6k budget suggestions

[e92merjay]

Looking to buy a car with a budget of 6k. Something that looks half decent and will be reliable and won’t be problematic. Preferably petrol and within 70k mileage. Coming from a 177hp 320d m sport so obviously will be expecting something a lot less exciting and less fun to drive. Any suggestions?

[Test driver]

320d exciting and fun to drive? Lol. Most boring car on earth.

For £6K you can get an older car with some real character.

[e92merjay]

Test driver said:

320d exciting and fun to drive? Lol. Most boring car on earth.

For £6K you can get an older car with some real character.

Such as?

[Test driver]

Honda Civic type r, golf gti, golf r32, s2000, Nissan 350z, mx5, boxtser s, focus st, the list is endless

[MRobbins1987]

Why not stay with a BMW if you like it with either a 330i or 130i with the N52 engine, if the number of seats aren’t an issue then a Z4.

[e92merjay]

MRobbins1987 said:

Why not stay with a BMW if you like it with either a 330i or 130i with the N52 engine, if the number of seats aren’t an issue then a Z4.

The main reason for getting rid of it was that it was becoming problematic and was costing me too much to maintain. So now I want something cheaper

[e92merjay]

Also should have mentioned it needs to be a 5 seater

[Test driver]

Any old hot hatch will be a better steer than a dreary derv rep mobile tbh. £6K gives a good choice.

[Goldfever4]

vRS, possibly?

[e92merjay]

Performance and speed isn’t overly important to me and it needs to be no older than 8 years max, so any old hot hatches are out of the question with a 6k budget.

[Test driver]

Are you just making up silly requirements?

[e92merjay]

Test driver said:

Are you just making up silly requirements?

No, I want something reliable and that hasn’t done a huge amount of miles (under 70k) and something not too old, therefore 8 years old max seems a good starting point. Ford Focus Zetec mk3 around 2011 is the main car I’ve been having a look for so far. Also a mk3 golf but the majority of them are over 100k miles and over my budget.

[ZX10R NIN]

Alfa Giulietta Veloce 170

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Focus Titanium X 150

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Megane GT

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

1.6T Astra Elite/SRI 180

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

2.5 Mazda6 Sport 170

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

320i SE 170

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

120i SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

1.4T Insignia 140bhp 2012/13 a much better engine than the 1.8 N/A engine.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Golf GT

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Match

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

If you don't mind a smaller hatch then I'd pick the Alfa.

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Monday 29th October 17:29

[e92merjay]

I do like the look of a Giulietta but I’ve read that that they depreciate a lot more? I don’t wanna be spending 6k on a car and then 2yrs later getting next to nothing for it. I’m thinking I’ll be best off getting a 11/12 plate focus 1.6?

[Cap2018]

Hyundai i30?

[coldel]

e92merjay said:

No, I want something reliable and that hasn’t done a huge amount of miles (under 70k) and something not too old, therefore 8 years old max seems a good starting point. Ford Focus Zetec mk3 around 2011 is the main car I’ve been having a look for so far. Also a mk3 golf but the majority of them are over 100k miles and over my budget.

Never quite understood the UKs obsession with the number 100,000. What happens when it ticks over that number? Some sort of self destruct countdown timer starts? What changed in the time between it having 90k miles and 110k miles?

I would rather buy something on 100k which has a receipt list of all perishables done, perfect service history etc. than something with 50k on it which has a patchy service history and the only other work is in response to MoT fails. Also the high miles are usually a result of motorway cruising, which isn't hard on a car, vs lower miles which could be made up of cold starts, short journey's etc. Mileage is not a representation of car condition.

The great thing about the UK market is that buyers are so obsessed with low mileage (often buying a worse car because of it and overlooking a better and cheaper car with higher miles) that prices are overly inflated for low milers meaning you can negotiate a great price on a higher miler.

Edited by coldel on Monday 29th October 16:55

[coldel]

What about a DS4? Insignia?

[e92merjay]

coldel said:

Never quite understood the UKs obsession with the number 100,000. What happens when it ticks over that number? Some sort of self destruct countdown timer starts? What changed in the time between it having 90k miles and 110k miles?

I would rather buy something on 100k which has a receipt list of all perishables done, perfect service history etc. than something with 50k on it which has a patchy service history and the only other work is in response to MoT fails. Also the high miles are usually a result of motorway cruising, which isn't hard on a car, vs lower miles which could be made up of cold starts, short journey's etc. Mileage is not a representation of car condition.

The great thing about the UK market is that buyers are so obsessed with low mileage (often buying a worse car because of it and overlooking a better and cheaper car with higher miles) that prices are overly inflated for low milers meaning you can negotiate a great price on a higher miler.

Because the more miles a car has done the more wear and tear there will be meaning that there’s more chance parts will need fixing/replacing, which will most likely be costly.

Edited by coldel on Monday 29th October 16:55

[e92merjay]

coldel said:

What about a DS4? Insignia?

I’ve only really considered a focus, golf, Mazda 3 and Astra. With me wanting a 11/12 plate car that more or less rules out a golf and I would assume an insignia would be out of my budget too and a Citroen hasn’t even crossed my mind.

[coldel]

e92merjay said:

Well no, read my post, if you get a good high miler with all the receipts for the wear and tear then you effectively have a car that is in better condition than a low miler without the perishables having been changed. A 100k car with suspension refresh, engine mounts, brakes, hoses etc. all done will be just as likely to be in better condition than a 50k car without having these having been done.

Its a common mistake our island community make though, especially on a budget where you might be buying a suspect car which is the cheapest 50k miler on the internet because of the obsession with miles to ignore an immaculate well looked after car with 90k on it then find themselves replacing a load of parts that are on their way out. Your 50k mile car will probably need a clutch at 60k miles etc.

Buy on condition, not miles, so many stories all over the internet of that 'bargain low miler' only to be landed with huge bills as that car is for sale at that bargain price for a reason...

Edited by coldel on Monday 29th October 18:23