Cars are all pretty good these days (I'm old, I remember Capris and _really_ rusty Fiats) So something unfashionable costs peanuts, but still lasts tolerably well.
Best bargain IMHO is £500-£750, or £1,000 if you want comfort. Anything less isn't worth it, once you've added fuel, insurance & tax.
On one hand, Volks Golfs are too expensive (everyone wants one), but they're tough as old boots. At the other extreme, Peugeots are a bit crude, plasticky and rubbish, but they have diesel engines that burn chipfat...
In the middle, we have the wonderful Volvo estate. Get a late-model 4-cylinder 740 / 760 / 960 (the 700 series one, not the poshed-up one I have). These are huge inside, best stuff-transporters ever, and tough as anything. As they're rear-wheel drive they also have a tight turning circle and so are easy to park. OTOH my '95 entirely redesigned 960 (24 valve engine) is plush inside and a total garage queen.
Honda Civics are lovely, if the back is big enough.
Honda Accord aerodecks (the rarer, long ones) are one of the nicest small estates ever made and ridiculously good fun to drive fast.
Skodas and Seats are pretty good, but most are either too small inside or too big outside.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-04-02 10:39 pm (UTC)Best bargain IMHO is £500-£750, or £1,000 if you want comfort. Anything less isn't worth it, once you've added fuel, insurance & tax.
On one hand, Volks Golfs are too expensive (everyone wants one), but they're tough as old boots. At the other extreme, Peugeots are a bit crude, plasticky and rubbish, but they have diesel engines that burn chipfat...
In the middle, we have the wonderful Volvo estate. Get a late-model 4-cylinder 740 / 760 / 960 (the 700 series one, not the poshed-up one I have). These are huge inside, best stuff-transporters ever, and tough as anything. As they're rear-wheel drive they also have a tight turning circle and so are easy to park. OTOH my '95 entirely redesigned 960 (24 valve engine) is plush inside and a total garage queen.
Honda Civics are lovely, if the back is big enough.
Honda Accord aerodecks (the rarer, long ones) are one of the nicest small estates ever made and ridiculously good fun to drive fast.
Skodas and Seats are pretty good, but most are either too small inside or too big outside.
Anything Korean is still crap though.