Which new car should I buy for under 7K?

Helen224488

I want to buy a new car & by end of June should have 7k. I want a small car, don't mind if it's 3 or 5 door, I would like air con & would like it to have the cheap road tax of £35. I have searched loads of cars online & not sure if to buy a cheap car or wait until I have 10k & buy a better vehicle. Car is for myself to get to & from work & to take my 2 kids around (7) & (16) but I rarely have both in the car at same time. It is usually just me & my 7 yr old.

For 7K I was looking at: Hyundi i10, Chevrolet Spark, Kia Picanto.

For 10K I was looking at Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris (but not sure now with all the Toyota re-calls) or Ford Ka.

I was also thinking about an electric car. Does anyone own an electric car? I don't live in London so not sure how practical when wanting to charge etc. I havn't seen any points to charge in Bristol!

I really want a new car not second hand.

Oh my previous cars were Ford Ka, Vauxhall Corsa & Smart forfour. I don't have a car at present, car sharing to work & walking home!

Any suggestions?

tightrs

i am waiting for the car scrappage scheme to end in march 2010 so prices will come down to similar prices pre scrappage

Kurtis_Blue

Helen224488 wrote: »

I was also thinking about an electric car. Does anyone own an electric car? I don't live in London so not sure how practical when wanting to charge etc. I havn't seen any points to charge in Bristol!

I really want a new car not second hand.
Any suggestions?

Not for £7k you dont, I did drive a Tesla the other day and the futures bright, but it will be a looong time till the techs down at the £7-10k range.

Kilty_2

If you really must have brand new (why?) then the Hyundai i10 / Kia Picanto is a good bet for that price range with long warranties etc.

Wouldn't pay £10k for a Corsa etc given how quickly they depreciate. Wouldn't buy a brand new car, tbh, but that's your choice.

hethmar

Would that price cover a new Polo?

Whatever car you get, check out car brokers to see what price you could get it for - I used carfile.

alleycat`

you could probably just about squeeze a panda (with some haggling).

catflea

Bristol and battery powered cars?

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/04/battery_electric_vehicles_bristol.php
(I know the woman leaning on the yellow one, she has an ongoing project to build an electric Morris Minor - although news on the project has quietened of late)
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/BEVOB/


Now, as much as I hate to admit it, from the options you've said and in the circumstances, I'd probabally be looking at the Kia - 7 year warranty and run it till the warrenty finishes then ditch it when it goes wrong. Dont expect an exciting drive though

Helen224488

Thanks Catflea, just had a look at the websites you mentioned. Didn't know the new Cabot Circus car park had an electric charging point - wicked!

Thanks Tightrs - It will be great if once the scrappage deal ends, the prices do come down, I will look out for that.

I might test drive the Kia Picanto.

Until then I will continue to play the lotto.

JQ.

No offence, but I think you're mad to buy a new car. Your basing your decision on low running costs (£35 road tax) but completely ingnoring depreciation. An Hyundi i10 will depreciate £2,363 in it's first year - that's £200 per month. For £6,000 you could buy a 3 year old Fiesta 1.25 Zetec or Honda Jazz 1.4DSi with less than 30,000. Both of which are considreably better and bigger than the cars your looking at, are very reliable and cheap to run. Let someone else get hit by the depreciation and pick up a bargain.

I know you'll get the warranty with a new car, but modern cars are far more reliable than they used to be.

Gordon861

Helen224488 wrote: »

For 7K I was looking at: Hyundi i10, Chevrolet Spark, Kia Picanto.

For 10K I was looking at Vauxhall Corsa, Toyota Yaris (but not sure now with all the Toyota re-calls) or Ford Ka.

Don't panic too much about the Toyota recalls, the reason it's such a big issue in the US is they like to sue for anything over there and the US car industry needs the bad press to help sales.

I switched from a Ka to an Aygo 18 months ago and think they are great little cars. The Aygo/C1/107 are all mechanically the same car and made in the same factory, odd that the C1 and 107 don't seem to be being recalled.

Road tax i supposed to be lowering to £20 per year this year on the Aygo.

catflea

JQ. wrote: »

I know you'll get the warranty with a new car, but modern cars are far more reliable than they used to be.

Not sure I would nessecarily agree with that given some of the stories I hear on here and other sites. Gimme something simple without multiple electrick widgets anyday.