Hi, thanks for getting back. Yes it is quite a dilemma whether to keep the Renault or not. I'll see what the final result will be after repairs, do some more research and then decide.

It's a nice nippy little car and I'd hate to have to give it away after having spent so much money on it, trying to keep it top condition mechanically. still feels very solid on the road, unlike the 'tinny' new cars coming out lately, and returns 55mpg!

Yes, you're quite right - ironically faults on newer cars can be much more expensive! And almost everything has to be thrown away and new parts put in.

If you're in the market for 5/7 year old cars then servicing costs will level out, unless you insist on using main dealers..and then when you look at whats in a service you might find the cost difference, some makes dealers don't dismantle the brakes for cleaning etc, some do.

I wouldn't rule out the Jazz you originally fancied (or Civic?), whilst true that some OE parts can be expensive, in reality little worse than other makes and swings and roundabouts rules apply, friction materials and consumables no worse than anything else for EO quality aftermarket and the basic durability of the car may well offset other costs, don't suppose the fuel system repairs on the Clio have been cheap.

If you're prepared to go a little older then a low mileage Corolla (avoid MMT like the plague) would be as good a bet as anything you could buy, as would a Civic of similar age, up to 06.

It might be better to decide who's going to maintain a car for you and buy accordingly, if for instance you have a trusted indy workshops nearby who specialises in certain makes then it would make sense to choose one of those...my make specialist indy is the only reason i've kept my old Benz so long, if had needed the tender mercies of the main dealer network it would have broken me and been shifted on long ago.

For that budget you may get a new shape Nissan Note

Will def. look into that option. Tks.