Petrol, reliable 2nd car - Estate or SUV - £5k max, or less!
Discussion
I walk to work and my partner will be on maternity leave shortly for a year - So we have decided to go down to one car for a while, a 2026 MG4 EV that costs us buttons in juice. Between our cars, we do maybe 10,000 to 12,000 miles a year.
I just sent back my lease E-5008 - a massive 7 seater, and loved the space although i didn't need it often.
Options for me, once we go back to 2 cars:
1) Lease or PCP something new, keep some savings back for emergencies - downside is, my car doesn't get driven much during the week so seems wasteful. Of the estimated 10k, expect i would do 50/50 in my car/vs hers. But only because i will be going out of my way to use it. Upside is, unlikely to have unexpected expenses and its nice to have a new car... Also - We can comfortably afford two payments now, but might not be able to in the future as my partner is likely to change jobs and reduce hours. A lease 'deal' however may sway me - I.e. something super cheap. My E-5008 was a £48k car and i paid £259x 12 for it!!
2) Petrol 'quite nice' car, £13k or so max - I.e. Seat Ateca FR Sport 1.5 DSG. Bit more space, looks nice, good for trips with the baby etc. Ruling this option out as expect I would preference the basically free to drive MG unless we needed the bootspace. Depreciation etc on a car not being used much irks me. Would be heavily reducing our savings.
3) What i think i'm leaning towards. A cheap, reliable, dullard of a car (£3-5k) that I would only use if we need more space, or we are both using cars at the same time. With me walking to work and her being on maternity leave, plus a baby, i don't see us being apart all that often or if we are, one of us is going to be at home for the forseeable. With this option, the car stays parked unless the MG is in use. So fuel cost etc doesn't matter all that much.
So spec would be
-Reliable (to the extent a cheap car can be) basically swerving the engines or gearboxes known for failure in many cars.
-Not extortionate tax, given it wont be used much
-Manual, or torque converter automatic - Other autos would be ropey at this price point.
-Estate or SUV shape - Has to have more space than the MG otherwise it really won't get used. Hatched saloon at a push if it has a big boot.
-Petrol, diesel price is extortionate now and i'm not interested in dealing with DPFs, DPF sensors, NOX sensors, adblue and all the other crap that comes with it. My last ICE car was a 520d, got the T Shirt.
-Isofix in the rear.
So far of interest (although not ready to buy just yet)
-Ford Focus Estate - But most of these are Ecoboom, right? 2016 model, 100k ish miles, less than £3k. Not sure what engines to avoid in Fords.
-Insignia Saloon - Would prefer an estate, but there is a 2015 1.8 NA for £2500 locally
-Honda CRV - 2010 model for £3595 for example, or the newer shape 2013 model for £4750 - both have over 100k but seem solid.
-2014 ish Mini Countryman
Ford Kuga - 1.5 Ecoboost - 2015 ish 75 £4750
Willing to put ego aside and prioritise what is important, really don't care what i drive really.
Interested in what suggestions you may have!
I just sent back my lease E-5008 - a massive 7 seater, and loved the space although i didn't need it often.
Options for me, once we go back to 2 cars:
1) Lease or PCP something new, keep some savings back for emergencies - downside is, my car doesn't get driven much during the week so seems wasteful. Of the estimated 10k, expect i would do 50/50 in my car/vs hers. But only because i will be going out of my way to use it. Upside is, unlikely to have unexpected expenses and its nice to have a new car... Also - We can comfortably afford two payments now, but might not be able to in the future as my partner is likely to change jobs and reduce hours. A lease 'deal' however may sway me - I.e. something super cheap. My E-5008 was a £48k car and i paid £259x 12 for it!!
2) Petrol 'quite nice' car, £13k or so max - I.e. Seat Ateca FR Sport 1.5 DSG. Bit more space, looks nice, good for trips with the baby etc. Ruling this option out as expect I would preference the basically free to drive MG unless we needed the bootspace. Depreciation etc on a car not being used much irks me. Would be heavily reducing our savings.
3) What i think i'm leaning towards. A cheap, reliable, dullard of a car (£3-5k) that I would only use if we need more space, or we are both using cars at the same time. With me walking to work and her being on maternity leave, plus a baby, i don't see us being apart all that often or if we are, one of us is going to be at home for the forseeable. With this option, the car stays parked unless the MG is in use. So fuel cost etc doesn't matter all that much.
So spec would be
-Reliable (to the extent a cheap car can be) basically swerving the engines or gearboxes known for failure in many cars.
-Not extortionate tax, given it wont be used much
-Manual, or torque converter automatic - Other autos would be ropey at this price point.
-Estate or SUV shape - Has to have more space than the MG otherwise it really won't get used. Hatched saloon at a push if it has a big boot.
-Petrol, diesel price is extortionate now and i'm not interested in dealing with DPFs, DPF sensors, NOX sensors, adblue and all the other crap that comes with it. My last ICE car was a 520d, got the T Shirt.
-Isofix in the rear.
So far of interest (although not ready to buy just yet)
-Ford Focus Estate - But most of these are Ecoboom, right? 2016 model, 100k ish miles, less than £3k. Not sure what engines to avoid in Fords.
-Insignia Saloon - Would prefer an estate, but there is a 2015 1.8 NA for £2500 locally
-Honda CRV - 2010 model for £3595 for example, or the newer shape 2013 model for £4750 - both have over 100k but seem solid.
-2014 ish Mini Countryman
Ford Kuga - 1.5 Ecoboost - 2015 ish 75 £4750
Willing to put ego aside and prioritise what is important, really don't care what i drive really.
Interested in what suggestions you may have!
If you want reliability, it has to be the Honda CRV at that price point, for me. Go for the 2.0 N/A petrol Auto, which will be mind numbingly boring but relaxed, quiet, utterly dependable and very practical. Safe too for when you've got he kids on board. Real time 4WD is also alot more useful in mud/snow than you might think.
We ran our 2007 (Mk3) 'Exec' model (which was already 7 years old when we got it) for a further 7 years and many hard family miles without so much as a needing anything beyond regular servicing.
The R20 lump is tried and tested and one of the last 'bullet proof' / simple NA engines of this era. Even the oil filter is on a remote sandwich block and can accessed without jacking up the car!
Downsides: 25mpg round town, 35mpg on a run, but tax isn't horrific from memory. Insurance was peanuts.
If you can find one that's got low ish miles, low ish owners and mostly Honda serviced, you'll be laughing.
We ran our 2007 (Mk3) 'Exec' model (which was already 7 years old when we got it) for a further 7 years and many hard family miles without so much as a needing anything beyond regular servicing.
The R20 lump is tried and tested and one of the last 'bullet proof' / simple NA engines of this era. Even the oil filter is on a remote sandwich block and can accessed without jacking up the car!
Downsides: 25mpg round town, 35mpg on a run, but tax isn't horrific from memory. Insurance was peanuts.
If you can find one that's got low ish miles, low ish owners and mostly Honda serviced, you'll be laughing.
Seat Ibiza estate, or Fabia estate, pre April 2017 so £35 or £20 RFL
1.2 petrol engine, 90bhp, or 110bhp.
They'll do 50mpg if driven carefully. 65mpg was the best I got on a long journey sticking with the lorries.
I reckon cars of this age are peak for me, just before cars started getting all the annoying driver aids, and complicated emissions gubbage.
1.2 petrol engine, 90bhp, or 110bhp.
They'll do 50mpg if driven carefully. 65mpg was the best I got on a long journey sticking with the lorries.
I reckon cars of this age are peak for me, just before cars started getting all the annoying driver aids, and complicated emissions gubbage.
Edited by Trevor555 on Wednesday 23 September 14:31
Do like the CRV. What is the gearbox? CVT? I won't do many miles so don't mind lack of MPG if it comes with reliability.
The Ibiza and Fabia are a bit small for me even in estate. We just replaced her 2014 Ibiza hatch with the MG for that reason.
The child's seat touches the back of the front seat in the MG it's that big. I'm not even sure how people use smaller cars with child's seats!
The Ibiza and Fabia are a bit small for me even in estate. We just replaced her 2014 Ibiza hatch with the MG for that reason.
The child's seat touches the back of the front seat in the MG it's that big. I'm not even sure how people use smaller cars with child's seats!
joropug said:
Do like the CRV. What is the gearbox? CVT? I won't do many miles so don't mind lack of MPG if it comes with reliability.
The Ibiza and Fabia are a bit small for me even in estate. We just replaced her 2014 Ibiza hatch with the MG for that reason.
The child's seat touches the back of the front seat in the MG it's that big. I'm not even sure how people use smaller cars with child's seats!
Its the older style torque converter 'conventional' auto box, albeit 5 speed, but reliable and smooth.The Ibiza and Fabia are a bit small for me even in estate. We just replaced her 2014 Ibiza hatch with the MG for that reason.
The child's seat touches the back of the front seat in the MG it's that big. I'm not even sure how people use smaller cars with child's seats!
Despite the age, ours even had the 'advanced safety pack' on it (fairly rare I believe), which included dynamic HID headlamps (which really were excellent), radar assisted adaptive cruise control and collision mitigation avoidance. I suspect this might have become a more prevalent option on later cars.
Edited by MattyD803 on Wednesday 23 September 15:33
Toyota Auris/Corolla Estate?
Petrol - £5k max, not sure you can get anything else with such a good reliability?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?body-type=...
Petrol - £5k max, not sure you can get anything else with such a good reliability?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?body-type=...
Have to say that the Insignia 1.5t really is the pick at your price point, they're a good car overall & have a huge boot.
They also have Android Auto/CarPlay as standard:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608185...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609236...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609186...
Rare 1.6T:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202606243...
They also have Android Auto/CarPlay as standard:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608185...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609236...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609186...
Rare 1.6T:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202606243...
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