General used cars question

hampshirebabe

I'm about to get a new (to me) car, I'm after an automatic, with low miles, not too big and a smallish engine, maybe a 1.4. I'm thinking about another Corsa, but there's not many around here at the moment,so thinking about another make.
Hubby says it has to be either ford or vauxhall, anything else is too expensive for parts if it goes wrong, but I quite like the look of a getz, or micra, maybe even a renault or a citroen, there seem to be so many 'small' cars around. I've always gone for vauxhalls in the past as mostly we've been able to get cheap parts and fit them ourselves, these days though, cars seem so complicated even to change a light bulb, so I'm not sure thats such a good reason to not buy something else now.
Anyone got any comments on parts for foreign cars, or web sites you can point me too for advice on used cars. There seem to be plenty of sites for info on new cars, or how they handle, but not how long they last, or what they're like to repair.
Sorry if my questions are a bit muddled, hope you can understand what I'm after.
:-)

N9eav

I found this quite useful. Just go to the used car section

http://www.whatcar.com/

jaydeeuk1

If you buy a badly looked after 2nd gen micra, you'll quickly find out how much parts are. Nowadays lots of cars share the same platform (even between different brands) and parts between them are often interchangable so difference in cost for the more common models is similar. Plus modern cars are designed more modular. Smash a bumper? Unscrew a few bolts and attach a new one.

forgotmyname

Most petrol cars will last 200,000 miles+, Diesels will do 300,000+ if they are driven properly and serviced properly.

The issue comes when people think i only do 5000 miles a year so dont bother servicing it every year. Low mileage cars should be serviced more often.
Short journey's degrade the oil faster.

Thats why they dont usually say how long a car lasts, Take a new turbo diesel,

Start it up and thrash it from cold, Dont give the turbo a chance to spool down and coola little before turning it off and it may last 1/4 of the life of a car thats allowed to warm before being pushed etc.

verityboo

Worth looking at the Honest john site, its useful with good and bad points about each car.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/

Click on the make of car and the the exact model for relevent info.

Also bare in mind that there are a variety of different types of automatic gearbox fitted to small cars. Alot have automated manual gearboxes, basically a manual gearbox but with a motor controlling the clutch. These are very different to a traditional auto to drive and don't creep forward in the same way. They also have a reputation for being weak and expensive to fix. This includes the Corsa 'Easytronic' auto

The original Honda Jazz auto had a CVT auto which is more like a traditional auto to drive and seems to be highly regarded

sj999

You cold try a Suzuki Swift, they do a automatic.

Mr_Toad

My son has a Getz, he's had it from new in 2005 and it's the basic 1.1 engine. It was my first encounter with a Hyundai and I'm very impressed with it.

He needed a cheapish reliable car for work, he does quite high mileage, and the Getz seemed to fit the bill.

It is a fantastic little car, he's never had any problems with it and the only money it's ever needed spending, other than servicing, was for new tyres. So far it has passed every MOT with no fails or advisories.

I don't know if they do an automatic version though.

droopsnoot

Parts don't need to be a problem unless you insist on main dealers to supply and fit them. There are quite a few third party parts specialists now (GSF, Euro Car Parts, probably loads more) that do replacement (and sometimes genuine OEM) parts at discounted prices, and a lot of places that will fit them at much lower cost. Also don't forget vehicle dismantlers for good used parts where appropriate (obviously not brakes, steering etc.)