Need a runaround - Auris or Focus? - Page 1 - Car Buying

thismonkeyhere

Original Poster

11,515 posts

259 months

[report]

[news]

Friday 21st October 2022

Due to working from home and all that, we only need one car for about 90% of the time, and that is what we currently have - one nice big family car - and work around the 10% with lifts, public transport, or worst case - missing out on going places.

We were planning to do without, but are now probably going to invest up to £5k on a hatchback for local trips and those times when two cars are needed. It'll probably only cover 2000-3000 miles pa. Currently looking at low mileage (60-70), 10-12 year old Toyota Auris or Ford Focus. Got one of each lined up to look at tomorrow.

Looks and style are secondary. Better is overall quality and reliability. I normally gravitate towards Japanese, and I have never owned a Ford, but I hear the focus is pretty good.

Thoughts?

blue_haddock

4,993 posts

95 months

[report]

[news]

Friday 21st October 2022

I'd be personally lean towards the auris, somethng like a 1.6 petrol should be reliable enough.

Shabaza

289 posts

125 months

[report]

[news]

Friday 21st October 2022

If you have a driveway, id suggest a Nissan leaf.
likely do 80 mile range, very little to go wrong.

battery small enough to be able to charge effectively with a 3 pin plug

Whataguy

1,130 posts

108 months

[report]

[news]

Friday 21st October 2022

I used to own an Auris, they are decent cars.

The only reason I got rid of mine was that it was a hybrid and people can easily steal the cats off them despite tilt alarms and catlock shields.

I've also owned a Volvo V40 which is a Ford Focus underneath I believe, while it drove better than the Auris it was much less reliable. Mine was a diesel though, I believe the petrols are pretty reliable.

ZX10R NIN

30,420 posts

153 months

[report]

[news]

Friday 21st October 2022

thismonkeyhere said:

Due to working from home and all that, we only need one car for about 90% of the time, and that is what we currently have - one nice big family car - and work around the 10% with lifts, public transport, or worst case - missing out on going places.

We were planning to do without, but are now probably going to invest up to £5k on a hatchback for local trips and those times when two cars are needed. It'll probably only cover 2000-3000 miles pa. Currently looking at low mileage (60-70), 10-12 year old Toyota Auris or Ford Focus. Got one of each lined up to look at tomorrow.

Looks and style are secondary. Better is overall quality and reliability. I normally gravitate towards Japanese, and I have never owned a Ford, but I hear the focus is pretty good.

Thoughts?

A500leroy

8,265 posts

146 months

[report]

[news]

Friday 21st October 2022

yaris.

ussprometheus

15 posts

60 months

[report]

[news]

Friday 21st October 2022

Auris out of everything mentioned so far. I used to own one and drove it for over 75k miles, nothing went wrong with it. At this age I'd avoid the diesels certainly and would suggest the the 1.6. It's a buy on condition at this age, but japanese stuff is likely to be more reliable, so consider Civic as well possibly.

Silvanus

6,910 posts

51 months

[report]

[news]

Friday 21st October 2022

ZX10R NIN said:

thismonkeyhere said:

Due to working from home and all that, we only need one car for about 90% of the time, and that is what we currently have - one nice big family car - and work around the 10% with lifts, public transport, or worst case - missing out on going places.

We were planning to do without, but are now probably going to invest up to £5k on a hatchback for local trips and those times when two cars are needed. It'll probably only cover 2000-3000 miles pa. Currently looking at low mileage (60-70), 10-12 year old Toyota Auris or Ford Focus. Got one of each lined up to look at tomorrow.

Looks and style are secondary. Better is overall quality and reliability. I normally gravitate towards Japanese, and I have never owned a Ford, but I hear the focus is pretty good.

Thoughts?

I'd be looking at a Kia Ceed too, although the Mazda would be the one I'd go for. We've got that shape Astra, wouldn’t have another.

thismonkeyhere

Original Poster

11,515 posts

259 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 24th October 2022

Thanks for all input.

We've gone with an Auris. There didn't seem to be a great deal to separate the options, so I've probably just gone with Toyota as the two I've had previously have been superb. Hopefully I won't regret it.

It's a 1.6 petrol with 70k on the clock and seems sound. I don't expect it to see more than about 3k per year so hopefully it'll last for 3-5 years as per current plan.

Seems bloody basic and small compared to the 'main' family car, but then they all did.