Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Osprey on 21 May 2011, 13:58:55
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A friend is looking for a cheap second car for the daily commute and short trips around town. The budget is £2000 and the only requirements are fuel economy (but still petrol), reliability, and must be a four- or five-door.
She doesn’t care about image, performance or comfort – just reliable and cheap to run.
I guess any of the far-eastern econo-boxes are the thing to go for, but I’m right out of touch with the market. What do you reckon?
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its a bit radical, but an Omega? :D
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its a bit radical, but an Omega? :D
Might fall over on the economy ;D
How big? Nobody wants Rovers, so can pick up 400/45s cheap, though I think I'd go oil burner personally. Or 5 door 200/25s if she needs Focus/Astra sized (though not much headroom if adults are in back, esp sunroof equipped models). Our 1.6 25 returns 35+ mpg with me driving, I'm sure thats easily into the 40s if driven sensibly.
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Mondeo.
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its a bit radical, but an Omega? :D
Might fall over on the economy ;D
How big? Nobody wants Rovers, so can pick up 400/45s cheap, though I think I'd go oil burner personally. Or 5 door 200/25s if she needs Focus/Astra sized (though not much headroom if adults are in back, esp sunroof equipped models). Our 1.6 25 returns 35+ mpg with me driving, I'm sure thats easily into the 40s if driven sensibly.
Yeah but the price offsets that.
Spend £3k on a Mondeo? (probably a lot more for a decent derv)
Or spend £1k on an Omega.
£2,000 buys a shed ton of fuel! :)
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Mondeo.
Again, fall over on economy, if the request is for petrol. Same with Vectra
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its a bit radical, but an Omega? :D
Might fall over on the economy ;D
How big? Nobody wants Rovers, so can pick up 400/45s cheap, though I think I'd go oil burner personally. Or 5 door 200/25s if she needs Focus/Astra sized (though not much headroom if adults are in back, esp sunroof equipped models). Our 1.6 25 returns 35+ mpg with me driving, I'm sure thats easily into the 40s if driven sensibly.
Yeah but the price offsets that.
Spend £3k on a Mondeo? (probably a lot more for a decent derv)
Or spend £1k on an Omega.
£2,000 buys a shed ton of fuel! :)
Request was petrol, so what has a Mundano Diesel got to do with it?
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Fraid she already knows about Omega running costs so that's not an option.
She tells me size doesn't matter ;). So far she has been looking at Polos, C3s, Puntos and Almeras. I can't see her getting reliability out of most of these, except the Polo perhaps.
Rover 45 is interesting. I've assumed that spares are a problem - can you keep them running through the scrappies?
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Nissan Almeras are pretty reliable as far I know bro inlaws had one for 4 years no problems.
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its a bit radical, but an Omega? :D
Might fall over on the economy ;D
How big? Nobody wants Rovers, so can pick up 400/45s cheap, though I think I'd go oil burner personally. Or 5 door 200/25s if she needs Focus/Astra sized (though not much headroom if adults are in back, esp sunroof equipped models). Our 1.6 25 returns 35+ mpg with me driving, I'm sure thats easily into the 40s if driven sensibly.
Yeah but the price offsets that.
Spend £3k on a Mondeo? (probably a lot more for a decent derv)
Or spend £1k on an Omega.
£2,000 buys a shed ton of fuel! :)
Request was petrol, so what has a Mundano Diesel got to do with it?
Nothing, just saying its going to be a lot more for a diesel one. (if economy is real issue)
Buy an Omega, costs a little more to run, but costs less to buy :)
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I think the OP was asking more about smaller cars, not tanks like Omegas or repmobile size cars.
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How about an Astra? Cheap enough to pick up and spares aplenty. Servicing etc not OTT. :y
Miniture Omega!! lol
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Fraid she already knows about Omega running costs so that's not an option.
She tells me size doesn't matter ;). So far she has been looking at Polos, C3s, Puntos and Almeras. I can't see her getting reliability out of most of these, except the Polo perhaps.
Rover 45 is interesting. I've assumed that spares are a problem - can you keep them running through the scrappies?
I certainly have no trouble getting mechanical or service bits for our Rover 25. The one thing that does mean going round scrapyards is interior trim mouldings and things like that
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Astra MK4 (Can never remember the letter!) is quite well bolted together and drives nicely.
Look like a mini Omega from the front!
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Astra MK4 (Can never remember the letter!) is quite well bolted together and drives nicely.
Look like a mini Omega from the front!
It is a good motor, SWMBO has one on W 2000 plate. 1.6 auto. Simple & effective car and nothing too complex to go wrong! :)
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I think the OP was asking more about smaller cars, not tanks like Omegas or repmobile size cars.
All I know about them is that they exist ;D ;D ;D ;D
No idea what I would recommend
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Mrs cg has a polo. Crammed full of gremlins when we got it. But repaired some odd unexplained damage to the abs wiring loom. Replaced pattern abs sensor or 2 for genuine. Then unplugged the battery for half an hour, reconnected for half an hour, ignition on for half an hour, and that killed all the stalling gremlins. It's been good as gold since. I don't think any of those issues can be blamed on the car.
But it's certainly not economic when I ask it to drive how I want it to drive. But then it's not for me. :y
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Skoda Superb mate.....
Get one for under £2000, have had 50.1mpg out of our 2.0 manual on a run....
Reliable, comfortable, well specced and spacious.....
Totally recommend them.
:y
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Cheap and two grand are not the same, I class cheap as five hundred quid,!!!!
:( :( :(
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daily low cost car..yaris or clit..
but they are not cheap.. :-/ 2001,2002 models may be..
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zx
for a few hundred quid you get 4 doors hatchback
a good engine,cheap parts but no street cred
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Skoda Superb mate.....
Get one for under £2000, have had 50.1mpg out of our 2.0 manual on a run....
Reliable, comfortable, well specced and spacious.....
Totally recommend them.
:y
Stiff, hard, uncomfortable, and complete if all the standard VAG faults. Small petrol ones underpowered.
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Skoda Superb mate.....
Get one for under £2000, have had 50.1mpg out of our 2.0 manual on a run....
Reliable, comfortable, well specced and spacious.....
Totally recommend them.
:y
Stiff, hard, uncomfortable, and complete if all the standard VAG faults. Small petrol ones underpowered.
Must be sommut wrong with ours then cos its none of these....its the most comfortable spacious car we have ever had....Omega included.....
Not a boy racer anymore so 2.0 is fine for our needs....
:y :y
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Nissan Almeras are pretty reliable as far I know bro inlaws had one for 4 years no problems.
Ok but prone to rusty front crossmembers. :-/
pug 306s fairly bombproof, late estates go for about £7-800. !.6/1.8 good on fuel, don't really rust and quite fun to drive too. :y Astras do have the advantage on parts prices though.
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What about a Nissan Micra? Allegedly dependable, well built & large interior space, but alas not 'bombproof'.... apparently! ::) ;)
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All very interesting stuff - thanks for the replies, I'll keep passing the info on.
What about a Nissan Micra? Allegedly dependable, well built & large interior space, but alas not 'bombproof'.... apparently! ::) ;)
No piers nearby so that should't matter too much ;)
Now you mention it, I hired a Micra a few years ago and was very surprised how roomy it felt. Otherwise dead boring but I think that's what is required.