FabSwingers.com forum: Car Help

By *ede OP Woman
over a year ago

the abyss

So my car is dead - may it rust in peace!

With that I now have to start the task of looking for a replacement and I'm not car savvy at all!

Any tips or advice on good makes/models of cars, websites to use or good dealers (I'm in Scotland but can travel to Manchester area) would be greatly received.

I'm looking at spending about £5000 - I'm never sure about going down the finance option. Ideally I'd like something less than 6yrs old and 5 doors, with not ridiculous miles on it. Other than that I'm not too fussy - I've driven everything from a VW polo to a transit van so size doesn't matter as long as I fit and feel safe

(I know I actually sound really fussy but I promise I'm not

)

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Seat Ibiza/Leon, made by VW but better value for money.

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By *ede OP Woman
over a year ago

the abyss

"Seat Ibiza/Leon, made by VW but better value for money."

Oh thank you! I do like VW but they can be so expensive. My last car was Skoda which I know is also VW now but its kind of scarred me from getting another

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

it depends on what kind of car or model you prefer to narrow your search down as these days you want a reliable car that can be maintained

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Go Audi .. or BMW if you can ... for me they have been very reliable ..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Go Audi .. or BMW if you can ... for me they have been very reliable .. "

I've known of a few BMW's that have caught fire - so I'd certainly give them a miss

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Go Audi .. or BMW if you can ... for me they have been very reliable ..

I've known of a few BMW's that have caught fire - so I'd certainly give them a miss"

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By *andybeachWoman
over a year ago

In the middle

I’ve got a 1.6 Juke that I enjoy trundling around in, it’s big enough to get things in yet small enough for just one person

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By *2000ManMan
over a year ago

Worthing

Ford Fiesta. Decent insurance, car tax and servicing costs. Plentiful.

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By * Sophie xTV/TS
over a year ago

Derby

"Go Audi .. or BMW if you can ... for me they have been very reliable ..

I've known of a few BMW's that have caught fire - so I'd certainly give them a miss"

All models that have been at risk have had recall notices issued and done with no cost to the owner, just check it has been done and they're fine.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

No German cars.... stay japanese if you want Actually reliable over style..

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By *alandNitaCouple
over a year ago

Scunthorpe

What type of driving do you do? Mainly motorway, long trips or short, do you need boot space or carry several passengers...?

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By *arehamMan
over a year ago

handforth

I had a red BMW X1 lovely car wish I had not sold it miss it so much

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By *ubmissiveman2uMan
over a year ago

Cheshire

Look at road tax costs before you purchase. I have a 13 plate Astra £20 to tax it..... A year...

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By *uenevereWoman
over a year ago

Scunthorpe

"Look at road tax costs before you purchase. I have a 13 plate Astra £20 to tax it..... A year... "

I was going to suggest an Astra. Cheap to run, have always found them reliable. Mine is an 08 plate and going strong.

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By *ede OP Woman
over a year ago

the abyss

"Go Audi .. or BMW if you can ... for me they have been very reliable ..

I've known of a few BMW's that have caught fire - so I'd certainly give them a miss

Oh my

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By *ede OP Woman
over a year ago

the abyss

"Look at road tax costs before you purchase. I have a 13 plate Astra £20 to tax it..... A year...

I was going to suggest an Astra. Cheap to run, have always found them reliable. Mine is an 08 plate and going strong."

Yeah I quite like the Astra's as a partner had one

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By *ede OP Woman
over a year ago

the abyss

"What type of driving do you do? Mainly motorway, long trips or short, do you need boot space or carry several passengers...?"

To be honest I do a bit of both. It'll be to get to and from work (few miles) but also needs to be ok for 400+ mile trips to see parents. I have a dog that I usually have in the boot if muddy. Only one or two passangers usually but prefer not to have a tiny car for versatility.

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By *aughty_Smooth_OperatorMan
over a year ago

Birmingham

The Nissan Note is a good car a mate a work bought one other day decent size economy is good his was 2016 he paid just over 3K. Have a mooch down Trade center UK

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By *ede OP Woman
over a year ago

the abyss

"The Nissan Note is a good car a mate a work bought one other day decent size economy is good his was 2016 he paid just over 3K. Have a mooch down Trade center UK"

Oohh thank you - I'll take a peek!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Go Audi .. or BMW if you can ... for me they have been very reliable ..

I've known of a few BMW's that have caught fire - so I'd certainly give them a miss

All models that have been at risk have had recall notices issued and done with no cost to the owner, just check it has been done and they're fine."

Was going to say but then I thought nah ... I’m done with debates

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Trust a Car auction. Should get you a 2018 small car... 4000...if any faults you have a 1000 Cushion....

Independent Garages buy from auctions then sell onto customers... At a higher price...

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By *ob Carpe DiemMan
over a year ago

Torquay

"Look at road tax costs before you purchase. I have a 13 plate Astra £20 to tax it..... A year... "

Crazy I have a 19 plate Corsa and it's £145

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Look at road tax costs before you purchase. I have a 13 plate Astra £20 to tax it..... A year...

Crazy I have a 19 plate Corsa and it's £145"
ford focus is a great car. I have a zetec s 2.0 tdci 170000 km on the clock and it's still planted on the road

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Seat Ibiza/Leon, made by VW but better value for money."
bad advice. Only car I ever owned from new was an Ibiza and was hands down the most problematic car I ever owned. Avoid at all costs

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By *ede OP Woman
over a year ago

the abyss

"Trust a Car auction. Should get you a 2018 small car... 4000...if any faults you have a 1000 Cushion....

Independent Garages buy from auctions then sell onto customers... At a higher price...

I've never looked into them at all. I think I'd need to send someone more in the know for me

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By *acey_RedWoman
over a year ago

Liverpool

I got my 2016 Peugeot 108 for just over £5000 2 years ago with just under 10000 miles on the clock. I'm pretty pleased with it.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I’d maybe search throughly south of the border for the new wheels, seeing how you travel there. Second hand cars do seem a bit pricier here than their English counterparts

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By *r-OrangeMan
over a year ago

Nottingham

Ford are cheap and easy to fix quicker to fix cheaper if has to go to garage stay clear of Citroen BMW don’t touch any car that’s had upgraded alloys (Boy racer)if you you have £££££ Mer_edes

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"So my car is dead - may it rust in peace!

With that I now have to start the task of looking for a replacement and I'm not car savvy at all!

Any tips or advice on good makes/models of cars, websites to use or good dealers (I'm in Scotland but can travel to Manchester area) would be greatly received.

(I know I actually sound really fussy but I promise I'm not

) "

I just sold my 2015 Toyota Auris 1.4 diesel with just 50k on the clock, full Toyota service history, sat nav, panoramic roof, reverse camera, not a scratch on it for just over 5k

I never had an ounce of trouble with it, it never let me down once and was getting an average mpg of just under 50mpg

Look at summat like that

Cracking little cars if you find one that's been looked after

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By *edangel_2013Woman
over a year ago

southend

Another vote for Astra. I drive mine to work daily which is a 35 mile round trip. Tomorrow I'll do a 600 mile round trip to visit my parents. It does the 600 mile trip on just over a full tank of petrol.

Good reliable car. 09 plate only had 1 MOT failure and that was tyres I didn't check before I went.

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By *emma HoldenTV/TS
over a year ago

Ramsey

Most Japanese stuff is reliable like Suzuki, Honda & Toyota plus Kia & Hyundai are well worth looking at for something more stylish. Except Nissan which are really just Renaults these days.

In general avoid anything French or you'll live to regret it. Poor electrics & over complicated.

Personally I'd be looking towards Kia C'eed or Hyundai i30. Until now always driven VW & SEAT & no major issues. You pay over the odds for BMW & Mer_edes & often they are little better than any other manufacturer. Don't fall for that.

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By *xciter7169Man
over a year ago

The Midlands

"Look at road tax costs before you purchase. I have a 13 plate Astra £20 to tax it..... A year... "
Wow,what engine is in it,going for something cheaper to run next time i change.

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By *ede OP Woman
over a year ago

the abyss

Thank you for the advice everyone

I'll be making sure to do my research properly this time as the last one was a panic buy and spent a lot on it over the years so want to try and avoid a repeat

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By *o and peepCouple
over a year ago

falkirk

"Look at road tax costs before you purchase. I have a 13 plate Astra £20 to tax it..... A year...

Crazy I have a 19 plate Corsa and it's £145"

It depends on emissions we have a Citroen and it’s free !

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By *o and peepCouple
over a year ago

falkirk

"Thank you for the advice everyone

I'll be making sure to do my research properly this time as the last one was a panic buy and spent a lot on it over the years so want to try and avoid a repeat

I’m a mechanic and in all honesty all cars cost money some more than others

Personally I don’t like German cars they are overpriced and it’s just badge snobbery

Jap cars are reliable but boring

French cars have style but are not built that well although I love Renaults

Stay away from fiats stands for fix it again tomorrow

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By *arakiss12TV/TS
over a year ago

Bedford

Call me old fashioned but I'd go Ford then Vauxhall, then Rover, then Mazda.

Probably go hybrid or full electric if possible, especially if you venture into London at any time.

Otherwise petrol. Don't touch deisels.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Never knew Renault had a stake in Nissan.

No wonder my car was crap..

I'll never miss another Nissan

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By *ede OP Woman
over a year ago

the abyss

"Thank you for the advice everyone

I'll be making sure to do my research properly this time as the last one was a panic buy and spent a lot on it over the years so want to try and avoid a repeat

I’m a mechanic and in all honesty all cars cost money some more than others

Personally I don’t like German cars they are overpriced and it’s just badge snobbery

Jap cars are reliable but boring

French cars have style but are not built that well although I love Renaults

Stay away from fiats stands for fix it again tomorrow

Thank you!! Past two cars were German and although I did feel 'safe' - they cost a lot in parts over the years so thinking of a change.

Won't be looking at Fiat's though

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By *alandNitaCouple
over a year ago

Scunthorpe

"What type of driving do you do? Mainly motorway, long trips or short, do you need boot space or carry several passengers...?

With the dog, I personally would look for an estate car, the boot access is flat which makes it much nicer for a dog to get in.

If the long trips are fairly regular then I would look for a diesel, I find them much nicer to drive on long distances. Otherwise petrol is better for short journeys and start-stop driving.

As several have said, Astra's are generally a good all rounder, as are Ford Focuses. You could also consider a Peugeot 308, Reneault Megan or a Skoda Fabia, they are all similar sized and quality cars.

Also, look out for insurance write offs... There are two main catagories of write offs now that are allowed to be sold. Catagory S which signifies that the car had "Structural" damage and must be properly repaired and re-registered before being put back on the road. Then there is Catagory N which is "Non Structural" or basically Cosmetic or damage to seats, glass, lights, stereos etc.. that don't impact the safety of the vehicle. Cat N vehicles can offer a real saving on the normal retail price.

Cal

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By *den-Valley-coupleCouple
over a year ago

Cumbria

Little boring but a Toyota Yaris 1.4 diesel or Auris look for a 2014/15 for £20 road tax ..

Stay away from BMW Audis The great for the 1st 3 years of their life but then all the new technology starts to drop off and expensive to fix also ford's with the 1.1 turbo Zetec engine.

Also look for a Kia or Honda.

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By *ede OP Woman
over a year ago

the abyss

"What type of driving do you do? Mainly motorway, long trips or short, do you need boot space or carry several passengers...?

With the dog, I personally would look for an estate car, the boot access is flat which makes it much nicer for a dog to get in.

If the long trips are fairly regular then I would look for a diesel, I find them much nicer to drive on long distances. Otherwise petrol is better for short journeys and start-stop driving.

Cal"

Ah yes I noticed the categories yesterday and had never seen it before. As soon as I read 'S' one I thought it wouldn't be worth it but if 'N' is more cosmetic stuff they may be worth a look as definitely cheaper! Thank you

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By *ede OP Woman
over a year ago

the abyss

"Little boring but a Toyota Yaris 1.4 diesel or Auris look for a 2014/15 for £20 road tax ..

Stay away from BMW Audis The great for the 1st 3 years of their life but then all the new technology starts to drop off and expensive to fix also ford's with the 1.1 turbo Zetec engine.

Also look for a Kia or Honda."

Thank you - I'm noticing a lot of 1L cars even on bigger models and guessing it's all to do with becoming more eco etc

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By *rHotNottsMan
over a year ago

Dubai & Nottingham

Most cars are reliable these days , I can’t recall breaking down since my teens. If you want good value the Ford or Vauxhall are cheap for things , don’t worry too much about miles if key things like clutch , handbrake, timing belt have been done and the car has been looked after.

£5-£6K is a tricky amount to spend. Private sale is always a risk and at a dealer you will get a car worth £4K, there are no incentives or offers on that spend. You might be better borrowing the same amount again and buying something under 1 year old

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By *urls and DressesWoman
over a year ago

Somewhere near here

Japanese cars have never let me down, I have a Juke now and cannot fault it.

Would never touch a Peugeot again, they’ve always been a nightmare

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By *rHotNottsMan
over a year ago

Dubai & Nottingham

"Little boring but a Toyota Yaris 1.4 diesel or Auris look for a 2014/15 for £20 road tax ..

Stay away from BMW Audis The great for the 1st 3 years of their life but then all the new technology starts to drop off and expensive to fix also ford's with the 1.1 turbo Zetec engine.

Also look for a Kia or Honda."

My BMWs cost me zero, because absolutely nothing ever needs doing to them. I get a text message when oil, brake pads or any bulbs need changing and that’s it. Halfords do the lot -oils £60 using a BMW filter and brake pads are about £120 every 2-3 years , they are authorised to update the computer and reset the mileage, I find BMW as cheap , it’s a myth that they are expensive because maintenance doesn’t require bmw mechanics. The only extra cost is run flats but it’s worth it never having to worry about flat tyres or carrying spares

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Where in this green earth can you buy some of the motors you lot are mentioning less than 6 year old for £5k?

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By *alandNitaCouple
over a year ago

Scunthorpe

"Where in this green earth can you buy some of the motors you lot are mentioning less than 6 year old for £5k?

Everything I have mentioned is available for that price.

But I agree, you're unlikely to buy a 6 year old Audi or BMW for £5k

Cal

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