Looking to buy a small, used car. Help!

Thurrafork

Hello folks

Really appreciate all the good suggestions here - thank you!

Looking at the Ford Fiesta now. Possibly. I don't know. Aaargh!

I'm curious about what you just said fatbelly. Would you really say there is very little advantage to a supermini over a city car?
You've made long journeys in a Citigo, and that's good to know. But it is still my concern: Not so much the distance, but just the strain that fairly frequent, prolonged, speedy, motorway driving would place on small engines/structures/wheels etc.
But it's an interesting point. I mean what would be the difference in this regard between a 1.25 city car and a 1.25 supermini (possibly with the same bhp)?

Thoughts on this, and further general suggestions - and thoughts on Ford Fiestas - still very welcome!

Thanks

Grumpy_chap

jamieboo said:

Looking at the Ford Fiesta now. Possibly. I don't know. Aaargh!

Thoughts on this, and further general suggestions - and thoughts on Ford Fiestas - still very welcome!

Our Fiesta is a brilliant car, great handling and very comfortable for infrequent long distance journeys.  You really can't go wrong with a Fiesta.

The_Rainmaker

You tend to pay a bit of a premium on used Fiestas and Polos.

mobileron

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/
See what the expert says,my wife has an I10  changed from a corsa,says the Hyundi  is great,
Not sure where you are but hers a guideline on prices.
https://www.aristocarsmk.co.uk/showroom

Gsaver1

The VW UP/Skoda Citigo & Seat Mii are really good cars. The UP will be more expensive with it being the VW. I've driven a 1.0 VW and it is a great driving car. £20 road tax. If it was between the three cars mentioned earlier I would go for a 5 door Citigo. 

Goudy

Although a lot of manufacturers will sell a city car and a supermini with the same engines (and a lot of other parts) it's how they package them that might make a difference on a long trip.

A lot of city cars tend to have a more sit up position as there are packaged short, narrow and tall, this can often lead to a bit of discomfort when you spend a lot of time in what's similar to a dining chair position.

An example of this is the Fiat Panda, it's a good car for nipping around town, cheap, simple and pretty reliable, but the seating position is pretty awful after an hour or so, it's too sit up and beg for anything over an hour or so.
The 500 isn't any better as the door cuts in tight to your elbow/arm, yet you can have the Punto with the same engine and running gear and it's a different beast altogether, much better seating arrangement and the slightly longer/wider track isn't as choppy  (I'm using these as an example, not recommending them).

Another consideration with some of the lower engine spec city cars (60 or so hp) is drivability.
Sure they keep up with motorway traffic no problem, but you do end up stirring the gears a bit more often to keep them on the boil, which is a pretty rotten experience in a Kia Picanto at the best of times!
I've driven plenty of i10's and Picanto's (same car under the skin) and I find top gear very tall, I know why, fuel economy, but it does tend to grate a bit when the road tilts slightly up and you're swapping cogs to keep it moving, I'm not saying it's bad or can't cope, they can, but you might not want to do it too often for too long!

I suggest a supermini for the trips you plan with a middle of the road 80-90 hp, which is normally there entry level motor, for reliability I would steer clear of the smaller turbo charged engines that seem fashionable these days, they tend to be fussy to look after and never achieve anywhere near their quoted mpg.

So go and check out some of the suggestions for cars like the Fiesta, Polo, Fabia, Corsa and perhaps Suzuki Swift and then compare them with some of the city cars like the i10 and Up! and see what suits for driving position.
Go to one of the car supermarkets and you'll be able to jump between nearly everything mentioned on this post.

fred246

I think I would go for a Fiesta 1.25 80ps. Brilliant small cars. German build quality. £30 tax I think. Much higher quality than Citigo type of car. I would avoid ecoboost personally.

foxy-stoat

My 9 year old 1.3 diesel Corsa has been pretty good for the least year/13,000 miles. £20 VED, £200 insurance, getting 60-65 mpg on daily commute and no real or expensive issues touchwood.  A/C was re-gassed the other week too, it was like stepping out of the hire car I had in the South of France last year after getting to work during the heat wave.

You can pick up 64 plate LTD ones for around 4 bags - slightly older base spec from £2000, look for low/one owner cars with reasonable miles and good history.

Thurrafork

Thanks folks
I'm now looking at this Ford Fiesta...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008042078265?fromSavedAds=true&advertising-location=at_cars
(I hope it's ok to link to that here)
Anyone got any thoughts on this?
Thanks very much

Grumpy_chap

You can never know with any used car until you see it in the flesh, test drive and check everything works (air con? rear parking sensors? does the bluetooth link to your phone? electric windows up/down?), so don't buy until you have done that and, if you have any doubts at that stage, then walk away.

It seems to be fair price, you might get them down to £4.5k?  £3,680 WBAC price, so allow 20% for dealer costs, warranty, preparation and some margin, that would be £4,416.

You probably want to check it is only one owner (i.e. you will be the second registered keeper) and not "1 former owner" before the current owner (making you the third registered keeper).  If it has been privately owned from new it is probably well looked after.

It is advertised as "full service history" so check what that means and that it has actually been serviced and maintained (not a "full service history" but "oh, it was never actually serviced ever").  Also check whether the cam belt / timing belt has been changed or is due in the near future.  Similar for any other 'long' age related maintenance.  Check for any advisories on the MOT.

The good thing is, if you like the Fiesta and like this actual car, the 1.25 Zetec engine is fairly bullet-proof.  If you like the Fiesta, but not this actual car, there will be another one to choose instead.