Has anyone any opinions on the best make, age and place to buy a small car to buy in terms of price and overall running costs. eg. petrol, insurance, tax, devaluation, reliability. I probably aim to travel only 6000 miles/yr
The main factor is least Hazzle. I originally looked at Toyota Yaris and Honda Jazz, these have a good reliability record and I have a Toyota garage nearby, unfortunately there are few genuine private sales out there and the dealers ask for top prices. I took a trip to Trade Sales in Slough, there are plenty of them and very cheap but of course one cannot take a test drive or even start the engine!
Perhaps I should extend my look to traditionally less reliable makes such as the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa, since at least there should be some private sales.
Originally I was looking for a 1 year old vehicle so it was still in warranty and quite a bit of devaluation had come off, however perhaps warranty isn't important nowadays since cars are far more reliable than they used to be so a 4 to 5 year old might be best value?
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The Jazz and Yaris both have very good reliability, although servicing costs on the Jazz are above average for this sector.
For the least depreciation then it has to be a mini. If you chose a Mini One or Cooper then after 3 years it would still have between 64 and 69% of its value. If you do a low mileage then go for a petrol version, just make sure it has air conditioning as this is not standard on some models.
By comparison the jazz will have value of 56% and the Yaris 49% with an average of 35% for others in this small sector class.
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...but aren't MINI residuals listed against the base list price ignoring the fact that you need expensive options to get a good resale value, that's how it looks to me.
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>>but of course one cannot take a test drive or even start the engine!
Not quite true in my experience. If you say you'd like to start one up or a test drive and they detect you haven't really made up your mind they'll point you to a main dealer and invite you to come back. BTW Honda and Toyota main dealers are 300 yards from Trade Sales. They do ask strong direct questions like "are you going to buy a car today?" Any hesitation, repetition or deviation, infact anything other than "yes" and you've no chance - always polite but pretty ruthless. If you say you definitley want "this car" (and they believe you) but you want to start it and if everything works, then a very short test drive you should get it. You will certainly get to start it.
This might have changed recently but our extended family has bought 5 cars from Trade Sales and I've bought two for the company. We started them all and thoroughly checked the operation of everything before going ahead. I asked for and got a short test drive - up the A4 half a mile and back to check clutch, brakes, steering. Ask to do this on a weekend and you will get a no, they don't have the time with so many people to qualify in or out.
I'd recommend Car Giant if you shift towards a 2 or 3 year old mainstream car - different approach with no roaming sales stafff and they openly advertise test drives available - not that you can get vary far in the North London traffic.
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NeilS
Interesting to say you got a test drive from Trade Sales. I arrived on a weekday and expected one, however the cars were just lined up end to endso it would have been impossible to get one out even if he had agreed.
I was quite insistent and said that I couldn't buy one without driving it and told him others had said they had test drives. However the guy just said "Who has had a test drive? name them. No-none I know of has ever had a test drive from here!"
I'll consider the other place you suggested, but North london sounds a bit too congested to get to for me.
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Have to say you do not seem to be the type of buyer that will enjoy the car supermarket buying experience.I'm sure you would feel much happier and safer at a main dealers where they will encourage test drives etc.
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"...but aren't MINI residuals listed against the base list price ignoring the fact that you need expensive options to get a good resale value, that's how it looks to me."
Even taking the options into account SWMBO's 18-month-old Mini One is still worth 80 % of what it cost us. Minis are worth buying new; a used one isn't a great bargain, whereas most Fords and Vauxhalls are better secondhand, as plentiful supply makes them lose value faster.
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Daihatsu Sirion? Good value when new, well equipped and hassle free. Dealers have most of them but they arent expensive anyway.
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"perhaps I should extend my look to traditionally less reliable makes such as the Ford Fiesta..."
We are 'Fiesta Family'!
As a driving instructor my father has run every version of the Fiesta - 600,000 miles or so over 20 years. He has just had his first major problem! He sticks with Fiestas because they are economical, easy to drive, cheap to insure, cheap to service and cheap and quick to fix.
He has considered other marques including Clios, Yaris, Jazz etc etc, but being around driving instructors all day who run such vehicles he hears too many tales of problems which can't be fixed, or problems which need a dealer, long waiting times for parts etc etc.
My mum has a 51 Fiesta which does a few thousand a year - it required a £40 suspension part for it's last MOT, but other than that it is good as new.
My sister also has a Fiesta (Y Reg) and this has never let her down.
I have owned three and if I were looking for cheap as chips motoring I would go back to one without hesitation.
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Going back to the OP, personally I wouldn't refer to the MINI as a "small" car in the same context that he seems to be referring to?
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Old style Fabia, good reliable little cars....
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I 'learned' to drive in a Fiesta but only found confidence when driving a bigger car (Vauxhall Viva). I hope Fiesta's are a lot easier to drive nowadays than then!
Anyway I think my preference is tending to a 2 year Corsa since they have a good record for reliability yet not too expensive, there being plenty of private sales.
Diahatsu has the best reputation of all I believe but no private sales and no garages nearby
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Just remember, with a Daihatsu your only likely to need to drop into the dealer for teh yearly service, so teh distance isnt as inconvienient as itw ould be with something french where you will be making the trip, er, more often.
Id also advise againt having a small search area - ive made this mistake before - even £50 spent in petrol is easily saved in the long run by buying the right car.
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"I 'learned' to drive in a Fiesta but only found confidence when driving a bigger car (Vauxhall Viva)"
Maybe because you got more respect from other road users. I remember being quite confident in my first car (Ford Sierra) nearly ten years ago. Driving round now in my Golf mk2 I don't have too much confidence.
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Hyundai Getz? Cheap even when new.
SWMBO is still very pleased after owning hers for 10 months.
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