cheap but reliable car?

fatbelly

carzymaisey wrote: »

Aren't Yarises dearer than £800 though?

Autotrader lists over 100 in the £500 - £1000 range but they're likely going to be the 1.0 which isn't the most powerful. However, it is "reliable, cheap on insurance, cheap on petrol".

kataklysm

Nissan Almera? Seriously. I bought mine (1.8 SE auto, ex-mobility, all the gadgets) 3 years ago and it's cost me next to nothing in repairs compared to previous cars. I deliberately chose it because I only ever saw pensioners driving them, and if there's one thing older folk know, it's how to choose a rock solid car. Plenty of people report having theirs well beyond the 150k mark without a problem. I honestly didn't have too much hope to begin with and figured it would do for a while. Now - if it conked out tomorrow, I'd just go buy another. A Fiesta would also be worth looking at in your price range.

The key when bargain hunting is to understand that there are no real bargains. When people think 'small, cheap and reliable' they immediately think: Yaris, Civic, Jazz etc.... and now those cars have ceased to be affordable. Look at the Yaris on AutoTrader - there's not much under £800, and those that are won't be good.

Then again, find something fairly unglamorous, an unpopular colour, perhaps something pre-facelift but well looked after with a reputation for reliability and it's likely to be a good bet. Try to avoid being tempted by the cars with options or unusually low mileage in your price range - if it was truly good buy, it would be priced accordingly. Check the reviews on Honest John too. And remember that a few years ago people started ditching cars with a higher MPG/insurance, devaluing second hand models that are in all other respects excellent and reliable cars..

jaydeeuk1

If the £800 car was that reliable, i'd be interrogating the owner as to why they're selling. At this price buy private, if a dealer they would have bought a £300 piece of crap from auction, slapped a £1000 tag on it, and gambled it was reliable enough to be driven off the forecourt.


If buying private check if they've bought a replacement car. If its same brand or even better same model, it might mean they were happy with current car and genuinely wanted something newer. If they're selling a vauxhall corsa, or some french / italian car, and now have a toyota sat on the drive, run. Especially if new car is still a relatively cheap one, in their mind the current car probably on its last legs and they (perhaps wrongly) think its more cost effective to buy another. Walk away. If new car is on finance, run away.


Suzuki ignis / wagon r
Daihatsu sirion


Above likely to be more reliable. In fact, get an old model suzuki swift from a pensioner where family have told them to stop driving. Likely to have spent their life savings on clutches and brakes at halfrauds and never gone above 40mph. Offer them 5 shillings and you'll have yourself a cheap reliable little car.

carzymaisey

I am all for getting a car that doesn't look the biz and maybe even a crappy colour that nobody wants. I'm 43 and really not bothered at the moment about having a "nice car". I just need something to get me out there so that I can start earning money by being self employed. Once I earn more money, then I will think about upgrading.
I just don't want something that cuts out half way down the motorway on my way to a job, then people turn round and say "Oh those cars are known for breaking down on motorways, you should've got ...." Lol

BeenThroughItAll

Howard_jills11 wrote: »

How exactly different are these M3/M5 cars different to a normal BMW 3 series or 5 series? I know brand new they are considerably more expensive but having a look on autotrader they do seem to hold a large premium for very old cars. Are they better built, more comfortable and durable and just more power for people who do a lot of miles?

Is it me, or does this smell a lot like Darkmatter unmasked???

=rizla=

Ive had a couple of Nissans and not had a problem, what about a micra?

carzymaisey

Are micras reliable rizla?

Spicy_McHaggis

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

Is it me, or does this smell a lot like Darkmatter unmasked???

Not just you.

Stoke

Volkswagen Lupo. Excellent cheap reliable motors, bit on the small side, but then you could always up to a Polo.

JustinR1979

6'5" mate fitted in his wifes Lupo