£5000-6000 budget for a used car....advice appreciated!
Discussion
Hi everyone. Been able to use my work van to do a 30 mile round trip to work on a dual carriageway, pre rush hour so largely a clear run both ways. The company policy will change in September so need a car! I have a cash budget of £5000-6000 and ultimately want something as reliable as possible but not remotely image conscious about it and a basic speck is fine. Not concerned with any potential resale value, just longevity. I'm looking at buying a used car from a dealership along the lines of a Corsa/Fabia/Fiesta/Polo/Yaris (although I'm 6'1!). Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thanks
Al1981 said:
Insignia from a dealership at that price mate!? Apologies for sounding naive!
Yes have a look on Auto trader and you will find there's a few to choose from. We use Insignias all the time at work and they are reliable in my experience on our fleet, generallyu kept upto 100k miles, Vauxhalls depreciate at the speed of a rock off a cliff which will work in your favour here I can understand why you’d want a main dealer car but I’ve had so many bad experiences buying this way it certainly doesn’t mean it’ll be a flawless experience. Worth trying well-regarded independents too even if you don’t get approved warranty and breakdown cover as standard.
As for a recommendation an Insignia is a good shout, decent looking and underrated. Most saloons are bargains since falling out of fashion but they’re sleek and practical. I’ve got a Volvo S60 R Design which you could have around thar budget. Most will be diesels (I’ve got a rare T4 petrol), you obviously need to decide what fuel works for you. Toyotas are probably going to be the best for reliability, an Avensis or Auris might be better for your height
As for a recommendation an Insignia is a good shout, decent looking and underrated. Most saloons are bargains since falling out of fashion but they’re sleek and practical. I’ve got a Volvo S60 R Design which you could have around thar budget. Most will be diesels (I’ve got a rare T4 petrol), you obviously need to decide what fuel works for you. Toyotas are probably going to be the best for reliability, an Avensis or Auris might be better for your height
A Lexus IS250 or a CT200 might be a good choice if you are looking for reliability. Here is one that would be good. A 2011 CT200 with 76k miles for £6490. You can try negotiating it down to £6k.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104071...
Keep in mind these aren't the quickest cars in the world!
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104071...
Keep in mind these aren't the quickest cars in the world!
General consensus seems to be go with a diesel then!? A mate of mine is adamant a ford fiesta 1.0 ecoboost (petrol) is the best bet all round and I've seen a few around the £6500 mark with less than 30000 miles on the clock. He reckons once diesels require mechanical work, the complexity of them means your getting seriously hit in the pocket even though traditionally, diesels run for longer.
Elatino1 said:
Honda Jazz or Yaris. Zzzzzz though.
These or a fiesta/polo are still going to be more reliable than anything else suggested.
Fiesta is most appealing at the minute! Trying to up my budget abit for an ecoboost with fairly low mileageThese or a fiesta/polo are still going to be more reliable than anything else suggested.
Edited by Elatino1 on Friday 9th April 06:41
LightningBlue said:
I can understand why you’d want a main dealer car but I’ve had so many bad experiences buying this way it certainly doesn’t mean it’ll be a flawless experience. Worth trying well-regarded independents too even if you don’t get approved warranty and breakdown cover as standard.
As for a recommendation an Insignia is a good shout, decent looking and underrated. Most saloons are bargains since falling out of fashion but they’re sleek and practical. I’ve got a Volvo S60 R Design which you could have around thar budget. Most will be diesels (I’ve got a rare T4 petrol), you obviously need to decide what fuel works for you. Toyotas are probably going to be the best for reliability, an Avensis or Auris might be better for your height
Hi mate. May just be pyschologically reassuring but the multi point check/warranty from a dealership swings it for me! Have you just had bad luck then or were the dealership's bad natured towards the flaws you experienced? As for a recommendation an Insignia is a good shout, decent looking and underrated. Most saloons are bargains since falling out of fashion but they’re sleek and practical. I’ve got a Volvo S60 R Design which you could have around thar budget. Most will be diesels (I’ve got a rare T4 petrol), you obviously need to decide what fuel works for you. Toyotas are probably going to be the best for reliability, an Avensis or Auris might be better for your height
Al1981 said:
Hi everyone. Been able to use my work van to do a 30 mile round trip to work on a dual carriageway, pre rush hour so largely a clear run both ways. The company policy will change in September so need a car! I have a cash budget of £5000-6000 and ultimately want something as reliable as possible but not remotely image conscious about it and a basic speck is fine. Not concerned with any potential resale value, just longevity. I'm looking at buying a used car from a dealership along the lines of a Corsa/Fabia/Fiesta/Polo/Yaris (although I'm 6'1!). Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thanks
For £5-6k the world is your oyster, really. A 30-mile round trip is really two separate 15 mile journeys, for that even C1/107/Aygo type cars will be fine. I’d definitely rule out anything diesel powered for those sorts of journeys. I’m 6’2” and regularly used my OH’s little C1 for random journeys, they’re a hoot to drive and relatively simple cars - no turbocharging, no touchscreens etc., but you do get creature comforts such as remote central locking, leccy windows and air conditioning. It was fine on the motorway, sipped fuel and cost £0 in VED. The oily bits are all Toyota and they were all built on the same production line, so it doesn’t matter whether it’s got a Peugeot, Citroen or Toyota badge stuck on it, they’re all just as reliable.
For £5k you’ll have a huge choice, they’re cracking little cars. We’ve got an early 107 in the family, had it for almost 11 years now, it has over 100k miles yet it's never put a foot wrong.
Muddle238 said:
For £5-6k the world is your oyster, really. A 30-mile round trip is really two separate 15 mile journeys, for that even C1/107/Aygo type cars will be fine.
I’d definitely rule out anything diesel powered for those sorts of journeys. I’m 6’2” and regularly used my OH’s little C1 for random journeys, they’re a hoot to drive and relatively simple cars - no turbocharging, no touchscreens etc., but you do get creature comforts such as remote central locking, leccy windows and air conditioning. It was fine on the motorway, sipped fuel and cost £0 in VED. The oily bits are all Toyota and they were all built on the same production line, so it doesn’t matter whether it’s got a Peugeot, Citroen or Toyota badge stuck on it, they’re all just as reliable.
For £5k you’ll have a huge choice, they’re cracking little cars. We’ve got an early 107 in the family, had it for almost 11 years now, it has over 100k miles yet it's never put a foot wrong.
Thanks for the input! I'm looking more at the super mini bracket rather than the Aygo/C1/VW Up etc just for slightly more space all round. (Have two kids aged 8+11) so thinking for family purposes also as they age and grow but only local journeys (other half has a company VW Golf which covers that normally!), kids football match etc. Would the 107 be suitable in that respect?I’d definitely rule out anything diesel powered for those sorts of journeys. I’m 6’2” and regularly used my OH’s little C1 for random journeys, they’re a hoot to drive and relatively simple cars - no turbocharging, no touchscreens etc., but you do get creature comforts such as remote central locking, leccy windows and air conditioning. It was fine on the motorway, sipped fuel and cost £0 in VED. The oily bits are all Toyota and they were all built on the same production line, so it doesn’t matter whether it’s got a Peugeot, Citroen or Toyota badge stuck on it, they’re all just as reliable.
For £5k you’ll have a huge choice, they’re cracking little cars. We’ve got an early 107 in the family, had it for almost 11 years now, it has over 100k miles yet it's never put a foot wrong.
given you have 2 kids who will be getting bigger and you expect to run this car into the ground rather than sell it at a later point I'd have half an eye on future size needs.
30 mile round trip commute will be 7500 miles ish per year, add in any personal miles and you're borderline diesel/petrol cost equality.
As somebody already suggested, civic 1.6 idtec. I cant fault mine, fits 4 plus luggage and averages over 60mpg (80+ possible on motorway runs) and is free for VED.
The insignia is also a good option, big and comfortable, 6k should buy you a 2016/17 car with under 60k, an Astra is no cheaper.
30 mile round trip commute will be 7500 miles ish per year, add in any personal miles and you're borderline diesel/petrol cost equality.
As somebody already suggested, civic 1.6 idtec. I cant fault mine, fits 4 plus luggage and averages over 60mpg (80+ possible on motorway runs) and is free for VED.
The insignia is also a good option, big and comfortable, 6k should buy you a 2016/17 car with under 60k, an Astra is no cheaper.
Al1981 said:
Fiesta is most appealing at the minute! Trying to up my budget abit for an ecoboost with fairly low mileage
I could be wrong and I’m happy to be corrected but I’m sure I’ve read before the ecoboost isn’t that reliable an engine. Personally a small reliable car I’d be going for a Yaris or similar, a million takeaway delivery drivers can’t be wrong.
Insignia is a good shout too, if you don’t mind the size. I have a 2017 Astra which doing 20K+ miles a year has never missed a beat. Packed with equipment too.
Edited by carlove on Friday 9th April 11:36
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