Which 1.6 Litre car for sub €3000?

fitzgese

Looking for a car for a relative, max budget €3000, ideally with the following:

-no bigger engine than a 1.6, but preferably a 1.6
-roomy interior but not too big
-not expecting miracles from a 1.6, but decent enough power
-looks decent enough
-and this is a bit of a strange one: firm large pedals, well seperated

Any ideas?
Was thinking a pre 2000 Audi A4, but haven't driven one, and assume its a heavy car, and so a 1.6 in one would be a big sluggish?

Thanks

civildefence

Avensis or last model Primera maybe? I've had a bad experience with the 1.6 Passat so thats one i'd pass on.

SpannerMonkey

avoid all petrol audis they are guzzlers especially the 1.6 as the body of the car is too heavy and requires the engine to work harder you would getter better mpg from a 2.0 liter , in fact all of the premium makes of cars have to be at least 2.0 or they will guzzle petrol their bodys are much heavier than other manufacturers can you go bigger than 1.6 ??????

SpannerMonkey

civildefence wrote: »

Avensis or last model Primera maybe? I've had a bad experience with the 1.6 Passat so thats one i'd pass on.

agee try late model primera

waraf

Can't go wrong with a Ford Focus. You'd easily get a '02 or a '03 for three grand.

EPM

waraf wrote: »

Can't go wrong with a Ford Focus. You'd easily get a '02 or a '03 for three grand.

Ya nice focus ghia saloon should fit the bill nicely

fitzgese

Thanks everyone

Yeah will certainly consider a late model Primera, have an earlier model one myself and it's great.

If the car was for myself, I'd have no problems going higher than a 1.6, but the person I'm looking for won't, so it'll be a case of just avoiding any cars that are too heavy, so I guess that rules out the A4.

Yeah took a Focus Ghia saloon for a spin today with the person the car is for. I was impressed but they might need a bit more convincing; that's not to say a Focus is out of the question though.

Donnelly117

astra

Solitaire

Astra or Focus. Even saloon versions are light enough to get good grunt out of a 1.6, both have good handling and drive very well. Both are also pretty cheap both to purchase and to maintain (and insure!). Few reliability issues either. Both usually have good pedal layouts as well (can see where the OP is coming from; had to drive a 'cento once and the teeny pedals all wedged together on the extreme left was hell). Focus usually larger but the entire accelerator travel is slightly recessed compared to the clutch and brake which can feel a tiny bit odd at first (you have to depress the right foot more than what you'd be expecting given the other pedals)

Primera and Avensis are even more bullet-proof but not quite as good a drive from what I've heard. Bear in mind that both are weak-engined D-class semi-barges as opposed to mid-strong C-class sedans like the Focus and Astra so there are some pretty fundamental differences. They'll be much heavier-bodied (not as bad as the Audis though!) thus not as much power or mpg with similar-sized engines as even a saloon C-class (the Focus saloon is freakin' huge for its class, but bizarrely light-bodied). They also tend to be vaguer-handling and less inspiring to drive (relatively speaking) and often a tiny bit pricier to maintain and insure in the long run. On the other hand they have more room for peeps and cargo and are slightly more comfy and refined, although the Focus in particular is no long way behind in that regard.