...what would you buy and more importantly what would you avoid like the plague?
Family of 5 with 3 young kids.
I'd buy 2 for £1000 each and keep one as a spare.
I'd buy a bike 🙂 Happy to help.
Audi A8, 10yrs old, V8, all the toys, pick em' up cheap, expensive to run/maintain, get kids in, bike on a rack, wife sticking out of the sunroof.
B'hargin.
for some peace and quiet for yourself.
Passat estate fits the bill for you
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201145427859096/sort/priceasc/usedcars/price-from/1000/body-type/estate/price-to/2000/maximum-age/up_to_10_years_old/make/volkswagen/radius/40/page/1/postcode/wd48gy?logcode=p
I'm in this position too, seems to me that diesel Skoda Octavias seem reasonable. There seem to be loads that are used as taxis around here and reliable too.
Seen a large number of Peugeot 206 cars for sale with less than 100k miles on the clock which i'm considering.
I shall continue watching with interest...
Vectra / Mondingo.
diesel Skoda Octavias
Just bought one.
1.9TDi - absolutely solid car. Not the best looker, but does it's job well.
I'd just buy anything with 4 newish tyres, on the basis that everything breaks down so long as you accept that the £750 car you buy today might breakdown and be scrap tomorow, or it might last 10 years.
Breakdown driver I got towed by the other week said he'd had the same early 90's mazda 323 for 13 years before scraping it as engine wear meant it failed the emissions test.
Only thing he said he wouldn't buy was a Ford Ka having towed away too many of them after accidents with little left to identify them as cars. Everythign else these days tended to be individual comonents failing rather than a particular marque having problems.
you're probably looking about the age of cars when the new tax scheme started - so if you want something economical, it might be cheaper (long term) to get something after that date (feb 2002? I can't quite remember). aside from that..
How many miles do you do a year?
can you weld/fix cars on your own?
I'd be looking at a 'non-premium' big estate - mondeo, vectra, that kinda thing. The newer mondeo diesels can have some expensive issues, so if you'd be unable to pay for a 4 figure bill, best to avoid one of them. don't be too worried by big (100,000m+) milages, newer cars wear them well.
I bought a Transit for that money. Fits a zillion bikes and you get respect from the BMW & Audi drivers 🙂
The sensible side of me would opt for a Passat estate, preferably with the least CO2 emitting engine I could find.
The less sensible side of me would like a Mk 2 Golf 16v.
Nissan Primera?
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-NISSAN-PRIMERA-SX-DCI-GREY-reversing-camera-and-sat-nav-6-speed-diesel-/150708864576?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2316f2c640#ht_1051wt_1185 ]This one seems to be doing allright on the longevity stakes..[/url]
Don't do what I did and buy an Alfa.
I just couldn't bring myself to buy a Mundano or Passat (should have done) so bought a 156 Sportwagon, lovely car, Momo leather, electric everything, fairly rapid.......really nice place to be whilst you wait for the AA 🙂
Anyway love it to bits and now on 140K cost me more than I paid for it for repairs, if I could go back I would get one of these!
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2857738.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3393891.htm
You have 3 kids so need reliability. Depressing but for 1-2k you really do need to buy something thats not popular in the UK (so not a VW/VAG) - because cheaper those are the more doglike you'll get for your budget.
Buy something in gold paint and a Honda. Or just a honda.
Passat or Mundeno woudl be my choice, or even an older bimmer
Can you all please refer to a [u]Mondeo[/u] as a Mondeo. I'm getting a complex about my next car! 🙁
Anyway, my brother in law, who was in the trade, says if you're buying cheap, get stuff that's cheap to repair - eg. Astra, Focus.
Focus aren't cheap to repair. The frequency of bills can outweigh the odd major bill elsewhere.
My 04 focus had a new steering rack (£700 at main dealer prices), clutch release bearing (same again) and some seals.
All under their used car warranty mind.
😆Mondingo
Honda Stream take out the 3rd row of seats and the boot is massive 100% reliable...
if I could go back I would get one of these!
V70R would have cost you more in repairs than the Alfa!
Probably something boringly reliable like this ......
hora - MemberFocus aren't cheap to repair. The frequency of bills can outweigh the odd major bill elsewhere.
My 04 focus had a new steering rack (£700 at main dealer prices), clutch release bearing (same again) and some seals.
All under their used car warranty mind.
On the other hand, I've just sold a '99 focus which has cost me less than £1000 in repairs etc (excluding tyres and brake pads) in the 7 1/2 years that I owned it. At it's last MOT in July it only needed 1 new tyre and a track rod end, replaced both fronts, total bill < £150 including the MOT.
Personally I would buy the Volvo linked above, but that's because I've always liked the absurdity of fast volvo estates, they're also very safe cars (for the age, modern cars will perform far better in crash tests). If following my head, I'd go for a mondeo, They're comfortable and spacious, plus there's loads of them out there, so with a bit of legwork you should be able to turn up a really good one within your budget, I wouldn't go for a vectra, had one as a company car for a while and never quite gelled with it, but I know people who prefer the vauxhall to the ford.
Best advice, get out and look at some cars, drive them see which you prefer (and if your wife will be driving it too make sure she test drives it too) try the kids in the back, make sure they can all fit comfortably. You say the kids are young, are they still in child seats, because I don't think you'll get three car seats across the back of many cars out there, might have to look at MPV's instead.
I guarantee that thats a ex-taxi wound back.
Look at the seatcovers (AND headrest covers)....so? Look at the pilling on the back of the front seats- especially the sagging at the bottom/back of the drivers seat- evidence of passengers....
Honda Stream take out the 3rd row of seats and the boot is massive 100% reliable...
I've often wondered about this. In the eyes of the insurance company, I've a feeling this constitutes a 'modification' and if they are not informed your insurance may be voided?
A 1 owner (or verifiable) Honda Accord with history.
Focus aren't cheap to repair. The frequency of bills can outweigh the odd major bill elsewhere.
Thats BS.
My brother has had a T reg Focus for about 8 years and it has only ever needed a clutch and down pipe.
Thats BS? So far on my Puma.....
Water pump, ABS sensor (a known issue) and sticking brake caliper (known problem)....
Fix Or Repair Daily. Others are : Found On the Road Dead and Frequently Overhauled, Rarely Driven
Volvo V70s are for winners.
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Thats BS? So far on my Puma.....
only one way to settle this
http://www.reliabilityindex.com/top-100
V70R would have cost you more in repairs than the Alfa!
sod it still want an 850T5R estate.....mainly because of the BTCC racers.
still would cost more than 2K in front tyres a year
Mondeo every time. Awesome family car.
I'd buy the Venga bus - they seem to have so much fun!
lol
Jota I don't get that reliability index. Does it take into account how often a vehicle goes into repair or just the average cost of a repair? Example: my ex's Clio was in the garage around every 8 weeks with a fault, granted the repairs were cheap and quick but very frequent. Were as my mates got a 10 year old golf that has only been in to repair once but had new suspension so was an expensive job.
I've no idea - it's not my site
have you tried the info page?
http://www.reliabilityindex.com/what-is
I think your price might be a bit of a no mans land - too high for a banger, too low for a newer car. You might be better off going cheaper saving some cash but still getting something equally reliable.
I have no facts to back this up 🙂
Or get the venga bus 🙂
That 'index' is run by a private company selling used car warranties. It could be right but it could equally be skewered.
Mondeo estate TDCI, mines fab if a little boring and wobbly.
Cheap to service and camchain not belt so no spending there
Just done this, bought a Kia Sedona after the Audi A4 gave up the ghost. The kids love it, two at the very back and one in the middle = no more fighting over room. Or, all three on the back seat (they've still got room) and the Grandparents in the middle for epic days out. Kids are 8,10,16. Grandparents are in the 80's 😉