With a budget of €6,000 is the Mazda3 a good choice?

Hi,

I have a budget of €6,000 and am looking at picking up a reliable saloon that has good boot space. I am looking at a 2006 Mazda3, but need some advice as to whether this is a good buy or not and what else I should be looking at. Most of my driving is in Dublin with the occasional trip to Mayo. Should I be looking at petrol or diesel? I don't really want to go above 1.7-litre as the tax will just be too much for me.

Thanks

Joe Harbourne (Dublin)

Jun 2013 Filed under: choosing used car

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Expert answer

Hi Joe,

Your first choice there is a bit of a hard one to argue with. The Mazda3 is impressively well built, hugely reliable and, in saloon form, not only has a big, useful boot but also manages to look better than the five-door hatch on which it's based. The downside is a dour, plain cabin but that €6,000 budget should, with a little haggling, get you into a 2007 1.6 TD diesel model. No, you won't get the benefit of the cheaper post-2008 tax, but for those occasional runs up to Mayo, you'll be saving yourself a whole lot of fuel.

Hope that helps

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe