Car under 2k

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Sun 19 Jun 2022 14:00
Car under 2k - Kyle Withers

Hi all

I'm currently on the search fir new car and just want to hear your recommendations.

The main use for the car is town driving and some longer journeys at weekends. I'm not too fussed in make and model but I just want a car that will be reliable and last me as long as possible for this price so I'm just considering any vehicle with low mileage and service history. I can pay more if needed.

These are some of the cars in my area that I'm currently considering and just want to see what you guys would be looking at in my shoes?

2006 Ford Focus Zetec 1.6. 56k has more toys than the other options (cruise control parking sensors Bluetooth)

2005 Vauxhall Astra 1.4 68k Has only had 2 owners and one of them was a senior citizen according to the ad

Peugeot 207 - a few of these about with low mileage and service history

2000 BMW 3 series 1.9 - Cheapest one at £1500 only 48k on the clock despite its age (not sure if that's a bad sign as it may have been sat for long periods? ) but a German brand so possibly more reliable?

Thanks for reading - open to any other input and suggestions! I'm flexible on the budget

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Sun 19 Jun 2022 14:13
Car under 2k - Adampr

Don't touch the Peugeot or BMW. I would be wary of the Ford and Vauxhall too, as they have very low mileage for their age so have probably been left standing a while.

£2k isn't enough to buy something totally reliable, but you'd be best off looking at Toyota, Suzuki, Kia etc. Think of something that pensioners drive and go for that. They tend to buy cash, so don't just return the car before the warranty expires, and value reliability over image

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Tue 21 Jun 2022 10:34
Car under 2k - Andrew-T

Don't touch the Peugeot or BMW. I would be wary of the Ford and Vauxhall too, as they have very low mileage for their age so have probably been left standing a while.

Silly advice at this price point. Many dirt-cheap cars are probably dodgy, but it's impossible to label any brand as useless. It has to be a private sale, as a trader's price will be mostly profit on a worthless vehicle. You just have to be careful buying, or adopt bangernomics, where you expect to scrap the car when it fails the next MoT.

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Sun 19 Jun 2022 14:43
Car under 2k - nellyjak

but a German brand so possibly more reliable?

Why do people assume that.???..Not so....I'd leave that one well alone.

Go Japanese, petrol and manual if you want reliability.

Edited by nellyjak on 19/06/2022 at 15:26

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Sun 19 Jun 2022 16:17
Car under 2k - badbusdriver

Don't be swayed by gadgets, at this price point it is just more stuff which could go wrong. Working a/c is certainly a bonus, but I wouldn't base a decision on a £2k car on it having cruise control. As for Bluetooth, you can buy an adapter for under £20.

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Sun 19 Jun 2022 19:08
Car under 2k - Xileno

The Mk2 Focus will have the Yamaha engine, so you're you're getting close to a Japanese car. The mileage is low, check the MOT history to see the mileage increments and also check for any advisories on rust. Some MK2 are looking shabby on the front wings, wheel arches and sills.

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Sun 19 Jun 2022 19:05
Car under 2k - SLO76

The Focus or the Astra are both possibilities if they’re not rotten underneath. Both are robust cars with simple petrol engines and no great fears. I’d view both, the Astra first as it’s been owned long term which suggests it’s been good to them. Toys and prestige are utterly irrelevant at this money. Buy simple mass market petrol engined cars like the two above plus the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Auris or Mazda 3.

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Sun 19 Jun 2022 19:34
Car under 2k - Kyle Withers

Cheers for all the top advice.

I'll probably just look at raising my budget though. I'm just about to scrap a Seat Ibiza which I've had for 11 years since I was 18 so I'm completely clueless and out of touch in terms of buying cars really so probably a bit naive with my budget.

Edited by Kyle Withers on 19/06/2022 at 19:36

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Mon 20 Jun 2022 01:38
Car under 2k - edlithgow

Cheers for all the top advice.

I'll probably just look at raising my budget though. I'm just about to scrap a Seat Ibiza which I've had for 11 years since I was 18 so I'm completely clueless and out of touch in terms of buying cars really so probably a bit naive with my budget.

The obvious, not really off topic question is WHY?

It could of course be unavoidable, but there have been a few cases on here lately of people scrapping cars for rather trivial reasons, and if you are "completely clueless" the probability of you doing this (and the risk involved in sourcing a replacement) is greater.

Devil-you-know is a real thing.

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Tue 21 Jun 2022 10:40
Car under 2k - Andrew-T

I'm just about to scrap a Seat Ibiza which I've had for 11 years ...

Are you 'scrapping' it unavoidably, or just looking for something different ? If you have kept the car that long, presumably it has been 'reliable', or is it starting to cost money ?

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Fri 24 Jun 2022 01:52
Car under 2k - edlithgow

I'm just about to scrap a Seat Ibiza which I've had for 11 years ...

Are you 'scrapping' it unavoidably, or just looking for something different ? If you have kept the car that long, presumably it has been 'reliable', or is it starting to cost money ?

I think this "starting to cost money" thing is often something of a myth. There have been recent examples on here of this perception being triggered by fairly trivial routine maintenance which did not rationally stack up against the cost/risk of sourcing a new/replacement used car.

None of my cars (mostly bangers) "started to cost money".

They either ran into a catastrophic failure (the newest one, a Renault 5, suffered a wiring loom fire) or they ran into a hostile MOT inspection at a time when I wasn't free to deal with a long list of nit-pickery.

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Tue 21 Jun 2022 16:25
Car under 2k - barney100

Mileage is no indicator of reliability. I bought a Volvo estate years ago with mega miles on it. Gave a few years of good service. What would you think of a Freelander 2004 with high mileage,? most would run away, mate stumped up a few hundred and it's been good as gold. Never buy an old French car? you see loads of 20year old plus of them running around. Point is many unfancied makes with high mileage can be a winner, you just need a bit of luck.

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Tue 21 Jun 2022 16:57
Car under 2k - Alby Back
Same here, I’ve run one Merc E Class from 0-200,000 miles with no problems, and another, my current one, from 0-180,000 miles so far equally faultlessly. Two Qashqais to 80,000 miles each without a problem, several Mondeo TDCis to 200,000 miles without any trouble from them either, despite being told on here that the Mercs are “moneypits”, the Nissans were timebombs and that the Mondeos had clutches made of cheese.

But there really is no point in that sort of feedback. People love to be the bearers of bad news, it’s human nature, and when they say something often enough they start to believe it themselves.
;-)

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Tue 21 Jun 2022 17:19
Car under 2k - barney100

My E class is on 42k and I hope to emulate your 200k.

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Tue 21 Jun 2022 19:34
Car under 2k - Adampr

I once bought a 1965 Mercedes W111 220se coupe, thinking I was on to a winner with such a classic. 2 years and £16,000 later I sold it for £3k less than I bought it for. That was the money pit into which all other money pits flow.

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Tue 21 Jun 2022 17:03
Car under 2k - Theophilus

As you're on a budget, even if you can be flexible, don't forget to check insurance costs for the cars you are considering.

You may be surprised / alarmed to see how much difference there is in the cost to insure between some makes / engine capacity.

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Tue 21 Jun 2022 19:58
Car under 2k - Xileno

We all have different experiences and tolerance of faults. I think I've mentioned before my friend with the 5 series, he won't hear a bad word about it but it's not been trouble-free. It is now quite old but the problems started fairly early on. It is a very nice car, I can see the attraction. I've not heard of any faults for a while so maybe it's settled down. High mileage certainly can mean a good car if it's been well maintained with history. £2000 at a garage will probably be valeted junk but privately might get something reasonable.

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