I would appreciate your advice in the purchase of a used car for myself. I currently drive a Ford Ka to work but I would like something a bit smarter and with a little more street cred. As a teacher, a Ford Ka is not the best. It would really just be a run to work and perhaps for short trips at the weekend. We have a C-Max for longer journeys, which we bought on your recommendation. So the car will cover about 5k per annum. The quandry I am in is whether to get a MINI One/Cooper (about a 02/03 plate), which I like, or get something much newer such as the Suzuki Swift you have recommended or a Fiesta or Grande Punto? I don't think I really want a tinny car like a Citroen C1 or similar. It will have to last a good few years and I have a budget of about £5K plus whatever I can get for the KA in part exchange.