedal breaking in half. I just hate those 'niggling' problems! Servicing on a golf is well easy. A full service (pollen, air, oil & fuel filters + oil) came in at 60quid for parts and I could do it in exactly 16minutes. Lovely cars to drive however, and 2nd to my beemer it was the nicest car ive owned to drive. Very relaxing and comfortable. But, running costs compared to our 307 were a lot higher. We had one too - the GT TDi 150 and it was a great car, a proper torque monster. I found the running costs ok, but I did spend the whole ownership period convinced that it was about to eat it's camshafts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sized Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Volkswagen Golf is a winner! Be outside of the guys budget. Yep golfs at my budget look pretty ropey unfortunately. there's something liberating about using car park walls as parking sensors Haha classic. Not seen my missues drive yet but hopefully she doesn't use the wall too much! Avoid an old vauxhall! Have you had a bad experience mate? Funnily enough after starting this thread I have heard another murmouring about older corsas being junk, but my good lady's parents swear by old vauxhalls. They have a cavalier diesel that's done about 160k miles and their omega only gave up at about 260k.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblock Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 IMO id for a 1.8 vvti avensis or 1.3 corrola. IMO for cheap run around you can't beat Japanese cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Volkswagen Golf is a winner! Be outside of the guys budget. Yep golfs at my budget look pretty ropey unfortunately. there's something liberating about using car park walls as parking sensors Haha classic. Not seen my missues drive yet but hopefully she doesn't use the wall too much! Avoid an old vauxhall! Have you had a bad experience mate? Funnily enough after starting this thread I have heard another murmouring about older corsas being junk, but my good lady's parents swear by old vauxhalls. They have a cavalier diesel that's done about 160k miles and their omega only gave up at about 260k.............. My mates just bought a 2005 vectra and that was £1500. 54k from new, FSH, 2.0 Diesel. Lovely car to drive. I serviced it for him just before xmas and fitted new brake pads. All cheap to maintain and they handle mileage well - one reason so many were popular company cars. I had a quick drive in it and its fine to drive. He`s getting mid 50mpg out of it. Has a bit of an old man`s rep or "unmarked plod" look to it tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrumbMC Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I would stay away from the 307. i think rabbit stew has been lucky. my parents had one and also my mate. both of them blew 2 turbos each within a period of about 18 months. £1400 quid will get you more than a shed. I have a mate who wont spend over 300 quid on a car. he just buys them with an ~MOT and runs them for a year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRF4N Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I'd love to play the £300 car game- find the best car you can for under 300 quid, kick it's head in for a year then start again from scratch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeroy Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I'd love to play the £300 car game- find the best car you can for under 300 quid, kick it's head in for a year then start again from scratch It's good fun, I do it between cars nowadays. Cash in the bank for the next purchase and something different to tidy up and hack around in for a few months. The last one was a '98 Saab 900 Turbo, bought for £510 off the 'Bay and sold for £650 a year later having spent nothing but fuel money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sized Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 Quick update. Went car shopping last weekend and bought............. A 54-plate Corsa Sxi! Budget went a bit higher, but not by all that much (especially considering some of the sh*te I saw at c£1,500). Car appears in great nick, 78k miles on it with full history and all manuals, spare keys etc all present and correct. Seems pretty nippy for a 1.2 too Would have preferred a focus, but my good lady wasn't keen (too big) haha. Thanks again for all the posts on this thread guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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