Desperate for some sensible advice - automatic up to 10K

[fattymunchkin]

Desperate for some sensible advice - I need an automatic up to 10K.

My biggest worry is reliability & expensive garage bills, but I also want something really nice as I work hard to buy & run a car & want to really love it! Would like to love it enough to run for the next 5 years & avoid loosing too much money selling.

- Ideally 5 doors although I would consider 3 (must have 3 seatbelts in the back though)
- Going to be doing 30-50 mile daily run so must be decent on fuel - either diesel or a smaller petrol?
- Proper auto gearbox, no CVT's
- Fun to drive, comfortable enough on long trips
- Decent spec interior & ideally parking sensors (wouldn't say no to a few toys)
- need to be able to turn the airbag off in the front

Fell in love with a 2019 1.3 Fiat 500X but sadly I'm a good 6K short - the older 1.4 Twinair has a pretty terrible MPG judging from reviews.

My probably impractical shortlist is

- Mini Cooper 5 door hatch, Audi A1 Sportsback & Volvo V40 Cross County.

I've been warned-off all of these as well as VW Golf's with regards to reliability & expensive parts - especially the automatic gearbox.


Any advice from very knowledgable people very much appreciated!

[valiant]

Volvo S/V60 in d5 form.

Meets all your criteria and in r-design spec with sports suspension and will give you a half decent steer or opt for SE Lux spec for comfort.

Comes with lots of toys as standard, will give you 45mpg on a run no problem and the d5 engine is a very strong unit (just keep up with belts and general servicing)

Auto box can be a weak point but a fluid change works wonders or get a manual.

Bit bigger than you’re options but that makes for a more comfy cruiser.

[ZX10R NIN]

how many miles do you do per year as this will help with the advice.

Infiniti Q30 (these share the same platform as the A Class) SE these pretty much ticks your boxes.

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

Giulietta Sportiva Nav

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

QV LIne

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

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

Astra Elite Nav

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

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

[fattymunchkin]

Thank you for both replies, I'll be doing 10,000 - 12,000 miles a year.

Edited by fattymunchkin on Friday 8th November 15:31

Edited by fattymunchkin on Friday 8th November 15:31

[ZX10R NIN]

Diesel options:
Infiniti Q30 Premium

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

Q50 Sport

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

Premium

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

D4 V40 R Design Lux Nav

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

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

D5 S60

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

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


A leftfield option would be the Infiniti M 3.5h you'll see a real world 38mpg in mixed driving:

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

[Roboticarm]

If you liked the 500x how about a jeep renegade, it's the same car underneath and available with a good variety of engines plenty of options in your price range.
I owned a manual one for 2 years and it was a decent enough car

[fattymunchkin]

Thank you for your reply, I don't know anything at all about Infiniti so will research carefully over the weekend. I assumed I'd need to avoid anything over a 1.6 in terms of MPG & insurance but possibly not... The Mito is gorgeous but obviously would be worried about reliability.
Many thanks!

[fattymunchkin]

Roboticarm said:

If you liked the 500x how about a jeep renegade, it's the same car underneath and available with a good variety of engines plenty of options in your price range.
I owned a manual one for 2 years and it was a decent enough car

Thank you, that is a very good point.
Can anyone tell me about the 1.4 MultiAir engine that's in the older 500X, Jeep & Mito? MPG & reliability. Thank you!

[littlebasher]

fattymunchkin said:

Thank you, that is a very good point.
Can anyone tell me about the 1.4 MultiAir engine that's in the older 500X, Jeep & Mito? MPG & reliability. Thank you!

Don't those Fiats use that ghastly single clutch automated manual abomination?

Plenty of better examples above, literally any of them!

[ZX10R NIN]

fattymunchkin said:

Thank you, that is a very good point.
Can anyone tell me about the 1.4 MultiAir engine that's in the older 500X, Jeep & Mito? MPG & reliability. Thank you!

The 1.4T is a very good reliable engine service it on time & it'll be fine with a nice bit of (170bhp) poke too, I've supplied a lot of cars with this engine with no issues other than age/mileage related.

[ZX10R NIN]

littlebasher said:

Don't those Fiats use that ghastly single clutch automated manual abomination?

Plenty of better examples above, literally any of them!

Nope there all twin clutch transmissions & well proven too.

[ZX10R NIN]

fattymunchkin said:

Thank you for your reply, I don't know anything at all about Infiniti so will research carefully over the weekend. I assumed I'd need to avoid anything over a 1.6 in terms of MPG & insurance but possibly not... The Mito is gorgeous but obviously would be worried about reliability.
Many thanks!

Infiniti's are very good cars, the Q30 & Mercedes A Class of that era are the same car with exactly the same drivetrains switch gear etc but I will say the Q30 has a slightly nicer interior.

The Q50 uses the same drivetrain as the C Class so you have a well (the hybrid is Nissan's own & reliable too) proven drivetrain.

The interior is all of their own & a nice place be so I'd say go & have a look.

The Alfa's are as reliable as anything else out there so I wouldn't worry about their reliability.

[stevemcs]

I'd be looking at either a Volvo V40 or a Mini 1.5 petrol, preference would be the mini as its a torque converter rather than DSG, i wouldn't dismiss a CVT either they are better on fuel. For you mileage the preference would be petrol.

[fattymunchkin]

Thank you for the replies!
Ok, so mileage mainly involves x2 25 mile round trip school runs a day on A & B roads (live in the sticks, almost no city driving) plus we drive to France/Spain/Portugal at least once a year & would probably take my car to share the driving hence the leaning towards a diesel, I know they don’t like short runs so even at 10-12,000 miles a year maybe better avoided?
I really love the look of the Infinity Q30, can someone give me the real drawbacks of this one?
Having spent several hours researching & sitting in them this morning it seems the Volvo V40, Audi A1 or Mini Cooper feel special/premium & hopefully at my budget will have few issues for the next few years.
It’s a big decision but I need to get a move on ??
Thanks all! Keep the replies coming.

Edited by fattymunchkin on Saturday 9th November 13:49

Edited by fattymunchkin on Saturday 9th November 13:50

[fattymunchkin]

stevemcs said:

I'd be looking at either a Volvo V40 or a Mini 1.5 petrol, preference would be the mini as its a torque converter rather than DSG, i wouldn't dismiss a CVT either they are better on fuel. For you mileage the preference would be petrol.

Thanks for this, the automatic gearbox going wrong is my biggest fear. Just read this article https://www.carshop.co.uk/latest-news/what-type-of...
Which seems to spell it out, on a bit of a learning curve as never had any sort of decent budget before (always awful cheap old things for 5min trip to the local shop etc)
The torque converter gearbox seems the best choice, so that’s only the Mini Cooper?

Many thanks!

[Roboticarm]

fattymunchkin said:

Thank you, that is a very good point.
Can anyone tell me about the 1.4 MultiAir engine that's in the older 500X, Jeep & Mito? MPG & reliability. Thank you!

I drove a 1.4 multi as a courtesy car, was manual rather than auto but drove well. Didn't notice the mpg though.
I had the 1.6 diesel and it was decent, 46mpg and would sit at 80 - 90 on the motorway for hours no fuss.
They also do a 2.0d which is more expensive (and out of my price range when new) but apparently has good performance and mpg.

[ZX10R NIN]

[quote=fattymunchkin]Thank you for the replies!
Ok, so mileage mainly involves x2 25 mile round trip school runs a day on A & B roads (live in the sticks, almost no city driving) plus we drive to France/Spain/Portugal at least once a year & would probably take my car to share the driving hence the leaning towards a diesel, I know they don’t like short runs so even at 10-12,000 miles a year maybe better avoided?
I really love the look of the Infinity Q30, can someone give me the real drawbacks of this one?
Having spent several hours researching & sitting in them this morning it seems the Volvo V40, Audi A1 or Mini Cooper feel special/premium & hopefully at my budget will have few issues for the next few years.
It’s a big decision but I need to get a move on ??
Thanks all! Keep the replies coming.

Edited by fattymunchkin on Saturday 9th November 13:49

The Q30 will feel a bit more premium than the three you mention in, with your journeys a diesel will be fine, with only the Volvo matching it for space & omfort.

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

I say find an example of each local to you & try them out.

[CX53]

ZX10R NIN said:

how many miles do you do per year as this will help with the advice.

Infiniti Q30 (these share the same platform as the A Class) SE these pretty much ticks your boxes.

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

Giulietta Sportiva Nav

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

QV LIne

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

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

Astra Elite Nav

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

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

I leased one an Astra like the one mentioned above in 2017 from new, manual though. It was a fantastic car, and I would’ve kept it if I could. Great value for money and a decent enough engine, reasonable fuel economy, heated everything, Apple car play.. the perfect all rounder.

[fattymunchkin]

ZX10R NIN said:

fattymunchkin said:

Thank you for the replies!
Ok, so mileage mainly involves x2 25 mile round trip school runs a day on A & B roads (live in the sticks, almost no city driving) plus we drive to France/Spain/Portugal at least once a year & would probably take my car to share the driving hence the leaning towards a diesel, I know they don’t like short runs so even at 10-12,000 miles a year maybe better avoided?
I really love the look of the Infinity Q30, can someone give me the real drawbacks of this one?
Having spent several hours researching & sitting in them this morning it seems the Volvo V40, Audi A1 or Mini Cooper feel special/premium & hopefully at my budget will have few issues for the next few years.
It’s a big decision but I need to get a move on ??
Thanks all! Keep the replies coming.

Edited by fattymunchkin on Saturday 9th November 13:49

The Q30 will feel a bit more premium than the three you mention in, with your journeys a diesel will be fine, with only the Volvo matching it for space & omfort.

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

I say find an example of each local to you & try them out.

Thank you. If I ever had a small windfall I’d off to look at a Mercedes GLA. The Q30 is definitely a lot cheaper! I worry about the price of parts etc. if I ever had a problem though.

Many thanks!

[stevemcs]

Something like this for me

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

Or something a little larger

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

Or if you want newer with less miles and a good warranty

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


Or if you want something quick and sporty


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