At this money condition is more important than anything else, I’d sooner have a mint well cared for Corsa than a ratty Honda Jazz. This is one thing I do enjoy though, searching for a useable cheap car for someone on a tight budget. Where roughly we ill said search be centred on location wise? I’ll look for a few options. But to answer your question relating to chain driven engines the Jazz has always been chain driven and the Mk II Mazda 2 is also. But a Fiesta with the very robust Yamaha designed 1.25/1.4 petrol motors is good news too and a cautionary belt change is a cheap job on these. I certainly wouldn’t make it a deal breaker. Private sales are the best for sub £3k budgets as dealers are generally offering poor value and little comeback anyway.

Thanks for the detailed response. This would be in the Herefordshire area. I hear that, for instance, the Nissan Note in 1.4 and 1.6 litre guises uses a chain? For me, I'd like to buy the friend a car that doesn't require any work, such as a belt, irrespective of how easy/cheap it may be to put on a new one

Edited by Alfred Rees-Glinos on 14/06/2023 at 23:16