Need help choosing car

Carb

BoozyBabe wrote:

No, year is also important to me, 01 would be as old as I would go, hopefully atleast a 02

Why? Surely mileage, services history and overall condition of the car would be more important. You'd probably also end up with a niicer, more powerful car.

BoozyBabe

unkel wrote:

You're confusing me. The Focus is as good a drivers' car as any other car in it's class although the 1.4 is under powered. Do you want a car a size smaller? or do you want a faster car in the same class?

I want a faster car in the same class.

I.e.
This is the cars I like, that I'd consider driving if they were nippy, reliable etc:-
Corrolla (new type)
Stilo (some one confused me earlier as to the age, so I'm talking '02 model up)
307
Fabia
Polo (but had one, great car, but don't want another)
The size (physically) of the Focus is grand, 1.4 under powered & my love of them has gone, so wouldn't bother getting a 1.6

A 1.4 car would do me fine, once the car is nippy for the car it's in (e.g. the Polo (98) was only a 1.4, but it was an excellent little driver, nippy, due to being light, the Focus is a 1.4 but is too heavy, so would need a 1.6)
If some of the cars mentioned above are also heavy, & a 1.6 is required, then I'd have no prob buying a 1.6

Thanks for the input

BoozyBabe

Carb wrote:

Why? Surely mileage, services history and overall condition of the car would be more important. You'd probably also end up with a niicer, more powerful car.

Guess I want the whole deal.

Service history, though definitely nice, wouldn't REALLY bother me, but I am hoping to get low miles, but to me:- there's no point buying a 98 car with feck all miles, it;s still a 98 car & would be looked at that way by all future potential buyers, so I'm hoping to buy a '02 & upwards car with low mileage.



& defo, I've nothing against a good diesel car



Does anyone else have reviews on any of the cars I've mentioned above, or experience of driving them?
Or can you give me a good review of cars I haven't listed in the same class as what I'm talking about (I'm thinking more like Chevrolet, Hyundai etc, etc, that I'd never dream of buying)

maidhc

BoozyBabe wrote:

Service history, though definitely nice, wouldn't REALLY bother me, but I am hoping to get low miles,

It should bother you! The service history will normally tell you lots of things:

- How the previous owner looked after the car. If the gaps between services well beyond the manufacturers recommendations it is possible the owner didn't give a damn about the car and drove it accordingly. The inverse is often true if it has been "over services". Many garages will give prinouts of each invoice which will also list warranty claims, previous faults, etc etc.

- Whether it has been clocked. A car a with well spread out service history by a reputable garage is likely to have genuine miles.

- A car that has never been serviced in 4 years is not something you want to own!

unkel

BoozyBabe wrote:

I want a faster car in the same class.

I.e.
This is the cars I like, that I'd consider driving if they were nippy, reliable etc:-
Corrolla (new type)
Stilo (some one confused me earlier as to the age, so I'm talking '02 model up)
307
Fabia
Polo

The first three are in the same class as the Focus. The last two are a class smaller, in the same class as a Fiesta, so which class do you want or could it be either?

A 1.6 Corolla will be faster than your 1.4 Focus, but you'll be very disappointed with the drive

How about a Civic type-R if you want fast (you have to work it though)

BoozyBabe

unkel wrote:

The first three are in the same class as the Focus. The last two are a class smaller, in the same class as a Fiesta, so which class do you want or could it be either?

A 1.6 Corolla will be faster than your 1.4 Focus, but you'll be very disappointed with the drive

How about a Civic type-R if you want fast (you have to work it though)

Yea, could be either.

It's not that I want fast exactly, I'm not a little-girl racer or anything, but when i put the boot down, I want a response, not like the Focus who says' " yip, I'm thinking about it, any time now....."
For pulling out of a junction, for overtaking, for going up a hill, I just want something with a bit of life, & that's NOT my Focus.

Would a 1.4 Corolla be nippier than my 1.4 Focus?

Carb

BoozyBabe wrote:

Guess I want the whole deal.

Service history, though definitely nice, wouldn't REALLY bother me, but I am hoping to get low miles, but to me:- there's no point buying a 98 car with feck all miles, it;s still a 98 car & would be looked at that way by all future potential buyers, so I'm hoping to buy a '02 & upwards car with low mileage.

I sold my 00 car, and then bought a 97 car last time for 2.5K. So I'm not worried about potential future buyers. Anything I get for it will be a bonus. The fact that it should easily do 4/5 years will make it the cheapest car I ever owned.

peasant

emmm ...you DID notice that the Polo in my link was a 1.6 GTI ??

Slightly different animal than your average 1.4 ...

The_Magoo

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=420316

1.6 polo gti? Might be out of your budget, but quickish car, small engine, reliable, good residuals, probably not as good on the road as the focus, but good enough performer. I have a 01 Leon 1.6, and its a nippy enough car, def quicker than the focus 1.4.

EDIT sorry peasent, didnt notice your reply!

BoozyBabe

peasant wrote:

emmm ...you DID notice that the Polo in my link was a 1.6 GTI ??

Slightly different animal than your average 1.4 ...

Yea, I know.

I did say I loved my Polo, just don't want another one, (at the minute anyway)
I like to try out different things

peasant

And now for something completely different:

If you can afford the tax and insurance fo a 2 litre turbo, here's a really nice Saab for comparatively little money.

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=337381

All the goodies, nice coupe looks and plenty "nippy"

residuals wouldn't be that good though ...

BoozyBabe

peasant wrote:

And now for something completely different:

If you can afford the tax and insurance fo a 2 litre turbo, here's a really nice Saab for comparatively little money.

Ooooh, no, don't like the arse on that at all!!!!

God I am a fussy cow, (or maybe more like someone who hasn;t a clue what they want / like!!!):D