Looking for a hatchback, which ones should I avoid?

TestLink

Already own a peugeot 206, 2001 model and is looking to buy another hatchback for my wife (second hand), shortlisting >=2005 manual models only. I wont go for another peugeot. Could you please suggest some make or models to avoid?

Alanstrainor

Rather than suggesting cars to avoid, it'd probably be better to suggest cars to buy. Do you have a budget in mind? 3 door or 5 door? Petrol Diesel?etc

TestLink

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Rather than suggesting cars to avoid, it'd probably be better to suggest cars to buy. Do you have a budget in mind? 3 door or 5 door? Petrol Diesel?etc

Budget :7500 Max
Doors:5
Fuel: Petrol

EPM

In no particular order:

1.6 Focus (not 1.4)
Civic
Leon (not 1.4)
Mazda 3 (not 1.4)
Golf (not 1.4)

Just my opinion that many of the 1.4's are no longer up to the job with cars getting heavier. A 1.6 can often be more fuel efficient

bazz26

You should be able to get a Ford Focus on your budget.

andy125

What to get

Mitsubishi Colt 1.6 GLX

Seat Leon 1.6

or a Focus

si_guru

Skoda Fabia.. 1.9tdi if you can find one.

no1beemerfan

EPM wrote: »

In no particular order:

1.6 Focus (not 1.4)
Civic
Leon (not 1.4)
Mazda 3 (not 1.4)
Golf (not 1.4)

Just my opinion that many of the 1.4's are no longer up to the job with cars getting heavier. A 1.6 can often be more fuel efficient

My GF has a Focus II 1.4 petrol and tbh I can't fault it. It won't win any races but its cheaper to tax compared to the 1.6 and she gets around 40mpg out of it. Also we'd four adults and camping gear going around England last year in it and it was fine.

EPM

no1beemerfan wrote: »

My GF has a Focus II 1.4 petrol and tbh I can't fault it. It won't win any races but its cheaper to tax compared to the 1.6 and she gets around 40mpg out of it. Also we'd four adults and camping gear going around England last year in it and it was fine.

Difference in tax is tiny. I had a 1.4 Focus and found it laboured most of the time. Had to thrash it to make decent progress and overtaking is downright dangerous. It's geared for economy on a cruise. If you compare it to a 1.4 Golf with the same power that will feel livlier but scream at motorway speeds. 1.6 is a far superior car

no1beemerfan

EPM wrote: »

Difference in tax is tiny. I had a 1.4 Focus and found it laboured most of the time. Had to thrash it to make decent progress and overtaking is downright dangerous. It's geared for economy on a cruise. If you compare it to a 1.4 Golf with the same power that will feel livlier but scream at motorway speeds. 1.6 is a far superior car

Was yours the orginal Focus or Focus II like my GF's? I drive a 1.8 petrol Laguna and still find the Focus good. Granted I change down when over taking but I do that in any car to be sure to be sure!!

bazz26

no1beemerfan wrote: »

My GF has a Focus II 1.4 petrol and tbh I can't fault it. It won't win any races but its cheaper to tax compared to the 1.6 and she gets around 40mpg out of it. Also we'd four adults and camping gear going around England last year in it and it was fine.

Thing is though that the difference in tax is €357 as opposed to €445. That is only €88 extra over 12 months which is not alot to be honest. I would bet that the 1.6 litre would be just as good on fuel due to having less work to do.

EPM

no1beemerfan wrote: »

Was yours the orginal Focus or Focus II like my GF's? I drive a 1.8 petrol Laguna and still find the Focus good. Granted I change down when over taking but I do that in any car to be sure to be sure!!

04 Mark 1. That was 74 brake but the new one is only 79 in a bigger car. They are very similar. Test drove them when I was changing mine that time and it was more of the same

no1beemerfan

I didn't realise that the difference in tax would be that low!

I suppose the best thing to do is try the 1.4 and the 1.6. I'm only going on personal experience and I enjoy driving the Focus!

But if I'd to go out tomorrow and buy a used hatchback it would be the 1.6 tdi Focus.

R.O.R

I collected a MkII Focus 1.4 a couple of years ago, and seriously thought there was something wrong with it - it was that slow.

Had to scream the engine nearly to the red line, down hill, in 3rd to get up to a proper motorway merging speed.

1.6 is definatley the way to go in that size of car, or diesel if it's within budget. You'll save a bit on fuel costs, but reap the rewards when you come to sell it.

bazz26

This looks tidy enough but I'm a little confused by the timing belt changed recently as the 1.6 TDCi has a timing chain and doesn't need changing until 150k miles.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200947195899004

si_guru

bazz26 wrote: »

This looks tidy enough but I'm a little confused by the timing belt changed recently as the 1.6 TDCi has a timing chain and doesn't need changing until 150k miles.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200947195899004

It has a belt and a chain... belt to get drive from crank to cam 1... and chain to drive cam 2 from cam 1 I suspect..

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/200612/2007-citroen-c4-3_460x0w.jpg

TestLink

I actually has a 1.1/1.2 in mind as the car is supposed to travel only less than 50 kms per week. So fuel efficiancy is important for me. Any one knows the mileage difference between 1.1 to 1.6?

fl4pj4ck

as an ex-octavia owner I would advise you to go for octavia, but it will be prob too big for a lady, maybe fabia then?

if you are looking for a bigger hatch then octavia or maybe even laguna?