Hi all,

With a little one and a desire to ride elsewhere… we have starting thinking about finally buying a car. The only problem is that I have zero interest in cars and wouldn’t know where to start!

Must be able to take a little monster, pram, bike and 2 adults. We live in a city centre with street parking so I think something huge wouldn’t be ideal. Doesn’t need to be luxury but shouldn’t be too shabby if I were to end up using it for work (self employed so maybe a tax break there too???).

Since we have no interest in cars we won’t turn our noses up at something that isn’t “cool” 😀 Practical and economical are key. On which note…. and it will sound like a stupid question… how much do you have to spend to have a car which won’t be a money pit? I guess a budget of £3-5k should get something reliable that isn’t a pure misery to own but I wouldn’t know where to start to get something that is decent value???

Besides that I am open to suggestions and enlightenment 😀

Goodness me, 11mins and no one has mentioned a Skoda Octavia Est!

Seriously there are loads of options. If you do short journeys and less than 15k miles a yearbuy a petrol Ford Focus or a Jap equivilant. Buy the newest you can afford.

Multipla?

Go simple – get a 5 door focus, loads to choose from.

Over 15-20k miles a year go diesel.

Under 8k miles a year go petrol.

Inbetween…. weigh up potentially expensive diesel repairs vs higher cost of petrol (at least in ireland, dunno fuel costs in uk).

If you have a massive buggy – get either a roofbox (very handy, but take up alot of storage space) or the estate. Otherwise you’ll have enough room in the regular hatchback.

Lancia Stratos.

Seriously though in your shoes, I’d buy a tidy 1.6 petrol Mk1 Focus for say, £800 – they are probably the most indestructible car of recent times and a tidy one still looks perfectly respectable on the road.

I’ve driven/owned a heap of motors that I’ve hammered, including many iterations of the focus; the 1.6 petrol Mk1 is something special.

£3-£5k will buy you a much nicer car, but with the equivalent amount of risk.

Fiat Doblo, it’s like a Tonka toy that carries everything..

Go the traditional route and buy some ancient and dangerous pile of rust that the vendor will be incredulous that you’ll pay actual money for. Spend the next few years squiriming in humiliation whenever a girl sees you in it, trying not to die or have it burst into flames whilst it eats through your meagre financial resources at an alarming rate. Then when it’s finally finally dead scrap it for nearly as much as you paid for it and buy a proper car. But, and this is a big but (Kardashianesque) to anyone who asks insist that you absolutely loved that car, it was a part of you, the best car you’ll ever own and regale them every shit story of your misadventures together until they choke themselves on their own tongue to make the madness stop. That’s what I did.

Nissan micra mk1 – best car I ever owned, I could tell YOU some some tales, my lad……….

I’d get a MKI or MKII Focus until youve stopped rubbing walls, etc etc.

I had a MKI. Good cars.

I’d go with the Stratos..

As above a petrol Focus would be a good choice, probably the 1.6 as suggested. Not the most ecconomical, but if you aren’t doing mega miles.

Do a excel calculatiob on fuel saving of 42mpg over say 34mpg over a year.

Then factor in extra buying price of a diesel, extra bills (older car), extra cost per litre.

Bet over a year (guess) its c£600 better off on a diesel.

Horrible nasty things for the enviroment, children and cyclists.

Toyota Avensis 1.8 petrol estate.

Simples. reliable.

Do a excel calculatiob on fuel saving of 42mpg over say 34mpg over a year.

Then factor in extra buying price of a diesel, extra bills (older car), extra cost per litre.

Bet over a year (guess) its c£600 better off on a diesel.

With those figures…….At 10k miles pa petrol is less than £300 worse off on fuel alone. That’s before factoring higher purchase price and potential for bigger bills with diesel.

Plus the MKI Focus is fantastic to drive. Important for confidence i.e safety as a newish driver

OTOH, the engine in the 1.6 Focus 1 isn’t too nice and I think would come with the 5 speed box, meaning revvy buzzy motorway cruising?

(this isn’t a boy racer moar powerz thing- my dad’s got a 1.6, it’s just generally not as nice to drive- noisy and buzzy, not great around town. I had a focus mk1 estate with the 1.8tddi diesel in it as my first car- cheap to insure and run, actually a less powerful engine but far better to drive day to day, not to mention easier to drive, lovely tractable engine that)

Not to say necessarily get a diesel- the 1.8 petrol is a much better prospect than the 1.6 imo

how much do you have to spend to have a car which won’t be a money pit?

That my friend, is the question that nobody can answer.

They’re all capable of being money pits; either a 5 year old Volvo or a 10 year old Ford.

I feel for you if you’re entering this ‘world’ but there are three choices basically.

1. Buy/lease new – zero risk and fixed outgoings

2. Buy nearly new, say 3 years plus – nice car but with no warranty and if you get a big bill, you’re kind of committed to paying it because you’ve invested so much in the car. Potentially a slippery slope.

3. Bangernomics – buy a car that looks half decent, but if pulls up a big bill, you just walk away from because you simply think “Well I only paid a grand for it”.

People will have good and bad experiences of many cars, which they will share here – with good intentions.

The thing is though, it’s a minefield – either 1, or 3. 2 is risky 🙂

the 1.8 petrol is a much better prospect than the 1.6 imo

..is a very good call; if you get the opportunity for a 1.8, take it. Much better engine with very little difference in MPG. They’re just harder to find.

Whatever you do choose automatic gear and a pertol engine if you don’t drive daily for long distance.

In no particular order.

German – VW, Audi, BMW or Mercedes but I prefer VW.
Czech – Skoda (VW apart from chassis I think)
Spanish – Seat (I think they are VW so might be ok …)
British – Ford
Korean – Hyundai or Kia.
Sweden – Volvo or Saab …
Japanese – All of them

Avoid the rest not listed above coz they are shite.

😀

^ Possibly the most useless contribution to any question, ever.

bearnecessities – Member
^ Possibly the most useless contribution to any question, ever.

😆

OK I shall provide more details …

Buy:

1. Car with automatic gear.
2. Petrol
3. Japanese – Toyota, Honda, Suzuki, Mazda or Mitsubishi.
or
4. Skoda
5. Top end of your budget.

Forget about the rest …

Get a nearly-new Korean car from a main dealer.

Long manufacturers warranty and reliable.

Would I buy one? Nope, but I like driving and have for over 30 years and dozens of cars from hot hatches to gentle men’s autobahn expresses.

Buy:

1. Car with automatic gear.
2. Petrol
3. Japanese

Toyota Avensis 1.8 petrol estate.

Simples. reliable.

We are not the only ones who think this. I suspect when the Yaris really does die (not the faux dying that the trainee at the garage suggested last week), we shall be buying one of these.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/toyota/toyota-avensis-2012-road-test//

matt_outandabout – Member
Toyota Avensis 1.8 petrol estate.
Simples. reliable.

Agree.

We are not the only ones who think this. I suspect when the Yaris really does die (not the faux dying that the trainee at the garage suggested last week), we shall be buying one of these.

Good call. That will be my next car too. 😀

Aye, the mighty Yaris has proved a point to me about Japanese cars.

We are now on 110k/13years old. Extra to service and tyres so far has been two wheel bearings, one alternator (this week) and a tube of roof sealant for the aftermarket sunroof that started to leak.

Thanks for the thoughts guys

no one has mentioned a Skoda Octavia Est

I lied a little when I said I knew nothing about cars… lightly skimming the threads on STW I realize this is literally the besterest car eva 😆 Might be too big for city living

If you have a massive buggy – get either a roofbox (very handy, but take up alot of storage space) or the estate. Otherwise you’ll have enough room in the regular hatchback.

The pushchair fit in a Suzuki Swift/ VW Fox and I’m sure I could just about squeeze a dismantled bike in but it wouldn’t be much fun.

A hatchback does sound like the way to go.

1.8 petrol Focus

If I am honest I didn’t expect such a consensus of any one car here on STW! 😆 Great to have the models narrowed down too as I wouldn’t know where to begin.

Get a nearly-new Korean car from a main dealer.

Long manufacturers warranty and reliable.

Would I buy one? Nope, but I like driving and have for over 30 years and dozens of cars from hot hatches to gentle men’s autobahn expresses.

I am not a fan of driving so this route actually appeals on a practical level.

Any recommendations for models if going down the “nearly-new Korean car from a main dealer” route?

Have a look at Nissan Almera’s.
Should be cheap to insure and not very popular so prices are low.

On the nearly new Far Eastern car front – there’s the Kia Cee’d. My in-laws have got the new model and it’s a really nice car. The previous shape one doesn’t look as nice, but is supposed to be OK.

The newer Kia Rio might also be worth a look if you are after something fairly compact. Or maybe even the Kia Venga (Hyundai also do a version of it) – it’s more of a mini people carrier.

Surprised no one has mentioned something like a Fabia – you’ll easily get a buggy in the back and bike with the seats down (bike wheels off).

You could get a very good Honda Jazz for £3-5k which will be reliable, decent mpg (1.4 petrol), big enough for your requirements, small enough for the city, easy to drive etc etc.

Make sure you factor in the cost of insurance!

Two prejudices I hold about super minis:

1 – They are light and stiffly-sprung so they bounce a lot. Driving a Citroen C1 has done a lot of damage to Mrs Gti’s spine.

2 – They are not nice with auto-boxes because their light weight makes them jerky.

I may be wrong though. The Focus sounds like a great recommendation, especially as scrapyards all over the country must be full of spares.

Cmax is also within your budget. It’s a Focus with a bit more room.

look at the total cost of motoring.

as you live in the middle of a city the bangernomic’s fix it your self option may not work for you

you may be better off leasing a small city car with v low insurance + hiring something for the 1 week a year when you need something bigger? or hire a roof box….

or go one step further join a car club + rent when you really need something.

Personally I would also consider at a 1.8 petrol Honda Civic (8th gen 2006-2011) if going down the used route. They’ve a generous boot space and intelligent rear seats that fold up or flat, so handy for bike duties.

I’ve got a 2003 Mazda 3, which by all accounts shares the same floor pan as the MKII Ford Focus, but with a different body. I can’t just about fit my bike in the boot with only the front wheel off, but I need to fold down both rear seats.

Also worth considering if you’re looking at MKI Focus’, is whether they have an Isofix attachment. My friend had a MkI and I don’t think it had this.

Actually agree on the 1.8 petrol over the 1.6 if you can find one.

I’m not a fan of secondhand skoda’s. My first car was a 6month old Mini Cooper- for my second I searched far and wide for something mid-sized and practical yet good steering and able to tell exactly where you are on the road and what the wheels are/were doing. I just didn’t get that from the Skoda/VW products unless they were more sporty. I know its subjective but I always put driveability first before an over-damped car.

Saying all this – although the steering isn’t the best I also agree on a Honda Jazz. Fantastic cars.

chewkw – Member
British – Ford

British? Henry will be turning in his grave.

First car?

Get an insurance quote on anything you’re thinking of buying before you buy it.

Get an insurance quote on anything you’re thinking of buying before you buy it.

Agree, you say you live in a city center. Probably the worst place. Just doing insurance for my daughter for where she now lives, Wolverhampton, one quote was for £2100. Leaving everything the same but putting our address in, rural Northamptonshire less than £450.
Pug 206 for 23yo.

British? Henry will be turning in his grave.

Aren’t they made in Romania?

Agree that the 1.8 is a better engine in the Focus (Zetec or Duratec). More torque and nicer to drive on the open road, and little loss in mpg over the 1.6. But for a first car the insurenace on a 1.6 might be a little kinder, and for city driving there’s not much noticeable difference. I had a mk1 1.8 (Zetec) estate for a few years, was great to drive and gave little trouble (only an intermitent drivers door central lock). Missus has the 1.8 (duratec) C-max. You definately get more Focus for your money though.

The Jazz 1.4 is a good shout if it’s big enough for your needs. Good rear seat flexibility too.

I had a 1.6 Focus, the 4 door with a boot version, not the hatchback. Lovely car to drive, but was definitely a bit underpowered when fully laden. Not an issue about town, but it was definitely something I had in mind when it came to replacing it. The 1.8 would be ideal.

Otherwise there’s a reason families get MPVs – they’re more expensive, and the performance suffers, but they’re definitely better as family cars. They’re slightly higher up, for starters, which makes it easier to get the kids into their seats. The boot is bigger or at least has a bigger and lower mouth, better for sticking the buggy in. More pockets to fill with crap. Little details like a mirror to allow you to check up on back seat passengers. That kind of thing.

Rusty Shackleford – Member

chewkw – Member
British – Ford

British? Henry will be turning in his grave. [/quote]

😆 I doubt I want to recommend Ford Mustang to him in the UK so it’s “British” Ford instead unless he wants a Model T in black.

iolo – Member

British? Henry will be turning in his grave.

Aren’t they made in Romania? [/quote]

Are they? I thought they are made etc somewhere in the UK … yes, no? 😯