Cheap to run car

jamels2

I usually buy cheap vw cars under £1000 eg golf/polo and run them into the ground. The upside is low purchase cost and reliability, downside can be road tax around £200 a year and poor mpg (30).
Im happy with a small car as on my own most of the time. The newer golfs i think now as family cars (mk4 onwards) due to size.
Ive seen newer small cars like the citroen c1 and peugeot 107 and im tempted by the cheap road tax £20 a year and 60 mpg. I can buy one now for £1500.
So any advice on whether to stick to 10-15 year old vws such as lupo or polo or something newer like the c1 or 107 and have lower running costs?

forgotmyname

Depends.

I bet i can find you a very very reliable 20 year old £500 car and a total dog of a sub 5 year old car that will break down often and need many new parts before you realise your spent more than it cost to buy new.

Me i buy large cars with fairly high mileages and it works for me. £2000 ish. BUT the service record needs to be impeccable.
If the limit is 12,000 miles i wont choose one thats run to the limit every time.

Find one with receipts for small jobs that lots of people wont bother getting fixed and its likely it was pampered. This car may not be the shiniest one but mechanically it will be better than average.