Economical used car under £4500

[CarGit81]

Hi all, looking to sell my 09 Aygo and upgrade slightly. Budget is 4500, mostly use it as runaround and occasional 70 mile round trip once a month, but would like something I can take into wales on tour as well. Not interested in bells and whistles, just something reliable and cheap to run. Any suggestions?

[Pickle_Rick]

2013 onwards - yaris

Every other brand will be a downgrade reliability wise. Doubt you'll get a hybrid for that price, so id probably go for the 1.33 engine.

[Davie]

That's a broad brief... literally hundreds of cars that could fit that requirement depending on your own views. Petrol? Diesel? Is space an issue? Auto? Any preferred brands etc etc...

[RSTurboPaul]

Panda 100hp?

[ZX10R NIN]

1.4i Astra SRI:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503220...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505052...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504141...

[Matt_T]

With that mileage and budget I think I'd avoid hybrids and diesels and stick with a simple petrol.

My choice would be a Civic 1.8
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/18366056

Edited by Matt_T on Monday 12th May 23:31

[Trevor555]

Vw Up, Skoda Ctigo, Seat Mii..

All basicly the same car.

Get a pre April 2017 car for £20 road tax.

Post Dec 2016 Mii's got slight upgrades like better radio.

[CarGit81]

Cheers for the suggestions, definitely looking at a low tax option (£35 or under). Not sure what to prioritise for reliability, higher mileage and newer or lower mileage and older. Any advice? Again reliability and keeping costs down are priorities!

[Trevor555]

CarGit81 said:

Cheers for the suggestions, definitely looking at a low tax option (£35 or under). Not sure what to prioritise for reliability, higher mileage and newer or lower mileage and older. Any advice? Again reliability and keeping costs down are priorities!

Our family fleet includes all three of the cars I mentioned.

Combined ownership of them all is 12 years.

No faults at all, just servicing, albeit they're all low mileage.

The best spec of the cars in your budget will be the Mii Design, Jan 2017 to pre April 2017 when the RFL went up. Look for the one's with the leather steering wheel, and later type radio. That model had quite a few upgrades over the 2016 car including heated mirrors, which I wouldn't want to be without in winter.

Edited by Trevor555 on Tuesday 13th May 11:51

[paul_c123]

Weirdly, plenty of Euro 5 diesel cars tick the boxes on this one. By chance, my Golf convertible (2012, 1.6TDI but the 2.0TDI manuals also) are £35 tax, as I suspect are the hatchbacks too, of that era (Golf 6). Of course, its a bit older and bigger, and would be higher mileage than the suggestions so far.

Budget - well mine was £2000 but I think I got a good deal there. But others should be available under £4500.

[CarGit81]

Thanks, I've also been looking at Cat N cars as seem to be some very good deals like this

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025051323...

Is it worth getting at Category N?

[Lecket]

Nissan Leaf 30kwh. 2016/17 year with around 80,000 miles for £4,000 - £4,500.

Quoted range of 153 miles, so even if you only get half your 70 mile round trip would be ok.

Of course this relies you on being able to charge at home.

[Philvrs]

Pre 2017 1.2tsi fabia is £20 tax, and would certainly feel like an upgrade on an aygo.

[bennno]

CarGit81 said:

Cheers for the suggestions, definitely looking at a low tax option (£35 or under). Not sure what to prioritise for reliability, higher mileage and newer or lower mileage and older. Any advice? Again reliability and keeping costs down are priorities!

Fiat Panda 2015-16 - seats more comfortable than UP / CitiGo etc

[andburg]

For this sort of cheap motoring that’s nice to drive, sportily set up with a pretty fast steering rack I’d be going for a civic 1.6 diesel.

I had a 2014 one, plenty fun for a mid size hatch, big boot and flexible seating. I found mine supremely cheap to run, averaged 67mpg mixed over 2 years and could easily do 80+ mpg on a run.

[nobrakes]

I wouldn’t get too hung up on fuel costs or tax - you might miss a nice motor.

[Gad-Westy]

With cost seemingly the priority, it would normally be cheapest to stick with what you have so it would be worth understanding what it is about the Aygo that you want to ‘upgrade’? More space, more go, better comfort, toys etc? Cars like the Up/Mii etc will be newer but very much similar in terms of size and equipment etc. we could list cars all day, that are an upgrade one way or another but it might be a bit futile without understanding what aspect you wish to upgrade.

[ZX10R NIN]

CarGit81 said:

Thanks, I've also been looking at Cat N cars as seem to be some very good deals like this

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025051323...

Is it worth getting at Category N?

The Astra's I listed will be just as reliable & no CAT's either, saying that though you can sometime get a good buy.

[CarGit81]

Thanks, I like the look of these Astras. Anyone know much about these ones? http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024072822...

Seem to be a lot available, ex gov owned models. High mileage but fsh.

[Trevor555]

CarGit81 said:

Thanks, I like the look of these Astras. Anyone know much about these ones? http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024072822...

Seem to be a lot available, ex gov owned models. High mileage but fsh.

You might be straying away from your "reliable, and cheap to run" requirements there.