Help me (student 23) to find a new ride for about 10,000Euro

[dk2k]

Hi there!
I am starting to look for a new car. Right now I drive a '93 3door honda civic (EG3) with 75BHP but it will not "survive" the next checkup at the german tüv without investing about 1000 Euro into the car and that aint worth it (i bought it 3 years ago for 1900 Euro).

It shall be nice to drive / have a bit sporty suspension, have about 100BHP and a 4/5door hatch if possible. But 4/5door hatches are always so ungly compared to the 2/3door version...
The car should also be cheap to run but still fun to drive.

As said my limit is 10,000Euro and I live in germany.
So what should I go for? Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

PS: I am not too much into diesel - I would more likely add an LPG system to the car. Here is what I mean:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquifi...#Usage_in_cars
But this is not a priority, first of all I need to find a car! So help me please to find a new one...

[mautzel]

Does it have to be an all new car or would a 1-2 year old car to be considered as well? (As you probably know, you only get standard models of cars like the Fiesta / Polo / Clio / 206 / Punto for that price) Is insurance an issue for you as well? (Those "nearby" hot hatches are usually pretty expensive to insure)

In the recent AMS, the Polo GTI got an astonishingly bad test result compared to the Golf GTI by the way - they said compared to the Golf, it's nowhere near as sporty to drive, so you might consider looking on for a different brand.

[jakifirbec]

i don't know what you got against diesels, but i recommend that you test the 110 HP TDI. Its a very good engine.
For 10.000 EUR - i'd go for Skoda (used Octavia/new Fabia). They are not the best looking cars but wery well put together and nice to drive. Maybe look at Seat too. Japanese cars for the same money don't offer much except reliability IMO.
Hot hatch for that amount will probably be used, and that can be risky with "sporty" engines as they are likely to be bad - people that buy hot hatches tend to drive them in high revs and not take care of them. Running cold engine in high revs, improper oil etc. can give you a headache moneywise.

[Cobol74]

Peugeot 207 got good reviews in the UK recently, avoid the 1.6 petrol for the moment though if you do consider one. The present 1.6 is an old engine already slated to be replaced. You should be able to get one for your budget, I think. Not in the Uk obviously - see below for review and UK prices.

http://www.whatcar.co.uk/car-review-...789&Submit1=GO

[Izari]

10k euro is like 12000 usd?
for that u can pick up a decent 1995 M3 ...
sporty
fast
safe
decent reliability

[mautzel]

10k euro is like 12000 usd?
for that u can pick up a decent 1995 M3 ...
sporty
fast
safe
decent reliability

Only if you got another yearly 10k for insurance in spare over here (might not be the actual figure, but I hardly doubt he'll be able to afford that one as a 23 year old student)

[FATMOUSE]

decent reliability

are you mad?

Anyways, used Honda Civic for $3k us ki jai.

[Ultra_Kool_Dude]

10k euro is like 12000 usd?
for that u can pick up a decent 1995 M3 ...

Are you sure about that?

[dk2k]

First of all by "a new car" I mean just a car that replaces the one I got.
It doesnt need to be a brand new one. But I'd like to have a car that is max. 5 years old now.
About the 207 - I dont like its look too much, especially the front...

The thing with hot hatches and high incurence is a good point.
That is why I started to think about a Ford Fiesta from 2003/2004?

With some alois it is really a quite nice looking car, and the 101PS version should be fun to drive. And in the "compact/small"-carclass it is one of the few that looks also good as a 5door. Anyone owns this one or has driven it already?

With VW/Seat/Skoda - well I don't know. VW is just boring me, so is Skoda too but Seat changed to the worst when we are talking about good looking cars. I found the old Seat Leon (pre '99 I think) with the headlights, the "S" and the grill sticked together on one qual level looked just great. But then they startet to round everything, they have torn this one level shape and now I would not say hate but I dislike the look of the car. Also the reability of this '99 seat leons follow-ups suffered. They are not as relieable as the old ones.

And yes a bmw (especially the 3-series) are not cheap to run. Just too many idiots buy this car and crash it against the next tree they can find.

Any more ideas?

[Cobol74]

First of all by "a new car" I mean just a car that replaces the one I got.
It doesnt need to be a brand new one. But I'd like to have a car that is max. 5 years old now.
About the 207 - I dont like its look too much, especially the front...

Any more ideas?

OK point taken, actually I agree having just today seen one in the flesh, sort of reminds me of a fish gasping.

[Cobol74]

Have you thought about a MAZDA 3 perhaps. Good as a fiesta to drive, don't go wrong should not be too bad on the insurance and the grill is not so ugly as on the 6. Just a thought.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/choosing/ca...?model_id=1180

[mautzel]

The Fiesta looks like a decent choice to me especially when considering all your criterias. Alternatives:

Peug 206 - should be really cheap now that the 207 is out, the 206 is said to be a rather fun car to drive but unfortunately always lacked some reliability especially with electronics.

Lowest maintenance and running costs in Germany in that segment are usually to be found in the Opel Corsa by the way - they're not particular sporty, but they're very cheap to acquire now (well, they always have been to be honest) as the new model already has been presented.

Renault Clio also has been replaced only recently, so prices for the old model should be at an acceptable level, same applies for the Fiat Punto but both don't reach the quality and reliability standards of the Ford or the Polo.

Another alternative would be the Toyota Yaris, though the choice of good European cars in that segment makes the Asian ones almost redundant in my opinion.

[Svempa]

Peugeots hatchbacks have always been good to drive. The 205 GTI for example is ablast but since your looking for a newer car maybe the 206 XSi or GTI will suit you.
Or maybe a 306 XSi.

[Izari]

10k euro is like 12000 usd?
for that u can pick up a decent 1995 M3 ...

Are you sure about that?

i think so

look!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-3...07781429QQrdZ1

... 1995 Yellow M3 in decent shape

in usa.. when ur 23 years old u get adult insurance rates... (CHEAP)
when ur like me (20 years old) u get children insurance rate (high as hell)

[dk2k]

Well the M3 is hard to get with less than 100.000km done.
It is too old and especially the M3 series will be driven all the years how they were ment to be. You woun't find a granny driving an BMW M3 so that type of ten years old cars will be pretty much "used up".

I drove today one of the 2003 Ford Fiestas (the GHIA edition) with 101BHP. The acceleration was ok but the car suspension was way too soft for me. The seats also didn't support you driving corners fast. I don't know if this is the fault of the "Ghia" edition but I will try to drive a "normal" fiesta soon.

And I will try to drive a '03 Ford Focus Trendline soon with 101BHP.
But I will have to wait until next week to get my hands on that.

About the Mazda 3 - the interiour looks just great - all fits together very well. But it is a very thirsty car and hardly to get at 10,000 Euros...

As far it is looking good for the focus but on the other hand the "2nd generation" focus is slightly coming to that 10000/11000 Euros barrier and this would be a lovely car I belive. It just hasnt A/C it has Automatic A/C which would alow my to set it to a temperature I want to have and be done and not start twisting around with the A/C all the time to find a good setting myself. Perhaps this just could be it so far...

[Izari]

Audi A4?
1996-1999 should be within ur range
the 2.8L V6 version delivers 180bhp and 1.8T gives u 170 stock but much more with simple add-on upgrades...

Nissan 300ZX?
3.0L V6 or V6 twin-turbo should also be within ur range

BMW 325IS ?
If you dont get the M3... 325IS is good too

[un-dee]

Audi A3 i'd say.

[mautzel]

I drove today one of the 2003 Ford Fiestas (the GHIA edition) with 101BHP. The acceleration was ok but the car suspension was way too soft for me. The seats also didn't support you driving corners fast. I don't know if this is the fault of the "Ghia" edition but I will try to drive a "normal" fiesta soon.

As far it is looking good for the focus but on the other hand the "2nd generation" focus is slightly coming to that 10000/11000 Euros barrier and this would be a lovely car I belive. It just hasnt A/C it has Automatic A/C which would alow my to set it to a temperature I want to have and be done and not start twisting around with the A/C all the time to find a good setting myself. Perhaps this just could be it so far...

I really like that - complaining about the soft ride of the Fiesta but dying to not only have an aircon, but an automatically controlled one

The Focus is a nice car (handlingwise it's class leading according to motor magazines who probably can judge those issues better than me), good luck for finding something suitable!