What car for the District Nurse?
Discussion
My 30yr old niece is a home carer. She travels around the district attending to the care needs of elderly clients and needs a car to carry out her duties.
Her elderly Ford Ka has served her well but terminal rust has now forced it into the scrapyard.
Care workers are not well paid and so she only has a budget of up to £1200 to find a replacement, a task she's delegated to me.
She wants something cheap to run and easy to park, which won't rust as fast as a Ka
I'm thinking Nissan Micra, but would welcome any other suggestions. Does anyone know if the Hyundai Getz or Amica are worth a look?
Her elderly Ford Ka has served her well but terminal rust has now forced it into the scrapyard.
Care workers are not well paid and so she only has a budget of up to £1200 to find a replacement, a task she's delegated to me.
She wants something cheap to run and easy to park, which won't rust as fast as a Ka
I'm thinking Nissan Micra, but would welcome any other suggestions. Does anyone know if the Hyundai Getz or Amica are worth a look?
Edited by sparkythecat on Tuesday 19th February 17:52
A year 2000 or so Toyota Corolla (the one with the silly lights and grill) is almost always the answer to the "what cheap, reliable car to buy" question. Bought new by old people, many have lots of service history, they're a cam chain engine, tough as old boots and economical too. A real automotive cockroach.
This is the first of many I found on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Corolla-5-door-ha... just as an example. Almost a year's ticket, low miles and I'll bet it'll go for less than £750. If you just want cheap motoring, what's not to like?
This is the first of many I found on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Corolla-5-door-ha... just as an example. Almost a year's ticket, low miles and I'll bet it'll go for less than £750. If you just want cheap motoring, what's not to like?
Edited by 6fire on Tuesday 19th February 17:22
6fire said:
A year 2000 or so Toyota Corolla (the one with the silly lights and grill) is almost always the answer to the "what cheap, reliable car to buy" question. Bought new by old people, many have lots of service history, they're a cam chain engine, tough as old boots and economical too. A real automotive cockroach.
Not a bad suggestion, however the other criteria I inadvertently omitted in my OP was "must be easy to park". That slopey back and those mahoosive C-pillars would just make house call street parking too much hassle which would end in scuffs and tears.
sparkythecat said:
6fire said:
A year 2000 or so Toyota Corolla (the one with the silly lights and grill) is almost always the answer to the "what cheap, reliable car to buy" question. Bought new by old people, many have lots of service history, they're a cam chain engine, tough as old boots and economical too. A real automotive cockroach.
Not a bad suggestion, however the other criteria I inadvertently omitted in my OP was "must be easy to park". That slopey back and those mahoosive C-pillars would just make house call street parking too much hassle which would end in scuffs and tears.
Would a hatchback Honda Civic - say a 3 door one - be manageable do you think.
Yes some of the newer Civics give trouble - but those would be (well) outside the 1200 pound budget.
Something else to consider might be a Mitsubishi Colt - not the later model that looks like an MPV that shrunk in the wash but the previous 96 to 03 model. Im not sure what they are like for rust issues though.
Micras a good suggestion mind you.
I know youve dismissed the Corolla - but have you looked at a 3 door model - the bodyshape on the 00 type model is different on the 3 door than the 5 door.
Sir Fergie
Yes some of the newer Civics give trouble - but those would be (well) outside the 1200 pound budget.
Something else to consider might be a Mitsubishi Colt - not the later model that looks like an MPV that shrunk in the wash but the previous 96 to 03 model. Im not sure what they are like for rust issues though.
Micras a good suggestion mind you.
I know youve dismissed the Corolla - but have you looked at a 3 door model - the bodyshape on the 00 type model is different on the 3 door than the 5 door.
Sir Fergie
I used to do the same job 4 years ago(being pedantic, it's not district nursing 
)...I had an N reg Clio which I bought for £430, I didn't care about leaving it on dodgy roads, easy to park and worked seamlessly until one day I had a blind lady in the car and its head gasket went, leaving us stranded on a busy high street. Still, a year of good service
Luck of the draw at low budget, get whatever checks out decently with a good history and that she likes the look of.
)...I had an N reg Clio which I bought for £430, I didn't care about leaving it on dodgy roads, easy to park and worked seamlessly until one day I had a blind lady in the car and its head gasket went, leaving us stranded on a busy high street. Still, a year of good service Luck of the draw at low budget, get whatever checks out decently with a good history and that she likes the look of.
Nissan Micra is a good shout TBH; they can take an unbelievable amount of abuse and keep going, and they don't rust as quick as a Ka. Although to be fair the only thing that rusts like a Ka is a late 70s Lancia. If you're looking at the K11:
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The 1.0 is plenty if you aren't doing motorway work. It's a very refined motor, and felt faster than the 1.3 bag of nails under the bonnet of a Ka. If you go for the K12:
The 1.2 is probably better as it's physically quite a lot bigger. For either model, try and go for the least number of electronic gizmos, since at that age it's just more stuff to break.
Oh, and also Morris Minor.
The 1.0 is plenty if you aren't doing motorway work. It's a very refined motor, and felt faster than the 1.3 bag of nails under the bonnet of a Ka. If you go for the K12:
The 1.2 is probably better as it's physically quite a lot bigger. For either model, try and go for the least number of electronic gizmos, since at that age it's just more stuff to break.
Oh, and also Morris Minor.
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