For reliability go for a Toyota Verso. A lot of people are very happy with their Citroens (Picasso or Berlingo) but invariably they're people who look after their cars and have them regularly serviced.

Avoid anything without a service history. There are plenty of good French cars about, but it's a bit more of a gamble if you're buying used.

Thanks Avant & Andrew T! I've had a look at the Toyota Verso but I think they'll probably be out of budget for me. I'm probably looking at spending around £3k if buying outright and maybe £6k if HP. I'm feeling a little burned after the big money loss on the car I have so dont have as much to play with as I might have done.

I dont really need the MPV size wise (we're a family of 3) but I loved the space and versatility of the old Scenic.

I think I'm tempted by low mileage this time. The C-Max was was near 100000 when i bought it but on a 2ltr diesel with an excellent service history (way over and about minimum required) I was told that wasnt too much to worry about. I was reassured by the good reliability ratings on the C-Max but its not worked out that way for me.

Oh dear - that's not great news. I'm hoping to buy privately though if at all possible. Buying from a garage has not been a great experience. I've always bought privately before (cars with relatively low milage and fsh) and always done well. I bought from a dealer this time for peace of mind but had so many problems and they seem to do the cheapest repair possible just to get the car back on the road rather than actually fixing the problem, meaning it just breaks down again within weeks (convienently pushing you closer to the end of the warrenty period).

I have bought privately from time to time with success, but it's many years since I bought my 'main' car that way. I have never bought new. I have had success with cars from Fords of Winsford (a 'supermarket' with a good reputation) and also Motorite, a long-established unfranchised dealer in Northwich who invite Trading Standards to check on them.

To me, buying privately can save up to £1K on price, and also give you a far better idea of a car's history than someone who has hardly seen it before (depending on how honest they are). The main obstacle may be having a part-ex.

If you are prepared to travel, you may find favourable prices in other parts of the country. Last year my daughter advertised a 55-plate Golf Plus in east Cheshire, got only one reply, and sold it to someone from Kings Lynn, who said the 'cheap' price made it worth their while.

I've no experience with Motorite but the other one - I have. Anything they say and and any promises they make - GET IT IN WRITING !!

A pretty general rule, surely?