A car for the mother, big enough for the weekly shop without being too big??

Nine_Lives

It's very rare that she takes someone with her for the shop. It happens, but it's rare. 9/10 she goes on her tod.

As for putting bags on back seat, if this was an option she'd look at something the size of a Corsa. She doesn't like putting bags on the back seat. She did this when loaning my sisters MK4 Polo. She wants to put shopping in the boot.

Lum

In that case and given that a Corsa is too small a Focus, Civic or Corolla would be my choices.

It does, however depends on how old a car you're willing to go for. If 90s cars are ok with you then anything Japanese or a Volvo 440/460 would also be worth considering. The money saved on buying the car would easily cover repairs, fuel and tax and still leave you change.

cottonhead

I have an Astra and would highly recommend it. Its big enough to have enough space in the back for passengers but small enough to drive round town and park easily. The boot size is fine and its cheap to insure. It can be fixed pretty much anywhere and isnt a bad looking car.
I like it because of the medium size and despite me being a girl - its not too girly !
Also - strange but true - Most police cars ( round here anyway ) are Astras which to me says something. The police drive millions of miles and so will be looking for something reliable and good value !
I was offered an upgrade to a newer car recently and turned it down. I am honestly am so happy with our Astra I wouldnt change it and plan to keep it until it goes to the scrapyard in the sky!

mcduff16

My mum is on her 3rd Mirca- very reliable and cheap to run. For £2k your budget would go far

Idiophreak

cottonhead wrote: »

Also - strange but true - Most police cars ( round here anyway ) are Astras which to me says something. The police drive millions of miles and so will be looking for something reliable and good value !
I was offered an upgrade to a newer car recently and turned it down. I am honestly am so happy with our Astra I wouldnt change it and plan to keep it until it goes to the scrapyard in the sky!

Had an astra for about 5 years. I'd have said the same thing as you for around the first 4, then things went seriously wrong. It turns out the thing's built in about 5 pieces, so if anything in the engine breaks you end up having to replace about half of it. Mine went from costing me barely a penny to beyond economical repair in a matter of months.

Nine_Lives

I don't know what Astra's either of you have/had, but mine is a 1.8 on a 51 plate. I've had it since Sept 2008 & it's been pretty reliable so far. I change the oil & filter every 6 months & the other filters get done every 12 months.

Though a 1.8 would be too much for my mum. She'd probably get about 27mpg or so just tootling around town. The tax is £245 as i've just had to renew, and the insurance wouldn't be the cheapest (mine is an SRi, so a bit more costly than some of the lower trims).

I had thought the 1.6, but even then that's the upper tax level.

The 1.4 is a bit gutless, but then so what. She's not needing a F1 car. Cheaper tax, cheaper insurance.

Some of the other suggestions here are also sound. Thanks.

funkycoldribena

http://photo.netcarshow.com/Skoda-Fabia_2000_photo_2a.jpg
Any good?

Weird_Nev

K_P83 wrote: »

I don't know what Astra's either of you have/had, but mine is a 1.8 on a 51 plate. I've had it since Sept 2008 & it's been pretty reliable so far. I change the oil & filter every 6 months & the other filters get done every 12 months.

Though a 1.8 would be too much for my mum. She'd probably get about 27mpg or so just tootling around town. The tax is £245 as i've just had to renew, and the insurance wouldn't be the cheapest (mine is an SRi, so a bit more costly than some of the lower trims).

I had thought the 1.6, but even then that's the upper tax level.

The 1.4 is a bit gutless, but then so what. She's not needing a F1 car. Cheaper tax, cheaper insurance.

Some of the other suggestions here are also sound. Thanks.

If you're looking at post 2001 cars then it's on CO2 bands and not Engine size, so you jsut have to look at the banding figures on Autotrader.

I'd say:
Focus
Civic
Skoda Fabia < Link Really good cars - ran a 1.4 Tdi for 4 years with no problems but petrols are in budget...
Volvo V40
Nissan Almera