Would anyone have any views on a good second-hand car to get for £3-4K? I know very little about cars so will probably buy from a car supermarket (Car Giant?) Main use will be around town but with some forays a few hours away. Was wondering about a Ford Ka (looking at recent postings...) and a Peugot 406. Nice to have something that looks reasonable...though mainly needs something reliable (will probably take out dealer warranty)
All help welcomed! Many thanks
James
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You can scrap the 406 from your list for starters- not the ideal town car due to size etc, and not the most reliable of machines. And nearly all modern small cars cope with longer journeys easily. A Ka would be a good bet, or an early Toyota Yaris, or a Corsa, or a Fiesta etc (I could go on for ever.)
The main bit of advice is get something YOU are comfortable in and like.
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You can scrap the 406 from your list for starters- not the ideal town car due to size etc
Thats ridiculous - ok, it's not designed for town use like a Yaris but it's still perfectly suitable. My Mondeo spends most of its life in town and I'd never trade down into a Yaris sized car.
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Any chance of a few more details - is it just you or have you got family, how many miles a year you do etc. You've gone from what amounts to a little runaround car in the Ka to a family car in the 406 so if you can give us a clue we can narrow things down a bit.
Having said all that i can give you the answers right now - want you want is either a Mondeo, a Citreon or a renault!
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Speaking as a 406 owner - my car's from the first month of sale - with nearly 114k up it's not had anything other than routine servicing in the last 17k miles of ownership. It also returns 40mpg and apart from £70 on tax and £100 on insurance, it's every bit as cheap to run as a Ka.
It is quite big though and if you are an inexperienced driver, that might be a problem for you as it definitely doesn't have the rear visibility of a Ka. I have driven mine in central London traffic and it's no problem - but then I've done the same with a Transit and big vehicles and cities don't faze me. My sister would be screaming in the same situation and probably try to call the RAC or something.
Ultimately though the dilemma 406 v Ka isn't an obvious one unless you know you like big cars but aren't sure of the practicalities and don't definitely need one. When I was going through the buying process a year ago, I did consider going for something smaller but am very glad that I didn't.
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Thanks for the quick replies!
I have no family and am in my late twenties. I'll be using the car for visiting friends and family across North London, shopping, no commuting and some forays to family and tourist destinations in England (obviously will be offering the odd lift).
I guess on this basis I don't necessarily need a family car unless someone can suggest why it would be an advantage? Had previosuly also wondered about Ford Mondeo given good reviews but guess that probably quite big. Also seems the sort of car my Dad would drive but perhaps that's prejudiced!
I was given a 1990 Ford Orion a little while ago and it was great to have a car but could do without the frequent trips to the garage. Car Giant doesn't seem to sell cars before 2000 so I guess that's the limit...?
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I'm going to suggest something now and it's not because I have one but what about a Focus? If you're unsure about getting a big car - get a 3 door one. If you want a bigg(er) car or are going to give people lifts get a five door or, dare I say it, those horrid saloons.
Fantastic fun to drive and I think you'd pick a decent one up for 4 grand.
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Adam
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what about a Focus? If you're unsure about getting a big car - get a 3 door one.
So the 3-door Focus is smaller than the 5-door Focus, is it?
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The Fiesta before the current model from around 1999 onwards with the 1.4 Zetec engine (1.2 is just as good but the extra power is useful) is a great little all rounder and with top handling.
If you do get one by any chance, make sure that the oil changes are with the correct oil otherwise you could suffer valve problems; it was/is the same apparently for the larger Mondeo Zetec engines.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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The Fiesta before the current model from around 1999 onwards with the 1.4 Zetec engine (1.2 is just as good but the extra power is useful) is a great little all rounder and with top handling.
Nice to drive, but I find they feel quite small inside -- more cramped than say a 206 or old-model Polo or a Yaris. Why not try one and see if you like it?
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No but some would say it looks a little sportier and more in keeping with a "younger" image.
I didn't word it very well admittedly.
"If you're unsure about getting a big car, how about a Focus? 3,4 or 5 door variants."
That better?
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Adam
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As a fellow Focus owner (and a someone that bought a 3-4k one) get a Focus! It's not perfect, but it's reliable, comfortable, and more fun than other cars in it's class (save possibly the 306 - but they're always breaking down).
Look for a 1.6 version for your needs, I'd say, as the larger engined versions don't give great mpg around town.
If you're looking at smaller cars, I'd recommend the Clio (post-01), if you fit in them they're cool little cars to drive, with the only real downside is they're small. And for a French car, they're also quite reliable.
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How about a Nissan Almera? Dull as dishwater, but really reliable, and because it's dull, no-one will be interested in pinching it.
They're cheap too. About £6.5k for a new one, so £4,000 ought to get a recent one with aircon.
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I am 26 years old, single, and my motoring is mainly for personal use, spent on motorways and around town. My parents have a 1.6 Focus. They used to have a 1.3 Fiesta - same engine and platform as a Ka.
For long journeys, I would take the 406 over the Focus every time. It rides better and is far quieter. It has more boot space and slightly more space for passengers. I get 42 mpg from my diesel, compared to 38 mpg in my parents' Focus, but I would expect to get about 34 mpg from a 1.8 litre petrol 406.
However, £4k will probably get you a 1999 Focus with 80k up, or a 2002 406 with the same mileage. Age kills cars more than mileage does, and a 115k, 6 year old 406 really won't be *that* unusual if you want to sell on. Sure, it's on the high side, but I still think it'd hold its value better than an older Focus.
Over a twisty A or B road, I'd much rather have the Focus than my 406, but in the city there is little to choose between them, at least for me, and on the motorway, the 406 is the better car - and I have driven literally thousands of miles in all of the Fiesta, Focus and 406.
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I bought a Toyota Corolla 1.4 GS 3 dr for £4k from a Toyota dealer about 8 months ago and think it's much better put together than my sister's Focus. I've certainly got a lot more for my money, and whilst it's dull, it's not likely to break down. The Nissan's another good buy that'll go on forever and is far cheaper second hand than the comparative Focus. A mate of mine has just bought a Nissan to drive from Reading to Liverpool every week and is very pleased. I use mine to go from Somerset to Liverpool every other week without problems. The Focus is good, it's whether you're prepared to pay extra for it? For peace of mind I'd go to a franchised dealer. With a bit of haggling you'll get a good deal and if it's 4 or 5 years old, they'll only hold onto the best cars.
Best of Luck.
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