Thanks, unfortunately all those Volvos fall above the £180 tax bracket, I only pay 145 now so going up to 180 is Max. On another note do you mean semi auto boxes are the ones to avoid and so Volvo are reliable.

I think the ones you were thinking of are the diesels which are the newer and out of the price bracket the seats do look comfortable though.

While VW DSG up until recently had a string of major issues. Most Ford powershift work fine with a hickup in 2012 when early all dry plate powershifts often had oil leak issues, but others years are ok. Ford retrospectively gave the gearbox a 5 year warranty. VW on the other hand gave extended warranties in other countries but not the UK.

The key point you need to decide is do you like this type of auto that regardless of make is less smooth and need some getting use too. It very much all or nothing in terms of the clutch.

wow a quick google on zafira fire and OMFG, I think I will pass, lol Apparently people are only going to recieve letters in August of this year stating the required work on the car. Scary stuff.

Yeah if you literally have cash to burn :)

Petrol or Diesel are fine. Thanks for the Saab tip. Your right at the end I have to get something comfortable that is what counts the most. Thats why I am looking for more car makes to add to the list :). Thanks for the help.

If it's the 3-series E46 range their are loads still on the roads, still in good condition some with starship mileage on them, I don't think you will find a newer E90 for that money

Have a read through the car by car good/bad section so you have an idea what to look for, they can be a bit rusty

My Mum had a E46 320i SE for years I know she regretted selling it, years later when she had a E92 320D m-sport coupe I still think she prefered the old E46

Hi, there isnt really any such thing as a cheap reliable auto under £2,000.

The reason i say this is that all auto boxes have a lifespan on no more than 60,000 miles (This is an industry insider quote).......

I think this is nonsense. Indeed, it could be argued that an autobox, especially an older torque converter one, is likely to be more reliable than a clutch/manual box as it is more idiot proof. And they also protect the engine from mechanically unsympathetic drivers.

Try searching a well known site for a Ford Focus 1.6 auto, 80,000 or less (ours has done 114,000) and no more than £2000. There are dozens to choose from. The 1.6 engine will not have stressed the box as much as the bigger engines. If the seat is not to your liking, use cushions until it is. Can't be too choosy with such a low budget!

Hi, there isnt really any such thing as a cheap reliable auto under £2,000.

The reason i say this is that all auto boxes have a lifespan on no more than 60,000 miles (This is an industry insider quote) Which is why they are advertised as sealed for life units (e.g. not on the service schedule) as the life is of the 'box not the car.

Anything over 60,000 is a bonus for a modern automatic gearbox. Your lowest chance of failure woud probably be a Mercedes or perhaps Volvo as someone else said, but at that age the road tax would be prohibitive for you.

My Saab 9-5 Aero auto, with 420Nm of torque for most of its life, was running fault-free with just two oil changes after 230,000 miles.....

With all due respect, your comment re the lifespan of a modern auto being 60,000 is a load of t*** where TC autos are concerned IMHO. TC autos are less troublesome than manual boxes as a general rule, given proper maintenance such as regular fluid changes - they are not all "sealed for life". They have the added benefit of ensuring that the rest of the drive train components are not abused. If you are addressing your comments to automated manuals such as VW's DSG and Ford Powershift, it may be true, but I would suggest there is an element of doubt there.

"<i>Anything over 60,000 is a bonus for a modern automatic gearbox.</i>

I suggest you ignore any advice from anyone who makes such sweeping - and incorrect - statements.

The automatic mechanic I spoke to said that he has more Mercedes auto's in his workshop than the Merc Dealership has and warmed me to stay away from them.