A few days ago in the news: a fifth of Dutch people have a budget of up to €5,000 for the purchase of a car. This week, we are responding to this by portraying three family cars that do not cost more than that amount. Additional requirement: a maximum of 125,000 kilometers of experience in order to keep operating costs within limits.
Well-known hatchbacks such as the Volkswagen Golf and the Toyota Auris/Corolla are popular and reliable respectively, so used they are on the expensive side, unless you want to make concessions in terms of year of construction, mileage, engine type and/or equipment. If you don’t want that, you sometimes have to look a little off the beaten track.
Citroën C4 1.6 16V Image – 2008 – 117,922 kilometers – €4,995
Because a facelift was coming up for the Citroën C4 in 2008, the Image run-out model was richly decorated. And to top it off, the facelift model got brand new VTI and THP engines (whose reputation we now know …), whereas the outgoing C4 still had the robust TU machines under the hood. We see this Citroën C4, which has traveled less than 120,000 km, comes from the first owner, is at the brand dealer, has always been maintained there and (therefore) leaves ready to drive including Bovag warranty. It can hardly be otherwise than that the next owner will enjoy the 30-ZR-ZJ for a long time and a lot. Well, it is simply not a Golf or Corolla, which means that such a slightly eccentric Frenchman is much less on the radar of the consumer. Yet it has a lot to offer: good seating comfort (although the chassis will be too firm for many Citrophiles, because no hydropneumatics), good space in the front and rear (the sloping roofline, however, requires careful entry to avoid headaches), a safe and predictable road behavior and – as Image – pleasant things such as cruise and climate control, rear parking sensors, audio with steering wheel controls, rain and light sensors and electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors. This occasion also has a tow bar (braked towing capacity of over 1,500 kilos). You will have to learn to live with the unusual dashboard that is captured here and there in not very high-quality plastic. And the engine is of the atmospheric type, so you have to shift back when overtaking to keep the speed up. Those who don’t mind that have a great family car for less than five mille.
Brand Citroën
Type C4 1.6 16V Image
Year of construction May 2008
Mileage 117,922
Asking price €4,995
Where to buy? Citroën dealer Bertens Oisterwijk B.V., Oisterwijk
Technical data
Engine 4-cyl. in line, 1,587 cc
Max. power 80 kW/110 hp at 5,800 rpm
Max. torque 147 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Curb weight 1,175 kilos
Boot space 350 l/1,023 l
Max. braked trailer 1,511 kilos
Avg. consumption 1 in 14.1 (NEDC)
0-100 km/h 11.9 s
Top speed 194 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Nissan Almera 1.5 Comfort – 2001 – 84,484 kilometers – €4,130
If the C4 above is too eccentric, may it also be cheaper and more virginal in terms of mileage, and do you also attach more value to Japanese technology than to appearance, equipment, performance and age, then this Nissan Almera could be an option. Coming from the second owner, the 67-GT-JB has traveled less than 85,000 kilometers in 24 years. The seemingly immaculate condition of this three-door (!) hatchback also suggests that the first owner must have been someone of age who only took the light green metallic car out of his stable for short nice-weather rides. There is no mention of delivery costs, a little about warranty: ‘additional warranty possible in consultation’ can be read in the outdated information text. As a brand, Nissan has always been a bit in the shadow of Toyota (like Citroën with Peugeot and Opel with Volkswagen), and after the introduction of successor Qashqai, the uninspired Almera was quickly forgotten. We’re getting it out of there today. To begin with, the build quality is fine and the interior is free of frills. However, it is a bit cramped for rear passengers. And with only a manual air conditioning, four airbags, a steering wheel adjustable in height only and some other things, the equipment is also that. Then the ride: the chassis is comfortable, good-natured and calculated for more powerful engines than the present 90 hp version. For a four-wheeler that weighs only five kilos less than the streamlined and stronger C4 (because 110 hp) the 1.5 is just about right. If you’re not in a hurry, that’s fine. If you are, it has to pull hard, which costs (extra) fuel. In short: this four-wheeler will not leave you stranded quickly, but neither does it provide enthusiasm. However, anyone looking for a fully-fledged family car for five mille that can still prove its worth for many kilometers has a nice companion.
Type Almera 1.5 Comfort
Year of construction March 2001
Mileage 84,484
Asking price €4,130
Where to buy? Autobedrijf De Toekomst, Vlijmen
Technical data
Engine 4-cyl. in line, 1,498 cc
Max. power 66 kW/90 hp at 5,600 rpm
Max. torque 128 Nm at 2,800 rpm
Curb weight 1,170 kilos
Boot space 355 l/n.b.
Max. braked trailer 1,000 kilos
Avg. consumption 1 in 15.2 (NEDC)
0-100 km/h 13.8 s
Top speed 173 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Opel Astra 1.4 Temptation – 2009 – 95,275 kilometers – €4,499
We didn’t immediately expect to find an Opel Astra that would meet our needs. After all, the Astra (and before that the Kadett) was traditionally the automotive cornerstone of Dutch society, partly because of its favorable trade-in value. The result of this was that used prices also remained solid. But those times are (apparently) over, because we came across this Opel Astra. Temptation is the English word for temptation, let’s see if the 32-HNG-9 makes that happen. The dry numbers are not bad in any case: it is the youngest of this trio, while mileage and price are in the middle. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that this occasion has two ex-owners. Unfortunately, there is no mention of warranty.
In terms of engine, the naturally aspirated 1.4 corresponds to the Almera. This means that you don’t have to be in a hurry to be able to achieve the relatively good consumption figure. Then the equipment: the Temptation belongs to the less endowed versions (for those who want more, there is, for example, the Cosmo), but its more recent year of construction is mainly manifested in more extensive safety equipment compared to the Japanese. In terms of comfort, the C4 clearly offers the most. Inside, things are sober and clear, but the buttons of the – manual – air conditioning are quite low in the center console. Headroom in the back is reasonable. Legroom is not disappointing, as long as the front seats are not all the way back. The rear seat itself is generous, with deep seats and a high backrest.
Stability is trump in the Astra chassis. You notice this not only when it goes straight ahead, but also in corners. A great compromise has been reached between comfort and dynamics. Sudden steering movements do not quickly unbalance the Astra, the boundary where control turns into uncontrolled sliding is far away. Just like with the Almera, the chassis can handle more than the present 90 horses.
Type Astra 1.4 Temptation
Year of construction January 2009
Mileage 95,275
Asking price €4,499
Where to buy? Trust Auto’s, Zoetermeer
Technical data
Engine 4-cyl. in line, 1,364 cc
Max. power 66 kW/90 hp at 5,600 rpm
Max. torque 125 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Curb weight 1,130 kilos
Boot space 380 l/1,300 l
Max. braked trailer 1,000 kilos
Avg. consumption 1 in 16.4 (NEDC)
0-100 km/h 13.7 s
Top speed 178 km/h
All data according to factory specifications