Best 2nd hand car for occasional driver?

CreditCrunchie

just looking for your tips on the best second hand car for an occasional driver? I only make a couple of trips out per week but these are sometimes over bumpy roads so nothing with low suspension. must have good mpg. I like 4x4's (Rav4/ Vitara) but can't justify the cost as I drive so little grr. I have an old Fiesta Ghia at the moment and she's been a great little car. Looked for a newer version but the Fiesta's do seem to keep their value and so out of my budget unfortunately.

I am looking up to £3,000

colino

A nice Range Rover 4.0 SE Auto should comfortably fit your needs.

Herzlos

If you drive so little why must it have good mpg?
You won't use enough fuel to offset the cost difference.

You'll get a much nicer car if you get something regarded as thirsty, like any big petrol 4x4 or luxobarge.

Hintza

We can not have any VAG (VW etc) Group cars because of our lane.

The Panda is good for clearance, they hold their value pretty well and the 1.2 would be the best to get.

Hintza

rexmedorum wrote: »

What has your Lane got to do with any particular Make of car???

Because of this point:-

CreditCrunchie wrote: »

but these are sometimes over bumpy roads so nothing with low suspension.

Which I have found in my experience to preclude VAG group cars from rough roads/tracks etc

Please keep up!

facade

I'm with everybody else, if you drive so little there is no reason not to get a 4x4.

Go with the RAV4, ours goes over speedhumps as if they are not there, and copes very well with what our Council call "well maintained roads".

CreditCrunchie

Oooooh you're tempting me! I do love them

Although I only drive now a then I do make a couple of long trips a year, 3 hours or so down motorways then the windy lanes of Yorkshire. Was thinking of that re the mpg really.

Looking around last night I fell in love with the look of the MG TGF convertible from 2002! Decent car, or not? Found a decent looking 2007 fiesta as well but it's 2.0 so not sure it'll be very economical

Ransoman

Another vote for the Panda 4x4 here. I believe the standard Panda has good clearance too.

Fiat Sedici/Suzuki sx4 are decent compact off roaders and early ones should come in on your budget.

If you do longer journeys (over 10 miles) Then you could get away with the diesel, otherwise try to stick with a small pertrol.

For info, my folks and my GF's folks both live down long farm lanes with many bumps and holes. My lowered alfa GTV was capable of going down without grounding but i had to be super carefull. It is better now it is at standard height but the subframe still clips the central grass "tuft".

Other cars that made it down the lanes:

Grande Punto/Evo - Only after the subframe brace was removed.
Alfa 147 - No clearance issues at all
Alfa Giulietta - Undertray rubs a bit but doesn't bottom out
Volvo 850

The VW golf mk4 lost its undertray very quickly and the subframe got very bashed but the car survived 6 years of this road.

Avoid compact Jap 4x4's like the suzuki Jimny, Daihatsu terios and the Honda CRV. My family have had them all and they are cheap, nasty poorly built cars with shocking underbody corrosion issues.

Herzlos

CreditCrunchie wrote: »

Although I only drive now a then I do make a couple of long trips a year, 3 hours or so down motorways then the windy lanes of Yorkshire. Was thinking of that re the mpg really.

That's only ~150-200 miles. A fuel guzzling petrol car might cost you an extra £30 in fuel each way on those trips, so it's really not worth worrying about.

I do return trips of that length a few times a year too, and it normally only costs me an extra tank (£60) Vs borrowing a tiny diesel for the same trip.

jimjames

So can't be too low/bumpy but you're considering an MG? Doesn't make sense to me!

Mk 4 golf would be decent low use car in my view but in my view it's also a good high miler too.

Rolandtheroadie

Hintza wrote: »

We can not have any VAG (VW etc) Group cars because of our lane.

The Panda is good for clearance, they hold their value pretty well and the 1.2 would be the best to get.

You're just not looking hard enough.