39 replies to this topic

[ckn]

To those who know a bit about the used car market...

If you had £5000 and wanted to buy a used car, what one would you buy and why?

If £5000 isn't enough, what about £8000 - £10,000?

Asking because my wife needs a new run-about car to get her a daily 15 mile commute to work. Doesn't need to be flash, just reliable and fairly nice.

[dogthebountyhunter]

Stay away from French! We've had a peugeot and a renault and both have been expensive to repair.........which they needed a lot.

[sam]

i was looking at a 1.4l pug 207 before xmas. 3 years old, 22,000 miles. £6k. reliable, economical. boring.

buy a shed for a grand or less with 12 months mot, the 4k you'll save can go towards repairs etc. when it eventually gives up the ghost, throw it away. buy another.

[sam]

Stay away from French! We've had a peugeot and a renault and both have been expensive to repair.........which they needed a lot.

the 'best' car i've had was a pug 205 diesel, cost £350ish to but, only cost around £500 to get through 2 subsequent mots, mechanically is was ace, just the bodywork, doors etc gave up the ghost. got £100 scrap for it.

[Old Frightful]

Why not hang around places that trade in cars, eavesdrop on some guy telling some unfortunate soul that their pride and joy's only worth x amount. Then when they go away to think about it, offer 'em a bit more if you fancy the car.

I bought my car in a fashion not unlike this. A couple I knew qualified for a motability car. They took their car, an immaculate Ford Focus with half the expected mileage on the clock, to a car sales place who offered them £2k for it. The resale price for the car, according to Parkers, was £3.9k. I offered them £2,200 and bought it. Best 2nd hand car I've ever bought.

If a while passes without you seeing anything you fancy, you'd better think about a disguise though.

[ckn]

Tempted to go to a car auction and try to get an ex lease car. The wife's old car was a lease one, low mileage and it went for a very low price at auction when it was returned. Always a bit suspicious of those though as I have little useful experience of assessing the reliability of a used car.

[dogthebountyhunter]

I am led to believe police auctions are the best for cars! They sell of ex police cars that are in excellent conditions and that have been very well looked after.

[westhuller]

I am led to believe police auctions are the best for cars! They sell of ex police cars that are in excellent conditions and that have been very well looked after.

Yer she could stick the flashing lights on when she's late for the Bingo.

[Ullman]

Yer she could stick the flashing lights on when she's late for the Bingo.

[Derwent]

To those who know a bit about the used car market...

If you had £5000 and wanted to buy a used car, what one would you buy and why?

If £5000 isn't enough, what about £8000 - £10,000?

Asking because my wife needs a new run-about car to get her a daily 15 mile commute to work. Doesn't need to be flash, just reliable and fairly nice.

If its reliability and good build quaility you want, and you aren't a badge snob, then you could do a lot worse than have a look at a Skoda Fabia. They are basically an Audi A3 with a different badge (same chassis, same engines etc) but you can get one for a fraction of the A3 price due to that Skoda badge.

[goldcard]

I don't care if it's high mileage, as long as it's been serviced regularly.
Low use cars hide something, as does no service details, or a bookshelf of garage details shows loads of needs for repairs.
Ex-fleet that have cruised motorways for 3 years are usually excellent value.
I'll echo the "avoid French" comments, and I prefer Ford by a long way for running costs beyond petrol/deisel use.

[Johnoco]

You can easily get a very good motor for £5K, no doubt about it. In fact, I bet you could pick up a Peugeot 205/305 in decent nick for a grand.

[Tiny Tim]

If its reliability and good build quaility you want, and you aren't a badge snob, then you could do a lot worse than have a look at a Skoda Fabia. They are basically an Audi A3 with a different badge (same chassis, same engines etc) but you can get one for a fraction of the A3 price due to that Skoda badge.

I was going to say Skoda too, economy brand of the VW/Audi family but far from economy feel to it. Usually well equiped reliable and cheap to service and run.

[bigred]

I was going to say Skoda too, economy brand of the VW/Audi family but far from economy feel to it. Usually well equiped reliable and cheap to service and run.

I have a Fabia 1.4 TDI, it's the best car I have owned! Solid, reliable and very economical!

[Tiny Tim]

I have a Fabia 1.4 TDI, it's the best car I have owned! Solid, reliable and very economical!

I've got an Octavia vRS, solid, reliable, well equiped, fast......not hugely economical....but brilliant to drive and a 600L boot to carry everything needed for two small children.

My wife used to have a Fabia which was a great little car.

If I wasn't going for a Skoda I would go Japanese.

[bigred]

I've got an Octavia vRS, solid, reliable, well equiped, fast......not hugely economical....but brilliant to drive and a 600L boot to carry everything needed for two small children.

My wife used to have a Fabia which was a great little car.

If I wasn't going for a Skoda I would go Japanese.

I had my eye on the Fabia vRS, but didn't want to get skinned on the insurance due to my previous car being stolen and the subsequent loss of no claims bonus!
I looked at the Octavia too but our kids are older and so we decided we could make do with a smaller vehicle.
The vRS is probably only on hold lol!!

[Tiny Tim]

I had my eye on the Fabia vRS, but didn't want to get skinned on the insurance due to my previous car being stolen and the subsequent loss of no claims bonus!
I looked at the Octavia too but our kids are older and so we decided we could make do with a smaller vehicle.
The vRS is probably only on hold lol!!

I got mine last year when they were doing them at list price minus 17.5% (VAT off) and a 2 year 0% finance deal. It would have been rude not to.

[WearyRhino]

To those who know a bit about the used car market...

If you had £5000 and wanted to buy a used car, what one would you buy and why?

If £5000 isn't enough, what about £8000 - £10,000?

Asking because my wife needs a new run-about car to get her a daily 15 mile commute to work. Doesn't need to be flash, just reliable and fairly nice.

In York, you could get over 6 years of weekly bus passes for £5,000.

Edited by WearyRhino, 09 January 2011 - 11:43 AM.

[ckn]

In York, you could get over 6 years of weekly bus passes for £5,000.

In Suffolk, there are no buses going anywhere near where my wife works. There's a big difference between working in a town/city and commuting to a company headquarters strangely situated in the middle of the countryside away from any bus route.

[WearyRhino]

In Suffolk, there are no buses going anywhere near where my wife works. There's a big difference between working in a town/city and commuting to a company headquarters strangely situated in the middle of the countryside away from any bus route.

Bikes are unpopular in Suffolk as well I understand - not easy pedaling with webbed-feet or space enough for that many fingers on regular handlebars!