most reliable small car? £3k

[skinny]

hello PH massive, my O/H has a mk5 golf fsi.
I'm not that impressed, fuel economy isn't great and now something keeps draining the battery if she leaves it for a few weeks.

So she's looking for something small, simple and reliable, and easy to maintain. Doesn't need to be great fun to drive, but not a dynamic disaster.

What are Fiesta's like (probably looking at the older one with the big lights rather than the sleeker new one)?

[james_gt3rs]

Yaris? Jazz?

[Al U]

Get the golf fixed.

[Noesph]

Honda Jazz?

[cianha]

Al U said:

Get the golf fixed.

This. You're not going to gain much if anything downsizing from a £4k to a £3k car.

[jl34]

If pure build quality and reliability is your main goal, get a Toyota or Honda.

[bobfett]

Suzuki Swift.

[Joffery666]

Must share the above sentiments, Honda Jazz is a very good car, I have an 04 1.4 with cvt auto gearbox. Never given me an issues. Conformabley seats 4, plenty of headroom, also love the clever way you can fold down the rear seats (average 45 mpg, would get more from a manual). The only thing I can think of when driving it, is the size of the a pillar, which is quite wide, and so viewing can be quite restrictive around that the pillar.

[TwistingMyMelon]

Jazz/Civic/Toyota

[Shurv]

Toyota Yaris

[gaz1234]

3k in isa

[skinny]

thanks all, looks like i was optimistic on the budget, she is looking more like £1500.
Jazz is definitely a potential, seemed to do well in JD power surveys

she paid £200 for a specialist to not be able to diagnose the fault.

Edited by skinny on Friday 25th July 13:17

[TheRealFingers99]

At £1500 you're going to be in the lap of the Gods.

Auto electrician with the VW?

[skinny]

yeah she took it to her local mechanic, they couldn't find any problem, so she asked them to take it a specialist. he had it for a week, couldn't find any problem either.

it seems intermittent, and sometime between 2-4 weeks it'll suddenly go. battery was replaced and no change.

it's looking like something 10 years old for her £1500... there's enough jazz / yaris / fabia / focus around - as you say, it's more just luck of the draw

[Spare tyre]

jimny

[mike-r]

Take the Golf for a little run every week?

[Ozzie Osmond]

It's very difficult to save money by buying a new car.

[Jim the Sunderer]

Just plonk one of these on the roof http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-12v-15w-ba...

[andy-xr]

TBH, leaving anything for a few weeks isnt going to be great for the battery, I'd say look into the alarm/immobiliser first and see what that's like. You'll be punting on one with problems, and at the price point you're at, picking up one with a different set of problems that you havent figured out yet.

I'd fix the one you got, not using it for a few weeks and fuel economy problems might mean just spend what you were going to spend on more fuel

[Zoon]

Jim the Sunderer said:

Just plonk one of these on the roof http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-12v-15w-ba...

I can confirm they do work.