Replacing the wifes car.

[Monkey_boy]

Yesterday while driving along in the blazing sun the brakes on my wife's 1998 Corsa 1.4 Auto. Luckily I wasn't going too fast and there wasn't anyone directly in front of me. I managed to stop it on the handbrake and then I drove it straight round to our local garage who should be looking at it today and giving us an idea of what's broken and how much it's going to cost to fix. We've been talking for some time about replacing her car and have been thinking of getting something which is a bit newer, has better MPG and can fit a pram etc in (were expecting a weee baby in December). She can only drive automatics & she doesn't want anything too big. I've been looking at something around the size of a Honda Jazz but we have very limited funds to play with. I would be great if we can keep costs under £4k and even better if it's closer to £3k .Any suggestions?Thanks

[r.welfare]

Early Jazz, then? Although these things keep their value like crazy you may struggle to find one in budget. I'd also be wary about longevity of the CVT box if only used for short journeys: my mum has a Logo - predecessor of the Jazz - basically same 'box and that required a £2.5k replacement last year at 24k due to an issue with the star clutch - basically watch out for any noise/vibration when pulling away from a standstill, and check it's had replacement fluids with the proper stuff, they did a Technical Service Bulletin with an upgraded fluid type.Also - and I speak from recent experience - if your wife wants a big buggy (like a Quinny Buzz), do not underestimate the amount of space in the boot this will need, particularly with a flat "pram" top for a small baby. This is one of the reasons why we sold my wife's Skoda Fabia to get a Honda Accord hatchback when our daughter was born last summer - although if your wife doesn't carry rear seat passengers the Jazz has a massive boot when the rear seats are folded and you can get the buggy in that way (with half the rear seat down).Fold-up MacLaren type jobs are cheaper and take up far less space, but some women (!) don't follow this line of logical argument...It's a struggle to find a decent-quality small automatic that doesn't have a CVT or automated manual box (my mum's thinking of replacing the Logo, see, and she's put off a Jazz CVT due to the Logo's box issues) - I think the Yaris 1.3 has a proper 4-speed auto, so that's another option.

[Volksy]

My fossils are more than happy with their Honda Jizz, I had an early one as a company hack, and apart from the tiny fuel tank it was reasonably competant. These are both manuals though.You'll struggle to get a buggy in the back of a Yaris, the boots on those are tidgy. Think that the VW Polo had a normal type auto, the later corsas defo had a automated manual affair.You might have to look for something Focus/Golf sized unless you are going to get a second car for you Monkey, as as RW quite rightly says the new type buggies are mahoosive!

[Monkey_boy]

Had a look at a Ford Fusion. Found quite a cheap one t'web yesterday. Not sure if they are any good though??

[trigger]

Just a Fiesta arn't they? If so i would thought they be a pretty good car, and fairly roomy.

 

Take a look on the What car website, Might give you some idea's, The reviews are quite funny as well.

 

http://www.whatcar.com/car-reviews/ford/fusion-hatchback/summary/23722-5default.aspx

[r.welfare]

Fusion is based on the outgoing Fester, so I believe the autobox is an automated manual (Durashift EST in the 1.4 - looks like the 1.6 may be a "proper" auto)? I drove one of these Durashifts (mated to a Fiesta with the 1.25 lump) as a Guernsey hire car, and it was unbelieveably shit, like a Smart car in terms of change quality (geological time), and it bunny-hopped around like mad when you tried to park it.Polo has a "proper" autobox, yup - as was the Lupo 1.4. Pretty sure that you could still get a proper GM 4-spd auto in the last Corsa, as well as the manumatic - same holds true for the latest Corsa (at a very high price, new, anyway).Point I was making is that normal autoboxes (when not made by Renault ) should be pretty reliable; I'm not convinced about CVT stuff long-term (based on the experience of a single Honda, true...) and automated manuals tend to be jerky little buggers when doing low-speed manouvering, as well as having question marks over durability...

[Mr Lobster]

Had a look at a Ford Fusion. Found quite a cheap one t'web yesterday. Not sure if they are any good though??

No, please don't.Apart from the horrific 'styling' possibly the worst part is the incredibly poor ride quality. Over anything less than billiard smooth surface you feel every last bump and get thrown all over the place. GR8 for makin babies car sick I would imagine.

[Guest]

 

How about a Mazda Demio? Couple of Heather Mills spec examples on the bay at the mo under 3k and they're a four-speed box rather than continuously-unreliable. Futureshite-tastic as well.

[autohausdolby]

I was privilaged to be invited to and yes, even attend the UK launch for the Ford Fusion. You could tell it wasn't going to be great when the PR department had no fugging idea what it was for. I fell asleep in the presentation, but the food was excellent as it always seems to be at FMCUK events

[KruJoe]

 

I wouldn't discount the Jazz CVT-7 just yet. My mother recently (this Feb?) took delivery of this tidy, 1 owner, FHSH, 50k Jazz, for £4k, with new T+T, from Stratstone Honda, Harrogate. There are (a few) cheaper ones about, but this came with the extra added dealer history peace of mind.

 

None of us have ever enjoyed owning automatics, but this is 100 times better to use than any other auto - so smooth and always in the perfect ratio. But it's not quick. Great for pottering around - normal, sensible driving, shopping, school runs etc, but gets a bit frantic (and surprisingly gutless) if you push the revs up for overtakes.

 

We chose this model for my mother to regain her independence after her accident last year in which she badly damaged her right arm, so she can have the control of a manual as she likes. The CVT-7 is best in fully auto mode, but can be changed with the press of a steering wheel button into semi-auto mode which has 7 computer controlled set ratios. There are both '+' and '-' buttons on each side of the wheel near your thumbs. This mode is a great fun gimmick, or good for limiting speed down our steep hill.

 

As for reliability, I know several others, both here and in Thailand (where I lived for 4 years) and never heard of any g'box issues, even the Thai-built ones (most of which have the more exciting VTEC engine) seem to be bombproof. The Jazz in Thailand is big news- they are everywhere, and have a completely different image (and rightly so) innovative, funky and fashionable. I'm looking forward to (my wife) having a VTEC CVT-7 when we go back.

For what it's worth, the man at Stratstone also said they'd not had any reliability probs at all. But he would.

 

In other news, the packaging is second to none in its class, and it seems really well screwed together.

 

My Aunt and Uncle recently had a Fusion auto, and say it was horrid in almost every way. They are not exactly connoisseurs (inexplicably loyal to Ford for a long time) but they are mightily impressed by Mum's Jazz...

[VWPowered]

i brought the misses a passat estate, cheap as chips to run, get parts for etc

[peter9000uk]

A Focus 1.6 auto estate on a 54 plate with 49k any good? 3995

[King Maz]

Mrs Kingmaz finally saw some sense and was persuaded by me to get a Mazda 2, which she adores.It's got a wide back - ideal for prams - and rear doors that open very wide - ideal for car seats.If the earliest of these isn't cheap enough (must be close now) then the Demio should be much the same I'd think.