Small-ish Diesel car, around £5k

bigjl

You would get a lowish miles Clio Dci for that money, 56 reg with low miles at a dealer to perhaps a 57 reg with higher miles at a car supermarket or similar.

Wifes Clio had just under 30k when bought nearly 3 years ago, no mechanical failures yet, though light interior is hard to keep clean and shows dirt easily.

Been driven round town mostly around 18k a year, now well over 80k on it and still drives pretty much like it did when bought.

It did need a new rear drum due to dirt getting in and scoring it, this was pricey as the drum comes with the bearings as a complete unit. The brakes still work fine, but there was a slight noise on hard braking.

I think you need to drive a few, there are few really bad cars these days.

Electric power steering in the Clio may take some getting used to, though several others have a similar system.

My dad has a 207 that he bought new in '09, never let him down but he find the seats a bit on the hard side.

Fabia should be a good contender as it has VAG mechanics, but my neighbour has a Polo Bluemotion and the engine on that sounds like a concrete mixer when it is cold, not much better warm, and that is only an 11 reg.

Don't forget that small diesels hold their money well.

Wifes cost £5600 I think? or it might have been £5800. But even though she has had a good few years out of it similar ones are in Autotrader for around the £4k mark, helped out due to the five doors and aircon, both essential for resale and enjoyable ownership in my opinion, which not everybody will agree with.

Clio Dci will do 60mpg in day to day urban and A road running about standing on it's head, but due to the short gearing will not give those kind of returns on a run unless you stick to 60mph, more like 50/52mpg if you sit at 70. This is based on a 68bhp model, the two more powerful versions may be better.

Also check for a DPF, as they didn't all have one, the wifes doesn't, think they may be called a FAP in the Renaults, though not sure, perhaps somebody else knows for sure.