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E

ed-ectrician

Hello there everyone,

So I'm looking to get an estate car as I have a wife and little daughter and can't afford a van AND a car and even those car-derived vans with seats are well expensive to insure for me. New driver with no 'no claims' etc what a headache!!

So I am looking for something nice and big to get tools etc in and work from but also to use as family car.

So far i have got it down to a few different options. Bear in mind i am poor so would prob be buying a ten year old version of the cars below! Budget is around £800 max unfortunately! Autotrader has most of the cars below fairly cheap.

Vauxhall Astra estate - seems like the best option from doing a bit of research. 200 quid a year cheaper to insure than the cheapest of all the rest
VW passat estate - thought VWs were good (every cab driver in London has one!) but heard different things online
Nissan Almera estate - good reviews
Toyota Avensis estate - good reviews too
Skoda octavia estate - My dad has one - does about 45 mpg around town and 60 on motorway
Volvo - bloody hell I feel like a granddad even suggesting this one! Any ideas here?!

So...what do you reckon. Bear in mind I am not looking for sexy, fun or too powerful i am looking for cheap, economical, reliable! I don't really care if it's a bit boring and family-ish I am a dad now lol! Prob go for a 1.6 - 1.8 engine size. Nothing bigger so insurance and fuel is a bit cheaper.

Any other suggestions or tips for when buying from auto trader or gumtree very welcome!

Thanks

Ed
 
I'm on my 2nd Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Zetec estate now.
Had very little trouble with both and spares are easily available if need be.
The Zetec version has harder suspension than the regular ones so you can have a bit of fun as well.
 
Had the Astra for many years and it was a solid car. You need to look out for the 1.7 diesel Isuzu engine has been well maintained with timing belt changes etc as the oil pump pulley can work loose, design fault, and the timing belt comes off. Happened to me on the M1 doing 70 officer and cost rough £650 in parts to repair it. Also the alarm sounder batteries a prone to failure but you can just disconnect the unit and still have an alarm.

Recently got a Mk2 Skoda Octavia estate and it is gleaming, the Mk1's are reliable and fairly cheap to maintain.

Whatever you get try and get as much service history as possible.
 
Having come from a family of Petrol Heads, I think one or the other of us has had every kind of car on the market.

In my humble opinion, I found Vauxhalls to be very reliable, and also I loved my old Volvo. The insurance was cheap too, cos they are built like battleships and people tend to keep out of your way!!! Toyotas are nice cars too, if you can get a Toyota estate, I don't think you will go far wrong. I drive a Fiat Diablo at work, and they are very nippy too. Gumtree is a good way of finding good value cars near to your postcode, I have bought a few things from there with no trouble. If there was such a thing as an estate car, made by Scimitar, with a 1.6 engine, and made out of fibreglass, then I would snap it up.... don't think they exist though. Good luck. :auto::auto::auto::auto::auto:
 
For £800, it would a Volvo v70 for me every time. Them things will go on past 300,000 miles no problem.

Sent from my HTC Desire C using Tapatalk 2
 
Having come from a family of Petrol Heads, I think one or the other of us has had every kind of car on the market.

In my humble opinion, I found Vauxhalls to be very reliable, and also I loved my old Volvo. The insurance was cheap too, cos they are built like battleships and people tend to keep out of your way!!! Toyotas are nice cars too, if you can get a Toyota estate, I don't think you will go far wrong. I drive a Fiat Diablo at work, and they are very nippy too. Gumtree is a good way of finding good value cars near to your postcode, I have bought a few things from there with no trouble. If there was such a thing as an estate car, made by Scimitar, with a 1.6 engine, and made out of fibreglass, then I would snap it up.... don't think they exist though. Good luck. :auto::auto::auto::auto::auto:

A 1.6 engine pet ??

It's got to be at least twice that if yer expecting it to haul you & me around !!! :yesnod:
 
My mate runs a fleet of Skoda's as taxi's , and as I said on another post they are still going strong with around 300.000 plus miles on.

Lot's of good estates on the road but I like the old Peugeot's simple and reliable , and terrific on diesel.
 
I had a Focus Estate V reg 1.8 petrol zetec for 4 years could not fault it at all plenty of room went well did not have any problems with it only minor things like battery brakes tyres etc.....Just recently brought another Focus estate 06 1.8 Zetec TDCI this time did not like it at first but its gradually growing on me.
 
CRAGS, I hope it's Black!

Got rid of my 1st one, then about 2 years later I received a letter from the new owner (just bought it) asking if I had the remote key. No chance, went with the car. Then by pure chance I found it that same day, I'd have just slung it in bin if the letter hadn't come that day.
An exchange of letters/emails key sent. A few weeks later a Christmas card arrives with a Fiver in it.

Just goes to show, "If you don't ask, you don't get"
 
I have had a Skoda Octavia estate for 7 years now, 103,000 miles now and still going strong, would get another one tomorrow if i could afford it.
 
My mate runs a fleet of Skoda's as taxi's , and as I said on another post they are still going strong with around 300.000 plus miles on.

Lot's of good estates on the road but I like the old Peugeot's simple and reliable , and terrific on diesel.

I wouldn't entertain a japanese car of that age having had an old toyota. The parts are extortionate. I have a bmw 320d estate at the moment, but i wish i had my peugeot 405 d estate as it was AWESOME.

fully recommend a peugeot estate for comfort and reliability.
 
I wouldn't entertain a japanese car of that age having had an old toyota. The parts are extortionate. I have a bmw 320d estate at the moment, but i wish i had my peugeot 405 d estate as it was AWESOME.

fully recommend a peugeot estate for comfort and reliability.


I've still got one lol ancient but off the button , bit of a pet now though lol.Have'nt got the heart to get rid of it.
 
one of these should do the job...

What estate car should I buy? {filename} | ElectriciansForums.net
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My Audi A4 estate (Avant) fits loads in the back, and the seats fold flat (unlike some estates). 11 years old and still looks great for something worth about a grand.
 

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