Replacing The SpaceStar?

[securespark]

It's fine, but it is cracking on in age.

I mean, it was cracking on when we got it, but we're a few more years down the road. It's nearly 21!

Prices seem to have come down quite a bit recently.

The main thing that bothers me is that it doesn't have some basic safety gear like ABS and traction control and little luxuries like AC. I grew up without safety stuff like ABS and learnt cadence braking, but I'd be happier for my lad to have a car with it.

It was fitted to the Merc S Class in 1978 (IIRC) and in 1985 it appeared on the Granny. Prior to that, there was a mechanical antilock system on the Escort called Stop Control System (SCS).

To add, I'd like to get a car that's a little bigger.

I'd need to stick to a maximum of a 1.4 old school petrol engine (IE not high output small capacity) to keep insurance costs down (the SpaceStar is 1.3).

But, and here's a big but, I'm a bit old fashioned in this regard: I don't want one of these fancy-schmancy TSi/ Eco-boom/ wet belt lumps.

So far, I have considered the Civic 7, which as a design is at least as old as the Mitsubishi, but the later models have things like AC and ABS, which his current car does not. Also looked at Civic 8, but the few people in the trade I have spoken to say the 7 is better built.

Also looked at the 1.4 MPi Octavia Mk 2.
Lastly, I have looked up the Kia Ceed.

I love the Honda's reliability and the Skoda's size, don't know a lot about the Ceed.

What do you think?

 

[Burnerman]

For the best reliability it’s Japanese, Japanese Japanese!
Anything in the Honda range will do well, as will Suzuki or better still, Toyota.
Anything there?
I like the Kia Hyundai products too, and the C’eed seems to be a good buy.
I’m getting seriously dischuffed with French and German products just now and am hit with electrical issues all the time.
John

 

[norseman]

For the best reliability it’s Japanese, Japanese Japanese!
Anything in the Honda range will do well, as will Suzuki or better still, Toyota.
Anything there?
I like the Kia Hyundai products too, and the C’eed seems to be a good buy.
I’m getting seriously dischuffed with French and German products just now and am hit with electrical issues all the time.
John

French electrics have always been flaky & the Germans seem to go overboard with technology, which of course means more (& more) electronics.
Toyota used to display a level of reliability against which all others were judged, but seem to have posted a surprising number of recalls over the past few years.

Whatever you buy these days will be, to varying degrees, a box of electronics on wheels that is designed as a disposable item.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Can't beat honda in my experience

 

[securespark]

For the best reliability it’s Japanese, Japanese Japanese!
Anything in the Honda range will do well, as will Suzuki or better still, Toyota.
Anything there?
I like the Kia Hyundai products too, and the C’eed seems to be a good buy.
I’m getting seriously dischuffed with French and German products just now and am hit with electrical issues all the time.
John

Japanese, good! As you know by our experience of our now-sold FRV.

Are there any Fords still built in Germany?

Like your beloved Kuga?

Whatever you buy these days will be, to varying degrees, a box of electronics on wheels that is designed as a disposable item.

That's giving me heaps of confidence!

 

[securespark]

Looking at Toyota Corolla/ Auris.

Don't know why the Corollas generally seem dearer.Perhaps that gen is more sought-after?

2006 Corolla 97K for £2.5K

2007 Auris 88K for £2K.

Also, Auris seems better as it is a slightly newer car, so you get EBD and S/S on MY 2009 and a posher AC system. Whether it is better to have a more basic model I'm not sure but there's a balance somewhere.

 

[Burnerman]

These two vehicles, plus anything from Honda would definitely get my interest, go for FSH if you can - but not necessarily from Honda or Toyota main dealers.
John

 

[ReganAndCarter]

The main thing that bothers me is that it doesn't have some basic safety gear like ABS and traction control and little luxuries like AC.

That's good. it would bother me if my van did have fripperies like traction control, ABS, airbags, etc, etc - though I do have AC (currently U/S at present). It all goes wrong in the end - but at least with AC it's optional if I fix it. Other stuff throws up a light and much grief/expense at MOT time.

Was sitting waiting for my MOT yesterday at a busy MOT station and garage (it was a pass ). Several people were in and out to reception for warning lights for airbags, ABS, etc for more recent vehicles. One bloke collected his car and the person on reception told him that whatever warning light had been showing is now fixed. 10 mins later, he was back, saying the light was back on again, plus another new one. Total 'mare. Keep it simple!

 

[securespark]

I agree with you in the main. I especially like simple engines. But I make an exception for ABS and ASR. I think these systems have helped most people but they are especially useful when young folk make errors of judgement, as they are wont to do.

The problem is that cars come with equipment some of which you want but other things you may not want.

 

[securespark]

Continuing to research the Auris.

Like the 1.33 engine, but apparently it burns oil.

Torn between Civic or Auris. And if Civic, is it Civic 7 or Civic 8?

Back to the internet....

 

[securespark]

This seems good for the money.

Toyota Auris 1.33 VVT-i TR (s/s) 5dr

www.theaa.com

 

[Burnerman]

One owner and FSH......it has everything going for it!
John

 

[securespark]

I thought so too.

 

[DiyNutJob]

I can suggest a micra. It has long service intervals for stuff. This might be true of other japanese cars, but I have no experience. I thought kia carrens was interesting as a people carrier / timber hauler.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I agree with you in the main. I especially like simple engines. But I make an exception for ABS and ASR. I think these systems have helped most people but they are especially useful when young folk make errors of judgement, as they are wont to do.

The problem is that cars come with equipment some of which you want but other things you may not want.

I've always bought big cars and fully loaded ones, with all the toys. My present one is absolutely rammed with electronic gismos, the only electronic issues I've ever had, all of that time, was on the Granada, an ABS plug suffered oxidation. That was quickly sorted by plugging in the diagnostics, which revealed which wheel sensor, unplugging it and giving it a squirt of WD. My present car, has an iffy mattrix display - some lines pixel lines are missing when the car is cold, but they clear up as it warms up.