What car should I buy?

PigginSkint

I have just cleared a big loan which means I have a lot more disposable income every month now – although the serious debt-busting still continues!

If the price is right I would really like to buy a car – and if the price is not right I shan’t bother, but continue what I have been doing for the past 6 years i.e. hiring one when we need one.

I would be grateful for any suggestions for cars that might fit my criteria:

• Relatively cheap to insure, tax and with good fuel economy (I am seriously considering going down the diesel route)
• Manual transmission if possible – although I have been driving automatics for the past few years
• Decent amount of boot space – we go camping
• Decent amount of head room – there are 2 6-footers in the family (my son and my other half)
• Not too expensive to buy – I might be prepared to go up to c £5000, but would prefer to keep it nearer the £2000 mark if I can

Our situation is:

• I am a 40-year-old female and I have been driving since I was 17 – passed my test at 18
• I don’t drive regularly as such but have been hiring cars at least once a year (and usually about 3 times a year) for the past 6 years – it was 6 years ago that I sold my last car
• I have no no-claims bonus as it is 6 years since I owned a car
• My 41-year-old male partner-in-life is currently learning to drive and is due to take his practical test (he has passed his theory) on 30th June, so ideally we would like a car that he can drive

Any suggestions gratefully received!

wba31

Many people will pipe in with some good cars, I myself have a 2004 1.7 diesel civic (the old shape, not the new one). It is incredibly roomy, I am 6"2 and I could sit behind my drivers seat comfortably, plenty of head room, very economical (can get 70 mpg on the motorway).

HOWEVER I am 26 with 2 years no claims and my insurance is still £1200. tax is £125. I've spent about £250 on parts in the last year (3 tyres, brakes, new glow plugs, wheel bearing - all wear and tear stuff). I would love to get rid of it, and like you currently do, hire when i need to go on holiday etc, but my wife wont let me due to the practicality of having a car outside our house. It would save me about £200 a month, plus I'm paying the loan at £130 a month, so more like £350ish a month, minus maybe £50 at most for taxis?

I would check out a few cars on autotrader you may consider, get an insurance quote on them, and then really think about whether the monthly outlay is really worth it? If you are happy with your current set up then why change it? im sure you are so much more better off for it, and if you walk the distances that i may drive to, you are probably a fair amount healthier too...

funkycoldribena

I know I keep banging on about Fords but you cant really go wrong with a Focus or Fiesta.

getmore4less

Sounds like you probably could continue to get away with hire.

What are your total transport costs that a car would replace?

Think about £500-£1k per year before you put fuel in to make it move.

Another option might be to stick with a cheap small run around and hire when camping or consider a small trailer.

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/brand-new-107-peugeot-1-0-urban-lite-cheapest-5595-07-carfile/947159

atrixblue.-MFR-.

alpha romeo. 156.

ford foucus.

bmw 3 series.

astra.

seat ibiza/leon

VW passat

skoda octavia.

honda ,accord, civic.

rover MG 75/ZT deisel, fantastic BMW engine in it allot of spec and cheap cars good MPG in the deisel.

mazda, stay away from the diesels with DMFs first started to be fitted dumps deisel in to the engines oil when the dmf cant do a burn off causing ££££'s worth of damage.

i dont rate pug rens or citroens, think their a waste of money but its my opinion and you may think their fine, so explore those too.

jase1

You missed the big one -- how many miles do you do?

Wouldn't suggest a diesel if you're only doing 5000 miles a year for example.

Tigerspain

Obviously Japanese for build quality and reliability, German for Comfort (And reliability but not as much as years ago), Stay away from Anything french as has already been mentioned, Italian's are not great either especially fiat, If you take on a french or Italian car it might just feel like you still have that loan the amount of fixing they will no doubt need!!!

Best Bet Civic as said before :-D

PigginSkint

Thanks everyone for your input. I have been thinking about a focus, but wondered about other options. (thanks funkycoldribena - great username!)

mileage? (thanks jase1) Well that's a tricky one. I shan't be using a car to go to work - the train is by far the easiest option (even if there is disruption caused by little toerags nicking cabling like today!). I have been trying to remember what I used to do when I had my cavalier...probably under 10K, but I was commuting 20 miles a day at the time.

The 2 things I miss most about having a car are:
(1) driving - I just enjoy driving
(2) the convenience - there are so many things I could do if I had a car, not least spur of the moment camping trips and trips to the seaside (just the sort of thing we used to do!)

The problem with hiring cars is you have to take your chances about what you actually get. If I book a D-class car it could be a focus (a great car - loads of boot space) or it could easily be (and indeed once was, for a 2 week camping trip) a toyota auris (shockingly small boot !) Last time for our 2 week camping holiday I booked an E-class automatic, but they couldn't find me one - they gave me a choice of a D-class automatic or an E-class manual. I haven't driven a manual car in years so didn't feel confident about driving one to Wales on holiday! So I stuck with the d-class automatic so I didn't have to get in a car to go on holiday and have to think what to do with my left foot!

But, like I said before, if the price isn't right - I shan't bother!

adamc260

You could go down the Skoda route

VW technology/build quality at a knock down rate

Look at the original fabia (still quite roomy and cheap) or the Octavia (basically a Golf with a boot on it)

jase1

At that kind of mileage I'd say take advantage of the market (where diesels fetch much more than petrols), avoid the diesels and I think something like a Focus does sound ideal for what you're talking about.

The next question for me would be whether you want the car as a tool, or something to enjoy. If the latter, the Focus is as good as anything; if the former, save 50% on the purchase price and get hold of a Chevrolet Lacetti. Boring but solid and will do the job.