Suggestions for a family car up to £3000

Hi all,

My car has just gone back to the lease company and I’m now on the hunt for a cheap car to get us by for the next 12 months or so before we’re in a position to get something better.

I’m doing a fair few motorway(ish) miles taking the kids to their swimming club almost every night – so looking for something family sized (golf size at a minimum), safe, comfortable etc –  and as reliable (as can be for this budget).

Max budget – £3000
Will consider higher mileage – but appreciate your thoughts on what I should look out for with certain models.

I’m considering:

Skoda Octavias / Superb
Ford Focus / Mondeo
Vauxhall Insignia

Any other suggestions, advice etc please?

Thank you!!

Every week someone asks pretty much the same question, take your pick of the previous threads and the previous suggestions, nothing has changed.

^oooh.

Unanimous advice in all those threads at that price is…..

Buy the car not the badge or the model

I love a good car thread, but some things don’t need to be asked quite so repetitively with the slightest of variation each time.

I’m not sure there’s really any consensus these days, and you don’t get a lot for that budget anymore. Low mileage cars seem to fetch a ridiculous premium that really isn’t worth paying.

I’d look at getting the newest car you can with full service history, full mot with good history, and decent matching tyres. 

Insignia is something I’ve never had but heard all kinds of horror stories when I looked into them tempted by the low prices. I think they’re low priced for a reason. Some Ford engines seem prone to failure but well regarded otherwise and there’s loads to choose from. Skoda fetch a bit of a premium. I’d maybe be tempted by a Toyota Avenis or Honda Accord. I’d pick from what’s available though and go on quality.

Actually I did that… searched for “budget car” and found one or two similar(ish) threads but they didn’t really help. It’s repetitive because it’s a popular and important question people need advice on with some variations on what they need.

Just don’t waste your time responding if it bothers you.

Thanks for the advice Trail_rat and Butcher 😉

Save loads of searches on Autotrader for cars you are thinking of (say within a 25 mile radius).

You’ll be looking at 12+ years old at that price range though so defo buy on condition not model.

At the price I’d be considering anything that has fsh, is in good condition with all the usual tell tale signs – matching/good quality tires/original owner/Goldilocks car.

Within reason I wouldn’t be too bothered what it was. Id lean towards Japanese pensioner favourites but not exclusively. Age wouldn’t be my first concern

Over 12 months fuel costs are going to be small relatively so not something to be hung up on either.

Tldr what trailrat said

Also consider Volvo V70 – no later than 2006 and the non turbo petrol.

Old person car – potentially looked after, strong, galvanized, long lived, crap on fuel but that doesn’t matter, safe.
I have one and it’s a hero car.

Or Berlingo, van based so durable and cheap parts. Go for the petrol model. I have one and it’s super useful, makes me laugh when I drive it, and is the cheapest to run car I’ve ever owned.

Found this on autotrader – yes it’s a shit colour but it’s done bugger all miles and it’s MOT history is perfect. You’ll hate it start with, the kids will quit swimming so they don’t have to be seen in it but you’ll not want to get rid of it in 12months time. Berlingo – the car nobody wants but the car everyone needs.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409144044607

Hyundai i30

£3k yesterday would have got you a 2015 Skoda Octavia estate, 106k miles, FSH and one careful lady owner with a bike mad husband. Nothing gone wrong in that time.

We got £2800 for it yesterday as a part-ex on a 1 year old Skoda Octavia estate. Our third Skoda Octavia estate. Next year we will be into our third decade of Skoda Octavia estate ownership. We really tried not to, but nothing quite does what we need as well, at that price point.

It’s a tricky question to answer because you’re probably looking at a car 10+ years old at which point it’s reliability is mostly down to how it’s been treated and what condition it’s in.

Personally, leave the make/model fields blank on autotrader and search for private sales and try and filter out the dealers in disguise, view the car at the owners house and check as much as you can.

Just bear in mind that if an older car is reliable, people tend to hold onto it.
It’s usually when someones had enough of it going wrong that it goes up for sale.

Just bear in mind that if an older car is reliable, people tend to hold onto it.
It’s usually when someones had enough of it going wrong that it goes up for sale.

That’s why ‘dead mans cars’ are the best – one owner, low miles, cherished and full dealer services. The problem being they are old man sensible cars like Berlingo’s, and Volvo’s that people on cookie cooker executive estates wouldn’t be seen dead in. I found a tube of denture cement in my Berlingo (Peugeot Partner) when I was looking at it, that confirmed my research of spotless MOT history, lots of paperwork and a new full set of Continentals. I bought it on the spot and it’s been brilliant since.

Try and find something with minimal things that can go wrong with a car that’ll be over 100k miles and over 10 years old, so avoid diesels if possible, a 3k diesel is likely to be close to failure on something expensive, be it DPF, EGR, etc, simplicity is good, avoid facebook if possible, a lot of Cat S or N vehicles that have been fixed by the local mechanic on the cheap.

If it’s only a year, then anything with a decent MoT will be good, as you’re not going to be too worried about corrosion that can be prevalent on a lot of older cars.

If you go for an Octavia 2 litre diesel I’ve had the following big ticket items go on mine, currently sat on 151k

1. New water pump and got the cambelt changed at 75k

2. New DMF and clutch at 120k

3. New front shocks at 130k

Other than that it’s been standard service items. But hopefully gives you an idea of costs and what to check has and hasn’t been done.

I bought an auto Passat estate, 2010 90k for £5k.
I recon a manual saloon would be close to £3k.
It’s a fine car, very boring, but fine.

Toyota Avensis estate. Loads on Auto trader, just buy one with a decent history.

That’s why ‘dead mans cars’ are the best

Surely that depends on how he died….

Petrol.

Non-turbo.

Japanese.

After that: condition, mot history, little tells like 4 matching tyres from a brand you’ve heard of, neat piles of receipts and old MOTs etc. Buy the seller as much as the car.

Pre-dented cars can be a good buy, too – daughter’s was scraped all down one side when we bought it – far too expensive to repair, made for a cheap buy with nothing much else wrong tho (2006 Corolla, so ticked all the boxes above).

Although they’re a little smaller than you’re considering, old Jazzes are little TARDISes.

Mazda 6

This is great – thank you everyone! Loads of useful advice here that I wouldn’t of thought of… especially the Berlingo! Just showed my daughter that one… she looks worried now! haha

That berlingo is a keeper, it would be top of my shopping list.

The colour is not great but I’d just not wash it. Ever.

It might even have decent resale value after a year if you look after it, they are great vehicles

This is great – thank you everyone! Loads of useful advice here that I wouldn’t of thought of… especially the Berlingo! Just showed my daughter that one… she looks worried now! haha

Another bit of advice is that when you find a dead mans car – you have to move on it immediately, if you dither it will sell to someone else looking for that elusive Unicorn car. Go and look at plenty of cars so you get a feeling for  how much junk is out there (a lot) so when you find the unicorn you know instantly.

Thread drift but a mate of mine bought a unicorn sailing boat. He only went to look at it to get an idea of what was around but as soon as he saw it he realized he had to buy as per Rusty’s reasoning above.

Boxes of receipts, anal cleaning and maintenance work, impeccable condition for age, proper branded spares and repairs. These people walk amongst us!

VW Touran, dull as dish water, but an excellent “family car”.

I’d have that Berlingo in a heartbeat, I don’t even mind the colour

Seat Exeo estate – it’s an Audi A4 avant with a different badge. You’ll be lookig at 2010-2013. Watch out for rusty wings and  electrical gremlins caused by blocked scuttle panel drains.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?advertising-location=at_cars&body-type=Estate&fuel-type=Petrol&fuel-type=Diesel&include-delivery-option=on&make=SEAT&max-engine-power=200&min-engine-power=100&model=Exeo&postcode=BB185HE&price-to=6000&sort=distance&year-to=2023

That’s why ‘dead mans cars’ are the best

Surely that depends on how he died….

“When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”

Whilst that Berlingo is undoubtedly a good buy, I think they’re going slightly ott with the positioning of the ‘previous owner was an oap’ accessories. Interesting how the walking stick changes position, and the ‘optional extra’ cushion on the front seat is a bit cliche. D’you think they keep them in the office and insert them as appropriate whenever the right genre of car comes in?

Bit like bitd when you’d go to view a house and they’d have bread baking and coffee brewing.

, I think they’re going slightly ott with the positioning of the ‘previous owner was an oap’ accessories.

The bifocal windscreen is the big giveaway for me

Read all the above then hunt down a petrol Mazda 6

Sorry for OT.

@RustyNissanPrairie

Saw your comment about the Berlingo and mentioned to my son about getting one. 2 young kids and 2 dogs mean current car cant take them all out at once. Berlingo seems like a good call.

I tell him to have a look at them and he messaged back, “I’ve seen them and really don’t like them! <Smilie>”

I message him saying, “you have a fiancee and 2 kids, who are you trying to impress these days?! <Smilie>”

I get back, “If I get one of those I wont have a fiancee to worry about! <Smilie>”

Shit head.

 Whilst that Berlingo is undoubtedly a good buy, I think they’re going slightly ott with the positioning of the ‘previous owner was an oap’ accessories

It’s just missing a commode……..

(gurning poo face for demonstration purposes only)

I have no claim to any form of sartorial elegance, fashion sense, requirement to be cool or need a midlife crisis vehicle…. but even I couldn’t drive a Berlingo. Also not buying Skechers, or an anti slip mat for the bath.

I drove lots of Berlingos and Partners, I hate them with a burning passion! Horribly uncomfortable driving position, faced with a three hour drive in one, after thirty minutes, I’d be almost in tears, and nothing I could do about how miserable and uncomfortable I felt.

I had an Insignia as an insurance loan car for a month or thereabouts. It was the SDi version, IIRC, it was delivered with a full tank, I drove it to work and back, and a little local driving. Very quick, I had to put £72 of fuel in when it went back, and I’d done just shy of 1000 miles, actually 900, I think. If that had been steady motorway or dual carriageway miles, I could have seen that up around 1100miles out of a tank. Very nice to drive, lots of room, and a nice looking car and very pleasant to drive.

My 52’plate Octavia I gave away with 182k miles on it, all I spent was on fuel and necessities to see it through MOT’s, I think the turbo was on its way out, it had never had a service in the 15 years I owned it. Chap at work had it for his son, back in Poland, last I heard it was somewhere like Romania or Lithuania. Plenty of spares out there to keep it running. I paid £5k for it, with 82k miles on the clock.