Most reliable used cars for approx £2,000?

Weird_Nev

Consider hiring a car when you need one - if you only use it once a month, you can hire a car 10 times over a weekend for less than a grand for longer jounrey, plus a few taxis and a bike? By the time you've paid tax, insurance, fuel and maintenance on your own car you'll probably win out using "alternatives", especially if yo ucan make use of a car share club.

If you must have a car,
GO for a petrol. Much simpler and you'll never make back the premium on a diesel doing 3,000 miles a year.
Look for slightly bigger models, yo utend to get more for your money. Volvos often offer good value for money second hand, as the non-estates are undesirable (but very good cars) and lose their value fast.

I'd probably stick to a Ford Focus: Cheap as chips, reliable, loads about to choose from and good parts availability. You only really need £1,500-£1,800 to get a decent one on about a 2004 plate with plenty of life left in it. Look for lower owner numbers and full and verifyable service history, and it's often nicer to deal with a private seller if you have cash to spend.

[Deleted User]

These French knockers eh!

I bought a W reg scenic diesel for £2k nearly 2 years ago and not had any problems.

It is going in for an mot today so i might need to edit this post later!

photome

Nissan Almera

Def not a french car...talking from experience

coinxoperated

I got my Fiat Punto ELX from a reputable dealer for £1499. 60k on the clock, but only 1 previous owner which, by the sound of it, was quite an elderly man who had obviously cared for the car. It's an 02 reg, but so far 8 months down the line, it's passed it's MOT 1st time and is a great little runabout. If 2k I would suspect you could get an even better one with lower mileage on it. Pretty low on insurance and tax too. I've had a KA, Peugeot 206, Ford Puma, Mini Cooper, Toyota Yaris, Kia Ceed and Volvo estate, and would say that this is my face for feeling secure while driving. I occasionally godown the motorway (many of my family live 150 miles away) and its not let me down yet! Make sure you find a garage which presents well, doesn't start speeling off the smooth talk, and make sure you have a bloody good luck and test run. If your not sure, walk away.

In my opinion, buying privately for a car worth 2k isn't the best idea. A car of that value could do with a bit of garage warrantee to protect you a bit!

Bravehearted_2

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

The type of car doesn't really matter - you can get reliable ones of all cars and unreliable ones of all cars.

Take someone who is mechanically minded with you when checking out cars, make sure to test drive it (you'd be surprised), take a good look under the car (rust) and look for something with less owners/low mileage and a full service history.

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

Keyword Peugot! You did well to walk away!

You're full of it. How about post with the sensible side of your brain all the time as opposed to half the time?

teffers

You've been lucky coinxoperated lol

FIAT = Fix It Again Tomorrow

SailorSam

DELLBOY wrote: »

skoda

How times change.
I remember the time when to suggest buying a Skoda was a joke.

s_b

Bravehearted wrote: »

You're full of it. How about post with the sensible side of your brain all the time as opposed to half the time?

girlinattic is spot on in what she has said

s_b

teffers wrote: »

You've been lucky coinxoperated lol

FIAT = Fix It Again Tomorrow

interesting that fiat make good cars for good prices and now have a large share of the usa market and even supply engines to ford yet you hark back to fiat126 days

forgotmyname

I think you were just unlucky with mondeo's.

Im on my 3rd in a row.

MK2 petrol, MK3 petrol and now a MK3 diesel, All done 150,000+
without major work.

Clutches are easy if your used to working on cars and can be done on the driveway.

MK3 diesel DMF takes a hammering from people that driver around at 1000rpm thinking they are getting best economy.

In reality driving at 2000-2500rpm gives better economy and helps the DMF live a lot longer.

What you need to a 3 - 5 year old one thats done 130k+ and just had the clutch done before they released it from the lease