Car recommendations

[StephenTJackson]

I was at a garage today and one of their techs said German and French cars are hopeless now. Recommended Audi and Volvo (though price point is high) and nissan

I mean, Audi is German, so slightly contradictory of the tech. But also beyond my budget.

 

[Former_Antelopee]

My dad always does a lot of research before buying anything. He always tells me to go for a Toyota and if you google they are always right up there for reliability (I’ve just looked and they always seem to be right near the top of the list). I had a Toyota that I got rid of when it was 15 years old. The reason I got rid of it I still drove with it broken for 10 months but it would’ve failed the next MOT so got rid of it just before that (it wasn’t a dangerous thing) - I could’ve fixed it but it was worth less than it would’ve cost to fix. I have a Ford now that’s 18 years old.

I’m going to go against the other posters, I don’t know much about minis but I’ve always been told to avoid them as they are expensive to repair?

 

[StephenTJackson]

Tbh you can’t go wrong with Japanese for small and reliable. The giveaway is usually to look what the takeaway delivery guys are driving, they do a lot of miles and are almost always in Micras, Suzuki Alto, Honda Jazz etc.
My daughter in law has an Alto, I’ll swear to god that thing will still be happily running round in the next century

I have an Alto, and I'm kind of loathed to change it because it's given me no real bother. But it owes me nothing, and it's gonna start costing me money fairly soon based on the ever growing list of advisories I get at MOT. And even those it's not engine/gearbox related, it's wear and tear, it's just starting to get to that point where there is getting close to being a lot of it.

And I really want a car with Aircon and to be able to connect my phone and play Spotify.

 

[Mollywobbles]

It doesn’t matter what you buy, there will still be that person who says
“I wouldn’t have one of those. I know someone who bought one and it was nothing but trouble. Always in the garage, cost a fortune in repair bills..”

 

[Murphygirl]

I love shiny stuff so that’s right up my street!

 

[Former_Antelopee]

My current car just isn't worth the expense of repairing if it's gonna breakdown soon. And I want a new car anyway because I want Aircon and phone connection to play Spotify.

So I'm just having to bite the bullet and do it.

No air con is a struggle (mostly for 2 weeks of the year ) that’s the main thing I’ll look forward to in a new car

 

[sistersofpercy]

Anybody got any experience of Renault Clio's? I'm looking at a couple at a really good price I'm considering between for my next car.

I learnt in a Clio, and I know my driving instructor uncle has had no bother with his. But the one I'm looking at is the latest generation of the car - my uncles is an older generation. I'd imagine it's still a decent small car to run around in?

I had one in the late nineties so things have changed a bit since, but it was ok. Reliable. The only real issues I have had with it were electrical gremlins that seemed to plague that particular model.
it was quite the step up from the 1970 morris minor I’d driven for years before it though so I might have been easily impressed

 

[sistersofpercy]

That’s great to hear, delivery is supposed to be between now and October. (It’s some special offer on the lease scheme) I don’t intend having any back seat passengers but will fold the back seats down and get a dog guard behind the front seats which will give my dog loads of room in the back. Getting really excited now as the home charger was fitted today
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Oh thats good news then! Mine kept getting pushed back and back again, I was gutted!

What colour did you go for? I went British Racing Green with a black roof, I am going to get some of the yellow mirror caps at some point though.

 

[Skinny]

I had a Mini a few years ago and was very happy with it. So cheap to run and just a good car in general. If you have a pushchair you might struggle, though.

 

[sistersofpercy]

I would have loved the racing green, unfortunately to get the price I did I could only choose between white or silver so went for silver, which does come with a black roof. Hopefully I don’t have too much longer to wait

everything crossed for you! I’m sure you’ll love it. Mine came with a little BMW Travel mug as well which was a nice touch. It’s brilliant at night if you have a thing for shiny stuff. Like sitting in a mobile disco

 

[StephenTJackson]

Same! This is what's annoying me. It's money I'd rather not spend because I really like my car, but I think the money spent fixing it would be better invested into something newer. I've had my current car for 10 years, and cost me £5k for a top of the range 5 year old family hatch, so maybe I'm just living in dreamland.

My current car just isn't worth the expense of repairing if it's gonna breakdown soon. And I want a new car anyway because I want Aircon and phone connection to play Spotify.

So I'm just having to bite the bullet and do it.

 

[sistersofpercy]

Have you considered leasing? If you're looking for something smaller there were reasonable lease deals around £200pm over 3 years. I've leased for the last ten years or so. I like to know that the amount I pay monthly is it and mechanical failures are someone else's problem.
My current car is a Mini Electric, thats leased through other half's salary sacrifice scheme and that covers everything, even down to my insurance.

 

[Murphygirl]

I would have loved the racing green, unfortunately to get the price I did I could only choose between white or silver so went for silver, which does come with a black roof. Hopefully I don’t have too much longer to wait

 

[yeoooo]

Might have to do a bit more Renault based research before I commit then. Thank you.

I was at a garage today and one of their techs said German and French cars are hopeless now. Recommended Audi and Volvo (though price point is high) and nissan

 

[StephenTJackson]

Why is it SO hard to buy a used car? I didn't think I had a tiny budget (£5k) but I just can't find anything. I want a Nissan Juke or similar sized, but all the ones in budget are rough - either high miles or terrible condition. Am I being really unreasonable expecting to be able to buy something newer than 11/12 years old with 100,000 or more miles on for this amount?

Unfortunately, I think it is quite unreasonable these days.

Second hand car prices have gone through the roof. Massive productions issues through COVID dropped production so less new car sales, company/fleet cars being dumped into the second hand market reduced during COVID as companies reduced spending on replacing etc. People not selling their cars because they don't want to change to electric etc. 5/6 years ago I payed £3300 for an 8 year old Suzuki Alto, just over 30000 miles on the clock. A good price then. I can't find anything similar to that car for less than £5k now. So a Juke being that bit bigger etc. Can't see you would get a decent one for 5k these days

So I've settled into accepting the need to spend more like £10k and get a proper step up in my new car.

Which I'm being pushed into buying sooner than planned because my car knows I'm planning to betray it, and is starting to do something funny that I'm pretty sure is gonna be serious when it goes wrong.

 

[sistersofpercy]

How are you finding the electric Mini? I’ve also ordered one through my work’s car lease scheme and just waiting to hear on a delivery date.

I absolutely love it. It goes like stink
I came from a huge 4x4 manual diesel so bit of a change, but the one pedal driving is so simple and so much fun. Not been through a winter yet, but this time of year I can get 120 on a charge. I don’t go far with it so it suits me for my journeys.

Boot isn’t huge, but again, only really needed for my shopping. I took four adults out the other week and it was surprisingly comfortable in the back.

I’d be surprised if your delivery date was this side of Christmas. It took almost a year for mine. I was climbing the walls with excitement

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

Personally I would go for a Vauxhall, it might not be "prestige" but they are cheap and reliable and very cheap to keep on the road. My favourite car by far was a 2003 Vauxhall Astra Club and I still regret selling it for an upgrade.

 

[Murphygirl]

That’s great to hear, delivery is supposed to be between now and October. (It’s some special offer on the lease scheme) I don’t intend having any back seat passengers but will fold the back seats down and get a dog guard behind the front seats which will give my dog loads of room in the back. Getting really excited now as the home charger was fitted today
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[M&G]

honda jazz's are great wee cars and have longevity in them

 

[Murphygirl]

Have you considered leasing? If you're looking for something smaller there were reasonable lease deals around £200pm over 3 years. I've leased for the last ten years or so. I like to know that the amount I pay monthly is it and mechanical failures are someone else's problem.
My current car is a Mini Electric, thats leased through other half's salary sacrifice scheme and that covers everything, even down to my insurance.

How are you finding the electric Mini? I’ve also ordered one through my work’s car lease scheme and just waiting to hear on a delivery date.