Looking for a new (used) car

[GDVS]

you should actually try the smaller cars - i'm 6'3 and find i can fit in some small things ok (a mk2 polo for instance).

The newer small cars have fantastic amounts of leg room, it's the older ones I suffer with (can't even drive a Polo for instance, knees wedged against the wheel).

my reccomendation is get something with a multi-adjust drivers seat - one where you can adjust the seat squab tilt.

Seat height adjustment makes a huge difference, it does mean some models of a certain car fit but those with a lower spec don't though (which can be annoying).

if you get something with too crap a badge (ie, a mondeo) you'll loose a chunk of your money. how about a seat leon?

Been meaning to check them out, not seen one but it's basically built off a Bora right?

Avensis is too small but a Colt is ok???

Yup, the new Colt is incredibly spacious inside. The legroom is pretty impressive (and very surprising).

Rainbow: Golf is just a bit too much of a tight squeeze. The Bora is better value anyway as they're much less popular but nicer inside.

Andehh: Not seen a C4 at 6k (or even close), more 8-9k. Do you know something I don't?

5lab: Car height is rarely a problem, it's the leg room round the wheel I need. Tilt/rake steering wheel (as opposed to the standard tilt only) in combination with a seat height adjustment makes a vast difference to the driveability of a car for me.

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated.

[chrislusty]

Well, I wouldnt want to be a doing a trip around europe in a 1.1 Colt when you can get a Mondeo/Avensis etc for less and have far more comfort and speed.

The Mondeo will have hieght adjustable seat, along with a fully adjustable steering column.

[GDVS]

Well, I wouldnt want to be a doing a trip around europe in a 1.1 Colt when you can get a Mondeo/Avensis etc for less and have far more comfort and speed.

The new Colt has more head and leg room for me than either the Avensis or Mondeo and they all do 70 (I learnt to drive in Germany and got the 120MPH autobahn sessions out of my system a long time ago). The Colt does have less comfort stuff but the space to stretch makes up for that.

Not saying the Colt is a better car (it's not on any number of levels) but I'd not dismiss it on the grounds you listed. I'd still prefer something like the Bora (or Leon/Octavia but I need to find one and try it) for the comfort but the Colt is definitely a contender on every other front.

[5lab]

try a mk2 (old round curvy shape) mondeo ghia x. i wouldnt get one on your budget (spending over a grand on one of them would be toward the pricey end of the market) but everything is adjustable on them - and might give you a good idea of what you actually need to be adjustable - i know someone my hight who is happy with no thigh support, wheras for me its a must. then take what you find on that car, find new cars with it on..

leon is the same as a bora, same as a golf. complete random choice, if you'd lavish some luxury and some unusualness - how about an aventime??



a tiny stretch of your budget,. yes. but very plush inside, complete luxury (i'd be gobsmacked if you couldnt get in one) and completely and uterly nuts. i personally can't get enough of that car..

i'd also take a ride in a volvo s40 - not the most dynamic of cars, but the seats are second to none in the class, and when i drive me dads (again, everything-adjustable-seat) i don't have it all the way back..

[Howard]

I think 6k (or even 8k) for one of those might be a bit optimistic..

[GDVS]

After all the thinking I just bought one of these in a silvery grey (possibly the same colour as that pic) for 6.3k.

1.5 diesel, 14k miles, 14 months manufacturers warranty left, lovely handling on the test drive. It sounds like a 3 cylinder diesel on idle but when you're driving it's a game little bugger

Now to survive until Tuesday without exploding...

[chrislusty]

Enjoy your new car

[GDVS]

I'm going to be a nightmare at work tomorrow until I get to go pick it up.

To expand on some of the earlier comments I'll add the cars I tried since starting this thread (in case some other huge bugger is looking).

Seat Leon: Not as much room as the Bora, nice car otherwise. Close but not quite close enough.

Skoda Octavia: Same as the Leon, just that little bit too small. Perfectly driveable but not as good as others.

Mazda 2: Seating position too upright, driveable though if not comfortable.

Ford Mondeo: Nice car, nothing wrong with it and it fitted fine. I just decided to go with a smaller car for economy and insurance.

VW Passat: LOVELY car, acres of room, a little out of my price range though except with galactic mileage.

Citroen C5: If you want a 3yo 22k car for under 4k check out the 3l V6. Sat nav, leather, basically everything you can think of. Fuel economy of 20-25MPG if you're lucky and it drives like a lump of turd. Oh, and apparently they break a lot. Comfy though

Renault Megane: I know I said no Renault but I heard the new Megane II was better, it may be but it's too small.

Thanks again for all the suggestions guys, it was much appreciated even if I did end up finding a Colt I could afford and bought that instead.

[Butuz]

I can afford the 1.1 Colt but there's just something about driving a 3 cylinder 1.1 petrol across half of Europe (I'm off on a tour of Europe in a few months in whatever I buy) that doesn't fill me with confidence.

My main criteria are comfortable, reliable, and diesel (the way fuel prices are going we'll all be driving them soon!).

So basically - you ignored yourself, and you ignored us. And you bought the 1.1 3 cylinder shopping trolley to do a europe your anyway?

Hehe no problem! All part of the service.

Butuz

[GDVS]

So basically - you ignored yourself, and you ignored us. And you bought the 1.1 3 cylinder shopping trolley to do a europe your anyway?

Not quite, I found a 1.5 diesel I could afford

[Butuz]

Aaah I read the spec list you linked to instead of your post 1.1 petrol spec list

Butuz

[Fox]

The new Colt has more head and leg room for me than either the Avensis or Mondeo and they all do 70

But they all do 70 in varying degrees of ease and comfort. I would certainy not wish to drive a small car any distance. If I had a small car and needed to make a journey of more than 70 miles, I would take the train.

[Howard]

To be fair I drove my Cinquecento to Nottingham (140 miles) and it wasn't disasterous

But obviously bigger = far better

[chrislusty]

I did over 30k miles in a cinq, in two years, but after doing £5k miles since February i wouldnt want to do another big trip in a small car.

We have a Clio too, which is great for going around town, not too bad on the motorway either but not great at 70mph due to having high revs.

[Howard]

No. My Megane makes long trips so much more pleasant

[dkmech]

Only problem I find with my 1.1 106 on the motorways is the engine noise as it has to rev quite high to keep at 69 (wouldn't dream of touching 70 officer, honest ). But it's bearable. A journey back from Brands Hatch area took 7:15 because of a truck fire on m25 - and i felt fine (did stop for pub dinner on the way to let traffic subside, and for the record the outward trip took 4:15 with 2 stops at the services ).