buying a car

cootambear

Apologies if this is a bit basic, but please be kind

I have about £1.5k to spend on a car

1. What model represents good value as a used car at this price (eg reliability, fuel economy etc).?
2. Which is the best place to buy at - private sale, auction, dealer is it worth trading in at a dealer? (I have a skoda felicia).?
Many thanks in advance.

cootambear

many thanks for the help.
next time I`ll post something really important like where to get some fluffy dice.

maninthestreet

What type of car? 3dr, 4dr, 5dr, MPV? Petrol or Diesel, manual or automatic?

cootambear

maninthestreet wrote: »

What type of car? 3dr, 4dr, 5dr, MPV? Petrol or Diesel, manual or automatic?

manual any car any fuel

motorguy

Ford Focus should cover all the bases.

Only buy a diesel one if you do BIG miles. Petrols are much cheaper but are very good.

Aim for Zetec spec as it comes with the most toys. You should easily get an 02 1.6 Zetec with long MOT for your budget.

benham3160

pgilc1 wrote: »

Ford Focus should cover all the bases.

Only buy a diesel one if you do BIG miles. Petrols are much cheaper but are very good.

Aim for Zetec spec as it comes with the most toys. You should easily get an 02 1.6 Zetec with long MOT for your budget.

At the £1500 price range?

By the time you've got to this stage, petrol or diesel doesn't make a lot of difference.

A cheap diesel can be a much better proposition than a cheap petrol car. (and I detest diesels.)

Regards,
Andy

motorguy

benham3160 wrote: »

At the £1500 price range?

By the time you've got to this stage, petrol or diesel doesn't make a lot of difference.

A cheap diesel can be a much better proposition than a cheap petrol car. (and I detest diesels.)

Regards,
Andy

A diesel focus will be much more in demand than a petrol one, therefore will cost more than the equivalent petrol variant. That way you can buy a younger / lower mileage petrol car for the same money.

paulstevo

Focus/ Fiesta or an Astra in that price range...Plenty out there be choosy..

nobby24

I would suggest you go on the Autotrader website and search in used cars: Set the distance up to 10 miles from your postcode, Car set as any and price range £1000 to £2000 (you can't specify £1500) and see what comes up, I got 258 cars from that and then you can refine your search from there eliminating/adding certain features.

bigjl

I would go for a Mondeo petrol in hatchback flavour, cheap diesels are a liability these days as they are far too complicated, your budget will get a 04/04 Hatch, go for an LX or Zetec, as there is less to go wrong.

As previously posted the Focus is a good buy, but you will have to go older than the same price Mondeo.

As far as an auction goes, if you know very little about cars, which going by your question is your position, then don't buy from there, as you will just end up posting on here saying you bought a wrong-un.

Try to find a genuine private sale, from Autortrader, not a trader pretending to be a private seller.

misterspivvy

Focus is ok, just don't get a 1.4 petrol (underpowered).
You can get a decent pre-2001 mondeo for your budget, petrol or diesel...
Vw golf, good reliable cars, diesels capable of huge mileages, you will always be able to sell it
Toyota corollas (late 90's) are dirt cheap and very capable. just cheap because unfashionable now.
any honda.
Astras and vectras are plentiful and cheap but not without problems (electrics, turbos and injector pumps)