Best car at being a car £500 - £1000?

[Marm Toastsmith]

I've always gone for cars that were interesting, took my fancy, or just turned up locally at the right price. I sometimes wonder though if I were being absolutely rational what would I drive?

 

It's a purely academic question... I'm not in the market to change cars today, but it's fun to dream... about a totally boring car.

 

I suppose I'm thinking something Mondeo-sized. Things that spring to mind immediately would be something like an Avensis, or a Peugeot 405. I've never owned either. But then things like the Yaris Verso look bloody sensible too. And sometimes I look at a MK2 Astra estate and think that's all the car I've ever needed. The other night I was looking at the Dacia Logan MCV and thinking I could buy one of those brand new, keep it for 15 years, maybe that would actually make sense. OK I've gone too far... but.

 

Something:

Reliable

Economical

With room for the family

Comfortable

Capable of carrying bikes, doing tip runs etc

OK on the motorway

OK in town

Easy to drive (especially so that my wife likes driving it too). Decent auto box, good visibility, turning circle etc.

 

It doesn't need to make any fancy noises. Although a good factory stereo would be nice. It needn't be over-engineered, but it should be well screwed together and without any major design flaws. I think it should probably have a petrol engine so that it's not smoky or smelly.

 

An EFFICIENT, PRACTICAL, WELL-DESIGNED car. What is it?

[sutty2006]

Volvo V70. Plenty of them have beige interiors which is right up our street. Big comfy roomy boring reliable chod. Winner.

[Ghosty]

96-01 Civic 5dr hatch, if you can find a good one.

See also early Avensis (Carina E shape).

[tul66]

I've just bought one of these as a winter car, switchable 4wd too. Might be too small for you though.

[egg]

Cockroach Corolla isn't it?

[gadgetgricey]

Rover 75 Estate Automatic Diesel

[Schaefft]

Some kind of Honda or Toyota hatch/wagon from the late 90s/early 2000s.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Hold on... I think... Yep... You've just described an E36 touring.

[Bren]

Best car at this money? The one your least likely to weigh in.

[Andyrew]

Got to be an Octavia mk1 pez or dizler. estate, get a VRS if you want a bit of hoooonage.

 

Boot so big it has got it's own postcode.

Comfortable, not bad on fuel either.

[rantingYoof]

I've always gone for cars that were interesting, took my fancy, or just turned up locally at the right price. I sometimes wonder though if I were being absolutely rational what would I drive?

 

It's a purely academic question... I'm not in the market to change cars today, but it's fun to dream... about a totally boring car.

 

I suppose I'm thinking something Mondeo-sized. Things that spring to mind immediately would be something like an Avensis, or a Peugeot 405. I've never owned either. But then things like the Yaris Verso look bloody sensible too. And sometimes I look at a MK2 Astra estate and think that's all the car I've ever needed. The other night I was looking at the Dacia Logan MCV and thinking I could buy one of those brand new, keep it for 15 years, maybe that would actually make sense. OK I've gone too far... but.

 

Something:

Reliable

Economical

With room for the family

Comfortable

Capable of carrying bikes, doing tip runs etc

OK on the motorway

OK in town

Easy to drive (especially so that my wife likes driving it too). Decent auto box, good visibility, turning circle etc.

 

It doesn't need to make any fancy noises. Although a good factory stereo would be nice. It needn't be over-engineered, but it should be well screwed together and without any major design flaws. I think it should probably have a petrol engine so that it's not smoky or smelly.

 

An EFFICIENT, PRACTICAL, WELL-DESIGNED car. What is it?

 

Everything except an autobox.

 

And perhaps a turning circle, although it cannot be as bad as the S60.

 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201811302878728

[Scruffy Bodger]

I can't comment on the auto-box because I've never driven one but I'm sure a 405 estate would tick all those boxes. Apart from the fact they can be had for cheaper than 500 quid. There's a white, 1.8 petrol, 180K, manual for sale at the mo for less than 300 quid with 9 months MOT. 

[Philyc]

Massive advocate of golf and passat estates. Only just got rid of our golf estate after 17 years service in the family, 200000 miles and no massive mechanical issues.

 

Have a passat estate now as its bigger and better on fuel, that's pretty good too.

 

Have always wanted a proper wardrobe on wheels volvo though, never heard anything bad about them.

[Tamworthbay]

Hold on... I think... Yep... You've just described an E36 touring.

Not likely to get a decent one for a grand anymore unless lucky, they are on the up price wise it seems.

[Braddon81]

Cant really go wrong with a Yaris verso. Find a tidy one and underseal underneath and it should last a lifetime. It's challenging styling to most eyes means that if you look carefully you should be able to pick up a bargain. I picked this one up 4 years ago now for £275 quid needing a set of plugs and an oil change. In that time and 40k miles it's needed front pads and discs, an auxiliary belt,a set of part worns and a pair of Cv joints. Motoring doesn't really come any cheaper. There's not a lot you can't cram in to the back of it and it does exactly what it's meant to. If your not concerned with driving the sleekest or fastest thing on the block I can highly recommend one.

[purplebargeken]

2001 blue BMW 3181 Touring in auto flavour........

 

I know where there may have one for sale in perhaps less than 6 months

 

or maybe it won't be.......

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Wolseley 4/44

[rusty998]

Got to be an Octavia mk1 pez or dizler. estate, get a VRS if you want a bit of hoooonage.

Boot so big it has got it's own postcode.

Comfortable, not bad on fuel either.

What he said ^

 

I bought a Skoda fabia tdi earlier this year and it's been fantastic, my son wants it when he sells his BMW next March,

Bought for £300, it's needed some tyres and two bottom arm's, I found just before the mot the rear exhaust box was leaking soot, it's the original box some 17 years old, cut it of and welded a pipe straight through style,

The son wants it as I said above but I can't find anything that could fill it's shoes as well, great economic vehicle that can do everything well,

I believe that a Skoda Octavia tdi pd estate would be a sensible all rounder in the right spec

[sierraman]

One which you’ve spent nothing on and would bale if it gave you a load of shit.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Massive advocate of golf and passat estates. Only just got rid of our golf estate after 17 years service in the family, 200000 miles and no massive mechanical issues.

 

Have a passat estate now as its bigger and better on fuel, that's pretty good too.

 

Have always wanted a proper wardrobe on wheels volvo though, never heard anything bad about them.

 

 

As the owner of a 13-year-old MKIV Golf Estate, it's all the car I need.  Today, I fitted a small tree, a Christmas tree, two large planters and other shopping in the back with plenty of space to spare (seat was down, obviously).  Mine's a diesel 130PD, so pretty decent on fuel with a bit of 'oomph' (enough to surprise dickheads that try to cut you up), eats motorway miles easily and is quite good fun to throw into corners.  

 

Auto box versions are also available.  And because there are thousands of MKIV Golfs around, most parts (apart from estate-specific ones, of which there aren't many) cost buttons.

 

Like Philyc though, I've always wanted a Volvo barge.  But I'll take what I've got now.  Only new replacement would be a Logan MCV but that would be a lot less powerful.

[skattrd]

Horsey horseless.

[Bradders59]

V6 Omega. If you pick a good one they are a lot of car for the money. An Elite will have Bose sounds as standard too.

[SRi05]

My lancer estate

[chaseracer]

205 diesel.

 

I may* be slightly biased.

 

[NorfolkNWeigh]

 

40 mpg

140 mph

Leather

Sat nav

Ice cold climate

Bluetooth

Reverse camera

Gentlemens gearbox

Hooligans handling

£500.

[djimbob]

Ford Focus, dull as dishwater but it is the car for everyman

 

I will never own one, unless it's free

[djoptix]

405 is too old. Logan MCV not a bad choice.

 

Personally I think you need a base model Synergie HDi.

[sierraman]

I’ve loved the Focuses we’ve had, handling on them particularly the Mk1 is superb. Piece of piss to work on as well. Never understood why people rate them as dull then cite something like a BMW 318i as being tantamount to the reinvention of the wheel.

[brownnova]

Saab 9000

 

 

Mine does all those things... ish...

 

I guess I’ve got less economical cars...

[Kiltox]

Picasso. Sorry.