What economical family car should I trade up to?
I am looking to trade in a 2008 Citroen C4 Coupé (three-door) for a more economical family car with at least four doors, low road tax and I have a tight budget. I need either a saloon or estate and have approx €6,000 to spend with my car - any recommendations?
Catherine WalshApr 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Catherine,
A rough estimate of your C4's value should give you a budget of around €12,000 (and you might even do a bit better than that if you're lucky). Even at that level though, there is a plethora of cars matching your description out there. How about we start with something really classy? A BMW 316i maybe? Plenty out there, all priced around €11k and the 1.6-litre engine means reasonable tax and fuel economy even though it's a petrol engine.
Or you might need something a bit more spacious and economical. So we found a Citroen C5 Tourer estate with the 1.6-litre HDi diesel engine. It's a 2008 model so you'll be on the new CO2-based tax system, it's massive inside and very comfy. Well built too.
Finally, you might fancy something a bit more compact and cheaper to run, and that budget opens up a world of Ford Focus saloons and estates with either the 1.6-litre petrol or 1.8 diesel engines. Simple, spacious, reliable and plentiful, you won't go wrong with that one.
WHat do you think?
Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser@neilmbriscoe