Matthew's Journal

Consider one of the early Focuses, cheaper to insure as it's more of a family-large-hatch than the Mondeo, which are often higher performance than you probably need.

If you're going to buy from a dealership avoid the own-mark authorised dealers, you'll get a much better deal picking up a Ford from a Nissan dealer who's taken it as part-ex than you will from a Ford dealership, and you'll still get a 3 month warranty and similar.

Are you wedded to the Ford idea? The new Skodas which have been around almost a decade now are very good, and the Octavia might bear looking at. What about a Golf? One of the mid-sized Mazda hatches?

Performance on modern new small diesels is very good efficiency wise and they're not all dogs to drive any more, but this has really come through in the last 4 - 5 years maximum, don't know if you're buying older than that.

Erm, if I think of anything else in the meantime I'll let you know.