Help please, need a car asap!!

[mitch05]

Hi all

So after string of bad luck (1series written off, not my fault) was paid, purchased a car off private seller, car nearly killed me on M5 less than 12 hours later and now I'm trying to sell it for scrap.

Dilemma is I need a car for work (mostly) 500 miles per week to site and back so needs to be diesel
Budget is £6k but as I'm 3k down, I don't want to go mad.
ULEZ and ideally CAZ as I drive into Birmingham at least once per month.

Practical to transport wife and 3 kids to in-laws in London and Birmingham .

Happy with auto.

Been looking at new shape Mégane estate 1.5dci for around d £5.5k with 90k-,105k miles on 2016/17 plates

Also found some S60 Volvo's and Peugeot 508 saloons for that and less.
Also found some golf estates 1.6tdi for same price and mileage range.

Dad told me stay away from Fords due to wet belts.

Please help, I'm losing my mind.

[Pickle_Rick]

Do you have off road parking? At that mileage, 20000 or so a year you'll be spending thousands in fuel and maintenance. Assuming 45 mpg that's £3000 just in diesel, then mot, tax, etc on top. After 3 years, that £6k car probably now worth £2k, assuming it's still working, so probably spent at least £14000 inc fuel, mot, maintenance.

Id expect EV to cost you around £1500 in 'fuel' over 3 years if you can charge at home, assuming 50kwh battery and 200mile range at £0.10 a kwh charge, so a £7500 saving. Plus save on breaks, oil, coolant, filters etc. And they're much nicer to drive than any diesel, and EVs are generally more reliable. You could spend up to £12k and be better off financially, even if paying to fit a charge point.

[keo]

Typical PH, op asks for diesel first response get an EV

[Wilmslowboy]

Unfortunately you are ltrying to buy at one of the most competitive ends of the mkt, £6k, family car.

If reliability and budget is important, I’d seek to buy the newest and most boring car you can find.
Something like a Hyundai i40 (estate).

[ZX10R NIN]

Obviously it's dependent on where you are but I'd be looking for an Infiniti Q50, Sport they come with the bulletproof 2.1d Mercedes drivetrain & are a nice place to be too:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509246...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202511288...

Q70:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202507174...
There's also the M30d with the 3.0d that even nicer but they're harder to find:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202512048...

[mitch05]

Pickle_Rick said:

Do you have off road parking? At that mileage, 20000 or so a year you'll be spending thousands in fuel and maintenance. Assuming 45 mpg that's £3000 just in diesel, then mot, tax, etc on top. After 3 years, that £6k car probably now worth £2k, assuming it's still working, so probably spent at least £14000 inc fuel, mot, maintenance.

Id expect EV to cost you around £1500 in 'fuel' over 3 years if you can charge at home, assuming 50kwh battery and 200mile range at £0.10 a kwh charge, so a £7500 saving. Plus save on breaks, oil, coolant, filters etc. And they're much nicer to drive than any diesel, and EVs are generally more reliable. You could spend up to £12k and be better off financially, even if paying to fit a charge point.

Thanks for reply
I brought my wife a nissan ariya last year and charge at home and for free at work (Amazon) but I'm not a fan I'm afraid. Even though I've saved over £1500 since June 2024.
Have a 1992 500 SL but that's definitely not an option in winter lol.

[mitch05]

Wilmslowboy said:

Unfortunately you are ltrying to buy at one of the most competitive ends of the mkt, £6k, family car.

If reliability and budget is important, I d seek to buy the newest and most boring car you can find.
Something like a Hyundai i40 (estate).



Looked at those i40 and also Optima but hear horror stories about their 1.7diesel units. Just not sure now.

The 508 seems nice but I see people having regular water pump issues.

Passat so boring but maybe best engine in 1.6d format. For that money hard to find anything with under 100k.

Ony other thing is scrap a euro 6 to go into Birmingham and just pay the CAZ charge once a month but deffo needs to be ULEZ SO COULD GO FOR SOMETHING FROM 2014 ?

[PovertyPrince]

The problem is you’re tied down to very st cars. Any diesel that is ULEZ at that budget will be rough.

There are some very efficient petrols these days l, consider one.

[journeymanpro]

Pickle_Rick said:

Do you have off road parking? At that mileage, 20000 or so a year you'll be spending thousands in fuel and maintenance. Assuming 45 mpg that's £3000 just in diesel, then mot, tax, etc on top. After 3 years, that £6k car probably now worth £2k, assuming it's still working, so probably spent at least £14000 inc fuel, mot, maintenance.

Id expect EV to cost you around £1500 in 'fuel' over 3 years if you can charge at home, assuming 50kwh battery and 200mile range at £0.10 a kwh charge, so a £7500 saving. Plus save on breaks, oil, coolant, filters etc. And they're much nicer to drive than any diesel, and EVs are generally more reliable. You could spend up to £12k and be better off financially, even if paying to fit a charge point.

Are you pickled?

[fooman]

Buy something you can return easily if you don't like if from somewhere like Cinch

[mitch05]

fooman said:

Buy something you can return easily if you don't like if from somewhere like Cinch

Return it? As in 14 day returns policy?

[mitch05]

ZX10R NIN said:

Obviously it's dependent on where you are but I'd be looking for an Infiniti Q50, Sport they come with the bulletproof 2.1d Mercedes drivetrain & are a nice place to be too:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509246...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202511288...

Q70:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202507174...
There's also the M30d with the 3.0d that even nicer but they're harder to find:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202512048...

Never thought about Infinitis as they are pretty rare on UK roads but big in US. Diesel engineand electrics reliable?

[biggbn]

Time to be boring. A Kia, Hyundai, Toyota. Avensis are usually a bargain. Insignia? Well liked round these parts, cheap, easy to fix.

I love Volvos and other cars perceived as 'quality' but at your budget I'd buy the best unloved 'white goods' car you can find. More metal for your money and peace of mind...

[mitch05]

biggbn said:

Time to be boring. A Kia, Hyundai, Toyota. Avensis are usually a bargain. Insignia? Well liked round these parts, cheap, easy to fix.

I love Volvos and other cars perceived as 'quality' but at your budget I'd buy the best unloved 'white goods' car you can find. More metal for your money and peace of mind...

Tbh as long as it's eco and reliable I'm ok. Taking off the euro 6 option and just leaving ULEZ opens up more cars.

Anyone have experience with Hyundai, Kia 1.7 diesels?

[biggbn]

mitch05 said:

biggbn said:

Time to be boring. A Kia, Hyundai, Toyota. Avensis are usually a bargain. Insignia? Well liked round these parts, cheap, easy to fix.

I love Volvos and other cars perceived as 'quality' but at your budget I'd buy the best unloved 'white goods' car you can find. More metal for your money and peace of mind...

Tbh as long as it's eco and reliable I'm ok. Taking off the euro 6 option and just leaving ULEZ opens up more cars.

Anyone have experience with Hyundai, Kia 1.7 diesels?

My dad is on his third, zero issues. Anecdotal for sure, but he has had three C'eed in a row and they have been faultless.

[mitch05]

Do they have the 1.7crdi engines?

I liked the look of Kia optima, found one at good price but it's on its 3rd clutch and flywheel in 105k miles so walked away

[biggbn]

mitch05 said:

Do they have the 1.7crdi engines?

I liked the look of Kia optima, found one at good price but it's on its 3rd clutch and flywheel in 105k miles so walked away

Think his is a 1.6 although I may be wrong, and his last two have been automatics...hey, he's late seventies!!

[ZX10R NIN]

mitch05 said:

ZX10R NIN said:

Obviously it's dependent on where you are but I'd be looking for an Infiniti Q50, Sport they come with the bulletproof 2.1d Mercedes drivetrain & are a nice place to be too:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509246...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202511288...

Q70:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202507174...

There's also the M30d with the 3.0d that even nicer but they're harder to find:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202512048...

Never thought about Infinitis as they are pretty rare on UK roads but big in US. Diesel engineand electrics reliable?

The drivetrains are very reliable & parts are easy to source, the 2.1d is a Mercedes drivetrain so again parts are easy to attain & servicing is easy as well.

The 30d is Nissans own but is used in they're vans so again parts are easy to source.

[Fusion777]

Agree with something Japanese. Can you get a Civic 1.6 Dtec for 6k? That would be a decent option.

[Opapayer]

Dacia Duster. Basic, but it’ll do the job. You’ll probably get something newer than the main brands at your price point.