used car recommendation

jjames_3

Like any Toyota, get one which has been looked after and the chances are you'll have an endlessly faithful friend which will never give any trouble. Super little cars. Recommended.

balsingh

I looked at buying a Yaris for a my sister a couple of years back ... we ended up getting a Polo instead. The main reason was that the boot in the Yaris was way too small. Make sure you check that out when you look at one. The 1.0 engine is also completely gutless. Go for the 1.3 engine. We couldnt afford a 1.3 so ended up goign for a older 1.4 Polo instead which was more suitable.

superscotsman

The japanese firms use the "total quality management" system, so their cars as a rule don't break down so often. I have had cars by Rover and its precursors, and I have had trouble with every one of them.
When buying second hand, it is a good idea to go for a car with automatic transmission: it is more difficult for a previous owner to smash up an automatic box than a manual - although some people manage it somehow.

tomstickland

Nah, automatics are rubbish. Higher fuel consumption, expensive to fix and, most importantly, no fun to drive.

superscotsman

tomstickland wrote:

Nah, automatics are rubbish. Higher fuel consumption, expensive to fix and, most importantly, no fun to drive.

1. Automatics are rubbish.
There are some bad manual gearboxes about. But NCVT, Borg-Warner, Automotive Products, Hydromatic, Ford, Van Doorne, General Motors - I've driven them all. All the automatic boxes are good.

2. Higher fuel consumption.
Most of them have, but you have to offset that against lower maintenance costs. There are some boxes that have kpl that is almost as good as a manual box. Some of them (NCVT, for example) have clutches instead of torque converters.

3. Expensive to fix.
I wouldn't know. I've never had an automatic box break on me: unlike manual transmissions, automatic boxes are built to look after themselves.

4.No fun to drive.
I am not going to bother to reply to that.

wazza

mind u if u drive a lot in town where there is a lot of stop and starts when its easy with an automatic.

modern automatics are more reliable and economical due to extra gears compared to older days. check out executive cars like jags/bmw/merc with high mileage. true the mpg will be higher than a manual gearbox but is offset with ease of driving.

fun to drive, well some auto box has a manual function where u can select 2, 3 or 4th gear when u want. see jaguars gearbox for example. also some have sport function where the gears change higher in the rev range for better acceleration.

autobox like manual will last if u treat it with respect. check oil regularly. auto boxes have a dipstick under the bonnet for regular checks

if u come across a car with a auto box make sure the changes are smooth and not jerky and the gearbox oil looks clean and recent.

jjames_3

Problem with autos is that they do tend to fail as they get older. I've never owned one myself but I know people who have had expensive problems with an autobox.

It's true that manuals go wrong as well but they do tend to be cheaper to fix. As I keep my cars for a while, and treat the box with the utmost respect, I've never had a transmission fault (touch wood). The odd linkage that required adjustment over time to improve the feel, that's all (cheap to sort).

tomstickland

Hey, it was a personal choice thing. I want the car to do what I tell it to, not what it thinks I want it to do.

skintchick

Skoda!!! I have a Fabia, love it, loads of room, lots of extras, much cheaper than a Golf.

Always a manual for me. I'll change gear when I want to.

Mind you, see my sig, I am still paying for car... Note to self: never buy brand new again.

highguyuk

Having driven a Kia Sedona Automatic as a hire car with work a couple of weeks ago I will NEVER own an Automatic. Now granted, this probably isnt the best example of an automatic but I just thought that it was dangerous. Everytime I tried to acceralate on the motorway at around 65-70 if needbe it would shift down into 4th gear and lose power. Grrr

Back to the topic. Wouldnt touch a Fiat Punto after I spoke to a good friend who works at the Fiat Garage who said most of the cars they have back with problems are Puntos. At the end of the day, everyone has there own preferences. I have a Peugeot 306 which I like v.much, although I am currently looking around for a Mark IV Golf. If you can afford a Peugeot 306 I would look into it (https://www.pug306.net can help alot). It depends what you need to consider... tax/service costs/engine size/reliability/style/resale value...

(HDI check from RAC - This reduced further if your an RAC member?)