£1k car that will last a year?

[Wackywoo105]

Is it feasible to purchase a car for ~£1k in this day and age and have it last 1 year without significant repair costs?

If so what would be the best models to go for?

[swanseaboydan]

Nissan micra

[ZX10R NIN]

Anything with a years MOT & in decent condition is the answer.

[ScoobyChris]

We have a Pug 107 that falls into that category (1.5 years in!).

Chris

Edited by ScoobyChris on Friday 14th January 21:55

[Jag_NE]

Yes. Find a privately owned car that someone has owned for years and isn’t a chav.

[T5SOR]

I paid £500 for a 1.2 Clio a few years back and it cost me nothing and I ran it for about 3 years. I sold it for about £800 too!

[bearman68]

The joy of running an old shed is the place for you.

£1k.

My personal record is a Mk1 focus for £70, that's just half way through year 2.
A Megane 1.6 petrol for £100 just passed it's MOT, and is actually my car of choice due to the excellent lights.
An A3 for £120 - needs about £200 of work for an MOT, and I'm confident that will last a year - I'm hoping for 3.
Xsara Picassos in 2.0 hdi mode are all but indestructible for circa £400.
1.3 petrol yaris of any age is excellent. - though I did have to spend £400 on a really nice one about 8 months ago.
How about a Rav 4 diesel for £400 with 12 months MOT?
a C1 for £300 (though it did need a weekends work).
S60 2.4 d5 euro 3. Only 200k miles on it for £750 (I had 4 of these at prices from £300 to £750).
Laguna 3 2.0 diesel, usually about £800 in half decent nick, and excellent reliability.
Oh, I forgot about a 1.6 3008 on a 10 plate (A 10 plate mind). 254k miles £320. Runs mint. (needed a starter motor).

Old Fords, French stuff, usually diesel, and older Jap stuff, (usually petrol), is often good for ages and ages if you spend a little time and attention on it.
Nothing will run for ever while spending nothing, but lots of stuff will run well for ages with minimal outlay.

[Krikkit]

MK1 Focus or anything Toyota with a petrol engine will do that no bother!

[Eyersey1234]

Agree about the Focus Mk1 or a Mk2, though at this level avoid the 1.6tdci engine, they are renowned for problems with DPFs, injectors, turbos etc.

[ChrisH72]

Always risk involved but I’m sure it can be done.

I just had a look on AT to see what was available locally for £1k and was surprised to see a few reasonable options. My favourite was a 98 S reg Nissan Primera with 94k miles for sale privately. Good description and looked fine in the pics.

It’s not really something I’d ever do but I do have a question for those who plan their motoring this way….

What do you do with the car after 12 months?

Im guessing you don’t go through the expense of a service and MOT so do you just scrap it? Or maybe you do MOT it and sell it on if that’s viable. Or perhaps you just keep running it until it dies?

[Lincsls1]

I've had my £1k car for 4 years now. It now sits at 160k miles. It has not thrown any serious expense my way, but has probably costs a couple of hundred each year to keep in fine fettle. I'm sure anyone with a new car spends at least as much on official servicing costs probably more.
The car is still very good, drives well and is far from a banger although I'm sure that's how its perceived.

[georgeyboy12345]

Absolutely. Best chances are with something relatively simple or well made, so probably slightly older stuff with a non turbo petrol engine. Japanese are good at making reliable cars, though they can sometimes have issues with rust. That said, I wouldn't rule out other cars. Here are some good ones

Honda Civic EP 1.6 i-VTEC
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201051...


Ford Focus 1.6i 16v LX
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201131...


Nissan Primera 1.8
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201141...


Nissan Almera 1.5 S
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111199...


Mazda 6 2.0 TS
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111159...


Or if you want something a bit more interesting, the M54 engine should hold out at least another year in this BMW 325Ci
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201141...

[Drezza]

Bought my dad a £750 astra estate with a full year's MOT in october and it's still going...

[Wackywoo105]

Thanks to everyone for the replies and suggestions.

[CLX]

Wackywoo105 said:

Is it feasible to purchase a car for ~£1k in this day and age and have it last 1 year without significant repair costs?

If so what would be the best models to go for?

I love the brutally honest description of this one, especially the bit about the car some times has a stroke! ...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154787750289?hash=item2...

[ooid]

I also paid £750 for a 1.6 VW Golf mk4, 1.6 Petrol (Auto) two years ago. Annual service + MOT, still going.

[Scootersp]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201141...

I have a manual one of these........the pre vvti ones have a non interference engine so no damage if the belt breaks.

New'ish mot and no mot history of concern, only killed by crashing, embarrassment or boredom?

[Walter Sobchak]

I managed to get myself a 2000 Merc CLK 320 convertible with 80k miles on and no rotten arches for £500 a few months ago, the roof didn’t work but it was just a relay and if I’m being picky there is a little rust bubble on one of the front wings and a scuff on the rear bumper, the AC doesn’t work either and it will need a new condenser which isn’t very costly, drives really well and had a load of history, gamble paid off there!.

[Davie]

Wackywoo105 said:

Is it feasible to purchase a car for ~£1k in this day and age and have it last 1 year without significant repair costs?

If so what would be the best models to go for?

Too vague I fear.

A grand won't buy much but it will buy a hell of a variety of stuff from rotten old Mercs to Micras and everything in between so I'd apply a few filters to your thought process and see if it narrows the playing field. You will have an idea of what you need - a city car with minimal running costs? An estate? Something with 4x4? Diesel? Petrol? Do you care if it's go zero street cred?

Almost any car could potentially go a year without costs but is that a year or doing a 5 mile commute in the city or a year of running back and forth to some far fetched country or a year of Welsh hill farming? You could have nigh on identical cars and one could be a total banger and ruin you, the other may give flawless service - a lot of the time it comes down to buying a good one and luck, garnished with preventative maintenance and also the conditions it will be subjected to.

No point suggesting a supermini if you actually need a diesel estate and so on...

[anonymous-user]

I got an 08 Megane 1.5dci about 5 years ago because I was driving from York to Newcastle every day for six months and didn't want to trash the Alfa or Scooby. Paid £1000 to a dealer in Leeds, had about 90K on it. I said at the time that when it goes wrong it will go in the bin. It just keeps going, £30 a year tax, sod all to insure, >50mpg and it will sit at 85mph all day long up and down the country. This week it went for an MOT and failed on a headlight bulb, £12 later it passed another MOT. I am convinced it is a cockroach, it just won't die. French cars are fantastic and if I had £1K to spend that is where I would be going.