Choosing Cost Effective Car

Turquoise

Hi

Having just been made redundant and company car having to go back, for the first time in my life I have to buy my own and don't have anyone who knows anything about cars to ask.

I plan on around 6k (might possibly squeeze to 8k if it gets me a much better age, quality and running costs etc).

Car needs to be automatic, good reliability, good on petrol and insurance etc. I have a bad back so seat adjustment, lumbar support and adjustable steering rack would be important. Most of the time there would only be me in the car but I do sometimes have to take my elderly parents shopping.

Was thinking maybe a 1.4 fiesta or focus. As I have yet to find a job not sure whether will be doing mostly motorway or local road miles. The fiesta idea seems fine for everyday travels but a focus would be handy for trips to b and q and ikea. Any other suggestions? I really can't get excited about cars, except for cost and comfort and will take reliability and future depreciation over speed and flashiness.

Also appreciate any advice on the better places to buy eg main agent second hand dealers or the car supermarkets. I need to find something fairly quickly so haven't got the luxury or knowledge to trail around private sellers.

And finally, if I paid for the car on my credit card would that offer me the same buyer protection that you get with other goods?

Thanks

Hammyman

A Ford Focus is a good bet, there's plenty around and they're good reliable workhorses. Mondeos are also another one worth looking at. Long trips in a Fiesta would be murder for you.

victor2

If you want something low on running costs, consider a Toyota Prius. Last year I picked up a 56 reg one for £7500 from a Toyota dealer. It's high mileage, but I'll hardly add anything so don't mind that. £10 a year road tax, terrific economy, automatic, plenty of room and Toyota's reputation for reliability, plus the hybrid drive is still under an 8 year 100,000 mile warranty. Could have got one a bit cheaper by not going to a dealer, but they gave me a fair price on my old car, gave it a full service, MOT and 12 month warranty (which I would think is better than any credit card protection you may get).
Worth a test drive at least.

Turquoise

Hammyman wrote: »

A Ford Focus is a good bet, there's plenty around and they're good reliable workhorses. Mondeos are also another one worth looking at. Long trips in a Fiesta would be murder for you.

thanks hammyman - assume fiesta is cramped in the front or are the seats uncomfortable?

Turquoise

victor2 wrote: »

If you want something low on running costs, consider a Toyota Prius. Last year I picked up a 56 reg one for £7500 from a Toyota dealer. It's high mileage, but I'll hardly add anything so don't mind that. £10 a year road tax, terrific economy, automatic, plenty of room and Toyota's reputation for reliability, plus the hybrid drive is still under an 8 year 100,000 mile warranty. Could have got one a bit cheaper by not going to a dealer, but they gave me a fair price on my old car, gave it a full service, MOT and 12 month warranty (which I would think is better than any credit card protection you may get).
Worth a test drive at least.

Thanks Victor, not really considered toyota. To be honest my limited car knowledge from many years ago left me with an impression they are prone to rusting and any parts for repair/servicing would be expensive, or is that not the case nowadays? Also, what's the 8 year warrenty?

dannymccann

Limiting yourself to automatic is fine in company car land (assume you are used to the luxury of BMW/Merc/Audi etc?), in the real world (for what you want anyway) you are going to struggle I think...automatic vs manual the price is always higher for the automatic variant because they arent that popular on your run of the mill focus/astra/mondeo/vectra etc

If you have back problems I would certainly be looking at the mondeo size class of car just for that extra comfort

LandyAndy

Turquoise wrote: »

Thanks Victor, not really considered toyota. To be honest my limited car knowledge from many years ago left me with an impression they are prone to rusting and any parts for repair/servicing would be expensive, or is that not the case nowadays? Also, what's the 8 year warrenty?

Many. many years ago.:)

In general Japanese cars will offer you the best value. Well built, reliable, comfortable.

Without knowing how old/mobile your parents are it is difficult to advise between Fiesta and Focus sized cars.

However, at Fiesta size, you should be looking at Honda Jazz and Mazda2. At Focus size the Toyota Auris and Mazda3 would be good choices.

VW Polo/Golf and Skoda Fabia/Octavia would also merit serious consideration.

bigjl

I haven't seen a rusty japanese car for years.

A Prius is a good bet, they do millions of miles annually getting hammered round London in the private hire business, mostly as company/rented cars so get used hard, they will do 55mpg round town even in traffic, not to everybodies taste but a widely available source of automatic family sized cars.

There should be a glut of low mileage ones coming through the main dealer network soon as TFL have said that the old Prius is no longer Congestion Charge exempt so a lot of afluent Londoners will be trading theirs in for a new one that comes under the 100 g/km target for free CC, could be bargain time.

victor2

Turquoise wrote: »

Thanks Victor, not really considered toyota. To be honest my limited car knowledge from many years ago left me with an impression they are prone to rusting and any parts for repair/servicing would be expensive, or is that not the case nowadays? Also, what's the 8 year warrenty?

From toyota.co.uk:

Hybrid-related warranty components including hybrid vehicle battery, battery control module, hybrid control module, inverter with converter and hybrid vehicle transaxle for 8 years or 100,000 miles.

That changed for 2009 models to 5 years and 60,000 miles, but for the kind of budget you have stated, I would think the 8 year warranty would be applicable.
Being Toyota, they come well equipped, although I'd still go for one of the higher spec models. Not a hint of rust on mine, which has almost certainly done a lot of motorway miles. There's really no special servicing required for the hybrid stuff and the rest of it is just a simple 4 cylinder petrol engine, so can be serviced by any competent car mechanic.

Turquoise

thanks guys - been trawling all the car websites and getting confused as hell comparing mpg, insurance groups, part costs etc!

victor - not sure about the electric bit as would be inclined just to use petrol, can they just be used as a petrol car? The bit which is probably most important to me is the gearbox warranty as I know automatics cost a lot more to fix than manual if they go wrong.

bigjl - when you say soon, how soon? I have to get sorted with a car by end of feb/beginning of march. Did think about leasing temporarily in case i get a new job which comes with car but the rental costs are ridiculous!

victor2

Turquoise wrote: »

victor - not sure about the electric bit as would be inclined just to use petrol, can they just be used as a petrol car? The bit which is probably most important to me is the gearbox warranty as I know automatics cost a lot more to fix than manual if they go wrong.

The Prius is purely petrol fueled, you never have to plug it in. The petrol engine charges the battery as and when needed. Performance is pretty good too. You just drive it like you would any other automatic. It's pretty clever technology, but has been around for a while now and you'd be looking at a 2nd generation hybrid. That's one reason why I went for one from a dealer with full service history from that dealer and a Toyota warranty. Was worth the slight extra cost in my opinion.