Fun, cheap to run, practical car for £8k?

I am currently looking for something cheap to run that fits in the fun good-looking category. I drive around 10,000 miles a year, so for the outlay and lack of DPF problems I'd rather stick with petrol.

I really like the look of the Renault Megane Coupe and for my £8k budget could get a 30k-mile 10-plate 1.6. I am concerned, however about Renault long-term reliability and electrics that have always plagued Meganes?

The other option is my Dad's BMW 1-series which is worth similar money - 08 116i SE 5dr. What do you think of this car? I actually really like driving it, but as it is 5 years old now, and has done 50k miles, is it likely to cost me a lot to keep going from now on?

Asked on 30 May 2013 by confusedbuyer

Answered by Honest John

Though I share your admiration for the looks of the Megane coupe, the BMW is better to drive and will probably hold its value better.

Tags: buying used cars small cars

Similar questions

Replacement for Suzuki Swift Sport - recommendations?

I'm looking to change my 2009 Suzuki Swift Sport for something more robust, slightly larger, with fewer rattles and a more composed and forgiving ride quality. I have been looking at the Audi A3 1.9tdi,...

What's a good small car for an elderly friend?

I'm looking for a car for an elderly friend of mine. She currently drives a Hyundai i10 but it's old and rusty. She does not do a lot of distance driving so ideally something that is good around town,...

We need a small and cheap automatic - what do you suggest?

We have a Ukrainian guest who would like to buy an automatic car for around £5000. We are worried about all the extra costs so a good start would be something likely to be reliable. Where to start?

Related models