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This silver saver wants to downsize to small car.

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  • seven-day-weekend
    seven-day-weekend Posts: 36,755 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 30 September 2010 at 6:52PM
    A friend of mine (not quite a Silver Saver, he is 46) has a Smart Car. If you only ever want to carry two people and a couple of shopping bags, it is excellent, an automatic, a diesel so good fuel economy and I believe the road tax is £35.

    http://www.smart.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/mpc-uk-content-Site/-/-/-/Default-Home?csref=smart_en_google_smart_car_uk_270410&s_kwcid=TC|11297|smart%20car%20UK||S|b|5765947246
    (AKA HRH_MUngo)
    Member #10 of £2 savers club
    Imagine someone holding forth on biology whose only knowledge of the subject is the Book of British Birds, and you have a rough idea of what it feels like to read Richard Dawkins on theology: Terry Eagleton
  • newleaf
    newleaf Posts: 3,132 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker PPI Party Pooper
    I had a Skoda Fabia til recently, but decided to get a Fiat Panda 4x4 after last winter (live in a very hilly area) and I really like it.
    I agree with Savvy Sue, I'd never have a 2 door car again, it's far too difficult getting anything or anybody in or out of the back seat.
    Official DFW Nerd No 096 - Proud to have dealt with my debt!
  • Savvy_Sue
    Savvy_Sue Posts: 47,327 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    A friend of mine (not quite a Silver Saver, he is 46) has a Smart Car. If you only ever want to carry two people and a couple of shopping bags, it is excellent, an automatic, a diesel so good fuel economy and I believe the road tax is £35.
    I think you also get free parking in some places, and free congestion tax in London - you'd need to check it out of course.

    I also know someone with one, and she loves it too, but don't even think about it if you're buying lunch for 100 (soup, rolls etc) and hoping to fit it in the boot ...
    Signature removed for peace of mind
  • I bought a Fiat Pana 1.1 Active Eco last year - 5 doors though - only £35 a year road tax and really cheap to run. I thought that Fiats were not very good cars until I looked at a few reviews for this model. I would recommend this model if you are looking for a car that is very economical to run and especially good on fuel consumption.
  • I also have a Fiat Panda 1.1 Active Eco which I bought in May this year. I looked at all the cars in Insurance Group 1, and narrowed it down by price to 2. Then I had test drives, and chose the Panda.I am more than happy with my choice, and it is the first time I have had 5 doors, and what a difference it makes when I occasionally have a passenger in the back.
    Love the car!
  • hethmar
    hethmar Posts: 10,678 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Car Insurance Carver!
    Id also say think twice about just having a two door car. 5 doors will make life so much easier for you. Also when you try some out, check out how easy it is to get in and out. We got a VW Golf Plus last year (I know its much bigger than you want) but oh, the wonder of not having to bend to get in and out is lovely :)
  • zzzLazyDaisy
    zzzLazyDaisy Posts: 12,497 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    To put another point of view - if you live on your own, almost never carry passengers and just fling the shopping into the back, a 2/3 door is perfectly adequate. I have had 4/5 door cars but I'm not mad keen....
    I'm a retired employment solicitor. Hopefully some of my comments might be useful, but they are only my opinion and not intended as legal advice.
  • Errata
    Errata Posts: 38,230 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    A four door car is useful if you regularly have to have passengers in the back. If carrying more than one passenger happens only occasionallly, the doors on a two door are much longer making it easier for the driver and any front seat passenger to get in and out.
    I guess choosing between 2 and 4 doors depends on whose benefit a car is bought for: the person buying it, or the occasional backseat passenger.
    .................:)....I'm smiling because I have no idea what's going on ...:)
  • lilac_lady
    lilac_lady Posts: 4,469 Forumite
    I have grandchildren who need strapped into seats in the back of my car so I always have a 4 door one. I don't fancy crawling about on my hands and knees while I struggle to get the wriggly ones sorted.!
    " The greatest wealth is to live content with little."

    Plato


  • daniboy
    daniboy Posts: 316 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Hi
    I downsized to a Nissan Pixo. Low CO emissions, low car tax £35 and insurance. It has 5 doors and is 999 ltr engine. It has 5 gears mannual. I think 4 would have been enough for its performance but petrol at 65 mile to gallon is just fantastic. I am really pleased with its overall performance. Prior to that I drove a mitshubushi 4x4 for years. Great in the snow but 27-30 miles to the gallon and £200 plus road tax!
    I'm very happy with my choice having drivened it since April.
    Good luck in your quest. You will know whats right for you when you sit in it. Women are funny like that!!!:)
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