Out of the two generations of Note sold in the UK, (as has been said) first gen is generally regarded as being the best for reliability. But the 2nd is fine too as long as you avoid the CVT auto and the supercharged 1.2 (DIG-S). I really wouldn't bother with the diesel at this price as none of the petrol's are particularly thirsty, plus, any savings on fuel/tax will be completely wiped (and then some) out should something go wrong on the diesel.

The Jazz is extremely reliable with either engine. With such a small budget, I would be more concerned about condition rather than which engine. Yes, ultimately the 1.4 would be more at ease on higher speed roads, but the 1.2 will manage just fine.

But at the end of the day, £3k isn't much at all. Both Jazz and Note are inherently reliable but years of neglectful owners could turn either into potential money pits. So you'd be best not to limit yourself to just these two cars as there are plenty of other £3k motors worth a punt if they have been looked after. Ford Fiesta 1.25/1.4, Ford Fusion 1.4/1.6, Suzuki Swift (any petrol), Mazda 2 1.3/1.5, Toyota Yaris 1.33 are just a few that spring to mind. But judge anything on condition, and look up their MOT histories on line. This will give some indication on how well or otherwise, a car has been looked after.

Edited by badbusdriver on 22/01/2022 at 06:43

Thank you for your advice. point taken about diesels. Any money saved would be a drop in the ocean compared to the money my wife wastes on shopping. Didn't know you could look up MOT histories until now. Lots of shiny cars hiding dirty secrets. Corroded sub frames, worn suspension, oil leaks etc.

Looking on Autotrader, surprised at how many pre 2007 cars there are for sale, some of them nearly 2 grand. It would appear that with the general hike in used prices, it's now worth repairing older vehicles. No more £500 cheapies.