Help me out here. I think I’m missing the gene that enables me to get excited by cars, or the prospect of buying a new one – and have no idea what to get. I just know it’s time for a new (second-hand) one but am finding the process of looking for something intensely dull.

Priorities:

Less than 10 years old, and as low mileage as poss.

Must be cheap to keep. I don’t want big garage bills when it goes wrong.

I don’t want to spend any more than £10k. The less the better.

Mrs Merman likes the idea of very low tax, and very good fuel economy so am thinking a 1.3L to 1.6L diesel.

Nothing too small, nothing too big. A hatchback or what they deem a ‘Mini SUV’ these days. We don’t tend to do long journeys anymore, and I don’t need room for bikes inside. It’s just me and Mrs Merman, though occasionally the grandkids or my elderly mum need a ride so maybe a 5-door rather than a 3.

I don’t care about the badge on the grill, or which bells-and-whistles pack it comes with.

Are they all the same these days in terms of reliability and parts costs? Or is (say) a Citroen going to have smaller garage bills than (say) a Merc?

I also don’t care about resale value. We tend to run cars into the ground or until they explode in a shower of cogs and springs.

Hat’s on the side of the head, Singletrackworld Hivemind. Go.

Skoda Yeti

Skoda Octavia 2 ltr diesel. £20 year VED, and easily hits 60 mpg on motorway and A road runs.

Edit: Ignore me, just read the requirements properly, sorry. Yeah either a Yeti or maybe a Fabia.

Watching with interest, as I could have written the OP myself. We’ll soon be looking for a car that is a) reliable and b) big enough to get a greyhound in the boot. That’s it, I couldn’t give a flying wotsits about anything else, I’m essentially buying a household appliance.

Something Korean or Japanese.

I’d avoid diesel, the economy isn’t no better than many petrol cars and they’re a bit better for the environment/might save you some money on ULEV zones.

I’d be looking at Hyundai’s and Kia’s as they have 7 year warranties. I reckon you’d get a Ceed or i30 within your price range.

We don’t tend to do long journeys anymore

and

am thinking a 1.3L to 1.6L diesel

are a slight contradiction. If you’re only going to do short journeys then generally petrol is better (and I think cheaper in the long run).

BMW i3, Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Ioniq

You’re an ideal use case for an EV.

You’re an ideal use case for an EV.

I think you’re probably right, but with two caveats – I’m nervous about buying a second hand EV, and I’m not sure we get enough electricity to our house (rural property with shared supply)

I’d be looking at Hyundai’s and Kia’s as they have 7 year warranties. I reckon you’d get a Ceed or i30 within your price range.

Me too. If you’re going to use it for low mileage/short runs drop the diesel idea and take the minor hit on VED and fuel economy.

That’s what I’ll be doing when my E91 dies though at 15 years old and 170k miles that hopefully won’t be for a while yet.

Yaris/Jazz if a small car will do.

I’m nervous about buying a second hand EV,

I’d be nervous about a Leaf (because early battery tech and Chakademus charging port) but would buy a Hyundai or the BMW without a worry

We don’t tend to do long journeys anymore

Must be cheap to keep. I don’t want big garage bills when it goes wrong.

Don’t get a diesel then.

Toyota Yaris, Kia Ceed, Hyundai i30 would be my choices for dull reliable motoring too.

e,g low mileage 2018 Kia Ceed

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404238950447

BMW i3, Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Ioniq

I know there are Nissans to be had around the OP’s budget but is an i3 or Ioniq possible at £10k?

Very few cars are worth avoiding these days so I’d just go to your nearest Motorpoint and have a sit in all the cars that fit the brief. Test drive your favourites and buy the one you like the best.

I know there are Nissans to be had around the OP’s budget but is an i3 or Ioniq possible at £10k?

Loads of sub £10k i3’s on AutoTrader. A couple of Ioniqs.

Our new to us car is that: Fabia Estate.

Mazda 3

My 2018, owned from new 168hp petrol hatchback now up to 100k miles, nothing gone wrong, had 6 tyres, 1 set of discs,  averaging 47mpg ove it’s life

Mrs Merman likes the idea of very low tax, and very good fuel economy

EVs are perfect for this. I would be paying £80/mo for our commute,  now I’m paying £8 (because I can charge at home).  It’s ten times as expensive to drive petrol/diesel, and the servicing is super cheap too.

You can get a 40kWh Leaf for that price, and remember the lower running costs will offset the purchase cost.  Mine was ok on short trips, just not longer ones. They are perfectly reliable and don’t ruin batteries – you will struggle to find one that doesn’t have full battery health on the dash. The earlier ones – 24 and 30kWh are not so good.

The earlier Ioniq Electric with 28kWh battery is great, a much nicer car than a Leaf (or any tiny crappy petrol car tbh), the 38kWh is even better but would cost nearer £11-12k probably.

Mazda 3

My 2018, owned from new 168hp petrol hatchback now up to 100k miles, nothing gone wrong, had 6 tyres, 1 set of discs,  averaging 47mpg ove it’s life

This interests me, as we’ll be replacing a 2005 Mazda 2 that’s currently on 120k+ miles, has been bombproof, and to be honest we’d keep until it died except we’ve acquired a dog the size of a small horse.

Kia Ceed estate. Never lusted after one but acquired one from family, now 14 1/2 years old and just works. Boring, anonymous and functional. Mine is not an estate and I would prefer a bigger boot if choosing rather than making do.

Previously (from 1992 for 9 years) I had a Skoda Fabia Estate. Again it just worked and had a largish boot.

Petrol cars seem to have fewer expensive things to break than modern diesels with filters, adblue systems etc. and are no hassle for occasional journeys in ULEZ type areas. Also often cheaper to buy. YMMV.

Edit: standard electric car like a Leaf probably also worth looking at but never been in one.

I’d third a yeti. 2WD 1.2tsi or 1.6tdi. Possibly a greenline if you can find one. brilliant vehicles.

We’ve got a Fabia estate, decent car.

I previously had a Honda Jazz, another decent car if you don’t want something big. Easy to park

Dacia Duster (or Sandero Stepway if the Duster is too big).

And not diesel. Petrol might not be quite as economical, but the reduced fuel prices wont make it any more expensive to run.

That thread about parts availability from Kia (and by default Hyundai) would put me off trying to run one long term until it drops.

Good luck getting that widget or thingamybob when it’s 10 years old.

20x Porsche’s

That thread about parts availability from Kia (and by default Hyundai) would put me off

That’s my out-going car: an 11-year-old Hyundai iX20. It developed an annoying rattle underneath. Local garage investigated and it turns out it was some sort of shield on the exhaust with rusty AF bolts. Main dealership quoted my garage £2k for the replacement part.

Very happy to steer clear of Kias and Hyundais.

Local garage investigated and it turns out it was some sort of shield on the exhaust with rusty AF bolts.

That happens to loads of cars.  However they aren’t usually £2k to replace!

Kia/Hyundai have the best battery engineering in the business so for EVs I’ll forgive them.

I’d be looking at Hyundai’s and Kia’s as they have 7 year warranties. I reckon you’d get a Ceed or i30 within your price range.

Toyota’s warranty is now 10 years, and it’s valid even if the previous owner hasn’t had it serviced at Toyota dealers (provided that you do, of course).  I test drove a Toyota earlier this year and if anything could be likened to a household appliance, it was that.  I really liked the hybrid part.  An absolutely competent car. Except for the stupid touchscreen, but there seem to be very few cars available without one these days.  Apart from….

This interests me, as we’ll be replacing a 2005 Mazda 2 that’s currently on 120k+ miles, has been bombproof,

Mazda.  I loved my 2009 Mazda 3 and have replaced it with a much newer Mazda which also doesn’t have a touchscreen. I’m hoping this one will be just as durable as the last.

We just bought a 2020 i3 with 9k miles on it for £14k.  It does just under 200miles on a charge.

If you do 7k miles a year at 50 mpg, you’ll be spending £1k on fuel.  Or £100 on electric at 7.5p/kWh.

To fly in the face of all the Yeti/Fabia love, for what you are asking i’d be buying something with a Honda badge on, in the size that suits your needs.

We have a Fabia 1.6tdi that has been a right pita, the last thing to cause grief being injector 3 & 4 trying to climb out of the engine northbound on the M5 because the stretch bolt failed.

My Yeti, as much as i love it and it’s been a good car, isnt cheap to keep. 2.0tdi 4×4 so not going to be cheap to run, however there are a lot of niggles with it that have needed money spending to put right. Only just gone over 100k miles .They also really hold their value so you do get more for your money elsewhere.

Yaris. Loads on the market, pensioners favourite. 1.3 vvt will give 53mpg no bother.

Buggerynothing tax, 20 notes iirc

I read that and immediately thought “EV” too.

Dull ‘What Sub-£10k Car?’ answer: whichever Toyota hybrid is big enough for your needs.

Dacia sprang to mind reading your post. As others have said, Petrol over Diesel preferable for shorted journeys.

Dacia Sandero or Logan

Another vote for the ŠKODA Yeti.

Got mine beginning of February and it’s a fantastically capable car.

fun fact: Škoda is also the Czech word for ‘pity’

toyota CHR and Kia Nero are both small hybrid suvs that probably tick all the boxes. Toyota has 4 years warranty left if you service it with them.

if you don’t care about resale value, vauxhall is a great option – £11k would get you a 3 year old e-corsa, with very little to go wrong. I think charging with a granny-plug (normal 3 pin) would be fine, it won’t draw any more power than your kettle does. It (or a similar car) would take ~24 hours to fully charge in those conditions, but will go 200 miles as a result.

Dacia Sandero or Logan

If you want a 2* Euro NCAP car over a 5* one in the Jazz – sure.