Best low-budget/economical car for 10k miles per year

ruperts

Hi guys, another car recommendation thread

My budget is low, around £1k for the car itself, but I will go up to £2k if it means a better deal in the long term.

My main concern is fuel consumption. It will be doing around 10k miles per year. The vast majority of that will be a 17 mile each way daily commute to work of which most of the mileage is along a steady dual carriage way, with a mile or so of urban driving at the end and some roundabouts along the way.

I'd like to spend as little on fuel as possible, without going to the extremes of using vegetable oil or other similar alternatives, simply because I have no idea of how any of that works.

I've worked out that if I can run a car at around 50mpg then at current prices I might get away with spending less than £100p/m on fuel. Is this realistic?

I'm automatically leaning towards a Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa or a Renault Clio, because they seem to me to have fairly solid reputations. I'd rather avoid the likes of Kia or Fiat because I am prejudiced against them for no identifiable reason. Feel free to tell me why I'm wrong there.

Kilty_2

ruperts wrote: »

Feel free to tell me why I'm wrong there.

Because you're stuck in the past?

Nothing wrong with either now - not sure I'd buy a £1000 Fiat mind since you'd probably end up in a MK2 Punto which was a bit of a dog, to be fair.

With a £1000 to £2000 budget what you need to bear in mind is that looking for a small car you are buying in a market with great demand - everyone wants one for their first car etc and prices are artificially high. Personally I'd buy something like a MK4 Astra or Nissan Almera - petrol and bought on condition and history rather than mileage. Yes fuel consumption will be slightly higher but you'll get a newer, lower mileage, better condition car for your money.

s_b

not sure I'd buy a £1000 Fiat mind since you'd probably end up in a MK2 Punto which was a bit of a dog, to be fair.

why would you say that kilty?
puntos at this price are one of the most simplistic vehicles in the parc left buying that wear well and can take the mileage and also come in at a better tax banding insurance grouping and easily achieve 50mpg mixed
buy wisely and it could be a good choice
almera have issues
mk4 astra bit petrol heavy
ruperts has done his figures but its a lot of miles for what is banger money but chosen wisely its attainable

Kilty_2

s_b wrote: »

why would you say that kilty?
puntos at this price are one of the most simplistic vehicles in the parc left buying that wear well and can take the mileage and also come in at a better tax banding insurance grouping and easily achieve 50mpg mixed
buy wisely and it could be a good choice
almera have issues
mk4 astra bit petrol heavy
ruperts has done his figures but its a lot of miles for what is banger money but chosen wisely its attainable

Everyone I know that has had a Punto had no end of trouble with it so I'd personally avoid it.

As I said, trading off MPG for getting a better car for the money is a good idea. 1.4 or 1.6 Astra Gs are hardly that heavy on fuel - 40+ MPG will be a reality. Almera isn't exactly an unreliable car either - I've done > 5k miles in the past few weeks in one that is very far from a well maintained example.

Savings at 50MPG vs 40MPG for 10k miles a year is less than £300 at current fuel prices.

citykid5

i'd highly recomend a seat arosa/vw lupo 1.4tdi bullet proof mechanicals £30 road tax and they will do 60mpg round town and i've just got over 70mpg true mpg tank to tank refill on a recent camping trip to france,and that was with the car loaded with all the camping gear and only useing none toll roads.should be able to get a 2001-2002 for less than £2000 and with the way fuel prices are going they should have a very strong resale value.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Everyone wants cars like this, but you can have your cake and eat it though.

Your 17 mile commute lends itself to something a bit larger with a Diesel engine, something Corolla/Octavia/Mondeo size will be just as economical bowling along the dual carriageway as a lower geared supermini.

I assume this isn't your first car as obviously insurance costs will be horrendous on anything bigger than a shoe unless you are well over 21.

Don't be afraid to look at the more unfashionable cars with the slightly wrong badge, search accordingly, these are always cheaper for often better cars, as said above buy on condition and previous care.