Recommendations for Used Vehicle

Brecon_Beacons

Here's the conundrum:

£6k to spend.

Car must be automatic and low mileage, and less than 5 years old

What would you recommend - and why?

Strider590

Don't limit yourself with the mileage, low can often mean it's had a hard life of short journeys and scrimping on servicing. Often a low mileage driver will think it's ok to stretch the service schedule, ignoring the (for example) "or every 12 months, whichever comes first".
But low mileage driving is really very bad for the car, especially so on a modern Diesel.

You could end up buying more problems than you would on a car that's done 50k more miles.

The old rules don't apply any more, not like they did in the 60's/70's.
Keep an open mind, that's all i'm saying.

utopia_11

Toyota Auris automatic. Reliability

Rambosmum

Depends on what you are using it for. I have a Golf TDI, it's fantastic, but I did do a lot of miles (not so much any more so is a little uneconomical). It's great for long journeys, really comfortable and the turbo is fun.

OH has a 1.4 Honda jazz. For the 9k a year miles he does it's great. Jazz's tend to be the older persons car so usually have low mileage and a full service history and come in automatic. They have loads more room than you might expect and three 'proper' seat belts in the back. When I look for another car I'll definitely be looking at Jazz's (unless I can afford a newer petrol golf with turbo). Also Jazz gear sticks are really light - a friend of mine who has a plated and fixed shoulder, who could only drive autos, has a manual one and copes fine with it.

Avoid a focus ecoboost auto - I had one for 3 weeks as a hire car, just no get up and go. The auto engine just doesn't work with the ecoboost technology, there isn't enough power.

Strider590

Rambosmum wrote: »

Avoid a focus ecoboost auto - I had one for 3 weeks as a hire car, just no get up and go. The auto engine just doesn't work with the ecoboost technology, there isn't enough power.

To be fair, your used to driving a Diesel turbo. A small displacement turbo petrol engine is a very different beast, by comparison it'll feel like it's dead until that turbo kicks in.

I find a lot of people, whether they drive Diesel or not, don't like to rev an engine. Something you have to do on a turbo petrol.

fivetide

Rambosmum wrote: »

Depends on what you are using it for.

Excellent point. To make a recommendation it would be good to know if you are after a nippy city car or a long distance mile muncher...

macman

Give us a clue...size, no. of doors...saloon, estate, hatchback?

Rambosmum

Strider590 wrote: »

To be fair, your used to driving a Diesel turbo. A small displacement turbo petrol engine is a very different beast, by comparison it'll feel like it's dead until that turbo kicks in.

I find a lot of people, whether they drive Diesel or not, don't like to rev an engine. Something you have to do on a turbo petrol.

I was used to driving a 1l petrol at that time!

Brecon_Beacons

macman wrote: »

Give us a clue...size, no. of doors...saloon, estate, hatchback?

it would be good to know if you are after a nippy city car or a long distance mile muncher...

Thanks for the feedback. The car needs to cover about 11k a year, mainly rural and motorway driving...

I suppose the preference would be for a four door saloon - although that could be a prejudice and a smaller car would be more economical and practical.

Thanks for the recommendation on Toyota Auris, Utopia. Reliability is definitely a big priority - the car is for someone who will be totally uninterested in what goes on under the bonnet, but will need something 100% dependable.

I've looked at Honda Jazz - a nice drive and a good marque.

Any other suggestions?

forgotmyname

Mondeo? Surprised nobody suggested it already

Why pay a premium for low mileage though? I generally buy high mileage
cars that have come from fleet use and it serves me well.

120 - 130,000 miles and its still healthy and reliable, my mileage tends to
be less than yours though so you may want to go a bit less.

But paying a premium for something that may have done all those miles with nothing but stop start city traffic makes me wonder why pay a premium for that.

I much prefer to get a higher mileage car, but the servicing must be perfect, check for receipts and sign of those jobs that tend to get neglected and be choosy on cars that have been run right upto the last mile before being serviced.

The service interval is a maximum not a target.

Jay_Tee

Brecon_Beacons wrote: »

Thanks for the recommendation on Toyota Auris, Utopia.

The Toyota Auris at the price your looking at will have a MMT gearbox, which is not a true automatic but an automated manual gearbox. The MMT has had some problems with reliability and quite a few people just don't get on with them.