Run around for under £8k

[SV_WDC]

I am looking for a second car to use purely as a runaround/shorter journeys when I don't want to take my Cayman.

Criteria is:

• Cheap to insure
• Reliable
• Not too high expense on consumables/servicing
• Still reasonably fun to drive
• Can ideally take a road bike in car (folding seats fine). Or be friendly for roof-rack use

I always had in the back of my mind I'd buy a Ford Fiesta Red/Black edition but have since read about the 1.0 ecoboost issues & expensive work to replace timing belts which are due around the age I'm looking at (8-10 years).

Moved on to an Abarth 500 or Mini Cooper but decided neither would work for my purpose/couldn't find ones in budget/condition

Settled on either:

• Audi A3 Sportback (2013), probably the 5 door
• BMW 1 series (2013), ideally a 5 door

Any thoughts on this or other cars I should consider to fit the above criteria?

[Herbs]

An i3 would tick all of those boxes easily

[Shabaza]

330d estate.
Will be all the car you need

[ZX10R NIN]

SV_WDC said:

I am looking for a second car to use purely as a runaround/shorter journeys when I don't want to take my Cayman.

Criteria is:

• Cheap to insure
• Reliable
• Not too high expense on consumables/servicing
• Still reasonably fun to drive
• Can ideally take a road bike in car (folding seats fine). Or be friendly for roof-rack use

I always had in the back of my mind I'd buy a Ford Fiesta Red/Black edition but have since read about the 1.0 ecoboost issues & expensive work to replace timing belts which are due around the age I'm looking at (8-10 years).

Moved on to an Abarth 500 or Mini Cooper but decided neither would work for my purpose/couldn't find ones in budget/condition

Settled on either:

• Audi A3 Sportback (2013), probably the 5 door
• BMW 1 series (2013), ideally a 5 door

Any thoughts on this or other cars I should consider to fit the above criteria?

Kia Rio First Edition:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311184...

Kia Ceed GT:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312164...

[SV_WDC]

Oooh - thanks, will look into the Kia's.

The i3 won't work as I cannot charge electric. 330 I'll look at but not a diesel

[Turtle Shed]

I'd buy a Toyota Yaris.

[Belle427]

Mito

[ZX10R NIN]

SV_WDC said:

Oooh - thanks, will look into the Kia's.

The i3 won't work as I cannot charge electric. 330 I'll look at but not a diesel

They're good cars & the Ceed GT is a nice warm hatch,

Lower mileage first edition Rio:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401165...

If you can live with three doors you'll get a slightly newer ProCeed GT:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303255...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312305...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312184...

[georgeyboy12345]

At this price I'd pick the Audi A3 over the BMW 1 series

You don't really need to spend 8 grand if it's just an occasional runabout and to chuck a bike in. Here's a Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec for £2600. They also handle pretty well.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402026...


If you do want to spend the full 8 grand, then what about this Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.4 TB Multiair
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304226...


or this Peugeot 308 GT
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401125...


The Honda Civic 1.8 i-VTEC is very reliable and very handy for transporting things like bikes with its magic seats
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401275...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312134...

Edited by georgeyboy12345 on Friday 2nd February 21:00

[lord trumpton]

Herbs said:

An i3 would tick all of those boxes easily

For 8k?

[Herbs]

Yep, plenty under that price.

[ChrisH72]

If you were thinking of a Fiesta red/black edition but don't want the 1.0 ecoboost then why not look at getting the ST?

[TeaNoSugar]

lord trumpton said:

Herbs said:

An i3 would tick all of those boxes easily

For 8k?

My wife is looking for a car with the same criteria as the OP. I was surprised to see that loads of earlier i3 Rex cars are available at this price. As it’ll spend most of its life with in a 15 mile radius of our house, I wonder if this could be a very cheap option? We already run an e-Niro and have done for 4 years with no problems at all, of any sort (either related to the range or any reliability issues).

What kind of EV-only range could I expect from a 28kWh battery (60Ah?) i3 with 50k miles on? Around 60-70? It wouldn’t be that much of a problem especially with the range extender being there as a backup for any longer journeys.

Any major issues with the i3’s to be wary of at this sort of price?

[Silvanus]

ZX10R NIN said:

SV_WDC said:

Oooh - thanks, will look into the Kia's.

The i3 won't work as I cannot charge electric. 330 I'll look at but not a diesel

They're good cars & the Ceed GT is a nice warm hatch,

Lower mileage first edition Rio:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401165...

If you can live with three doors you'll get a slightly newer ProCeed GT:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303255...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312305...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312184...

Kia ProCeed is a good shout, or maybe go for it's less well known and interesting cousin the Hyundai Veloster 1.6T.

MiTo is also a good shout, loved mine. If preferring a 5 door, the Giulietta is a good alternative to the Audi and BMW, loads available too.

[SV_WDC]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Ended up going with a Toyota Corolla.

Did like the look of the Kia's but once I decided to drop the buget the Toyota slightly edged it for me.

[ZX10R NIN]

Glad you got sorted OP.