£7.5k to spend... Who wants to help? A Leon?

[MissMuddled]

Right I'm looking a wee bit of advice... Currently driving a 2005 Astra 1.9 150bhp with Ex-Pack. I'm doing about 30,000 miles a year so the Astra has given the usual bother & I'm getting sick of the swirl flap/limp home mode issue so I want to get rid asap. My drive to work is about a 150mile round trip which I do 5 days a week so I want something pokey but with fuel economy (>60mpg would be great) in a reliable car that looks decent. Was thinking about the Seat Leon Ecomotive but not sure I can cope with the drop in horse power, but the 2.0 doesn't quote great fuel economy.
Anybody got other ideas? What's your opinion on remapping the Leon? I would really appreciate any help!

 

[Dusty]

Megane gt line diesel maybe?

 

[Wild Thing]

diesel passat cc

 

[Ruairi83]

http://reallymeansounds.com/motors/index.php?id=28452

720miles to full tank
167bhp and 1.9 engine.

 

[matt1207]

@greyfloppyhat

 

[Gavlar]

That's serious mileage! Octavia VRS, Volvo S40 maybe? With that sort of mileage I'd want to make sure its a nice place to be over mpg, can't imagine an Astra being v nice/comfortable for x hours a day

 

[Philljdm]

I have a common rail leon fr 140 dsg and can get 58mpg on good runs . Not sure if there around 7.5k tho

 

[jimcupra]

Spend a bit more and get a yaris hybrid will save you money in the long run.
I wanted to check with a guy in work so rang him. He has an auris hybrid and his mum has a yaris. The yaris us getting 77mpg with a mix of town driving and long runs. His auris is a taxi around town and below 30mph he is getting over 90mpg just using the battery. On a run to Dublin 75mpg although he would use both engine and battery power to make up a bit of time. The autos has over 50k on it and no bother. Don't forget free tax as well.

 

[Gavlar]

Spend a bit more and get a yaris hybrid will save you money in the long run.

True. Could get an older Auris Hybrid for a little more than 7.5k, those Yaris' are still pricey enough

http://www.usedcarsni.com/134897140

 

[jimcupra]

I edited my post to show the difference. Well worth the money I'm definitely converted

True. Could get an older Auris Hybrid for a little more than 7.5k, those Yaris' are still pricey enough

http://www.usedcarsni.com/134897140

 

[jimcupra]

@MissMuddled buy that cracking cars

True. Could get an older Auris Hybrid for a little more than 7.5k, those Yaris' are still pricey enough

http://www.usedcarsni.com/134897140

 

[RickyB]

Still early days to tell what bother these hybrids will give down the line! As mentioned a Leon 140bhp great all rounder but dont think £7.5k will get one. A Leon 1.6 TDi not do the job?? Bit less performance but better mpg is probably what you need with 150 mile a day.

 

[davey21]

Depends as well how long you want to keep the car ( ie part loan to buy ) cause if you buy a with more miles ie 80k on it to get the spec you want and your doing 30k + a year not be long before your looking another.

 

[Lyons]

The 1.6TDi is brutal.

 

[56oval]

30k a year is hard going, you really need to be doing that mileage behind the wheel of something you A do not wish to spend fortunes on maintaining and B Do not care too much about putting through the abuse of that many miles.
Given that criteria i would look for a cheap lease hack.

And i confirm what @Lyons said, the 1.6 tdi is woeful in every way possible

 

[wes]

Comfortable commute there

http://www.usedcarsni.com/2008-Volvo-S80-2-4-Se-Lux-D5-125622015

http://www.usedcarsni.com/2008-Volvo-S80-SE-TD-135633418

 

[mayweather]

At 30k a year I would be driving a cheap heap but reliable car.

Thats just me watching the pennies though.

 

[jimcupra]

I know of 5 hybrids running as taxis mileage from 50 to 200k and no bother with the hybrid system.

Still early days to tell what bother these hybrids will give down the line! As mentioned a Leon 140bhp great all rounder but dont think £7.5k will get one. A Leon 1.6 TDi not do the job?? Bit less performance but better mpg is probably what you need with 150 mile a day.

 

[Gavlar]

Still early days to tell what bother these hybrids will give down the line! As mentioned a Leon 140bhp great all rounder but dont think £7.5k will get one. A Leon 1.6 TDi not do the job?? Bit less performance but better mpg is probably what you need with 150 mile a day.

I dunno, I have friends who work for Toyota and Prius' and other hybrids give zero bother, even with big miles

 

[Gobsheene]

We bought our Leon FR PD170 for less than your budget with 59K on it in Aug 2013, so it's doable.

Great driving car and surprisingly fun, but i'd look for the CR170 to avoid any possible DPF/injector issues.