Yaris/Auris or civic. 1st two are dull but reliability is epic. If you value looks over reliability Audi A3 or BMW

I’d look at a 1.6 petrol mk2 focus

PeterPoddy – Member

We bought a 54 plate Mazda 6 estate, 2.0l petrol, last year. I can’t fault it. It drives like a new car, not a single squeak or rattle, everything works perfectly, it’s got cruise and climate, and a cavernous boot. It’s not the most inspiring car but it shifts if you rev it and it’s comfy long distance. We only do 6k miles a year so I avoid diesels like the plague (I can’t stand em anyway) and as we don’t do many short journeys cruise and a comfy seat is more important than fuel economy.
I’d have another like a shot.

Pretty much this though I had a 56 plate Mazda 6TS2 estate in 2ltr diesel format for 9 years and despite driving it like I stole it it was utterly reliable, the garage that bought it even said it drove really well and assumed I had not driven it like a pensioner which was the main reason why modern TD diesels will survive. If its designed to go to 5000rpm then take it there 😀

Go on Trader, enter your budget and search radius.

I’d see what there was that was petrol, manual, private seller (no point giving 1/3rd of your budget to a dealer).

Them look for Fords focus size and up, honda, mazda, seat, skoda and volvo

£3k – not even enough to buy a bike these days 😀

Stick to Japanese, I’d steer well clear of VAG, very over rated.

rc200f8 – Member
Stick to Japanese, I’d steer well clear of VAG, very over rated.

A petrol Mondeo estate.
Any garage can fix them, & fairly cheaply.
Not a bad car to drive &, driven sensibly, should go on doing so for s long time.

Focus C max. But I’ve got pushchairs as well as bikes to transport

Id be getting something well within budget and save cash for repairs. At least then you know that some of the key stuff has been done…timing belt, clutch et etc.

Footnote: 11 year old 95 estate passed MOT on Thursday without even an advisory, after nothing but IT geek maintenance.

Footnote to footnote: car tax letter came through for 300 quid yesterday. Give with one hand, snatch with the other…

Cmax is actually a very good shout. They are very practical and also cheap. Good call

For half your budget you could pick up something like an early mk2 seat Leon with the more reliable 1.9tdi engine, or if going petrol Japanese is a good sensible bet.

Buy on the individual vehicles merits not it’s brand or the engine size.

That is the most succinctly put bit of advice I’ve seen on here, and one I agree with 🙂

Though, given the op’s requirements not much point in a minter with full sh that’s a dog on fuel and high tax, insurance etc

would have to be relatively cheapish to run but more importantly reliable engine..

Stick to Japanese, I’d steer well clear of VAG, very over rated.

🙄

I bought a Civic 2.2 last week for £2800. Its done 100000 miles but is in great nick and the engine is probably only halfway through its life. I considered a c max 1.6 diesel for practicality and for the lower emissions but when I compared it to the Civic it had a smaller boot and higher emissions!

Been very happy so far,very economical and pretty fast.