Island car advice?

Sesshoumaru

I have a relative looking for a secondhand car. She lives on a small island that is about 9 kilometers by 3 kilometers. They only sell diesel on the island and she is looking for a small to medium sized hatchback. Her budget is around €2,500. Does anyone have any recommendations for a reliable car within these criteria?

Thanks!

selectamatic

If she wants something up in the years then a mk5 sdi golf would suit. Its not really worth her while going turbo diesel due to the lack of mileage she will be doing and the added maintenance of a turbo diesel car. Personally though I'd just go for a sdi mkiv golf cheaper to maintain and cheaper to buy.

bazz26

I'd be looking for something old school diesel engine given that the quality of diesel available on the island may not be the best. Something pre common rail diesel would probably be less troublesome long term.

Something like a Seat Ibiza/Cordoba in either 1.9 or 1.4 diesel, this one is a bit pricy but just an example:

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/seat-ibiza-1-9-sdi-stella/7319279

Bigus

I'd be looking in damaged repairable section on donedeal, and something that's dear to tax, as she won't be needing tax or NCT .
A dear to tax car will be cheap to buy

peasant

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/03-peugeot-106-mk2-diesel/12457054
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/01-citro-eumln-saxo-1-5-diesel/12599924

Something like those is what I'd go for.
1.5 non turbo diesel...frugal and pretty reliable.
Find a low mileage one and it should last as long as you can keep the rust under control (possibly a lot longer:D)

nice_guy80

So she's on Inis Mor then?

tax on the island is cheap - special rate
so is insurance
NCT? whats that!

aerofoiled

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

I have a relative looking for a secondhand car. She lives on a small island that is about 9 kilometers by 3 kilometers. They only sell diesel on the island and she is looking for a small to medium sized hatchback. Her budget is around €2,500. Does anyone have any recommendations for a reliable car within these criteria?

Thanks!

I'll be putting my Audi A2 1.4 TDi on the market on Wednesday when it goes through the NCT. It's a 2001 with 88k miles. Aluminium body so no rust worries :-)

George Dalton

A Mk1 Focus 1.8tddi would be a good bet:

https://www.donedeal.ie/view/12883217
05 Ford focus hatchback tddi with nct for sale

A pretty, simple rugged sort of machine. Exactly what you want on an island.

Sesshoumaru

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll go through them tonight. Correct island guessed as well

Bigus

If she could stretch the budget or you're a good haggler here's an electric fluence asking 2995 sterling on autotrader uk,
Electric car would be ideal on the island as she's not paying a premium for fuel. And a full charge might last a month !

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201606154932541?search-target=usedcars&fuel-type=electric&sort=atcustom&radius=1501&postcode=eh11af&page=1&onesearchad=new%2Cnearlynew%2Cused&logcode=p&adPos=6

Sorry just noticed this has a bloody leased battery. But you get my drift

Sesshoumaru

Bigus wrote: »

If she could stretch the budget or you're a good haggler here's an electric fluence asking 2995 sterling on autotrader uk,
Electric car would be ideal on the island as she's not paying a premium for fuel. And a full charge might last a month !

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201606154932541?search-target=usedcars&fuel-type=electric&sort=atcustom&radius=1501&postcode=eh11af&page=1&onesearchad=new%2Cnearlynew%2Cused&logcode=p&adPos=6

Sorry just noticed this has a bloody leased battery. But you get my drift

I totally agree. I've had my Nissan Leaf over 5 years now. If I keep it long enough it will most likely retire on the island as well.

corks finest

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

I have a relative looking for a secondhand car. She lives on a small island that is about 9 kilometers by 3 kilometers. They only sell diesel on the island and she is looking for a small to medium sized hatchback. Her budget is around 2,500. Does anyone have any recommendations for a reliable car within these criteria?

Thanks!

She needs a helicopter

Atlantic Dawn

I'd consider something high for ground clearance, the island roads are brutal and often sunk on both sides or have vegetation on middle of road leaving big risk of damage to sump and underside. Consider Kia Sportage, SsangYong Rexton, cheap as chips and motor tax is same for all vehicles on the islands. A decent car out there will die from rust and exposure to the elements long before mechanically failing.

George Dalton

Rexton has a Delphi common rail fuel system which throws the toys out of the pram at the mere suggestion of anything other than the finest quality fuel so probably not the best choice....

Renegade Mechanic

Avensis TD. I know it's a bit bigger than a hatchback, but you'll struggle to get more reliable.
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-avensis-2-0-td/12787616




Or - and this is left feild - a Nissan Terrano.
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/nissan-teranno/12931040

£750, will take "island roads" better and you'll die before that engine does

selectamatic

Also didn't the sportage have rust issues or was that confined to the sorento and sante fe.
Medium suv's like the above are a fair step up in size from small to medium hatchbacks aswell.
Sumps need a combo of speed and bad roads to burst the island roads are so bad I'd doubt you'd have reason to be going fast enough to bottom out the suspension so I wouldn't really think ground clearance will be a major issue.

A Sdi or pre pd tdi vag hatchback (90bhp or 110bhp) or a tddi focus are the two that'd stand out. (Not sure how focus' are with rust but fiestas are very bad)
straight diesel and Dturbo Peugeot's and citroens would be solid options too but rust can effect them also back axle issues can arise.

Red Kev

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-corolla/12814306

1997 Corolla diesel. Probably indestructible. It's in Galway too. Cheap and easy to fix but it's mega reliability will help on an island when getting parts can be a pain.

bazz26

I'd say body rust would be the biggest enemy of that Corolla used on an island. The rest of the car would outlive its owner though.

biko

Old SUV from me. Something that can handle dirty diesel and will be able for the roads out there.
Also that has common spare parts and can be fixed by any mech out there.

This has no NCT but you can ask for the report and check if it's something you want to fix
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/hyundai-sante-fe-2-litre-diesel-crdi/12806242

Sesshoumaru

Thanks for all the advise from everyone, much appreciated! Her last car was a non turbo Citroen Xsara. Engine never gave any trouble and car lasted many years. Just recently died, but not the engine. More just rust and wear/tear on the shocks I think.

So definitely I think I'd prefer a car with no turbo, just one less component to go wrong. Would anyone have any thoughts or comments on this Golf SDI?

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/v-w-golf-2-0-sdi-diesel-mint-new-nct-/12217943

The size, price and type of engine all fit the bill for my aunt. Thanks!

selectamatic

looks fairly good (apart from the alloys) Someone on here might know the seller he has a few cars for sale. the 2.0sdi in the mk5 golf is different to the older 1.9sdi engines but as far as I know its still very reliable and basic. the fact he claims to have service history and proof of a belt change are a good sign. Things to look out for would be the gearbox make sure it operates smoothly some get notchy with age and also listen for flywheel rattle when you release the clutch when the car is idling. Off the top of my head the mk5 sdi will be the most modern non turbo diesel car you could buy so it'll have that going for it.

If I was your aunt I'd be looking at another cheap banger but most people like to make a proper upgrade when buying a new car and the mk5 will tick that box. Also if the clocks on that golf are in mph then its most likely a UK import its original uk reg will be at the top of the logbook and you can enter it here https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history to find outs its mot history to confirm if its gotten any mileage haircuts.

this was posted on the bangernomics thread its a fair step down than a mk5 but a nice bit cheaper. Just some food for thought.
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/1-9-sdi-vw-polo/12989668?campaign=3

Special Circumstances

If you actually were living on an island legitimately (unlike some spoofers out there), wouldn't you get the biggest baxtard of an engine you could as all the main landers would be scared away by the tax, so good value?

selectamatic

Special Circumstances wrote: »

If you actually were living on an island legitimately (unlike some spoofers out there), wouldn't you get the biggest baxtard of an engine you could as all the main landers would be scared away by the tax, so good value?

There isn't many diesel hatchbacks with engines above the 2L mark.

Offaly Exile

I have been on the beautiful Inishbofin a few times and it is hilarious when you look at the cars and jeeps.

The vast majority don't have a scrap of paperwork on the windscreen and are from the 1980's or early 1990's.

I presume there are no official car accidents though I've seen a few close shaves between walkers/cyclists and cars.

It would be interesting though if you clipped an aul Yank and you with no insurance !!

For Forks Sake

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

So definitely I think I'd prefer a car with no turbo, just one less component to go wrong. Would anyone have any thoughts or comments on this Golf SDI?

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/v-w-golf-2-0-sdi-diesel-mint-new-nct-/12217943

The size, price and type of engine all fit the bill for my aunt. Thanks!

Seller is full of ****e.

This 2.0 SDi engine was by far the best diesel engine V/W made.


I GENUINELY DONT BELIEVE YOU WILL FIND FAULT WITH THIS CAR

73hp? There's my fault.

Special Circumstances

selectamatic wrote: »

There isn't many diesel hatchbacks with engines above the 2L mark.

That's my point... why restrict yourself to what the majority want, when you have a by on one of the biggest factors that drive the majority to small engine diesel cars?

selectamatic

Special Circumstances wrote: »

That's my point... why restrict yourself to what the majority want, when you have a by on one of the biggest factors that drive the majority to small engine diesel cars?

Thats fine for you or me or anyone else who's into cars. If this was the case I'd be recommending a clean w124 e300d or an e39 525d or a 2.2td camry but for the case of a woman who presumably isn't really into cars and specifically wants a hatchback again presumably cos they're small and handy for maneuvering there's not much point in recommending cars which would be more at home in the luxobarge thread.