Cheap runaround for mother and new driver

Cheap runaround for mother and new driver

Author
Discussion

UK345

Original Poster:

441 posts

157 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
quotequote all
I have been given the task of sourcing a replacement vehicle for my mothers peugeot 307. It is getting old and things are starting to go wrong so time for it to be sold on. It has done well and has given 5 years service. We have a budget of £2000 for the vehicle and it must be 5 doors. We want one that is cheap to tax and insure so probably a 1.2 petrol will fit the bill perfectly. I have owned 4 Fiesta's in the past and tempted to go for one but wanted to see what the other options could be. The car needs to be 2007 onwards. I definately dont want anything French. Oh and it needs to be a 5 door.

Look forward to hearing what recommendations you have

cheers

ferrariF50lover

1,834 posts

225 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
quotequote all
Just out of interest, why those exact limitations?

TheInsanity1234

740 posts

118 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
quotequote all
Fiat Panda probably will do you.

ZX10R NIN

27,490 posts

124 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
quotequote all
Ford Focus

kiethton

13,883 posts

179 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
quotequote all
Nissan micra, Yaris or Honda jazz

Brilliant for the mother, plus due to normal demographics they're ok on insurance for a new driver

mx5ian

467 posts

189 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
kiethton said:
Nissan micra, Yaris or Honda jazz

Brilliant for the mother, plus due to normal demographics they're ok on insurance for a new driver
All the above brilliant reliable cars cheap to run and maintain I also would add the Fiesta mk6, Skoda Fabia and the 2004 onwards Suzuki Swift.

Edited by mx5ian on Tuesday 24th November 04:59

jamesh764

184 posts

141 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
kiethton said:
Nissan micra, Yaris or Honda jazz

Brilliant for the mother, plus due to normal demographics they're ok on insurance for a new driver
That might be so, but sadly for the OP the Yaris is built in France and Nissan is a French owned company so that rules both of them out.

jontbone

214 posts

218 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
jamesh764 said:
That might be so, but sadly for the OP the Yaris is built in France and Nissan is a French owned company so that rules both of them out.
Oh you trouble maker you
biggrin

PositronicRay

26,954 posts

182 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
How about a C1/107/Aygo

I know you said no French stuff but it's mostly Toyota. I've found ours really good and buttons to run.

RizzoTheRat

25,084 posts

191 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
Another vote for the Jazz, got the Mrs one a couple of years back, crazy amount of space inside for the size of car (6' passenger can easily sit behind a 6' driver and it's still got a decent boot), really short bonnet makes it very easy to park, and her 1.2 averages over 50mpg despite spending most of it's life doing short journeys.

austinsmirk

5,597 posts

122 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
my 81 year old mother, for reasons beyond me, has just bought a 5 door fabia estate.

she likes the high position of the seat for getting in/out.

I'm sure she needs the practicality of it for a trip to asda and the doctors once a week !!

andy-xr

13,204 posts

203 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
austinsmirk said:
my 81 year old mother, for reasons beyond me, has just bought a 5 door fabia estate.

she likes the high position of the seat for getting in/out.

I'm sure she needs the practicality of it for a trip to asda and the doctors once a week !!
The 307 also has a fairly high seating position. OP - CMAX if she's OK with the size of it relative to what she's got now. Nissan Note would be another, my Mum has one and it's one of only a few she could get in and out of easily (needs new hip) and wasnt either too big or too small. The headlights have a raised bit on them so you can see the corners, they dont just disappear off down the bonnet somewhere if that's an issue as well

Blanchimont

4,076 posts

121 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
Fiat Grande Punto?

Good ones are in budget, built unlike old Fiats, still look good. I'd avoid the 1.2 as i'm told they're a little gutless, however the 1.4 is a better unit. The active trim is the base model, and doesn't get a lot, whereas the rest have 6 airbags and a few creature comforts.

For reference, I paid £3500 for a heavily optioned T-Jet 18 months ago with about 50k on the clock, it's a 58 plate, now touching 70k and it's cost me consumables other than a spring, and a damaged gasket on the gearbox. Repairs have cost me less than £300. Not too bad imo!

UK345

Original Poster:

441 posts

157 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
Thanks for the great response and many suggestions. The reason for the tight expectations are i want to make sure the car i select is durable and fit for purpose. I also want to reduce their motoring costs and pick something economical. I would not consider a Honda Jazz as i associate them with the older generation. The Fiesta MK6.5 is still winning it but have also been thinking about a Nissan Note and a Mazda 2.

The C-MAX is too big and i am not a big fan of them at all. The Peugeot we have does have a high seating position. Currently the Peugeot is dying and due a MOT at the end of the month so not sure what to do with it.

Keep the suggestions coming

rich888

2,610 posts

198 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
Toyota Yaris ticks all the boxes in terms of 3 or 5 door practicality, reliability, is cheap to run and economical, though is as exciting to drive as a fridge. I must admit that I thought that the Yaris was a proper Toyota manufactured in Japan whilst it was the cheaper Aygo model was manufactured in the French plant alongside the Citroen and Peugeot brands.

Honda Jazz is supremely reliable but does tend to be bought by the older generation and is probably as exciting to drive as watching paint dry - this may or may not be a problem with your mum who probably doesn't care what it drives like just so long as it gets her to where she wants to go.

Northernchimp

1,282 posts

131 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
The worlds newest, lowest mileage, high spec Fiat Idea.

mike9009

6,917 posts

242 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
I would second a Nissan Note.

We have a 1.5DCI Tekna, 2009 model and have two kids. It has been ultra reliable over three years and 25k miles.

It does 62mpg and is £30 PA to tax (£170 to insure). The model we have is quite high spec, with climate, leather, parking sensors, auto wipers, auto headlights, chilled glove-box, satnav, Bluetooth, auto traffic alerts etc., etc. The moving rear seat is handy for extra legroom or extra luggage space with the kids. Boring car, but ticks all the boxes as a family wagon.


Mike

Squishey

567 posts

127 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
I agree with Rich888, the Toyota Yaris is a fantastic little car (or at least my wife's has been).

Edit: poor grammar

SEE YA

3,522 posts

244 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
What about a C3 DIESEL ? Cheap to insure road tax £30 a year.

Slow

6,973 posts

136 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
Jazz/civic?

Hondas are pretty reliable