If you're looking to buy new then this means you don't have to worry about dealing with car supermarkets and the like. Your first port of call will be your local dealer for the make in question. In terms of what to buy, you've got a good budget with £15,000 and we'd say that the Golf is a good buy. The previous model had a few problems with reliability but the new one seems much better so far. However, you'll only be able to get an entry-level model with £15,000 which won't come with many luxuries. Check out the Volkswagen website to see what you get: www.volkswagen.co.uk/#/new/golf-vi/which-model/com...w.

What may surprise you is that the Ford Focus is actually more expensive and the cheapest model starts at more than £18,000! So for getting the best deal for your money we'd suggest looking at different makes. In terms of value for money you'll find that for £15,000 you can get a top of the range Hyundai i30 or Kia Cee'd, and both come with longer warranties than either Ford or Vauxhall offer (seven years on a Kia and five years on a Hyundai as opposed to just three with Volkswagen or Ford). Another car to consider is the Skoda Octavia. It's slightly larger but great value for money as Volkswagen owns Skoda, and it's well built and reliable. We'd suggest going to a few relevant dealers nearby and seeing what offers they have. This will also give you a chance to see what the dealers are like - if you don't like their attitude then you don't have to buy from them.

Remember that if you buy from a certain dealer, this will be the place that you're likely to go back to for servicing and maintenance work so first impressions are key. Make sure you get as many brochures and info as possible to help you decide. The key is to get as much for your money as possible.