best bang for buck cars 15k euro or below

Velocitee

It'll be a good while until I can afford to change but I am looking at options for the moment - I think 15k as an upper limit is a good price range however.

Ideally I'd like a car that is cheap to run/tax however has a nice power reserve for overtaking etc.

Currently drive an 05 1.8 petrol mondeo so tax at 550 a year (plus it's 38mpg penchant for fuel) mean that I'll be looking to change to something cheaper to run when I do trade. However, I'd still like some extra power on tap when I need to bang down gears. The mondy has 130bhp and is pretty heavy, if I could get something lighter and/or more powerful and 07+ I'd be delighted.

I'd like to get an auto if possible.

Things I am thinking of that fit the criteria that I like the look of (all the usual suspects)

Golf TDI DSG
Passat TDI DSG
Audi/Seat etc
(^ basically anything in the VAG diesel range with DSG :P - although these are quite common cars?)
Don't like the idea of a 3 series for above reason - maybe a 5 although with just a 520d, power might be a bit weak?
Mercedes C/E class diesel.
Focus Diesel?

Any more I'm missing out on? I'm 26 and I have no family requirements or anything. Tall as well and do a nice bit of motorway cruising (which is where the mondeo comes in to it's own - wish I had cruise control though )

Velocitee

Velocitee wrote: »

........
Currently drive an 05 1.8 petrol mondeo so tax at 550 a year (plus it's 38mpg penchant for fuel) mean that I'll be looking to change to something cheaper to run when I do trade. ...........

Best bang for buck for €15K and but it must be cheaper to run than a 38mpg Mondeo :cool:

A 520d is a good deal more powerful than the Mondeo you are driving.

Atomic Pineapple

Some really good suggestions that would suit you in a thread I started recently which can be viewed here - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=72736929

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Buy draffordx's Focus ST :P But your tax would go up, and it's not auto.

Alone the lines of an auto, that is newer than your mondeo, I would probably go for the Golf GTi if I was in your position, but if you want a diesal, then the Golf TDi would be good also

vectra

Couple of points there.

1) That mondy would be either 110 or 125 BHP depending on if it is an LX or a Zetec. ( I am almost certain of this )

2) 38mpg...!!! I dont think you will get much more worth the extra outlay to buy a diesel to be honest.


3) I don't see an Octavia on your list :pac:

Ferris

159 Ti or GT

A diesel mondeo is prob a better car but these two just look so much better.