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Whereas previous Saabs looked big and safe, the new 9-5 is big, classy and safe, with the estate version being particularly handsome and useful

Car Choice: Welcome to Britain, home of Mondeo Man

Stuart Allison, from the United States, wants a reliable, fairly inexpensive car for about a year while he is working in the UK. In the US he runs Subarus, and over here he will have his wife and two daughters with him. Reliability, safety, and the ability to make weekend trips to places like the Lake District or Cornwall are all important. Stuart has up to £2,000 to spend and wants to know what things to watch for when buying a car in the UK.

Inside Comment

Car Choice: An uncomplicated solution to a simple problem

Sunday, 12 December 2010

Ann Mills is 73 and has very simple requirements. All she wants is a small car, with five doors, which absolutely must have power steering. Apparently, electric windows would be nice, too. Mrs Mills says she only travels 5,000 to 6,000 miles a year for social and domestic reasons and has up to £2,500 to spend.

Car Choice: It’s time to swap your fading Fiesta for a fab Fabia

Sunday, 5 December 2010

Jan Dennis has an R reg Fiesta 1.2, with 98,886 miles on the clock, and wants to change the car via her main Ford dealer. She needs a three-door hatchback that is reliable and can cope with local trips, plus the occasional motorway journey. She averages 10,000 miles a year, and her budget is �5,000.

Car Choice: When replacement knees mean a replacement car

Sunday, 28 November 2010

Molly Storck is 78 and lives in London. Most of her driving is in town, although she does have a major annual trip to France and back of about 1,000 miles.

Car Choice: You can't always get what you want ...

Sunday, 21 November 2010

Raphael Kanza is a huge fan of Saabs and has been enjoying the reports of Saab's revival in the pages of 'The Independent'. He is now on his third Saab 9-5 and will keep hold of his current model. However, he does have a 2005 BMW 730D with 60,000 miles on the clock and he would like to part-exchange it against a brand new Saab 9-5 2.8T. He wants a good deal and is after some advice to shift the BMW and get another Saab into his garage.

Car Choice: Clare is looking for comfort

Sunday, 14 November 2010

Clare Varley is 58, and admits she is beginning to wish for a bit more motoring comfort – especially on long journeys. She says that after her regular trips to visit her elderly mother, she gets out of her X-reg Fiesta feeling stiff and achey. Also, as a health visitor, she has to make a lot of short journeys. Clare wants something that is a bit more spacious and costs around £3,000 to £4,000.

Car Choice: A workhorse that doesn't mind a bit of ill-treatment

Sunday, 7 November 2010

Richard Pring wants to replace his loyal Audi diesel, which, after 212,000 miles, is reaching the end of its life. He wants a five-door car, which is economical (up to 50mpg), and which has a high driving position to help his bad back.

Car Choice: Don't blow your budget chasing your dream

Sunday, 17 October 2010

Celine Lawrence is a new driver with a big budget to spend on her first car. She is 20, has just passed her driving test in the south of France, but will be moving back to Britain and will buy her car then. The car has to be new, belong to a low insurance bracket, needs automatic transmission, and have air conditioning. All this to be included in a budget of £13,500.

Car Choice: Must be reliable and economical – with added gravitas

Sunday, 10 October 2010

Jaye Ash is in his early 40s and moving out of London to a semi-rural location in Surrey to set up his own consultancy business. Consequently, he wants a car that is reliable, economical, good environmentally, and projects a distinctive image as he will use it for his business. He has between £6,000 and £8,000 to spend, and wants a vehicle that is as new as possible and with as low a mileage as possible – oh, and ideally it should not be attractive to thieves.

Car Choice: A tricky combination: driving and cycling and camping

Sunday, 3 October 2010

Trevor Cooper wants to know what sort of vehicle his son and daughter-in-law (thirtysomethings) should buy to suit their interest in cycling and camping. They need to load their bikes and their camping gear inside the car, so space and practicality are the top priorities. They do not cover a huge mileage and would consider petrol or diesel, but would welcome reasonable economy. They have £5,000 to spend, plus whatever they get for their 53 reg Focus 1.6.

Car Choice: Best in show for Catherine and her pedigree chums

Sunday, 26 September 2010

Catherine Hickman is 21 and runs a 2008 Peugeot 207 which she wants to trade-in for an estate car. She has two dogs, which travel in cages in the back of the car.Catherine shows them, so she travels to dog shows and needs enough room in the car for a dog table, chairs, the dog's cages, then all the other things necessary for the day. She has �2,000 – plus whatever she gets for her 207.

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