Smallish automatic for £3.5k

[Tasmin200]

I'm looking for an automatic car no bigger than a Golf/Focus for my wife to learn to drive. She has a 206 at the moment which she loves but it keeps going wrong and I'm fed up lying on concrete to fix it!

My main concern is the gearbox type as the automated manual boxes seem to get bad press. Are there any traditional torque converter cars left?

She loves the way her 206 doesn't roll back on hills, do DSG and other automated manuals have locks to stop this happening?

We've looked at Corsa's, C3, Civics etc but all seam to have dodgy boxes to drive? I've never driven any so if anyone has one maybe you could put my fears to rest. She only wants to use it in auto mode not with paddles.

[Speed 3]

Smallest Torque Converter autos are Kia Picanto and Hyundai i10. Next size up is Fiesta then Focus/Golf. At that price I'd go for a Mk2 Focus, they're pretty bulletproof and a nice drive plus loads available, plenty originally Motability cars. Mum had one for 6 years and we just got her a new Picanto for the same reasons about the box. You'd only get a Mk1 for that price though, not sure how they compare to the Mk2 which is a cracking little car.

Forget the automated manuals, even the dealers I spoke to eg Citigo say they're st and I've never seen a good review of one. Pity as the Up/Aygo families are decent cars otherwise.

Edited by Speed 3 on Friday 18th August 08:16

[nmd87]

Nissan Note. No oil painting, but bulletproof and good value for money with plenty of low mileage cars on the market.

[steve-5snwi]

Some of the focus and fiestas are cvt or robotised manuals, the Suzuki swift is a proper torque converter.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say a Clio is a good shout:

Clio Initiale (Sat Nav Leather)

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

Facelift Dynamique

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

Others worth a look:

Kia C'eed

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

Astra Elite

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

SRI

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

[Tasmin200]

Good call with the Swift, not so sure with the Nissan. Good cars right enough but maybe a bit too pensioner as my Dad has (a manual) one!

[Tasmin200]

ZX10R NIN said:

I'd say a Clio is a good shout:

Clio Initiale (Sat Nav Leather)

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

Facelift Dynamique

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

Others worth a look:

Kia C'eed

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

Astra Elite

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

SRI

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

Great thanks, the Clio looks perfect. Does that definitely have torque converter box?

[TheInternet]

Honda Jazz? Not torque converter but CVT.

[ZX10R NIN]

Tasmin200 said:

Great thanks, the Clio looks perfect. Does that definitely have torque converter box?

Yes it's a conventional auto

[Tasmin200]

TheInternet said:

Honda Jazz? Not torque converter but CVT.

It's bad enough I occasionally will have to drive an auto, but I think I may actually self harm if you make me drive a CVT. I cannot stand the demented drone they make.

Honda's yes, get it. Good cars but CVT, no thanks.

[TheInternet]

Tasmin200 said:

It's bad enough I occasionally will have to drive an auto, but I think I may actually self harm if you make me drive a CVT. I cannot stand the demented drone they make.

Honda's yes, get it. Good cars but CVT, no thanks.

Might be splitting hairs there, most torque converter types have much the same demented drone IME.

[steve-5snwi]

Our Audi is a cvt box and while it does work differently to a torque converter I actually prefer it to the dsg box.

The i10 and picanto make good buys, at your budget you just miss out on the torque converter jazz, civic and focus with the Powershift box. If you can manage with a cvt there is also the old a class

[loskie]

I would say avoid a Yaris. My Aunt's 08 plate diesel with 38000 on the clock I recently sold to a neighbour(£2500). Turned out he didnt like it so traded it in for a Polo a month later. VW garage auctioned it.
I didnt like it either or I would have probably been given it by my 89 yr old aunt.
She had owned and religiously had the car serviced from new.

Anyway
Couple of week after trading it in the neighbour and my aunt both got phonecalls form the "new owner" in London (we are in SW Scotland). New owner says he paid £4500 for it (mug!) and the gearbox has gone kaput. He also said dealer gave no warranty at that price!
It was an electronic one always jerky, but's that's just how it was.
Nowt either of us could do BUT I was glad it didnt fail whilst my neighbour had it.

Anyway its a stty gearbox so avoid

[mike13]

nmd87 said:

Nissan Note. No oil painting, but bulletproof and good value for money with plenty of low mileage cars on the market.

Mine's is a 2010 1.6, torque converter box, probably worth £2500, been a great car, will keep if for another couple of years till it's worthless, all it's needed are consumables!

[Tasmin200]

TheInternet said:

Might be splitting hairs there, most torque converter types have much the same demented drone IME.

I've only driven the 206 but once it's moving and above 1st gear it's just got gears the torque converter doesn't seem to come into play.

[Tasmin200]

Cheers for all the responses, I'm thinking a Clio, Swift or Note would do the business or a 207 as I think they have a decent box and you can get them with a 120bhp engine which would be nice. Thanks about the Yaris warning as I'd thought about one of those.

[steve-5snwi]

The Yaris has the multi mode box, basically a manual box with auto shift, the same applies to the 207.