Cheap used car: low miles or age OR lease?? £5k ish...

[EGBM87]

Hi - sorry for this awfully boring first post - I've been reading the best lease deals and contemplating them but things are getting desperate... at the moment I'm leaning to getting a bank loan over say 24 to 36 months.... basically whats the most reliable (as in - won't give me expensive repair bills) kind of car to go for for around the 5k mark?

Is it generally better to focus on low mileage or low age, or is it just different for every model of car?

All I want is a 4/5 door hatchback to get us to work and around for now, and have no savings to speak of but an excellent credit rating. If I could get a lease car for around £150pm on a 1+23 I would, but the only thing I can find around that price atm is a Citreon C3 at £168pm which equates to 29% the cost of the car over 2 years which I gather is not particularly good value??

Sorry for the vagueness and I welcome any advice!!
Thanks!

[wemorgan]

A petrol Honda Civic would be my first choice.
Just find the best example in your area at the right price.

[Yegap]

Japanese petrol N/A is a good shout.

If lease route you can get a Leon for around the £150 p/m mark on a 3+23, check out https://www.contracthireandleasing.com/independent...

[ZX10R NIN]

Get yourself one of these it'll run forever in a day & is very unlikely to throw up a big bill:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Condi]

Focus's tend to be bombproof and are so cheap for what you get. Ive had 2 and loved both of them, one did 4 years before I sold it and moved abroad, the other I wrote off after 6 months, but it was a lovely drive. You wont find much better cars for £3-5k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...


https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Yipper]

Get a Seat lease.

You get the new-car smell, free repairs if it goes wrong, and no MOT for 3 years.

[Momentofmadness]

It doesn't sound like you're too bothered what it is as long as it's reliable and cheap to run, so go with the Jazz as mentioned above.

Silly main dealer price but something like this:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

3 years finance around £160 per month and you own it

[EGBM87]

Thank for the advice everyone, it's funny you put up a jazz because I bought a 7 year old jazz 3 years ago for 2.5k with 44k miles on it and we mustve spent at least a grand to 1500 on repairs and stuff on it. That's what made me think that'd not far off a lease deal and with that you get a brand new car for 2 years! This one is ready for the heap now!

[Momentofmadness]

EGBM87 said:

Thank for the advice everyone, it's funny you put up a jazz because I bought a 7 year old jazz 3 years ago for 2.5k with 44k miles on it and we mustve spent at least a grand to 1500 on repairs and stuff on it. That's what made me think that'd not far off a lease deal and with that you get a brand new car for 2 years! This one is ready for the heap now!

What were the repairs? Sounds expensive and I'm sure the next car won't cost so much unless your very unlucky.

Don't forget lease cars will need a service (say £200), possibly tyres etc even if you're looking at a 2 year lease.

£168 per month (plus admin charge say £250?) for 2 years = £4482 gone just to rent a car, plus any return charges, smart repairs etc.

Edited by Momentofmadness on Sunday 3rd December 08:10

Edited by Momentofmadness on Sunday 3rd December 08:11

[JZZ30]

Where is the Jazz now it's had all that work done?