In your experience what do you think would be the ideal car for these needs?

[Matt]

Or is this too close to (objectively speaking) the best all round car so no such thing exists?

• Cheap to buy
  Lets say £1000 for a good example, maybe £1,500 for an immaculate well cared for example
• Unrelenting reliability, cheap parts and easy to work on if something does go wrong
• Fuel efficient
  Mixed driving: 40 MPG being 'eh, okay I guess' but 50 or more being perfection
• Comfortable
  Fairly quiet inside with good seats
• Can carry five adult passengers
  Doesn't need to be in any particular comfort, just so long as they fit

 

For some reason the Citroen ZX 1.9D and Volvo 850 TDI Come to mind but I've not owned either so have no idea what they're like.

[MarvinsMom]

rover 75 cdti diesel?

[catsinthewelder]

Horsey Horseless tourer?

[320touring]

If it was I, i'd be on something like a late 90s Accord.

 

In reality though a clio 172 would be a much more fun prospect

[MarvinsMom]

anything made by KIA or Hyundai?

[Cavcraft]

Vauxhall Frontera LWB

[Bren]

Mk 1 focus - just look for one that has sills.

[Lacquer Peel]

I have a V70 TDI which is basically a facelifted 850. The Volvo bits are easy to work on, but the VW engine isn't, it has in-built awkwardness as you'd expect from VAG SHIT. Nice 5 cylinder throb though.

They are really comfy and good to drive, slighty jittery ride but the good handling makes up for it.

 

Ford Corcel.

[MarvinsMom]

toyota corolla?

 

come the nuclear apocalypse isnt this what the cockroaches will be driving?

[320touring]

toyota corolla?

 

come the nuclear apocalypse isnt this what the cockroaches will be driving?

Nup, dey be rollin in k11 micras on pirelli p6000s (and the loan car at the garage will be a first gen Avensis 2.0 auto)

[Lacquer Peel]

I think this is going to be another "cars I talked about buying" thread.

 

Stutz Bearcat.

[Cavcraft]

Vectra CDTi

[Six-cylinder]

I have had several ZXs, now I have a Turbo Diesel Estate much faster than non turbo but I only get 45mpg. Great working car, does everything you ask of it but very boring!

 

Problem today is finding a nice one.

[scruff]

PEUGEOT 306

[Junkman]

I don't know of many pre 1987 cars that don't have these attributes.

[eddyramrod]

Predictably: Volvo 740 estate, well inside budget to help you soak up the difference in MPG.

[320touring]

I don't know of many pre 1987 cars that don't have these attributes.

Yet the pug 405 was not on sale until summer 1987..

[I_am_Diesel]

Renault Laguna

 

 

 

Only joking!

[chaseracer]

Whatever Billy's trying to offload at the time...

 

[New POD]

mk4 astra 1.6 16V estate  driven carefully might hit all those requirements.

[Cavcraft]

Cavalier Mk1

[John F]

Cavalier 1.7 TD (Isuzu engine) should manage that.

[gordonbennet]

another vote for Corolla, or maybe Avensis.

[twosmoke300]

Rover 400 shape 1.4 Honda Civic 5 door or as mentioned above a bug eye corolla

[CHRIS1980]

Vauxhall Frontera LWB

Except 40 mpg is a pipe dream.

[twosmoke300]

Brothers 2.2 dti is nudging that figure!

[MarvinsMom]

what? even if (when?) its on the back of an AA transporter?

[twosmoke300]

It's been used to recover plenty of supposedly better more reliable vehicles recently . The 2.2 dti is a cracker but first gear is a bit high for serious towing

[CHRIS1980]

Brothers 2.2 dti is nudging that figure!

How? Mines an A series 2.5tds I'm happy when I get 32mpg

[Stanky]

Any mid-90s Nissan. Almera (as my sig attests) does 44mpg over 45k miles. Servicing is cheap and a doddle to do, utter reliability - I have replaced the wiper motor, brake pads and filters only during my ownership. The only failure to proceed was due to my incompetence when I changed the coolant and didn't do a jubilee clip up properly.

 

A K11 micra will do more MPGs at the expense of a bit more noise and a bit less interior space. A P10 primera will do slightly less MPGs with the bonus of slightly more interior space. All will go forever, with 10k services, achievable on your drive in 40 minutes. They also have cam chains so you don't even need to do the belts every 60k.

 

Not exciting, but they fulfil every other criteria required here.