Cheap, reliable 5 door - any suggestions?

[14N]

My friend’s asked me to help him find a new car with some suggestions as I’m “into my cars†apparently.

 

However his requirements for a motor (cheap 5 door) aren’t really my specialty! Now, if he wanted a V6 sports coupe, obviously I’d tell him to get an Audi TT.

 

So, here’s his checklist.

 

Not French

5 doors

Reliable

Cheap to run

Economical (ish).

He’s had a Golf before and liked it, but anything from VAG would be suitable.

 

Budget £3-£4k

 

Any suggestions?

[StevoD]

Mazda 3

[WhackyWill]

BMW or a Merc.

[Lexx]

Ford Focus

[Ekona]

Focus, easy.

[Grundy]

Golf. MK1,MK2.MK3.MK4,MK6

[hensh65]

Honda Civic hands down. They have dropped in price dramtically, and should get an 07/08 plate for that money. I had mine for nearly 3 years and only had to change one tyre in all my ownership.

[un1eash]

Skoda Octavia 1.9TDi Elegance Spec

[Flex]

Bentley?

[LRF4N]

Focus would be a lot of peoples first choice but personally I hate them

 

Id be thinking civic, golf, leon, Mazda 3 etc

[StevoD]

Bentley?

 

can you get them for 3-4k

[Mudman]

Why not French ?

 

Had a Diesel C4 for about 60K miles and never a problem plus cheap to run

[Flex]

Bentley?

 

can you get them for 3-4k

 

I was inspired by a previous post of yours

[Ekona]

Don't worry Flex, I got the joke

[Paddy78]

We had a C4 as a company car and it seemed OK. Was certainly economical. You'd probably get more for your 3-4k too as they aren't as popular as VW / Honda / Mazda / Ford...

 

Although, I'd go with a Focus... we replaced the C4 with one and it was pretty much faultless for the 2 years we owned it.

 

Edit: God I hate IE!!!!!!

Edited August 26, 2014 by Paddy78

[Rock_Steady]

Golf. MK1,MK2.MK3.MK4,MK6

why not the MK5? I love the MK5!

[14N]

Golf. MK1,MK2.MK3.MK4,MK6

why not the MK5? I love the MK5!

 

I was wondering that

 

Thanks all, appreciate the suggestions

[AMT]

BMW are not reliable lol Dunno bout the newer ones but even round about 2007 odds the electrical bugs 'can be' horrendous. My mates 318d M had doors locking shut, systems, esp failures and all sort of lights going off. Ridiculous lol. Mercs I'm not sure, I've not heard termendously good things about them lol

[rtbiscuit]

Audi a4, Alfa 159,

 

[alexdax]

Toyota

any diesel engine d4d

[rabbitstew]

Id be looking at something like a 5 door TDI Golf if he wants VAG. Ive had 2 mk5`s and a mk4. I did 110,000 miles in my mk4, selling it when it finally reached 192k on the clock and it still ran like new. I used to get 65mpg out of it on a daily basis.

 

However, im not sure why he is dismissing French cars. After I sold my Golf, my wife ran a Peugeot 307HDI and over the 18 months we had it, it was by far easily the cheapest car we have ever owned for running costs. I was getting 57mpg out of it on my daily commute, the boot was miles bigger than the golf and the only things I had to do on it was new brake pads (£25 in total for complete front & back sets!), new top mounts (£20) and one suspension spring which broke (£25). The only thing I didnt like with the 307 was the interior did feel a bit more plasticy than the Golf but it was massive inside, like a tardis so ideal for familys.

[AMT]

Alfa 159?? Are they reliable? I keep seeing them in the sporty spec and they look dreamy! lol

[GMballistic]

Honda Civic hands down. They have dropped in price dramtically, and should get an 07/08 plate for that money. I had mine for nearly 3 years and only had to change one tyre in all my ownership.

^^ This. Honda Civic without a doubt.

[kevinmwatters]

Leon FR. VAG underneath, practical, economical and easily tuned if desired.

[docwra]

Aye, why buy a Golf when you can have a Leon/Octavia which is effectively the same but costs less money?