Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback?

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 12:40
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - Darren Cook

Afternoon all,

I'm presently in the market for a new car as my current is unreliable and too costly to repair. I do minimal driving during the week - perhaps 5/6 round trips of less than 10 miles (food shop, gym), but do a monthly drive between Liverpool and Bristol (round trip of approx. 360 miles).

I am looking for something reasonably comfortable to drive, reliable (as far as a make/model can inform reliability) for around the £5,000 mark. Specifically, given that my day-to-day driving is really minimal, but I have this regular monthly trip - I'm stuck between something like a 1litre city car, or a bigger (say 1.6litre) hatchback. My instinct is telling me that the bigger engine would be more beneficial, but as I'm wholly non-mechanical I'm reaching out for some buying advice.

Based on some Googling, for a city car I'm thinking something like an i10, Mazda 2, or Aygo... Presumably for a bigger hatchback I'd be looking at a Mazda 3, Golf, Polo.

I'll also point out that as it is only ever two of us in the car, space is not the issue. The main concerns here are reliability and running costs.

Any general advice, or more specific recommendations would be very much appreciated

Thanks

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 14:26
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - SLO76
Where roughly are you located and I’ll take a look at what’s available locally to you. It’s all very well making recommendations but if nothing’s for sale within grange it’s not a real option.
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Tue 11 Feb 2020 14:58
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - nellyjak

Add the Toyota Yaris to your list...you can get the 1.33 engine...and very reliable.

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 16:14
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - Darren Cook

Thanks. Have been told Japanese makes are particularly reliable, so will add the Yaris to the list.

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 15:00
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - thunderbird

Personally I think that we should restrict replies to models of car and not specific cars. I think its pointless since the recommendation is normally based on a advert in Autotrader and we all know what a lying bunch of scroats car dealers are.

Based on my personal experience there is absolutely nothing wrong with the petrol Focus. had 2, both 1.8s and had no issues. Plenty for sale so should be no issue finding a good one within budget. Many one here will recommend the 1.6 but we found it pretty gutless and once we had tried the 1.8 it was a simple decision. Cost little more, used little more fuel but a much more pleasant drive.

There is also nothing wrong with the Skoda Fabia but it will probably be impossible to find one with the excellent 1.0 TSi engine for your budget. If you can I would say that its better suited for your use.

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 15:14
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - HGV ~ P Valentine

If you are not sure what car to use, then might I suggest you draw a shortlist and see if you can hire the car for a day to see how it actually is for you, I think that different people can drive the same car and have differing opinions on how it is.

For example ( and I can hear you guys saying ooohhh nooooo Paul Valentine, you are a fool. lol) I liked the Mondeo estate ghia, which I hired for mini cabbing in Harrow, but have met too many people who disagree to mention them here.

Edited by A Driver since 1988, HGV 2006 on 11/02/2020 at 15:14

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 16:22
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - Darren Cook

Agree with the comment re: dealers! At least the ones I've dealt with!

I've heard mixed things about Fords. I had a Puma back in the mid 00's and was nice, but I can remember repair costs being high. I'd not considered going as high as 1.8 but will keep an eye out.

Thanks for the Fabia recommendation. WIll def keep an eye out

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 16:13
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - Darren Cook

Would be buying around the Bristol area. Was a little trigger-happy buying the last car and committed to a poor choice a little too early on the basis that "it'll sell soon" - so what's available now isn't necessarily that important as I can hang on if needed.

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 16:54
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - badbusdriver

Personally I think that we should restrict replies to models of car and not specific cars. I think its pointless since the recommendation is normally based on a advert in Autotrader and we all know what a lying bunch of scroats car dealers are.

Disagree completely. Absolutely nothing wrong with posting adverts for specific cars, the onus is then on the person looking for a car to go and see how it looks in the flesh, check reviews for the dealer, check the MOT history of the car.

Based on my personal experience there is absolutely nothing wrong with the petrol Focus. had 2, both 1.8s and had no issues. Plenty for sale so should be no issue finding a good one within budget. Many one here will recommend the 1.6 but we found it pretty gutless and once we had tried the 1.8 it was a simple decision. Cost little more, used little more fuel but a much more pleasant drive.

Re the Ford Focus, it is very comon for it to be suggested for these kind of queries on the proviso that the 1.0 Ecoboost, powershift auto, and diesel are avoided. As for the 1.8 specifically, that engine was only used in the 1st and 2nd gen Focus (>2010ish). The OP is looking for a car around £5k which gets him into a circa 2014 car, the 1.6 version of that age has the same power as the 1.8 and only fractionally less torque (at the same revs), so pointless to go for an older car.

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 17:06
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - Avant

I agree, BBD. It's very helpful when people like you and SLO take the time to look for cars to suit a given budget. It gives a good idea of what might be available, and has more interest for readers than just naming some makes / models.

Don't forget that as well as Autotrader, there is a Cars for Sale section of this site (button at the top of the page).

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 18:17
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - SLO76
Spotted a potential wee bargain. Private seller nearby but still has 2yrs manufacturer warranty left if as the advert says it does indeed have a full dealer history. Worth £5,500 all day but you could try less, they can only say no. I really rate these wee cars, they’re reliable and cheap to run yet nippy and reasonably practical. Make sure the first question you ask them before going to view is ‘is the car registered to you at your current address?’Accept no excuses, if it isn’t walk away. Next ask how long they’ve owned it and you’ll have to carry out an HPI check to make sure there’s no finance outstanding but it’ll save you around £1,000-£1,500 over dealer prices and you’ve the security of the best warranty available.

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200114613...5


Low mileage Jazz at a local dealer. These are risk free and very cheap to run.

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200122645...9

Edited by SLO76 on 11/02/2020 at 19:13

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 19:04
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - SLO76
Spotted a few at the other end of your distance run. Seems to be more available.

Great fun these and utterly reliable.

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200106585...4

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200130676...6

Ditto

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200130676...2

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20191221551...7

Reliable but a bit dull to drive

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200205699...4


I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20191222554...5

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20191201492...5


Edited by SLO76 on 11/02/2020 at 19:06

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Tue 11 Feb 2020 20:55
Buying advice needed - 2x adults. Hatchback? - SLO76
A few more locally at less money.

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20191122463...8

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200127661...3

Edited by SLO76 on 11/02/2020 at 21:00

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