Is a 15-year-old car too old to be looking at?

I've got £3000 to buy a car with and it must be automatic and big enough to accommodate two big child seats. At the moment I've landed on a BMW 3 Series with 70,000 miles, full main dealer history, never failed an MoT and got all the history - including receipts for tyres. But it's 15 years old. Is this the wrong direction to be looking?

Asked on 4 June 2020 by Lottie

Answered by Dan Powell

In my opinion, this would be the wrong car to buy with a budget of £3000. At 15-years old, the vehicle will be nearing the end of its mechanical life. And that means you'll need to spend money to keep it on the road, as things like the brakes, suspension and clutch start to wear out. What's more, being a premium car, all of the servicing and parts will be relative to its value when new (£25,000).

Given your budget, I would recommend something that will be more affordable to run and keep on the road. My recommendation would be The Toyota Auris CVT: www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/toyota/auris-2013/

Tags: child seats older cars mechanical problems

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