Thank. I too don't think it's a good idea as I just feel it will be to dear for me to run.

I think I'll stick to the mazda

Great, so Mazda CX3 it is then.

Does that mean that there's now a well-maintained Lexus RX shortly going for free?

If so, can I have it?

My family have always told me Citroen are unreliable And no good?

I originally really liked the DS3 but family put me off, I tried one out earlier this year when my neighbor brought one and I could get into it really easy and I found the seats and ride very comfty so I should probably tell you the whole time I have really wanted a DS3 but my family put me of saying that since DS is owned by Citroen there unreliable.

The CX-3 is off my list I did a few insurance qoutes last night and the cheapest I got was £180 a month which is to expensive for me to pay each month. And I put my boyfriend's car details in and it would cost me around £486 a month for the RX ( his RX is not only high mileage and 10yrs old but it's also the most expensive model with 19 inch wheels , so his car is WAY to expensive for me.

It's just a that DS \ Citron is unreliable as I did qoutes for a DS3 and I was getting qoutes in the £80 a month region. So the DS3 was cheaper for me to insure as well as I could easily find one within my budget and it would be cheap to run. And it's the only small car I have found easy to get into.

Edited by Cumberbatchfan on 23/09/2018 at 12:39

But my family have always told me that Citroen are not a great brand and to avoid?

As for the DS3 I was fine getting in and out which is why I was shocked that the other small cars I had problems with as I didn't have that problem with the DS3 which makes me think maybe it's not the getting in\out that's the problem but maybe it's the comfort as the DS3 I found very comfty.

It depends on the mileage - if you're only going to be doing 5,000 miles per year then the MPG is almost irrelevant compared to the cost of buying an £18K CX3, of course insurance will be the real blocker in terms of running costs.

If the RX is coming up to 90K miles then it'll need a cambet and water pump change (about a grand at the dealer) but that may have already been done - other than that an annual oil change and rear brake caliper clean up (they seize otherwise) at your local indy with a brake fluid change every third visit will be the only servicing it'll actually need and will probably soldier on for another ten years with minimal care.

Have a look at the HJ Review section for the CT 200h - it gets a paltry 3 stars, and whilst it is reliable, it suffers from a poor ride and handling, is slow and thus is not good to drive. If you want that sort of car, by a Prius - its cheaper and essentially the same car under the skin.

If you're set on a hybrid, possibly consider a KIA Niro or Hyundai Ioniq - the Hyundai's the better looking car, the Kia more practical. Both of which are (new) just over your budget, so a nearly new one might be in order. Go for models on higher profile tyres as most hybrids don't ride well on low profile tyres compared to ordinary cars, especially at low speeds (see this in the reviews).

And when you say higher profile tyres do you mean bigger tyres?

The Niro for insurance is not bad and withing my monthly budget. On the comparison sites I'm getting anything between £88- £115 a month which I think is not bad.

I read reviews on auto trader and there all pretty good , some bad ( I read the auto trader and revroo ones) but overall pretty good reviews.

I'm going to see if there are any within my budget.

Owners reviews can be helpful in some cases, but they can also be a waste of time in others. For example, people who complain about things which is not really a problem with the car, more that the owner made a bad choice. Complaining about a car being too small for example, or not fast enough. Also, you seem to get a lot of owners putting in reviews after having had their car for a few days, possibly only even for a test drive. Which serves absolutely no useful purpose at all. But a review from someone who has lived with the car for at least 6 months, but preferably more than a year, is going to give you a much greater idea on what the car is going to be like to live with day to day.

Regarding Citroen and DS, it is not that Citroen 'own' DS, they are the same company. When the DS3 first appeared, it was called the Citroen DS3. It is the same car under the skin as the Citroen C3 of the same age, so same reliablity or otherwise. But a couple of years ago, the Citroen badging and the double chevrons logo disappeared from the DS's, as Citroen wanted to distance the two brands in the eyes of the punter so they could push DS upmarket. As for Citroen's reliablity, they may not be as good as a Toyota, Honda, or indeed Lexus, but that does not make them bad, just around average. I would not be suggesting a car to you which i though was likely to spend all the time in the garage being fixed.

The Lexus CT200H is certainly reliable, but as Andy points out, they are exactly the same under the skin as Toyota Prius and Auris hybrid. You'd just be paying extra for a more prestigious badge (and, going by what i have read, poorer ride comfort), so it is up to you, but i wouldn't. Also, i suspect the insurance would be higher than the Mazda.

I do like the Kia Niro and its mechanical twin, the Hyundai Ionic, but i am put off by the use of automated dual clutch gearbox. Though buying nearly new means you will have a big chunk of warranty remaining as a safety net. But what i keep coming back to is that VAG have been making this type of gearbox since 2003, and they still have not managed to make them work reliably long term.

As for the Mazda 2, cracking little cars, but you dont say what age?.

Edited by badbusdriver on 23/09/2018 at 17:02

I forgot to ask as well is the Mazda 2 a comfty car? It would be a 2yr old model.

Thanks Steve , I have already knocked that of my list it was way dearer to insure than a CX-3 so I'm not looking at the CT anymore.

I'm actually looking at the citrCit C3 Aircross at the minute and reviews look good and I read about it be very comfty.

I keep popping back to this topic to see how it's going. It's currently had 57 responses, and very varied they have been.

It seems that the proposed expenditure has varied from NIL (i.e. a free Lexus) up to all sorts of figures thereafter.

All manner of criteria has been covered with remarkable patience and forebearance and, to date I've seen mention of all sorts of sizes and classifications of car ....

Lexus RX ,Citroen C3 Aircross, Hyundai I10, i20, i20 Active, ix20, Honda Jazz, Honda Civic, Mazda3, Toyota Yaris, Toyota Auris,, Kia Soul, Suzuki Ignis, Suzuki Vitara,, Volvo V40, Volvo XC40, Audi A1, A2, Q2, Ford C Max, Renault Captur,, Toyota CHR, Lexus CT200h, Toyota Prius, Kia Niro, Hyundai Ioniq, and a Mazda 2.

That's one hell of a mix of motors! It goes from a cheap and tiny Hyundai i10 - to a, not so tiny and not so cheap, Volvo XC40, stopping at all stations in between. In no way am I going to add to the list .... it's long and varied enough as it is.

Is it not time that someone got a grip and sorted out a couple of priorities and objectives otherwise I fear we may run out of bandwidth. Surely it has to decided if it's city car or a luxury car that's required - and some sort of budgetary limitations are usually taken into account, but this one doesn't seem to have any of the above.

I'll happily withdraw the expression...but you haven't addressed the basic point I was making .... that a few priorities need to be established and the people answering the questions need a bit of something concrete to work with.

Understood, thank you.

What have you decided upon?

I'm a tad hesitant to become embroiled in discussions, especially when others here will be better qualified than I.

But, very briefly ..... I own a petrol Skoda Yeti with a DSG transmission (as has been mentioned above). If you were to look at reviews and listen to people here, and elsewhere, (most of whom wouldn't recommend a DSG gearbox) you would think I'd have trouble getting to sleep at night. But I love the car and accept that the DSG may cost me money in the long term if I kept it (it's seven years old as we speak) .... or, it might not.

To be honest, a Mazda CX3 isn't known for being troublesome. It generally gets good reviews and is what would be considered 'sensible'. Handling may be a tiny bit more "sporty" than some others but if you found it comfortable then that's all that matters + it has a torque converter transmission (that's good) and a three year warranty (that's average).

A Niro has seven years warranty. If it goes wrong (and that's not very likely as it's a KIA) then to get them to fix it. It's economical and if you find it comfortable, then that's great.

An Aircross is a French car. Some hate any French car. But it'll have a three year warranty (as opposed to a KIa Niro which has seven) and it'll be roomy and comfortable.

As a general rule if you want reliability many simply say go Japanese or Korean (Hyundai or KIa) and if you want comfort then buy French. If you were to employ the PCP or Leasing route it wouldn't matter about the warranty as you'd probably be shot of it within three years. If you buy cash then maybe think harder about the warranty length.

If a Kia Niro is comfortable, economical, affordable and available (which it probably is on all counts.... then the answer is simple - buy one.

Is it just me or is there some similarity between the OP of this thread and the other recent thread where the OP was newly qualified and wanted a brand new car costing more than her salary.

Both have medical issues.

Both have no clue what they want.

Both change their needs frequently.

Very suspicious.

It will, perhaps, be obvious that my first post was one that expressed my slight despair at the way the topic had gone, especially given all the thought and consideration that has gone into replying to the changing circumstances that the OP presented.

Maybe I shouldn't have said "get a grip" but, as I say, I felt something was amiss. However I retracted the expression and was happy to offer the benefit of the doubt.

It remains to be seen what replies are received and how they are are viewed by the assembled brethren.

Maybe nothing further will be heard?

"Everyone is entitled to their views and opinions and I respect that."

So do I, and so should we all. Sometimes, as moderator, I feel like the late, great Joyce Grenfell in her nursery school sketches ("Now, children, we're having a visitor today. Isn't that nice!..........Yes it is, Sidney.").

No wonder so few ladies come on here and stay, when they get patronised like this, or termed 'suspicious': someone even doubted in the other thread whether the original poster was a girl. She has OCD and you have fibromyalgia; both are recognised medical conditions and you are obliged to live with them. And as decent human beings we should feel obliged to sympathise, even if we can't empathise - and be as helpful as we can.

My apologies on behalf of the forum for the 'Sidneys' who aren't, thank goodness, in the majority. Buying a new car is a big thing in most people's lives, and you are quite right to think about it carefully, and change your mind: I do when I'm looking for a car, although I confess that I rather enjoy the process.

I find it helps to make a list of things you want in a car - some essential (like seat comfort in your case) and some desirable. You probably won't manage to tick every box but that way you're more likely to find one that matches your needs.

All I can suggest is - keep looking on here, and you'll soon know whom to listen to and whom not.

Edited by Avant on 24/09/2018 at 16:43

Well chosen. As long as you have it serviced by a Kia dealer, the long warranty should protect you from any problems with the auto (and I don't think Kias have a bad name for this anyway).

It does look like the right decision for you. Engineer Andy is always worth listening to.

Are you going for a conventional hybrid or a plug-in hybrid KIA Niro, OP? I like the look of these, but I'm hugely looking forward to the full EV version, I expect I'll seriously consider one of those in a few years time.

And I have never changed my needs as skidpan suggests I have always said what I was looking for , a comfty car that's not to expensive in running costs.

OK lets start at the top.

Hyundai 120 and i20 ,both cheap small cars but they caused you pain.

Then the Honda Jazz, no reason why you dropped it

Mazda 3 , paim

Yaris, Pain

Honda Civic, pain

Kia Venga, no reason why you dropped it

CX 3 liked it, yipee

Kia Stonic

Volvo V40

Honda HRV, too noisy according to salesman (never known a salesman say a car is too noisy, obviously has sold too many cars this month)

Suzuki Vitara, disliked

Toyota CHR , disliked

Kia Soul, disliked

Renault Captur, comfy, yipee

Then we had the free Lexus that was way better than the CX3 but too expensive to run. OK it would cost more to run than a modern supermini but it was FREE and free is alwyas good. No depreciation which is always the major cost of any car, some simple sums will soon show its a money saver (unless it breaks - then scrap it cost £0)

Then you decided that the CX3 was too expensive to run

Then you liked the Citroen DS3 and was cheap to run

You then turned down the Lexus CT200H becuase of the ride

Inbetween we had the Mazda 2, Audi Q2 and Citroen C£ AIrcross.

And at last the Niro won.

The cost difference between the i10 and Niro is probably double, the size is double so its obvious to me that at the start you had no idea what you wanted.

Before anyone starts the process they should identify their budget and size of car and then shortlist suitable models. You have obviously not done this and have probably annoyed most of the dealers in your area in the process.

I hope you are happy with the Niro but I trust you have researched the facts and have seen that the mpg is not particularly good. Hybrids are pretty much OK in town but on longer runs can be noisy and the mpg no better than a non - hybrid. I have not driven a Niro so no idea if its comfy, our Ceed was fine and was reliable but it was not the cheapest to service and unless you buy right the depreciation can be high.

Most owner reviews had MPG at 45-56 and I will be paying for a fixed service plan.

My Skoda Superb is a 1.4 Turbo Petrol and goes much better than any petrol hybrid. It averages about 46mpg overall and on a long run reaches as high as 55 mpg. It has a fixed price service plan.

Difference is the value for money, my Superb new was about £19000.

But if the Niro is right for you fair enough.

But its not what you started off looking for i.e. a small car, that what you titled the thread.

Well i'm glad you have found something you are happy, that is the main priority. And despite my misgivings about that type of gearbox in general, the fact that the Niro comes with a 7 year warranty should provide plenty of reassurance.

Skidpan, it really doesn't matter what Cumberbatchfan thought at the beginning and where she's at now. It must have taken you some time to trawl through the thread and list all the possibilities mentioned - to nobody's benefit.

Many of us go through changes of mind in the search for a new car, and sometimes find something else we hadn't originally thought of: in this case because of her condition it's been particularly important to experiment, try out the options and make sure the final decision is right - even if, for good reasons. it wasn't what she originally had in mind.

She shouldn't have to defend herself.

It's plain that to me that a resolution has been achieved. Explanations and reasoning given for the changes that occurred along the way and no reason to pursue the point further.

Can't see why you have to keep your disapproval on the boil, skidpan, It's sorted, why rake it all up again ... looks to me like you're just making a point. It wouldn't be the first time.

If the OP has made a decision then that's good. She may, or may not, post further with relevant and associated issues. I admit I was starting to have niggling doubts regarding the veracity of the whole affair .... in the past long standing members have spent much time offering well intended advice to new enquirers - only to find there's no follow up or progress reports or updates from the new enquirer and it would have seemed that all the advice that was freely given was unappreciated. The OP will accept that she presented the others with a changeable set of circumstances (which, as developments unfolded have been explained) and will understand why long standing members here (who have seen it all before, many times) might have started to lose patience. The internet is a strange thing and none of us REALLY know who we're corresponding with.

I don't think I have anything else to add myself but will watch to see what develops (particularly as a Niro could well be on my list of replacements for my current car should I decide to change it).

I think you're taking a simplistic view of a plug in hybrid there. A plug-in would also "self charge" as you put it, whilst you drive, but with the bonus of being able to charge the batteries from your home supply when you have the time to park it up also. I.e. overnight. I think the battery is only about 9kwh capacity, so 8 hours is an overestimate to charge it. Get a standard fast charger installed at home and it'll only take a couple of hours. But, as I say, you don't absolutely need to charge it, ever, it can run on its hybrid/petrol element all day long. And even if you do want to charge it, surely you sleep and have the car parked doing nothing at that time? That's when it charges. You'll be able to dive 30 miles of your daily routine on electricity obtained form your domestic supply, which is far cheaper than petrol per mile., even in a "self charge" hybrid".

Food for thought perhaps. Probably worth considering form the point of view that the plug-in tech is more up-to-date than traditional hybrid, and might hold more value in the car in the longer term. It will cost you less to run and own I reckon. It's a question of getting used to the tech and the whole concept. I understand where you are as I was in your position before I took the plunge in to a full EV. I don't think I'll ever look back.

Thanks for that. It'll be appreciated. And good luck with it.

A further update at any point will be equally valued.

Even nicer then ....

Well done. I do hope the Niro will be all that you want it to be.