Budget weekend car 4k

[Rustybits]

Hello good people,

I'm looking at getting a 2nd car for the weekend, it needs to have rear seats for the kids, and no other real requirements apart from the budget.

It would be nice to have something with a little character, and currently thinking of a Suzuki Swift Sport, Honda CR-Z or a Fiat Panda 100HP.

I don't want anything that is likely to throw huge bills or large ongoing maintenance such as issues with rust (this may exclude the CR-Z).

Any further suggestions for my budget?

The main purpose of the car will be zipping around town and a second car for when both me and my wife need to be in separate places. No long journeys and limited motorway use.

[Andy665]

R53 Mini - going up in value, pretty reliable, good parts supply and great fun to drive

[Rustybits]

Yes, thanksl you I'm very open to the Mini, I'll add it to the list!

[CrippsCorner]

R53 is very reliable (from my experience, though I have heard otherwise) but very small if you need the rear seats, and boot for that matter.

Rough Mk7 Fiesta ST?

[venster70]

I can say from experience, that the R53 Mini is not a reliable choice, they are great cars especially the Cooper S with its supercharger, but they suffer from many failure issues, tbf mostly due to their age now.

I think you nailed the requirement with the Suzuki Swift.

Also don't rule out a Kia Picanto, I had a 1.0 hire car on Holiday in Spain, it was a hoot to drive and quite practical for such a small car, plus they are known for being pretty bulletproof (chain driven engines etc.)

Watch some Chops Garage videos on YouTube, he specialises in this sector of the market.

[p4cks]

I managed to get a Clio 172 Cup for £500 over that budget, it's good fun

[ZX10R NIN]

Mito Quadrifoglio:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603311...

Veloce:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202602169...

Hyundai i30 Turbo:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202601159...

1.6 Fiesta Zetec S, great little steer:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604011...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603120...

2.0T Scirocco GT:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603301...



1.6T Astra GTC SRI:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202510227...

Clio RS Cup:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603050...

RS:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603220...

Abarth 500:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604091...

208 GTI Prestige:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603281...

GTI:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603271...

[Bonefish Blues]

Wrong Panda - 4x4's shirley the one, in TA flavour for zipping?

[Rustybits]

Some good options there, thanks all. I should probably make a short list and go and view some.

[andye30m3]

I like the renaultsport stuff either a Twingo 133, Clio 172/182/197 or Megane R26 would make a fun weekend car

[Gad-Westy]

Bonefish Blues said:

Wrong Panda - 4x4's shirley the one, in TA flavour for zipping?

I love our's but I wouldn't have it down as a weekend car. More of curio daily.

The Swift Sport option is probably quite a good idea. I feel like a Clio 172/182 would always need a little more TLC but I haven't owned one. Maybe I'm wrong.

An option somewhere in the middle that always look great value is a Fiesta ST 150. I get the impression that you would get a very good one at this money rather than having to buy from the murkier end of the scale. They can feel a little strangled as standard but there are a number of things that can be done to help that (and many already have stuff). Galvanised shell so I don't think rust concerns should be any worse than some of the other suggestions.

[Bonefish Blues]

Gad-Westy said:

Bonefish Blues said:

Wrong Panda - 4x4's shirley the one, in TA flavour for zipping?

I love our's but I wouldn't have it down as a weekend car. More of curio daily.

The Swift Sport option is probably quite a good idea. I feel like a Clio 172/182 would always need a little more TLC but I haven't owned one. Maybe I'm wrong.

An option somewhere in the middle that always look great value is a Fiesta ST 150. I get the impression that you would get a very good one at this money rather than having to buy from the murkier end of the scale. They can feel a little strangled as standard but there are a number of things that can be done to help that (and many already have stuff). Galvanised shell so I don't think rust concerns should be any worse than some of the other suggestions.

OP reckons it'll be a town car - that's why I suggested it. Ours was the best town/school run car I've ever used, and with the TA, it'd be a hoot. Hot hatches are wasted there, and the Panda just charms everyone it meets, offending no one - never a problem with getting let out at junctions in a Panda

[Gad-Westy]

Bonefish Blues said:

Gad-Westy said:

Bonefish Blues said:

Wrong Panda - 4x4's shirley the one, in TA flavour for zipping?

I love our's but I wouldn't have it down as a weekend car. More of curio daily.

The Swift Sport option is probably quite a good idea. I feel like a Clio 172/182 would always need a little more TLC but I haven't owned one. Maybe I'm wrong.

An option somewhere in the middle that always look great value is a Fiesta ST 150. I get the impression that you would get a very good one at this money rather than having to buy from the murkier end of the scale. They can feel a little strangled as standard but there are a number of things that can be done to help that (and many already have stuff). Galvanised shell so I don't think rust concerns should be any worse than some of the other suggestions.

OP reckons it'll be a town car - that's why I suggested it. Ours was the best town/school run car I've ever used, and with the TA, it'd be a hoot. Hot hatches are wasted there, and the Panda just charms everyone it meets, offending no one - never a problem with getting let out at junctions in a Panda

Certainly worth OP considering if it ticks the right boxes. We actually have two of them. A cross and regular 4x4. Almost all rural short(ish) journey use. They're pretty easy to live with but it's worth mentioning that MPG can be around 30 average for stop start driving. For a 0.9 litre engine in a small car, that came as quite a shock. But we've had three of them now and they are all like that so I don't think they're broken. Can do 45 on a longer run though.

[CrippsCorner]

Currently 21 available on AutoTrader under £4,5k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202601229...

[nunpuncher]

Loved my r53. It had proper hot hatch character and a great community. Mine was almost 20 years old with 90k miles and only cost £1400. I used it as a daily, took the kids on holiday in it and regularly thrashed on the back roads. It only ever let me down once when the battery died. However, I did all my own spannering and A LOT of preventative maintenance and improvements. There were also lots of little niggles. Both rear calipers needed replaced, cable for door handle went, header tank sprang a leak, multiple oil leaks and last but not least rusty front subframe. That's ignoring the tailgate and rear light rust that they all suffer from.

They are fantastic hobby project cars as they are easy to work on, loads of how tos out there and parts are plentiful and cheap. The downside is the running cost. I ran mine alongside a 911 turbo and they had the same mpg, VED and insurance... Insane.

Despite all this I really want another

[Doesitdrive]

Gad-Westy said:

Bonefish Blues said:

Wrong Panda - 4x4's shirley the one, in TA flavour for zipping?

I love our's but I wouldn't have it down as a weekend car. More of curio daily.

The Swift Sport option is probably quite a good idea. I feel like a Clio 172/182 would always need a little more TLC but I haven't owned one. Maybe I'm wrong.

An option somewhere in the middle that always look great value is a Fiesta ST 150. I get the impression that you would get a very good one at this money rather than having to buy from the murkier end of the scale. They can feel a little strangled as standard but there are a number of things that can be done to help that (and many already have stuff). Galvanised shell so I don't think rust concerns should be any worse than some of the other suggestions.

I have a 2006 ST150, around 65k done, Panther Black, blue/black interior, fun thing TBH.
Being a little bit strangled shouldn't be an issue for a slow car to drive quickly.

I once had a drive around Central Scotland then back down to London in an Eos, I think it is, Same Engine as my Mk5 Gti, hard retractable top, and it was a lot of fun, roof up or down, ticked a lot of boxes.

[Bomberharris]

Suzuki Swift Sport

It will be reliable and trouble free, Enough power and comfort even with 4 up.

Can fit SX4 16” for more comfort / winter fit.

I had a 2005 Mini 158k petrol but transmission whine and power steering failure.

More space in Swift 👍

[nunpuncher]

Think Panda 100hp aren't guaranteed reliable either. Richard Porter of sniff and smith had a few issues with his. Like full engine rebuild type issue.

[Jamescrs]

I own an R53 Mini road legal but stripped out a lot as a track car. For what they are they are pretty reliable but be prepared to get your tools out from time to time.
Parts are pretty cheap generally.
VEL is expensive- my BMW M4 is cheaper.

People have been saying for years they are going to go up in value, I certainly haven't seen it in the owners groups, but they probably can't go much lower either.

If you go for one try to find a good independent Mini specialist because I have found a number of local general garages don't like to work on them and will quote silly prices to put you off.

All that being said if this one breaks i'll be buying a Renault Clio Sport of some variation instead

[biggbn]

Rustybits said:

Hello good people,

I'm looking at getting a 2nd car for the weekend, it needs to have rear seats for the kids, and no other real requirements apart from the budget.

It would be nice to have something with a little character, and currently thinking of a Suzuki Swift Sport, Honda CR-Z or a Fiat Panda 100HP.

I don't want anything that is likely to throw huge bills or large ongoing maintenance such as issues with rust (this may exclude the CR-Z).

Any further suggestions for my budget?

The main purpose of the car will be zipping around town and a second car for when both me and my wife need to be in separate places. No long journeys and limited motorway use.

Need for rear seats sadly excludes CRZ. Yes, they are there...but they'd be as well being affixed to the roof...