Cheapest & best car to maintain / run

Tokk

The Seat of those, if it were me.

Maybe add the Skoda Fabia (same basic car, both based on the Polo) to the list, often slightly better value.

Arsenal2019

I prefer the look of the seat the most!

photome

I would think carefully about PCP on a 5 year old car

wgl2014

PCP on used cars is often not the best option as finance rates can be quite high.

If financing consider a low Apr bank loan.

Proff999

The SEAT is a good vehicle but engine choice is critical. The pick of the bunch is the 1.2 Tsi in my personal opinion. £30 road tax, great economy and a responsive modern powerplant.



Like others have said, the key is good maintenance, both before and after purchase. The comment on tyre choice is great advice, it is a good indication on how the vehicle has been maintained. It may be worthwhile checking servicing intervals and costs of the various vehicles you are looking at.


PCP offers flexibility and lower payments but the vehicle is not yours until the final balloon payment is made. Hire purchase is more expensive but does give the option of handing the vehicle back after 50% of the payments are made. Bank loan is cheaper and you own the vehicle once purchased. It also gives you the option to change your vehicle if your home/work circumstances change and you require something bigger or more suited to higher mileages.


Shop around, take your time and make the right choice for you.

System

The Ford Fiesta is the cheapest out of all of those to service and maintain however fuel economy might be slightly lower than the others for a like for like engine size - certainly one of my past Mondeos was around 5% or so lower MPG than the Vauxhall that replaced it. Service interval mileage is higher than the Vauxhall (don't know about the others), cambelt change interval is double that of Vauxhalls, parts are dirt cheap and Ford do a 4+ service which also throws in free 12 month pan European breakdown cover.

pinkshoes

My mum has had FOUR fiestas, each of which she has driven for 10 years with no issues then sold on to buy a new (ex demo) one.

My ex had an Ibiza and it had so many electrical issues although this was going back a decade. Hopefully they have improved since then.

ginashamz

Has to be a Japanese car - Toyota or Honda.

My most expensive car to date is the RX-8

daveyjp

Fieata used to be the obvious choice, find a non turbo one and it may still be the case, otherwise a turbo is an expensive component to potentially have to replace.

If not find the best Yaris for your budget. The 1.33 petrol is based on a decades old design and will do starship mileages with little trouble.

Arsenal2019

Can I ask why that is?
I’ve only just started looking into financing