flash Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 after looking at what im going to be doing as a job, ive decided to sell the suzuki jimny and invest in a car( hatchback), and then buy a cheap old pickup as a work vehicle. ive been looking around, and if all goes well should have around the 7 grand mark to spend on a car. ive been looking lately at the renault clio, fiat grande punto and vauxhall corsa. out of the three i prefer the look of the clio and punto. just wondering what u lots opinions are on the cars. cheers flash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA Shaun Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 Wouldn't buy anything french myself mate, built of tin foil Golf, polo, fabia, civic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 Wouldn't buy anything french myself mate, built of tin foil Golf, polo, fabia, civic totally agree French cars have very thin body panels and are **** in a crash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miroku38 Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 golf hands down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash Posted November 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 ive been looking, and most of the golfs i can find have been tinkered with, body kits etc, these are the ones on autotrader. nice cars though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPARKIE Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 vw all the way dont bother with french rubbish or a honda civic wont go wrong there either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash Posted November 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 what about the grande punto? not french, but italian. is that as bad or worse then a french car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 Get a VW- you will pay a bit more but when you come to sell it you will get a much better price than one of the other cars you suggest. Do 60mpg in my golf, which is practically printing money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidibear Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 Seat Leon, the old shape. Built by volkswagon so you can't lose. I had the stdi and it was fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA Shaun Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 FIAT = Fix It Again Tomorrow Seriously German engineering takes some beating. Sidibear, sorry to hear about your STD mate, glad you got rid of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmerguy.22 Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 I went jap! Toyota corolla are good, ive got a standard 02 reg 1.4 corolla. Got it as my first car over 2 years ago and had nothing go wrong and it also shifts fairly well to. I love pulling alongside the saxo VTR's and clios with body kits galore and leaving them behind!! Civic or Golf are also very good cars but i personaly would keep clear of Renault, Fiat, Vauxhall etc just from what friends have said about experiences with them. As teal said, its worth paying that little bit more!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbsy Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 Skoda Fabia TDI have had two now and are the best cars i have owned by a long way. It's basically a VW golf with a different badge but far cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auto culto Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 theres nowt wrong with french vehicles They are very well engineered just not pretty and rather to much plastic. I'm a mechanic with my own business so i should have a fair idea what i,m taking about. I run 2 french motors and you do get a lot of car for your money as there not popular. Its like the stigma attached to skodas it only now that vag own them that people say wow their a good motor when in reality they are cheaply built and the paintwork is truly appalling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Fox Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 vw golf hands down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter-peter Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 after looking at what im going to be doing as a job, ive decided to sell the suzuki jimny and invest in a car( hatchback), and then buy a cheap old pickup as a work vehicle.ive been looking around, and if all goes well should have around the 7 grand mark to spend on a car. ive been looking lately at the renault clio, fiat grande punto and vauxhall corsa. out of the three i prefer the look of the clio and punto. just wondering what u lots opinions are on the cars. cheers flash have a test drive in the new mitsubishi colt 1500 3 cyl diesel bags of leg room and goes like split **** with a choice of gearboxes they are claiming 70mpg on the 6 speed semi auto it will leave the other 3 standing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr W Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 I've got a MKII Golf GTi and I love it, had it over 5 years now done 120k miles but still runs like a dream and starts first time everytime (unless I leave the interior light on again , doh). You could get a nice MK III or IV Gti, nice and fast and solid although you'll need a chunk for the insurance, if you're a young lad perhaps avoid the Gti as the insurance will hurt you. I'm thinking Audi for my next car I think the Germans build them well also SAAB are fairly tough (although not a small hatchback) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 Jap or German for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 Jap or German for sure For the past 18 months I have been running a suzuki ignis with permanent 4wd. Perhaps not strictly a hatchback but it sticks like glue to the road, while not an offroader it takes me places a 2wd would not go. blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vole Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 Japanese wont let you down and Skoda/Seat is a VW under the skin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewey Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 Bought the Mrs a New Seat Ibiza 1.4 DAB last year, basically a Sport but with a higher BHP engine, and DAB CD/Radio, very good little car. Think it was £9K brand new, which was a lot less than others we looked at. Like's been said before any VW.Seat,Skoda badge you won't go far wrong. Some of the Seat range are on 0% at present so represent a good deal. Just depends on what you want from it really, Comfort, MPG, Performance, Road Holding, Looks, Space, etc. etc. Probably need to clarify your requirements. Good Luck anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayward Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 Have a look @ Mazda 2s or 3s there really well put together 3.5 will buy a you a nice 2004 mazda 2 5 Doors, Manual, Hatchback, Petrol, 49,000 miles, Metallic Red with Matching Black Cloth Interior. Insurance Group:3, Power Steering, Anti-Lock Brakes, Driver and Passenger Airbags, Electric Mirrors, (taken from auto trader) theres a reason puntos and clios can be purchased for 1/2 of what the mada will cost i would have gone with the TOYOTA Aygo but they all have small engines like the yaris but tbh there a bit plastic and low on spec i spent weeks looking around recently as the other 1/2 wanted a new car for winter so ive seen quite a few recently most are **** and rattle and creak when you drive them .. go try a mazda you will be surprised Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 French cars have very thin body panels and are **** in a crash Absolutely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hwr Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 I have many small hire cars for my job and I would not buy a Fiat, cheap and nasty. Jap or German every time (spanner in the works, french cars seem to pass the crash tests, air bags and stuff) edit why don't you buy a diesel Rav4? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J@mes Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 late ford focus TDCI. £7K will get you a medium mileage well specced 1.6 TDCI which is nice inside and out. comfortable to drive, handle nicely and have plenty of torque for overtaking, plenty of MPG too. I have an estate at work, and even with 2 people and 300KG of gear at motorway+ speeds it still does 50MPG. nothing has gone wrong on it in 40K miles (its 1 year old) and it regularly gets driven on rough terrain down the side of railway tracks. it would be my choice for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 French cars have very thin body panels and are **** in a crash Absolutely they may have thin panels but the newer ones are fine to crash, I had a 306 gti-6 and that seemed pretty well put together, having seen quite a few crashed they stand up pretty well. Basically flash French cars can be fine particularly the peugeot diesels, you will get a lot more for your money than anything VAG and as long as you buy well you should be fine. My 306 was one of the cheapest cars I've owned when all costs were considered as well as being a laugh to drive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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