Little daily driver with super fuel efficiency

[Charles Morgan]

I am having another series of thoughts about my car fleet and have noticed of late that I am using the W210 a lot for short distance driving. This is not greatly sensible to shift that mass around (and mine), and I thought about a little runaround (it would be available for a friend who is learning to drive to use as well - a large auto estate is not ideal).

Budget £6k, about 3 years old+, very fuel efficient, not needed to carry large loads, decent ride, small. Anybody with good experiences of cars like this?

 

[Dieselman]

Soda Fabia. A VW Polo in drag.

 

[Colin_b]

I am having another series of thoughts about my car fleet and have noticed of late that I am using the W210 a lot for short distance driving. This is not greatly sensible to shift that mass around (and mine), and I thought about a little runaround (it would be available for a friend who is learning to drive to use as well - a large auto estate is not ideal).

Budget £6k, about 3 years old+, very fuel efficient, not needed to carry large loads, decent ride, small. Anybody with good experiences of cars like this?

Fiat Panda base model is my runaround.

Cost just under 4k for and 18 month old one. £30 tax, group 1 insurance, 45 to 50mpg on lots of short journeys and thrashing.

Gutless, but fun to drive. And the heater is hot within a mile

 

[ringway]

Soda Fabia.

One of those Schwepped past me earlier.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Budget £6k, about 3 years old+, very fuel efficient, not needed to carry large loads, decent ride, small. Anybody with good experiences of cars like this?

That's about what I paid for my Fabia when it was 18 months old (it's now 6 years old). As I've mentioned elsewhere, its great strength is its build quality (presumably similar to a Polo in this respect, but much more solid-feeling than most other cars in this bracket). Mine isn't great when it comes to economy. No idea what mpg it does, but its 64bhp, 1.2 litre petrol engine sits in VED band F. I would hope the current version is better in this respect.

 

[Dieselman]

One of those Schwepped past me earlier.

No wonder they are in demand for track days.

 

[Sp!ke]

Ive been driving a diesel fabia of my dads a bit recently. Its hard to find good bits to say about it really. I supose the engine is quite powerful but this is ruined by the sluggish gearbox making thw car remain slow overall.

Its probably robust and cheap enough but it has no charm or character at all. Easily forgotten.

Do you need 4 seats? A diesel Smart is as economical as it gets but smooth ride? Not in one of these.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Every time I look at small cars I get that sense of doom. A Smart is really not on the list.

Perhaps I'll get a Landie instead. I certainly wouldn't have to buy winter tyres again..

 

[gaz_l]

Fiat Panda base model is my runaround.

Cost just under 4k for and 18 month old one. £30 tax, group 1 insurance, 45 to 50mpg on lots of short journeys and thrashing.

Gutless, but fun to drive. And the heater is hot within a mile

I have the 100HP - bit of a go-kart, good fun, fairly rubbish on fuel on short journeys. A wheel at each corner so a piece of cake to park, you can get a bunch of stuff in it as well for such a dinky car.

The 1.3 Multijet is apparently parsimonius with the juice, and hopefully the ride is a little more compliant than the 100HP, which is designed for hooligan youths with younger spines than mine. Worth a look, I think, and certainly available within budget.

How does this float your boat?

Fiat Panda 1.3 MULTIJET DYNAMIC 5DR 2008

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[Charles Morgan]

The Multijet does make sense and I like Italian cars. I am not sure Italian cars like me though!

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Perhaps I'll get a Landie instead. I certainly wouldn't have to buy winter tyres again..

Do what I do and buy the complete opposite of what you set out purchase, I know someone selling a vehicle that is not 'little' or with 'super fuel efficiency' and it's double your budget...

 

[Charles Morgan]

I wonder who's that is?

I was thinking more of this type of Landie. It's a bit of a war zone parking up at Slough Tesco..

 

[Deleted member 37751]

It's a bit of a war zone parking up at Slough Tesco..

600 psi punches a-plenty?

 

[Charles Morgan]

and that's just the OAPs.

 

[ringway]

I'd go for something like THIS. I've always liked the VW Golf's and the MPG is good with a reasonable turn of foot.

There was one advertised in the classified section here a while ago that (although older than you have specced). It looked fantastic for around £3k. Leather seats etc, and well looked after.

 

[gaz_l]

Here you go Charles..

Ford KA 1.3 TDCI ZETEC 3DR LOW MILEAGE 16K + F.S.H 2009

Same engine and basic underpinnings, perhaps not as roomy as the Panda, but I've driven one of these (albeit a 1.2 petrol) and was pleasantly surprised..

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[grober]

The Multijet does make sense and I like Italian cars. I am not sure Italian cars like me though!

If we are splitting hairs- and when are we not technically they are Polish being built in Tychy Poland like the Fiat 500. This evidently is a good thing as they have a particularly good rep reliability wise. Ford build their ill loved KA there as well based on the same floorpan. My choice would be the 4X4 1200 petrol panda-- light weight- 4 WD go anywhere in winter vehicle.

 

[219]

A new VW UP! would be over budget but might be worth a look as there seem to be all sorts of deals going on them .

Also , for use in London - any of the new small electric cars which , if Im not mistaken , avoid congestion charges , and have plug in points for charging in the city ? Again will be over budget but perhaps worth considering .

No one has mentioned the A Class .

 

[Igurisu]

I'm with the Skoda Fabia vote, solid car, pretty bullet proof and a big range of engines to choose from.

 

[BlackC55]

Buy a LR if you want awful fuel economy. Polo or Labia gets my vote.