What to get as my ‘other’ car, for winter?

I

ionofchios

Member
Maybe an odd one, so that’s why I put it here. I’ve had my Z for a year, and I drove it all the way through Finnish winter and don’t want to do that again. It was largely fine, but the cockpit would steam up a lot at times, and I just don’t like driving my lovely, nice, darling automobile through all that crap.

So, now I want something for the winter, that is: front-wheel drive, does at least 45 mpg real world, 0-62 in 10 or less, max €8 grand (so, in UK market terms, that’s probably like £3.5-4 grand) and doesn’t feel like a wobbly old piece of crap with jelly for suspension that’s been put together with cable ties. I’ve tried Civics, Fiestas, Foci, Yeti, that sort of thing. Best of the lot has been R56 Mini Cooper, but the engine reliability stories put me off. 2nd was probably the Yeti, but those are a bit expensive over here if you want one with reasonable mileage.

Also, I’m 6’4”, so leg and headroom is sometimes an issue.

So, what else?
 
A 2wd 5 cylinder eDrive high mileage diesel XC60 - just make sure you get one with Xenons

With Michelin winter tyres, our 2wd thing has gone up & down any snow/ice covered road in the UK, France, Germany & Poland... & @ 80mph on EU roads (130km) does over 40mpg - it’s also surprisingly rapid for its size & fitted ours with full R suspension
 
I would go Volvo V50.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201809200696736?onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&price-to=5000&postcode=wn21qj&advertising-location=at_cars&model=V50&sort=mileage&make=VOLVO&radius=1500&page=1

H.
 
I have a 2005 Audi A3 2.0TDI Sport Quattro, bought for less than £3k and does me great for the bad weather, especially out in the sticks where I live. I get over 40mpg average even with my lead foot!
 
My daily car is a MK4 Golf GTI PD150, plenty of oomph plus decent MPG. Fit a set of Winter Wheels/tyres and problem's solved.
 
I had an 02 Skoda Octavia 4x4 a few of years ago. I bought it from EBay for £1500 and ran it for two years trouble free. Great Winter car if you can find a good one. :D
 
Just pick up a cheap diesel banger and fit 15/16” winters/all seasons.

Probably no more than £1k including new tyres.

Even if it only lasts a couple of winters, you won’t care because the tax will be low, fuel costs will be low (e.g. 50mpg), insurance will be low, and car park dings & potholes won’t piss you off.
 
Thanks for all the replies! Gonna try a V50 and 4WD Octavia next. Forester looks good, but can’t find any in price range at moment.
 
I need a practical daily, and had an E46 325ti Sport for 3 years - great car!

I just put winter tyres on it every winter, but admittedly our winters are tame compared to what the Finns get! :roll:

4WD Octavia sounds like a great idea - on winters that could be almost unstoppable. :thumbsup:
 
Yeah, I would get a cheap BMW, if it weren’t for the fact they’re all RWD. The Z was fine most of the time, and I don’t mind losing backend grip sometimes (and with studded winter tyres it never got stuck anywhere), but it’s just really not a nice feeling those few times when you realise that you’re trying to go round and corner and your fronts aren’t doing anything to steer you and you’re just going the direction the rears want - basically, all you can do is hope that the fronts bite before you hit the curb, or tree, or pedestrian, or whatever happens to be at the side of the road😊 With FWD, it obviously creates its own bite, and it’s providing a direction of drive that pulls you where you want to go, not opposing it. 4WD would be even better, I imagine.
 
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