Up to £4k sensible car, carry bikes and will live forever

[Maccles]

My best friend has asked for help buying a car, her partner is a keen road cyclist and she'd like it to be reasonably capacious so it's easy to throw a road bike in the back of if she's driving him to race meetings. Apart from that, she'll use it to visit her mum every month or so (100 miles away), get the shopping and DIY stuff as they're about to buy their first house. She's not a pistonheads sort of person (obvs?) So performance isn't important. She's adamant she won't use it for her 6 mile commute as she likes using her electric bike, but I reckon on the worst winter days she might.

Apart from that, it needs to be reliable, give her no hassle at all. She'd like to keep it a long time, like at least 10 years. Comfortable and cheap to run would be nice. I reckon she should be looking at spending between £2k and £4k although she could spend more if it's worth it. I'll probably go and look at some cars with her if we can find some to look at near Brighton.

So I'm thinking small petrol engine, Japanese hatch like a Honda Jazz, but I'm a bit out of touch with this sort of vehicle so I though I'd see what suggestions you all have?

Edited by Maccles on Thursday 25th June 14:05

[mrtwisty]

You'll struggle to 'throw' a bike in the back of a Jazz - with wheels taken off it'll fit.

I'd be going for something like a petrol Avensis estate.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

ETA - just seen the 20 year stipulation... any car will need a lot of looking after and a good chunk of cash to get it to 30 years old or so if in regular use. If your friend is of the mentality that looking after a car is getting it through it's MOT every year, she may need to re-calibrate her expectations.

Edited by mrtwisty on Thursday 25th June 09:46

[jagfan2]

Mondeo estate - can throw 2 bikes in without removing wheels

but if taking a wheel off, cant go far wrong with a mazda 3
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[Drezza]

You'll really struggle to keep a £4k car running for 20 years. Skoda Octavia 1.9TDI estate would be my pick. Just bin it and get another when it dies.

[Orangecurry]

Subaru will last for 20 years.

I have a Legacy IV that I can chuck two MTBs in the back without taking a wheel off.

ETA the rear seats fold flat - it's very well designed.

I don't know which engine is 'best' for a non PHer, but I have the Spec.B which is very good at everything.

Not 'cheap' to run you say, except they never go wrong. Yes you have higher fuel costs, but if she doesn't do that many miles, does it matter?

Spookily there is one near Brighton for sale. **** it is described as a Spec.B but it's an Outback. That means it's got much more ground clearance, but still has the 3.0 engine

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

But a more sensible one would probably have a smaller engine. Do some research, but Subaru of the 90s and 2000s got their reputation deservedly.

Edited by Orangecurry on Thursday 25th June 10:06

[Orangecurry]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Another one, only a 2.0 auto, so not as nice an interior or grunt, but low miles and an amazing MOT history!

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd normally say a Mondeo but they hold their money well & there are some nice alternatives out there for the money:

2.3 Mondeo Ghia

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

1.8 Insignia SRI

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

If they're happy to take the wheel off then the Astra is another good option:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

2.0 Focus Titanium

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

In all honesty I'd say an MPV will suit their needs better with the slightly higher roofline.

Mazda5

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Diesel

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[zizgag69]

Mk2 Jazz will easily take a roadbike in the back with seats down and front wheel off only.

[ZX10R NIN]

All cars can last but it depends on how well they're maintained.

[Maccles]

Thanks for all the suggestions! 20 years was a typo, I meant 10 years, but you get the idea anyway, she intends to keep it long term.

I think a big engine and / or big car is going to cost a lot more to keep going, and probably not suit her as well.
Diesel seems like a particularly bad idea, as it might often go weeks without being used.

I've probably over emphasised the bike carrying bit, this isn't the main purpose of the car, just something to consider - what in the medium / small hatchback sector is particularly capacious?

Thanks ZX10 NIN for posting some adverts, the medium sized cars look spot on; the focus would be worth a look if it weren't in Aberdeen (we're near Brighton). The Mazda 5s also seem pretty sensible.

[Orangecurry]

Maccles said:

I think a big engine and / or big car is going to cost a lot more to keep going...

I genuinely do not understand this. A bigger engine might use more fuel, but apart from that it works less than smaller engines.

Surely the key is servicing schedule/cost and overall reliability.

Even the 3.0 engine is just a normal 10k oil-change, then spark-plugs and gearbox oil every 60K miles. Any backstreet garage can do this.
Discs and pads from ECP cost about the same these days for almost every car, and anyone can fit them.

And the Legacy IV is one of the old style of cars, which is big on the inside yet small on the outside ...more modern designs reverse this.

But if she wants something smaller, then I would go VW estate; but nothing lasts as well as a Subaru, IME

Good luck!

[Maccles]

Bigger cars use bigger tyres, bigger brakes that have to work harder to stop the bigger mass (and the parts for bigger cars do cost more), the suspension components work harder and cost more to replace when they wear out, bigger engines have more plugs, coils, etc, use more fuel and cost more to insure. Added to the fact that if she does take it to work (Brighton hospital) then it'll be harder to park in small spaces.

I do appreciate your points and thanks for taking the time to reply, but I don't think it's the right fit for my friend (who doesn't care about performance, just wants it to work reliably and cheaply and not break down)

[mikeyr]

Our 2008 Civic takes bikes without removing wheels (back seats fold flat for a massive load area) and seems solidly built. It's not a huge car either on the outside. Might be worth a look.

[ElectricSoup]

A £4k car which will last 20 years with minimal expense?

You can go Japanese, but it'll rust out.

You can go European, but it will break mechanically.

I think some home truths need explaining.

Perhaps a Volvo of some kind is a possible answer.

I'd buy a Mazda 6 or Toyota Avensis estate (petrol) for this job, and throw it away when it rusts through.

Bikes in/on a Jazz? Not really.

[mr_spock]

Saab 9-3 estate? With servicing and some care they seem to last well.

[Maccles]

20 years was a typo, was supposed to say 10 (I'm posting on my phone whilst looking after two 18 month old babies). The point is it's not meant to be a throwaway like the suggested Skoda. My mother had a Jazz and kept it until it was about 15 years old, it never missed a beat and never needed repairing in any way, they only sold it out of snobbery.

And a Jazz is surprisingly capacious inside.

Thing is, I know from decades of buying used cars, you can't be too fixated on what make and model you want when you're looking for a good long term buy, unless you're willing to travel a long way and wait a long time. I've always thought you're buying the previous owners (figuratively) as well as the car so looking for the right proposition requires a degree of flexibility.

And I'm out of touch with this sort of car, hence asking on here.

[brman]

one of these should be good for another 250k miles.....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2002-Peugeot-406-2-0HDi...

[T6 vanman]

Another vote for a Jazz,

We got 2 bikes in no problems, Just tardis like

[andburg]

how can i suggest this twice in 1 day?

Skoda Roomster
cheap to buy
cheap to run
small on the outside, big on the inside with easily removeable rear seats.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[Jonny_]

Small van/van-based MPV, perhaps? Kangoo or Berlingo or similar.