Any tips for replacing my old petrol Golf with a diesel?

I want to change my petrol 2002 Golf with 85k on the clock. I was looking at getting a diesel as I'm driving 60km per day for work. My budget would be about €6,000. I'd prefer a medium size car like a Ford Focus or SEAT Ibiza - any tips?

Karla Devenney (Dublin)

Oct 2014 Filed under: choosing used car

---

Expert answer

Hi Karla,

Well, you're looking at two different sizes of car there. If you want to physically downsize, then the Ibiza is the one to go for - it's smaller than the Golf (based on the same chassis as the Volkswagen Polo), but still pretty spacious, rather handsome and nice to drive. They're very reliable too, but quite noisy and uncouth on a longer journey. A Focus is roughly the same size as a Golf, but if it's painless, economical motoring you're after than a 1.6 TDCi Focus could be the answer - plentiful, well-made, sweet to drive and 55mpg.

What do you think?

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe