Emergency car buying help please!!

[Keepersball]

Hi All

My long standing jag XF has officially st itself - to quote the mechanic “catastrophic engine failure”

I now need to buy a car this weekend and have no idea what to buy. I have a £8.5k loan approved and my plan is to own car until Jan when my company is introducing a Sal sac scheme.

Some parameters;

- strict £9k max budget
- must be space for 2 child seats (one rear facing)
- something reliable
- something that will not depreciate too much
- a relatively easy sell when the time comes
- something that is remotely interesting - I.e not a Dacia duster etc

Your help is hugely appreciated

[DodgyGeezer]

I'd forget about 'fun' for 6 months and just get something Japanese and reliable until your car scheme starts

[Peterpetrole]

You're going to lose 2 grand minimum if you spend 9k on any car and sell it after 6 months.

[samoht]

Low depreciation means older car, reliable at that age points towards Toyota. Vaguely interesting then suggests Lexus.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604241... unsure if the IS is big enough for a rear facing child seat, but has been popular around these parts
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603210... as has the RX, which is a bit more spacious in the back I think
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202512188... or go the whole hog with an LS?

[Keepersball]

Peterpetrole said:

You're going to lose 2 grand minimum if you spend 9k on any car and sell it after 6 months.

Fully realise this but lease isn’t an option and I need to drive for work so can’t have an absolute shed either

[andburg]

Peterpetrole said:

You're going to lose 2 grand minimum if you spend 9k on any car and sell it after 6 months.

This, well pretty much anyway. January is an awful time to sell a car so you’ll be selling to trade.

If it were me I’d drop £1500-2000 on something cheap from a trader with 12 months MOT and the 6 month consumer rights, assuming it doesnt die the worst you can do is lose the purchase cost.

[Decky_Q]

Another Jag XF? Ideally you do want something older that's already done its depreciating. The more exotic or interesting when new the more likely to keep its value now...

So obviously 9 months in an XFR is the answer 😜

[AddyT.]

Was going to suggest a 5 door Mk7 Golf GTI but looks like you would need to stretch to over £10k. Same goes for a VRS or Leon with the same engine. Also had a look at Superbs and they arent as cheap as I thought.

What size car are you looking for and maximum mileage? And are you looking to travel anywhere for it or within a specific part of the country?

Have seen you could get something like a 3 series as an example:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605222...

[Keepersball]

I do around 8-10k mostly city driving but some longer journeys - size I can flex on with the caveat of getting 2 child seats in - golf size is fine although would prefer something larger as I’m 6 ft 3

Thoughts on a civic vtec 1.0?

[Davie]

Other options are available but can't but help think a reasonably straight, big hatch or estate could be had for sub £2k pretty easily which should in theory see you through the 6 months without the need for a loan or at least the £8.5k loan. Plus once you're done, assuming it still drives... you'd get most your money back. It's always a risk and it could go wrong but so could something at £9k. What if something at £9k suffers catastrophic engine failure? T

[rlg43p]

If the company scheme starts in January you'll also have to add up to 3 months delivery time on a new car. So best to get something you are going to be happy with for a while.

[CubanPete]

Get yourself to one of the car supermarkets and sit in a few.

We have a 3 series and 5 series tourings, both would be well under your budget. We have had them both for a while (10 and 7 years) as they have been so good we have had absolutely no desire to replace them (though the 3 is likely to be replaced with another squirtier 3 or 4 in a couple of years once my daughter is fully out of car seats)

[drmike37]

There’s a nice Prius in the classifieds atm that’s done most of its depreciation… 🫣

[ninepoint2]

Octavia estate not a bad shout, and if you like a modest bit of poke a vRS petrol is a decent option.

[Pica-Pica]

Seat Leon?

[TurboBlue]

Just to play devils advocate; 12 month, used car lease, delay salary sacrifice scheme until end of lease; no loan.

https://www.carleasing.co.uk/12-month-car-lease

[chrisman]

Keepersball said:

I do around 8-10k mostly city driving but some longer journeys - size I can flex on with the caveat of getting 2 child seats in - golf size is fine although would prefer something larger as I m 6 ft 3

Thoughts on a civic vtec 1.0?

Doesn't the 1.0 ltr vtec have a wet belt and a high chance of going pop?

I'd go for something like a petrol mazda 6

[Stick Legs]

The less you spend the less you will lose on the trade.

I would buy something as cheap as possible that ticks the child seat and reliability boxes.

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20488257

This could easily be sold on for what you paid for it.

[Blue_star]

Salary sacrifice schemes are great but can take a while to get a car in. Especially if scheme open to everyone at the same time and also if you want to get something more exciting.

[Belle427]

You would pick up a tidy Octavia Vrs for your budget so may be an option, estates are always popular come resale time.
Seat Leon maybe in estate format too.