What should I be looking at in future?

[ojoman]

Hi

Probably make some people retch, but hey:

My functional 2003 KA will probably give up the ghost on the next MOT (Dec) due to rust.

Now, after moving jobs, I tend not to drive much to work anymore. However, it is useful for some private work and the occasional jaunt from the Northwest to Anglesey.

Needs:

• Big enough to fit my bicycle in. The wife should also fit in as well.

• Cheap-ish to insure.

• Not bothered about sitting on the street for days at a time and being used for some short journeys.

• Works without hassle.

• Not too bothered about performance, but able to do 0-60 is a bonus.

Is all this too much to expect for sub £1000? I cannot justify spending money on something for sporadic use.

Any (peasant) suggestions for what to aim for will be appreciated.

• Edit* My KA cost sub £500 and I got (at least) two years out of it.

Edited by ojoman on Thursday 29th June 10:19

[kiethton]

Go for something small, reliable and not popular with new drivers to keep costs down. As a result you're looking Japanese or Korean.

My money would be on a Yaris, Jazz or even an automotive coackroach...a nissan Micra (an Almera would also do)

[MorganP104]

As kiethton says, you're going to be looking at Japanese or Korean for both your budget, and requirements.

The Kia Cerato is conspicuously good value. Your bag of sand may even get you a car only just nudging 10 years old.

Not terribly exciting, but will get the job done, and be (reasonably) comfortable on a long run.

[Ahbefive]

Focus/Mondeo

[ojoman]

Cheers for the replies. I feel the 'automotive cockroach' is possibly a little too small for the wife and bike and I really don't want to make the decision on who/what to fit in the car. Same applies to the Yaris.

The Kia is looking promising, as well as the Focus and Mondeo

[MorganP104]

PRO TIP: Go to the Auto Trader website, search for Kia (any model), min price £500, max price £1,000, with your postcode, and a distance you're willing to travel to pick up a motor.

It will probably return about 50-ish results, depending on how near/far you've set the distance to.

[cbmotorsport]

MX5

[mrtwisty]

Corolla 1.4/1.6

Loads about for under a grand. Large enough to fit a bike with wheels on (just, seats down, possibly sans wife). Reliable. Rot proof (mostly).

[ojoman]

MorganP104 said:

PRO TIP: Go to the Auto Trader website, search for Kia (any model), min price £500, max price £1,000, with your postcode, and a distance you're willing to travel to pick up a motor.

It will probably return about 50-ish results, depending on how near/far you've set the distance to.

I am finding Autotrader is now mainly populated by dealerships. As in, all 'hits' were dealerships.

Now, I have no problem with people making money, but surely dealership prices tend to be less value-for-money?

[CivBrum]

ojoman said:

MorganP104 said:

PRO TIP: Go to the Auto Trader website, search for Kia (any model), min price £500, max price £1,000, with your postcode, and a distance you're willing to travel to pick up a motor.

It will probably return about 50-ish results, depending on how near/far you've set the distance to.

I am finding Autotrader is now mainly populated by dealerships. As in, all 'hits' were dealerships.

Now, I have no problem with people making money, but surely dealership prices tend to be less value-for-money?

That's because AutoTrader is very expensive to place an advert. I would hit up Gumtree. Though the advantage you have with a dealership is they cannot sell you an absolute lemon, even at 500 quid (or at least if they do, you can pursue them for selling you a dodgy car).

[Philvrs]

Bought myself a 07 vectra 1.8 petrol as a stop gap until my lease arrives.
It was £1000, it's done 84k miles, body isn't immaculate, but surprised by how well it's done 2k miles in the couple of months I've owned it. Brim to brim mpg for one holiday/motorway trip returned a staggering 43mpg!
Some small repairs are relatively easy and cheap.
I've grown quite fond of it (again surprised), and I will miss bangernomics.

[ZX10R NIN]

For £1000 you need to find a petrol car that has some receipts showing the present owner has looked after it while in his care & then just buy on condition, here are a few cars worthy of consideration, see if you can find something similar near you.

Nissan Primera

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Vectra SRI

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Ford Mondeo Zetec S

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

MG ZT

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

Have you got a price for welding the KA? If it's otherwise a good car it might be worth it.

If you have a mate who can weld then even better.

[Willy Nilly]

If you get a bike rack to put the bike on the back it will open up a few more options of the sort of car available to you.

[smiley_boy2501]

MK1 Focus. Nicest Ghia you can find.
Loved mine. Great steer and comfy. Died spectacularly on its 3rd (with me) MOT from rot.

Bike (mountain, road, cx) all fit in without wheels off, back seats down. Think I got 3 in one time.

Cost me £725 to buy and 320 for some decent tyres. 20000 miles and 2 years for a grand.

Fuel/tax is a bit disproportionate to performance though.