Buying vehicle for 3 months — advice sought

Hi all,

I’m overseas a lot but I’m back in the UK for the summer for three months. It would be nice to have a vehicle, but also conscious might be more hassle than its worth. Budget is £1500-2000.

So far, looking at various cars, but Volvo S50s, Skoda Fabia (estate), Golf (estate), and various small Suzukis etc., seem to be available in that range. Estate is attractive as can throw bike and gear in, also sleep in it, but ultimately, I think my priority is buying something that won’t fall into bits.

Am I being overly optimistic for this price range? Any recommendations or things to look out for?

That budget will also get 3 or 4 big Porsches ,one a month?

My rules for that budget would be K.I.S.S

Keep it simple, the fewer gadgets the better

and, japanese or korean.
but the golden rule, buy on condition.

As above you want the right car not the right model.

A gutless engine and no aircon are minor. Engine failure after 4 weeks will be a night mare

But to contradict myself. You want to buy something that will be easy to sell. Or will you work off selling via we buy any car dot com

Given the alternative is hiring which at the end of 3 months you have nothing and I assume will cost more than your budget, surely you just need to accept that you might get nothing back which is the gamble you are willing to take. If not, hire something.

Porsche and a Volvo Xc90 for less than your budget!!!!!

However I just sold my sister in law’s Toyota IQ with 12 months MOT for £1250, good little car, high mileage but ran well. Work colleague sold a MK5 Golf GTD for £500 with 8 months MOT.

They are out there but require luck and timing to find them. Stick to simple petrol engines and ideally Japanese. Check MOT history, buy one with as much MOT as possible and cross your fingers.

How much driving are you really going to be doing, since you’re going to be in Edinburgh? For the odd weekend, you may as well hire a car. Glentress is a bus ride away (you can take a bike on the bus). The Pentlands you can ride from the doorstep. Dunkeld, Aviemore and Pitlochry you can get to on the train. Even if you do want to go further afield to ride, I can guarantee someone from on here in Edinburgh will want to go with you and will probably be able to give you a lift. Once you’ve had a go at all that your weekends will be up and you’ll have never needed a car.

Anyone ever rented a car long-term / 3 months?

Have you checked insurance, and how much you’ll be writing off if you cancel the policy early?

Have you got a UK address to register and insure a car against .

Yeah, with 3rd party excess insurance, it’s coming in around 1500 quid…. annual excess cover much cheaper (only 50 quid) but is limited to 65 days, where as I’d need it for 78 days in total.

PS yep, got a UK address.

Porsche and a Volvo Xc90 for less than your budget!!!!!

Plus dozens of hours of your time as a mechanic, a garage of tools, lots of spare/service parts and a happiness to tinker and improve…..and the ability to wait weeks or months for the right vehicle.

Plus dozens of hours of your time as a mechanic, a garage of tools, lots of spare/service parts and a happiness to tinker and improve…..and the ability to wait weeks or months for the right vehicle.

I know, I wish he’d stop giving car recommendations to normal humans. It’s like a broken record.

^ yes I know – I was being flippant.

The SIL Toyota IQ is a good example though – it was an 11 plate but had done 180k miles, drove really well (I used it for a few weeks) and sailed through its MOT. I should have bought it myself but it would have meant getting rid of our Volvo estate that Im too emotionally attached to.
Sold it to a local printing company who are going to wrap it.

I also sold a female friends Peugeot 106 (IIRC) as she didn’t want the hassle. Nice car in great condition, sold it through FB marketplace to the first person who spoke like a normal human being and didn’t initially ask “lowest price M8?”

Two examples of good cars that meet the OP’s brief (apart from sleeping in or carrying a bike) that sold in the public domain.

If you rent from a recognisable company 1 month at a time it will probably work out cheaper than 3 months in 1 hit. I dont know why. That would also cover your 3rd party xs issue.

Also – if you buy something you will have to tax it. And as a new owner this seems to require physical paper certificate at a physical post office (last months hassle for me!). And then you have to sell it. And pay the fees to autotrader etc etc…. And if you have a flight to catch you will end up at WeBuyAnyCar : so price that into your calculations (ie you will get WAY less that you paid to buy).

Forgot to add try these guys (set it to UK and £ ) : https://www.holidayautos.com/

Check airport locations, downtown, nearby towns, …..

You could have my E class for your budget.
Big enough to sleep in .
Big enough to carry bikes , camping kit etc .
Wafty and happy to cruise all day .
Needs an oil change, which I could do
Has radio antenna issues but comes with Bluetooth adapter

I’d probably go for a Vectra 1.8 petrol in hatch guise. Deeply unfashionable, but very practical and you’ll get a great one for your budget.

Coming in more like 1800 with unlimited milage 🙁

How about something like this?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404138619814?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&make=Hyundai&model=i10&postcode=l188ar&price-from=500&price-to=2000&radius=60&fromsra

Coming in more like 1800 with unlimited milage 🙁

How about something like this?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404138619814?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&make=Hyundai&model=i10&postcode=l188ar&price-from=500&price-to=2000&radius=60&fromsra

WeBuyAnyCar says

Your valuation
£615

So 1200 depreciation. Plus taxi’s to go see this (and other ones) Plus insurance.  Plus fixing the issues that caused the prev onwer to sell it. Plus replacing that slow puncture. Plus tax. +…..

You’re a braver man than me!

#Edit: If you are doing it: you should look at private sellers only. Every dealer is adding £1k into their margin: otherwise they wouldnt bother.

If you buy private and sell private: and have the time to do that properly at both ends of your trip (and you dont have to get taxi’s to view cars etc) – then it makes some sort of sense. Otherwise – imo – its a gamble. I dont want to come across overy negative. Just buying and selling cars is a bit of a gambe – more so in recent years due to supply constraints etc.

That Hyundai has a lot of recurring items on its MOT history, it’s had two owners – the last bought it in August 2020, I don’t think either owner cherished it – it’s been an automotive white goods.

It would probably be okay and I know I’m being pedantic but unicorn cars are out there but they need searching out.

My 2004 mint condition Berlingo had a full set of brand new Continentals and massive wads of receipts for main dealer work. It was the same price as other Berlingo’s.

Look for a close up photo of tyres – if budget brand then dismiss it. This has Landsails.

I think I also asked in your previous post – do you have guaranteed parking? If not then you may need a residents parking permit too.

if you have been out the U.K. for a while – take a look at car clubs (enterprise car club in Edinburgh).  It’s made for people who don’t need a car all the time but who would like the convenience of one without the hassle of renting.

Friend has an older Volvo V50 that’s going to be for sale in the foreseeable (ID buzz on order).

Good runner, well maintained, doesn’t know price yet but I expect would be in OP’s budget.