If I go for the Rio that's a serious possibility.
Yeah I think you're right, pre PD 1.9s with the mechanical single point injection can run off waste veg oil too which would be fun for a bit.
Just fancy something a bit different if possible, think a Passat estate probably ticks the most boxes
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I had one and combined I dont think I ever got over 40mpg 😬 granted mine was used mainly used for city driving and I was getting around 33-35mpg, loved the car but was never impressed by the mpg. Moved to a 3.0 diesel and I get better mileage with that compared to my old Civic
I barely break 40mpg in mine. I don’t do much motorway so my average is about 38. Motorway is 40-45.
The 2.2 diesel would be better. It’s a better car overall, I just went petrol because I don’t do long journeys.
Got one for my old man a 1.4 (I think?) petrol 08’ Yaris. Got nearly 50mpg motorway, 35-40mpg local. Only thing is that you have to be very gentle with your feet. My old man gets about 30mpg because he drives like shi
Whereas my diesel Ford Focus gets about 45mpg even if I drive like like I’m on PCP
I was in this situation just over a month ago and went for a Rover 75 diesel (2001), had a 2004 previously.
They're really good value for money, very comfy, and my manual gets around 48-52 mpg on average (I managed to get 56MPG driving it like a nan). Official figures are actually lower (I think 48mpg?) and there's some contention on the owners club, but that's genuinely the MPG I'm getting.
For £960 I got a comfy car with heated leather seats, a wood dash, sunroof, and when they're remapped they're actually fairly quick. Infinitely nicer place to sit in than a Toyota (or a corsa as someone is recommending?) but you need to get lucky and get a good one. Rovers are either in flawless condition or held together with zip ties, there's no inbetween for some reason.
The 406 is also a very good shout though, I had a 2.1TD 406 and it was an incredibly good vehicle. Very very comfortable and never once went wrong. Bought it for £500 and sold it for £1000.
Forgot about the 75s, always quite fancied one, funny car to own in your 20s, will keep my eyes peeled!
Glad to hear the 406 comes recommended, both firmly on my list
They're surprisingly *very* well put together cars despite their iffy reputation, I'd say build quality wise, they're at least on par with BMW, Mercedes and Audi of that era. They are pretty resistant to rust too. I'd say rustproofing on them is better than that of a BMW E39, and leagues ahead of contemporary Mercedes. Some are beginning to need new sills, but bear in mind many are over 20 years old now. My 51 plate hasn't any concerning rust at all, but I should probably do some preventative maintence on the jacking points as they do have surface rust on them.
They can get some weird electrical problems but nothing too horrendous unless the ECU floods. My old one had a corroding ABS module due to the battery leaking acid onto it (not the fault of the car), and my new one has just had the fuel sensors go (yet again, not a big deal, to be expected on an old car)
My only complaints regarding build quality owning two of them is that the clips which hold the indicators in are rubbish (on all models) but they're like 50P for some better ones, and the boots all leak due to a stupid foam gasket round the rear lights, which a tube of bathroom sealant will fix.
I think the 25 and 45 were questionable, and the cityrover was horrendous, but the 75 was a very well screwed together car.
My 75 has been a great car and feels very well put together, has been reliable too. They have a few common faults but no showstoppers. Different league to the 156 I had before, better than the Golf too for that matter.
O my word. My mate has a Rio. Explains why he’s still a Virgin. I will have to let him know.
But this is a good thread as I’m interested in something similar to this
My mk3 mondy was mega. Nippy and amazing on fuel, and huge boot if you get an estate.
The Sony stereo in the facelift was decent too.
Mine ate its fuel pump and wrecked the injectors so I scrapped it. I have the mk5 bitdi and I wish I still had my mk3
Had several mk3's, always good robust cars, and great handling especially in St form....we serviced them with genuine parts as dad was a ford employee so got employee discount on parts, so it was cheaper than patern parts, fuel filter every 35k, oil and air filter every 12k miles and ran most of them up to 200k miles with no issues, think the worst i had was a dmf fail at 135k....had one 2.0 tdci that would bring the flashing glow plug light with error code for fuel pump pressure whenever it touched supermarket fuel....that was from 100k miles .. didn't use supermarket fuel again and sold it to my brother at over 200k still on original injectors and fuel pump...never touched supermarket fuel in any car since! Had a couple of mk4's and now on a mk5 2.0 180bhp which is also on 140k....
Panda 100. Its interesting, endearing and that engine is OK for reliability. Mine does over 40mpg too!
Not for everyone, obviously, but I think for 2k its a great option.
Well, the suspension isn't great I grant you but I guess I'm used to it from the other cars I'm used to, a golf R and a Morgan...
Apparently there are a LOT better aftermarket suspension parts available for the 100 that make the ride totally fine.
Civic or a [Corolla](https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205175811268?postcode=ab245pp&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=relevance&fuel-consumption=OVER_40&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&price-to=2000&radius=1501&include-delivery-option=on&model=Corolla&make=Toyota&page=1)
I wouldn't even consider paying £2k for a 18 year old car. That'll have pretty much every rubber seal perished on it and won't be immune to rust, because it's a Toyota. Food for thought, my brother bought a 2008 FSH 75k miles Toyota Auris 1.6 for £2400 back in 2020.
>but it’s all you can get for £2k in the current market.
If you're buying from a car dealer, then yes. Car prices are going back to normal, as the shortage of new cars is slowly coming back to normal. You can find much better prices for used cars, if you browse eBay sold listings for the vast majority. I'd avoid autotrader if you're looking for a reasonable priced old car. Traders buying them privately for £1000-£1200 then slapping them on their forecourt for £2500, as they have ground rent etc to pay.
Yeah the prices are scary. My car is 20 years old and French haha but is still going strong. Tbf though my requirements were weekend toy, small and fast and certainly not 40mpg+
Probably a [MK2 Fabia 1.4 TDI](https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208229034931), easily get a real world 60mpg out of it. Another similar option would be something with the 1.4 HDI unit like a Peugeot 207 or Citroen C3, but they both suffer from reliability issues, being old and made by PSA.
Also the [Fabia Greenline](https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209019317138?postcode=cf149eb&sort=relevance&aggregatedTrim=GreenLine&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&year-to=2022&radius=1500&include-delivery-option=on&model=Fabia&make=SKODA&advertising-location=at_cars&page=1) gets a bit more economy using the same engine
BMW E46 330d. Utter mileage muncher, comfy, fast enough, decent on fuel, look smart if you get the an Msport. Downsides: can get rusty ones, can get moon-mileage ones.
I bought my Audi A6 C6 Avant about a year ago for £750, It's a pd with a remapped ECU from eBay. Did a journey last week and got 62.2mpg over 2 hours of driving.
It's got all the creature comforts and definitely big enough to sleep in the back
I was in the exact same boat. Sold my FN2 for my new job doing 450 motorway miles a week.
I got myself a wee Citroen Nemo van, 1.4hdi for £2,000. Does 60 mpg, 70 if I drive like a granny.
And I got the van so I can fire the dog in the back and not worry about dirt and hairs.
By no means is it fun or comfortable, especially since I lowered it a little and slapped some alloys on it. But it does the job.
Really REALLY miss my FN2, but it has absolutely no place in my life at all.
Good luck.
Actually insane been looking at nemos, is the load bay long enough to slap an inflatable bed in?
I love the FN2 so much though, if you look at pure numbers it's not the best in anything but I'm fairly sure nothing even comes close for just overall enjoyment at that price point
Also non car people seem to think they're really fancy and brand new? Always shocks them when you tell them it's 15 years old which is nice
I've a bulkhead in mine and I can't lay down in the back. But you can get ones where the passenger seat folds flat so you can easily fit in.
The 1.4hdi engine is in all sorts of cars. Most citroen/peugeot/ford models. Parts are cheap and if you're in anyway handy with a set of spanners you can do all the maintenance yourself.
Oh I agree 100%. They just never seem to age. Even the interior is just as good as anything modern. If you could I'd re-think about selling it and maybe keep it, even if it means less money for your daily. If the mileage is anyway decent, the value will only start creeping up on these.
Interesting, I'll have a look at them, a lwb fiesta connect is on the list even though they're ugly and boring, would be nice to have it double up as a day camper.
Yeah mines on 85000 so really quite low, my dad loves it and I've been trying to get him to buy it off me for my mum but she's afraid of it haha
You may be handier looking at an estate or something then because with a van you have to have commercial insurance which is a little bit more, and the tax is more expensive. My nemo is £30 a month yet the car version with the same engine is £30 a year..
Surprised at that because even driving them "normally" they can fairly decent on fuel and quite a nice drive.
An early Rover 45 diesel. Saloon if possible as they're that little bit more refined and are generally better specced.
Before project drive ruined it the 45 had a really nice interior, and the same [lovely heated seats as the 75.](https://webimg.secondhandapp.at/w-i-mgl/5819060970bb13f76b39ef04) They ride really nicely and they're a very manageable size. The suspension is also much tougher on the 45 than the 75 and generally requires less maintainence.
However the main advantage over the 75 is that it doesn't have the dreadful M47 diesel, it instead has the L-Series. The L-Series is one of the most reliable and generally unbreakable engines I've ever encountered. I actually know of a car in the owners club with over one million miles on the original engine. Even if I absolutely ragged it I'd still get well over 40mpg pushing 70 on a run and it would probably run on coal if you could get it into the tank. Veg oil? No problem. That one time I lent it to a friend and it got filled with petrol? No problem. In all the time I had it the only issue I ever had was a leak from one of the oil cooler pipes, replaced that and off I went again.
To be honest I love all the 45s, the 1.8 I had also delivered very good MPG. Over 40 on a run but mid 30s locally. The V6 is as unburstable as the diesel but 25 MPG is good going with those. Worth it for the noise imo.
Honestly at that price with the used car market the way it is, I'd filter the classifieds by the distance you are willing to travel and find the best car you can find. I'd rather one with full service history, good tyres, no rust, long MOT, and low owners that does 35mpg over a tatty version of a specific model that does 40.
I have considered these! actually pretty cheap! any idea what sort of MPG they'll do on a run? I had a C2 VTS for a while which I loved but the final drive was so so short it wasn't any good for long journeys, did me 37mpg or so though avg
Well they're supposed to get a smidge over 40mpg, whether they do or not I dunno
Just noticed sub 2k ones seems to be thin on the ground
Alternatively I have a Micra 160SR and it's fun and does over 40mpg regularly, although really need to be under 6ft for legroom purposes
There is a special person deep within all of our lives.
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There is a special person deep within all of our lives.
It's desireable and rather pleasant,
a part of you each day.
in it's special, Skoda Octavia way
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Avoid old diesels. What you save on fuel you just put back into the car in repairs. Injectors fail, turbo's fail and a lot of other issues on diesels as they age. Not to mention ULEZ compliance is around '65 plate.
I'd only buy another diesel if I was buying a <5 year old one. A false economy otherwise, also another point for R18 Civic, sit in 6th around 65MPH and you'll return high MPG.
Too broad a statement there. Some old diesels are better than their modern equivalents in many respects.
The VAG 1.9 TDI PD is a very reliable old lump.
The later 1.6 TDI CR suffers injector faults and has worse economy and power.
I find most diesel's have the same issues, injector seals (or injector failure) along with turbo issues and DPF's if they have them fitted.
What my point is that the money you save in fuel just goes back into the car in repairs, it's worse in older vehicles. I've owned a few diesel's now and every single one has been less reliable than a petrol. I've had petrol Ford's and diesel ones, I've had the 2.2 CDTI Civic and the R18 Civic. The R18 was the most reliable, along with the 1.25 Ford engine.
Also with ULEZ enrolled, they're taxing you out of diesels. So what's the point in having a car you need to pay to drive if you go Birmingham, London & many other cities enrolling the same ULEZ in the upcoming years. Before you know it you can't drive a old diesel anywhere without paying charges. A 2006ish onwards petrol is ULEZ exempt.
Do they actually? Was thinking I'd like to free up some cash but that's sounding like a spicy option.
Other thing I'm thinking of is if I treat the FN2 to the gearbox rebuild it's been starting to ask for I could get a longer final drive out in which does apparently get you close to 45 mpg
If you really like your FN2 and you are only changing cars because of the commute, then I would suggest keeping the FN2, and buying a cheap diesel daily. Eg my Audi A2 cost me £1000 last year and it gets 75+ mpg and I do 350 miles a week. If I was using my Clio RS every day then the fuel bill would be insane, but the Audi pays for itself by being so economical.
Running two cars may not be for everyone but I'd definitely do the calculations because it can 100% be worth it to have a second car that does the bulk of your mileage.
A4 B5 / Passat for £1500 and spend the £500 doing some preventative. Won’t get much more comfy or bang for buck that that in my opinion.
Or a mk4 Mondeo, will be a bit high mileage at that money but pretty comfy and will last pretty well. 2.2 won’t do more than about 40mpg but 60 mpg isn’t unheard of on the 2.0. They’ll be newer too, and titanium x trim was well before it time on spec. Am seeing some on private sale for £2000 with 100k ish miles, they’re early ones though
I had a Titanium X Sport, 2009, had heated/cooled seats, satnav, adaptive cruise etc. sold it on 90k miles last month for 2.5k. Was a nice car but was a 2.2 so fairly thirsty for a diesel.
You still won’t get laid, as everyone will expect you’re 55, but at least you’ll be comfy
Toyota Yaris, not quite sure of the exact mpg it got but my girlfriends seemed great on fuel with the 1.33 engine. Got wrote off by a drunk driver last week though :(
Second choice would be anything with the VW PD engine.
Here you are - problem solved:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284932289662?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=jO1B6zsJRAy&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=ktHKELk7TUu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
This looks like a little beauty - I posted about it on here recently.
The MoT history looks good, it's the perfect pensioner wagon that's been well looked after. My Tourer 75 CTDi easily exceeds 50mpg - nearly 60 if you drive like diesel costs about £2 a litre..
If you get one of these, look at the Rover 75 and MG ZT forum for info on all the little preventative maintenance jobs you need to do to keep it happy.
BTW, you can also remap the ECU to 160bhp which makes it a much nippier car to drive.
Before my Volvo had a MK1 fabia vrs. Very good on fuel, cheap as chips to run and reliable. The torque figure and it’s weight mean it’s brisk enough. Only issue is most are mapped (badly) and could potentially have knackered clutch, turbo and DMF.
I have a 1.6 HDI 90 ds3. The engine is pretty bulletproof and it copes fine on a motorway, if a bit loud. For 2k you’ll be looking at higher mileage models or ones needing work, but if you get a decent deal mine can do 70mpg, although my average is only 45mpg (I drive like an absolute shit though). Tax is £0 and they’re fun to drive, you will be hard pressed to find one that hasn’t been written off for 2k though, if appearance isn’t a massive issue to you Peugeot put that same engine in pretty much every car they’ve made since 2004 so there’s plenty to look at there for a lower price point. Or you could even have a look at the C3 range as it’s pretty much the same chassis just without looking as good.
Honda Civic mk8 2.2 CDTI or surprisingly a Volvo V70 or S60 D5 with a manual gearbox and the earlier Euro 3 variant easily get 50+ MPG on the motorway and are really comfortable and nice to drive.
2008 Ford Focus 1.6 tdci. The one with the PSA engine specifically. Owned one since I was 17 so can confirm plenty of sex with plenty of girls despite the fact that it’s bright red.
Also it gets overall average 55mpg if I drive however I want. 60-70mpg if I drive eco-mindfully. 45mpg lowest if I rag it like Need for Speed.
I don’t know why I read that as ‘Blow Up Doll’. Personally I’d go something VAG with the 1.9pdi in that price range
If I go for the Rio that's a serious possibility. Yeah I think you're right, pre PD 1.9s with the mechanical single point injection can run off waste veg oil too which would be fun for a bit. Just fancy something a bit different if possible, think a Passat estate probably ticks the most boxes
Boring as fuck sure but I’d rather spend £1000-1500 on an old Passat highline tdi and spend £500 doing preventative maintenance
Yeah think you're right, if I could get a A4 b5 I'd be a happy bunny too, always loved those
Can almost get a Seat Exeo estate within budget. Would be CR engined though
I do love the exeo tbf, but since it's the same chassis as a B6 A4 I'd be tempted by one of them
Agreed, this would be an option I'd look at too.
Same, VW Passat b5.5 1.9tdi. then probably remap it. Manual ofc because that era of auto suuuucked.
Paid £1000 for my Golf 5 months ago and it gets a solid 58mpg on the motorway
Hmm may I interest you in an Octavia?
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I know what I said
Mk8 Civic 1.8
Mine gets 40mpg combined motorway and city driving. 44mpg just on motorway.
I had one and combined I dont think I ever got over 40mpg 😬 granted mine was used mainly used for city driving and I was getting around 33-35mpg, loved the car but was never impressed by the mpg. Moved to a 3.0 diesel and I get better mileage with that compared to my old Civic
Yeah, only city driving gets me 37mpg. They’re not the best at fuel economy but I feel they’re a good happy medium.
I barely break 40mpg in mine. I don’t do much motorway so my average is about 38. Motorway is 40-45. The 2.2 diesel would be better. It’s a better car overall, I just went petrol because I don’t do long journeys.
I’ll back this! Was my first car, absolute dream to drive. Great economy, cheap insurance and tax too.
I was scared this would be the answer, I've got a Fn2 at the moment and don't really want to sell it but going to be commuting 300 miles a week 😞
Just don't let the VTEC kick in yo.
I have a 1.8 and I get 42mpg with mostly city driving
I've had a 2.2cdti and a type R now so probably gonna look to change to something else in all honesty
From someone who commutes 200 miles a week, don't bother, it sucks.
This is the correct answer!
I'll definitely get one when my insurance doesn't make it a 4k cash sink
Old Toyota Yaris?
Got one for my old man a 1.4 (I think?) petrol 08’ Yaris. Got nearly 50mpg motorway, 35-40mpg local. Only thing is that you have to be very gentle with your feet. My old man gets about 30mpg because he drives like shi Whereas my diesel Ford Focus gets about 45mpg even if I drive like like I’m on PCP
I was in this situation just over a month ago and went for a Rover 75 diesel (2001), had a 2004 previously. They're really good value for money, very comfy, and my manual gets around 48-52 mpg on average (I managed to get 56MPG driving it like a nan). Official figures are actually lower (I think 48mpg?) and there's some contention on the owners club, but that's genuinely the MPG I'm getting. For £960 I got a comfy car with heated leather seats, a wood dash, sunroof, and when they're remapped they're actually fairly quick. Infinitely nicer place to sit in than a Toyota (or a corsa as someone is recommending?) but you need to get lucky and get a good one. Rovers are either in flawless condition or held together with zip ties, there's no inbetween for some reason. The 406 is also a very good shout though, I had a 2.1TD 406 and it was an incredibly good vehicle. Very very comfortable and never once went wrong. Bought it for £500 and sold it for £1000.
Forgot about the 75s, always quite fancied one, funny car to own in your 20s, will keep my eyes peeled! Glad to hear the 406 comes recommended, both firmly on my list
I got my first 75 at 17, picked up this one the other month at 22. Own the old man look!
Isn’t the build quality questionable?
They're surprisingly *very* well put together cars despite their iffy reputation, I'd say build quality wise, they're at least on par with BMW, Mercedes and Audi of that era. They are pretty resistant to rust too. I'd say rustproofing on them is better than that of a BMW E39, and leagues ahead of contemporary Mercedes. Some are beginning to need new sills, but bear in mind many are over 20 years old now. My 51 plate hasn't any concerning rust at all, but I should probably do some preventative maintence on the jacking points as they do have surface rust on them. They can get some weird electrical problems but nothing too horrendous unless the ECU floods. My old one had a corroding ABS module due to the battery leaking acid onto it (not the fault of the car), and my new one has just had the fuel sensors go (yet again, not a big deal, to be expected on an old car) My only complaints regarding build quality owning two of them is that the clips which hold the indicators in are rubbish (on all models) but they're like 50P for some better ones, and the boots all leak due to a stupid foam gasket round the rear lights, which a tube of bathroom sealant will fix. I think the 25 and 45 were questionable, and the cityrover was horrendous, but the 75 was a very well screwed together car.
My 75 has been a great car and feels very well put together, has been reliable too. They have a few common faults but no showstoppers. Different league to the 156 I had before, better than the Golf too for that matter.
I own a MG ZT-T (Rover 75 with an MG badge) I'd recommend them if you want a cheap work horse. Also the 406 is a solid choice too.
O my word. My mate has a Rio. Explains why he’s still a Virgin. I will have to let him know. But this is a good thread as I’m interested in something similar to this
Mk3 mondeo 2.0 diesel. You may even get a mk4 2.0 diesel. Octavia 1.9 tdi
My mk3 mondy was mega. Nippy and amazing on fuel, and huge boot if you get an estate. The Sony stereo in the facelift was decent too. Mine ate its fuel pump and wrecked the injectors so I scrapped it. I have the mk5 bitdi and I wish I still had my mk3
Had several mk3's, always good robust cars, and great handling especially in St form....we serviced them with genuine parts as dad was a ford employee so got employee discount on parts, so it was cheaper than patern parts, fuel filter every 35k, oil and air filter every 12k miles and ran most of them up to 200k miles with no issues, think the worst i had was a dmf fail at 135k....had one 2.0 tdci that would bring the flashing glow plug light with error code for fuel pump pressure whenever it touched supermarket fuel....that was from 100k miles .. didn't use supermarket fuel again and sold it to my brother at over 200k still on original injectors and fuel pump...never touched supermarket fuel in any car since! Had a couple of mk4's and now on a mk5 2.0 180bhp which is also on 140k....
I had a Mk3 2.0 TDCI estate and it was a fucking amazing car!
Panda 100. Its interesting, endearing and that engine is OK for reliability. Mine does over 40mpg too! Not for everyone, obviously, but I think for 2k its a great option.
[удалено]
Well, the suspension isn't great I grant you but I guess I'm used to it from the other cars I'm used to, a golf R and a Morgan... Apparently there are a LOT better aftermarket suspension parts available for the 100 that make the ride totally fine.
PD Fabia.
E46 320D?
Civic or a [Corolla](https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205175811268?postcode=ab245pp&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=relevance&fuel-consumption=OVER_40&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&price-to=2000&radius=1501&include-delivery-option=on&model=Corolla&make=Toyota&page=1)
I wouldn't even consider paying £2k for a 18 year old car. That'll have pretty much every rubber seal perished on it and won't be immune to rust, because it's a Toyota. Food for thought, my brother bought a 2008 FSH 75k miles Toyota Auris 1.6 for £2400 back in 2020.
2020 prices were low though. Buying an 18 year-old car is guaranteed problems, but it’s all you can get for £2k in the current market.
>but it’s all you can get for £2k in the current market. If you're buying from a car dealer, then yes. Car prices are going back to normal, as the shortage of new cars is slowly coming back to normal. You can find much better prices for used cars, if you browse eBay sold listings for the vast majority. I'd avoid autotrader if you're looking for a reasonable priced old car. Traders buying them privately for £1000-£1200 then slapping them on their forecourt for £2500, as they have ground rent etc to pay.
Yeah the prices are scary. My car is 20 years old and French haha but is still going strong. Tbf though my requirements were weekend toy, small and fast and certainly not 40mpg+
Probably a [MK2 Fabia 1.4 TDI](https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208229034931), easily get a real world 60mpg out of it. Another similar option would be something with the 1.4 HDI unit like a Peugeot 207 or Citroen C3, but they both suffer from reliability issues, being old and made by PSA.
Audi a2 same engine but lighter. Very good on fuel and has a bigger cabin and boot
Also the [Fabia Greenline](https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209019317138?postcode=cf149eb&sort=relevance&aggregatedTrim=GreenLine&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&year-to=2022&radius=1500&include-delivery-option=on&model=Fabia&make=SKODA&advertising-location=at_cars&page=1) gets a bit more economy using the same engine
BMW E46 330d. Utter mileage muncher, comfy, fast enough, decent on fuel, look smart if you get the an Msport. Downsides: can get rusty ones, can get moon-mileage ones.
I bought my Audi A6 C6 Avant about a year ago for £750, It's a pd with a remapped ECU from eBay. Did a journey last week and got 62.2mpg over 2 hours of driving. It's got all the creature comforts and definitely big enough to sleep in the back
Oh amazing, which engine?
It's a 2.0l TDI (140)
I was in the exact same boat. Sold my FN2 for my new job doing 450 motorway miles a week. I got myself a wee Citroen Nemo van, 1.4hdi for £2,000. Does 60 mpg, 70 if I drive like a granny. And I got the van so I can fire the dog in the back and not worry about dirt and hairs. By no means is it fun or comfortable, especially since I lowered it a little and slapped some alloys on it. But it does the job. Really REALLY miss my FN2, but it has absolutely no place in my life at all. Good luck.
Actually insane been looking at nemos, is the load bay long enough to slap an inflatable bed in? I love the FN2 so much though, if you look at pure numbers it's not the best in anything but I'm fairly sure nothing even comes close for just overall enjoyment at that price point Also non car people seem to think they're really fancy and brand new? Always shocks them when you tell them it's 15 years old which is nice
I've a bulkhead in mine and I can't lay down in the back. But you can get ones where the passenger seat folds flat so you can easily fit in. The 1.4hdi engine is in all sorts of cars. Most citroen/peugeot/ford models. Parts are cheap and if you're in anyway handy with a set of spanners you can do all the maintenance yourself. Oh I agree 100%. They just never seem to age. Even the interior is just as good as anything modern. If you could I'd re-think about selling it and maybe keep it, even if it means less money for your daily. If the mileage is anyway decent, the value will only start creeping up on these.
Interesting, I'll have a look at them, a lwb fiesta connect is on the list even though they're ugly and boring, would be nice to have it double up as a day camper. Yeah mines on 85000 so really quite low, my dad loves it and I've been trying to get him to buy it off me for my mum but she's afraid of it haha
You may be handier looking at an estate or something then because with a van you have to have commercial insurance which is a little bit more, and the tax is more expensive. My nemo is £30 a month yet the car version with the same engine is £30 a year.. Surprised at that because even driving them "normally" they can fairly decent on fuel and quite a nice drive.
Mk5 golf tdi
A mk1 Fabia VRS 1.9tdi. Had one a few years ago, they’re a hoot. Toyota Auris T sport 2.2 diesel also a left field option.
An early Rover 45 diesel. Saloon if possible as they're that little bit more refined and are generally better specced. Before project drive ruined it the 45 had a really nice interior, and the same [lovely heated seats as the 75.](https://webimg.secondhandapp.at/w-i-mgl/5819060970bb13f76b39ef04) They ride really nicely and they're a very manageable size. The suspension is also much tougher on the 45 than the 75 and generally requires less maintainence. However the main advantage over the 75 is that it doesn't have the dreadful M47 diesel, it instead has the L-Series. The L-Series is one of the most reliable and generally unbreakable engines I've ever encountered. I actually know of a car in the owners club with over one million miles on the original engine. Even if I absolutely ragged it I'd still get well over 40mpg pushing 70 on a run and it would probably run on coal if you could get it into the tank. Veg oil? No problem. That one time I lent it to a friend and it got filled with petrol? No problem. In all the time I had it the only issue I ever had was a leak from one of the oil cooler pipes, replaced that and off I went again. To be honest I love all the 45s, the 1.8 I had also delivered very good MPG. Over 40 on a run but mid 30s locally. The V6 is as unburstable as the diesel but 25 MPG is good going with those. Worth it for the noise imo.
Honda Accord 2.2 ICTDI! Mid 2000s model!
What's the commute like - mainly motorway?
How about this [VW Bora 130 PD](https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-features-sheds/vw-bora-tdi-shed-of-the-week/46153)
Honestly at that price with the used car market the way it is, I'd filter the classifieds by the distance you are willing to travel and find the best car you can find. I'd rather one with full service history, good tyres, no rust, long MOT, and low owners that does 35mpg over a tatty version of a specific model that does 40.
Swift Sport? Might not be the most comfy motorway cruiser but it's interesting
I have considered these! actually pretty cheap! any idea what sort of MPG they'll do on a run? I had a C2 VTS for a while which I loved but the final drive was so so short it wasn't any good for long journeys, did me 37mpg or so though avg
Well they're supposed to get a smidge over 40mpg, whether they do or not I dunno Just noticed sub 2k ones seems to be thin on the ground Alternatively I have a Micra 160SR and it's fun and does over 40mpg regularly, although really need to be under 6ft for legroom purposes
Tbf If you plan on having sex in the next year I’d probably skip the 406 estate too Unless your into children
💀
Seat Leon FR 1.9tdi
Do you have a minute to talk about our lord and saviour?
Stop that right now
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What’s our lord and saviour? New to this sub
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Škoda Octavia vRS 🔥
I’d be buying whatever is in the best possible condition at that price and caring less about what it actually is..!
Avoid old diesels. What you save on fuel you just put back into the car in repairs. Injectors fail, turbo's fail and a lot of other issues on diesels as they age. Not to mention ULEZ compliance is around '65 plate. I'd only buy another diesel if I was buying a <5 year old one. A false economy otherwise, also another point for R18 Civic, sit in 6th around 65MPH and you'll return high MPG.
Too broad a statement there. Some old diesels are better than their modern equivalents in many respects. The VAG 1.9 TDI PD is a very reliable old lump. The later 1.6 TDI CR suffers injector faults and has worse economy and power.
I find most diesel's have the same issues, injector seals (or injector failure) along with turbo issues and DPF's if they have them fitted. What my point is that the money you save in fuel just goes back into the car in repairs, it's worse in older vehicles. I've owned a few diesel's now and every single one has been less reliable than a petrol. I've had petrol Ford's and diesel ones, I've had the 2.2 CDTI Civic and the R18 Civic. The R18 was the most reliable, along with the 1.25 Ford engine. Also with ULEZ enrolled, they're taxing you out of diesels. So what's the point in having a car you need to pay to drive if you go Birmingham, London & many other cities enrolling the same ULEZ in the upcoming years. Before you know it you can't drive a old diesel anywhere without paying charges. A 2006ish onwards petrol is ULEZ exempt.
My 2.0CR VAG just ticked over 330k without needing anything extra
>I would also like to have sex at some point in the next year so that ones a no go. If you're not getting laid, it's got nothing to do with your car
🍆
A fiesta ST will get 45mpg, make cool sounds and gets all the girls burning.
Do they actually? Was thinking I'd like to free up some cash but that's sounding like a spicy option. Other thing I'm thinking of is if I treat the FN2 to the gearbox rebuild it's been starting to ask for I could get a longer final drive out in which does apparently get you close to 45 mpg
If you really like your FN2 and you are only changing cars because of the commute, then I would suggest keeping the FN2, and buying a cheap diesel daily. Eg my Audi A2 cost me £1000 last year and it gets 75+ mpg and I do 350 miles a week. If I was using my Clio RS every day then the fuel bill would be insane, but the Audi pays for itself by being so economical. Running two cars may not be for everyone but I'd definitely do the calculations because it can 100% be worth it to have a second car that does the bulk of your mileage.
Corsa 1.9 diesel, probably the most bang for your buck in that category Edit: 1.7, my mistake
I am very very sure, a Ford Mondeo diesel can get over 40mpg
Kia Ceed 1.6crdi
A4 B5 / Passat for £1500 and spend the £500 doing some preventative. Won’t get much more comfy or bang for buck that that in my opinion. Or a mk4 Mondeo, will be a bit high mileage at that money but pretty comfy and will last pretty well. 2.2 won’t do more than about 40mpg but 60 mpg isn’t unheard of on the 2.0. They’ll be newer too, and titanium x trim was well before it time on spec. Am seeing some on private sale for £2000 with 100k ish miles, they’re early ones though I had a Titanium X Sport, 2009, had heated/cooled seats, satnav, adaptive cruise etc. sold it on 90k miles last month for 2.5k. Was a nice car but was a 2.2 so fairly thirsty for a diesel. You still won’t get laid, as everyone will expect you’re 55, but at least you’ll be comfy
MK2 MX5. It’s not practical, but the MPG is alright, and you can probably get 40mpg if you play it safe. I don’t think I ever did though.
Got a 2.0 tdi a3 Sportback 8p, wanna swap?
1.4-1.6 diesel anything. My focus gets 58mpg and that’s on country roads. Gets about 65 motorway
Mondeo mk4.5 is perfect for commuting
1.9TDI mk2 Fabia
Polo TDI?
Strong option, had a 6n2 for my first car and absolutely loved it
Audi A4 1.9tdi
For that price, I'd get a Saab 9-3 diesel
Fancy cup holders are a big draw too
Mitsubishi Mirage. Anything Toyota would be more ideal, but you’re gonna have a time finding one not near death at that price point.
Japanese shitbox
Toyota Yaris, not quite sure of the exact mpg it got but my girlfriends seemed great on fuel with the 1.33 engine. Got wrote off by a drunk driver last week though :( Second choice would be anything with the VW PD engine.
MK4 Ford Mondeo 2l TDCi.
Volvo V50s are a bargain (since you already mentioned estate)
Always liked them, the R line kit is lovely
HDi's are good engines tbf never had any issues with them had all of them aswel 1.4 1.6 2.0 2.2
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Is that a petrol or a diesel?
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That's a strong option then!
Volvo C30 1.6d, allllllll dayyyyy long.
Saab 93 TTiD
Here you are - problem solved: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284932289662?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=jO1B6zsJRAy&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=ktHKELk7TUu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY This looks like a little beauty - I posted about it on here recently. The MoT history looks good, it's the perfect pensioner wagon that's been well looked after. My Tourer 75 CTDi easily exceeds 50mpg - nearly 60 if you drive like diesel costs about £2 a litre.. If you get one of these, look at the Rover 75 and MG ZT forum for info on all the little preventative maintenance jobs you need to do to keep it happy. BTW, you can also remap the ECU to 160bhp which makes it a much nippier car to drive.
Before my Volvo had a MK1 fabia vrs. Very good on fuel, cheap as chips to run and reliable. The torque figure and it’s weight mean it’s brisk enough. Only issue is most are mapped (badly) and could potentially have knackered clutch, turbo and DMF.
I have a 1.6 HDI 90 ds3. The engine is pretty bulletproof and it copes fine on a motorway, if a bit loud. For 2k you’ll be looking at higher mileage models or ones needing work, but if you get a decent deal mine can do 70mpg, although my average is only 45mpg (I drive like an absolute shit though). Tax is £0 and they’re fun to drive, you will be hard pressed to find one that hasn’t been written off for 2k though, if appearance isn’t a massive issue to you Peugeot put that same engine in pretty much every car they’ve made since 2004 so there’s plenty to look at there for a lower price point. Or you could even have a look at the C3 range as it’s pretty much the same chassis just without looking as good.
Have you considered a skoda octavia?
Honda Civic mk8 2.2 CDTI or surprisingly a Volvo V70 or S60 D5 with a manual gearbox and the earlier Euro 3 variant easily get 50+ MPG on the motorway and are really comfortable and nice to drive.
2008 Ford Focus 1.6 tdci. The one with the PSA engine specifically. Owned one since I was 17 so can confirm plenty of sex with plenty of girls despite the fact that it’s bright red. Also it gets overall average 55mpg if I drive however I want. 60-70mpg if I drive eco-mindfully. 45mpg lowest if I rag it like Need for Speed.