Recommend an automatic for max 1200.

[philv]

Any recommendations?
Auto, reliable for max 1200.

Things like 2006 renault clio, etc.

Thanks

[Scrump]

Nissan note 1.6 auto.
Cam chain engine and conventional torque converter gearbox.
Very reliable if a bit thirsty.

[shake n bake]

Yaris

[MrGTI6]

Scrump said:

Nissan note 1.6 auto.
Cam chain engine and conventional torque converter gearbox.
Very reliable if a bit thirsty.

Totally agree with this. Just avoid top-of-the-range ones with key-less entry/start.

[grant8064]

Scrump said:

Nissan note 1.6 auto.
Cam chain engine and conventional torque converter gearbox.
Very reliable if a bit thirsty.

Be lucky to get one of those for £1200 i'd say.

An old Avensis or Civic would be a shout.

[Tom217]

Something Japanese is probably the best bet. I have an 07 Honda jazz auto that’s my commuter. Chain driven fairly bulletproof engines (mines on 104k) enough power from the 1.3 engine and flappy paddles so it’s not so boring on the twisty’s. Don’t expect any feedback from the steering wheel though. They are clutch pack cvt’s so beware of clutch failure on earlier cars, test drive one and make sure it doesn’t judder as it moves off.
Good luck

[Scrump]

MrGTI6 said:

Totally agree with this. Just avoid top-of-the-range ones with key-less entry/start.

I don’t think keyless entry was available on the “old” note which had the 1.6. Mrs Scrump’s note is a top of the range Tekna model and it still has old fashioned key start.

[kieranblenk]

Suzuki Swift or Micra will fit the bill, we've had long term ownership of both within the family and both were bulletproof.

[drmcw]

My daughter got an elderly but low mileage Micra 1l auto for under a grand. She loves it and it seems reliable although it needed some consumables like brakes and stuff. She found several comparable vehicles to choose from - private sales mind you. Given her lack of knowledge about cars she was quite brave buying it by herself (she lives over an hour away). I gave her some simple guidelines and she has lots of common sense.

[DoubleD]

Scrump said:

MrGTI6 said:

Totally agree with this. Just avoid top-of-the-range ones with key-less entry/start.

I don’t think keyless entry was available on the “old” note which had the 1.6. Mrs Scrump’s note is a top of the range Tekna model and it still has old fashioned key start.

Thieves are unlikely to target a £1200 car.

[RazerSauber]

My other half splashed out 1200 rubles on a Mk5 Astra with "Easytronic" gearbox. Seems to go alright, comfy, spacious, everything you could reasonable want I suppose.

[mbwoy84]

I would recommend a Vauxhall for a cheap auto, but avoid the Easytronic like the plague. It's the most unreliable part of any car going and is truly awful to drive. But any proper automatic should be decent.

I'm by no means a Vauxhall fan, but my sister who passed her test at a more mature age than most can only drive an auto, so I was left with the unenviable task of finding a half-decent small-engine automatic (I love an auto strapped to a nice straight 6/V8 etc, but not on a shopping car). I thought going Japanese would be wise, but after non end of trouble, I waded through a sea of horrible easytronic Corsas to find a proper auto in a high spec 1.4 with very low miles and that was totally reliable. After 18 months I found her a nice 11-Plate Astra J (or MK6 if you like) 1.6 and whilst strapped to an auto box it won't win many races or excite any keen driver, it's a pretty nice, comfortable drive and has been *touch wood* totally reliable for 3 years now with only routing servicing and couple of minor parts to worry about.

So, whenever this question comes up I always recommend Vauxhall (probably the only time I ever would!) as a solid choice. But if you want to look elsewhere, the best piece of advice I can give is avoid any mickey-mouse "semi-auto"-type offering from any mainstream manufacturer, whether it's the easytronic or whatever anyone else's equivalent is, just stick to a normal, "proper", run-of-the-mill auto box and hopefully you will be fine!

[ZX10R NIN]

I second the above:

Astra

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

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

IS200

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

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

Focus Zetec

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

[philv]

Thanks for the replies.
Very helpful.

Re auto gearbox i think normal auto and not cvt etc.

Our previous merc b200 cvt was a nightmare.
The electronics for the cvt were 1200 for parts alone.

[ZX10R NIN]

All the above are proper autos.

[anonymous-user]

philv said:

Thanks for the replies.
Very helpful.

Re auto gearbox i think normal auto and not cvt etc.

Our previous merc b200 cvt was a nightmare.
The electronics for the cvt were 1200 for parts alone.

That's because it was a Mercedes, not because it was a CVT. A CVT from a manufacturer who actually bothers engineering and building their cars to last more than 5 years will be fine - see the Prius for example.

For any £1,200 shed I'd be looking at a Japanese car. IS200 is lovely but very thirsty for the performance, if you don't do many miles it could be a nice way to do them.

Then I'd buy a ropey old XJ6 though, and regret it bitterly