Small reliable car for £5k?

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Given pending costs for new clutch and future costs keeping on the road the 56 reg Ford Fusion my son uses - we are thinking of helping him to buy (i.e. we pay - he tries to pay us back some of it - somehow) a small reliable car. He needs to drive about the UK from A to B to C to D for his job as it involves being at venues all over the country.

Any thoughts what we might consider. He doesn't need to carry much about with him so doesn't need the boot to be capacious. And he doesn't care what he drives - just needs to be OK for longer distances and motorway driving - and low insurance.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Stick to Japanese, Honda, Mazda, Toyota. My sister is onto her second Yaris, great little car and well designed enough to keep her alive after a 60mph crash.

 

[richart]

Had a lot of small hire cars over the years, and the best one was a Skoda Fabia. Really comfortable and well built.

Wife has a Honda Jazz which seems pretty bullet proof.

 

[Robster59]

I had the same concern when my daughter was looking for a car but she had limited funds. I did a lot of research as to which was cheapest to insure, run and most reliable (especially as she lived over 200 miles away so Dad just couldn't pop around). In the end we settled on a Nissan Micra. It was a great little car for her till she hit some black ice going around a corner and she wrote it off. Thankfully she was fine.

 

[casuk]

Been looking around for a first car for myself around the same price range I'm looking at seat and Honda as been advised, I'm mostly wanting something reliable, cheap to run and insure, I'll keep an eye on this thread

 

[stefanovic]

I've bought 3 new cars and all of them have been small Fords, and had little trouble.
I was advised to buy small Fords or Vauxhalls, and to avoid French cars because of the electrics.
The only time I've ever broken down was when driving a company VW Golf at a time when they were supposed to be reliable.
Best to talk to professional mechanics for their opinions.

 

[pool888]

Wife has had several Toyota Aygo's replacing them every 3 years or so, they've always been reliable and cheap to run.

 

[pendodave]

An old shape Yaris?
Desperately unfashionable and mostly owned by the elderly. Would have thought a decent 2nd hand over would be in your price range.
Probably a bit more comfortable over long distances than an aygo.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I've bought 3 new cars and all of them have been small Fords, and had little trouble.
I was advised to buy small Fords or Vauxhalls, and to avoid French cars because of the electrics.
The only time I've ever broken down was when driving a company VW Golf at a time when they were supposed to be reliable.
Best to talk to professional mechanics for their opinions.

Good idea - will have a word with the garage we use for our MOT and servicing

 

[harpo_72]

Kia or Hyundai 7 years warranty .. small car starts brand new under £10k so 2 year old should be close to budget.
Get a vehicle less than 99g/km registered between 2014 and 2018 and you will have £0 to pay in car tax.

 

[williamalex1]

I ran a 53 plate automatic Ford Focus Zetec trouble free for 10 years, minor repairs, only serviced twice, sold it on locally 5 years ago with a few rusty patches, i still see it running around.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Just popped into our local MOT/Service garage. They are Toyota specialist and the guy (I know well) says we can't go wrong with a Yaris or Aygo. Might be able tp pick up a 5yr old one up from a Toyota dealership and get their warranty. I might well just go with that advice.

 

[casuk]

I wouldn't be able to fit my clubs in any of them I dont think, i quite like the yaris

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I wouldn't be able to fit my clubs in any of them I dont think, i quite like the yaris

And neither would I But my son doesn't play golf these days (other than when he's home with us and plays with me or his mates) - and doesn't need to cart much about the place. He really just needs to get from A to B to C. Though A is usually Sheffield; B could be Exeter; and C Newcastle...in that order...on successive days

 

[Imurg]

Well, everyone says French cars are crap
Mine get beaten to death and do 25k bumpy and clutch-ridden miles every year
The brakes get treated like a bass drum and the engine revved within an inch of the redline when they forget to take their foot off the gas when changing gear...assuming they declutch when they change gear. The stalks get swatted as if they have flies on them and the seat adjustment mechanism gets used 5-6 times daily.
I'm on my 8th Citroen, mainly C3's but a couple of C4 Cactus....
Apart from routine servicing they've all been perfect.
Admittedly I get them from new and only keep them 2 years but they've done nearly 5 years of mileage and work bloody hard.

 

[nickjdavis]

Well, everyone says French cars are crap
Mine get beaten to death and do 25k bumpy and clutch-ridden miles every year
The brakes get treated like a bass drum and the engine revved within an inch of the redline when they forget to take their foot off the gas when changing gear...assuming they declutch when they change gear. The stalks get swatted as if they have flies on them and the seat adjustment mechanism gets used 5-6 times daily.
I'm on my 8th Citroen, mainly C3's but a couple of C4 Cactus....
Apart from routine servicing they've all been perfect.
Admittedly I get them from new and only keep them 2 years but they've done nearly 5 years of mileage and work bloody hard.

Just approaching my quarter of a millionth mile in my French car.

 

[fundy]

Can pick up a 2015 Kia Rio for less than 5k which will still have 3 years warranty on it, decent enough to drive and pretty reliable

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Just popped into our local MOT/Service garage. They are Toyota specialist and the guy (I know well) says we can't go wrong with a Yaris or Aygo. Might be able tp pick up a 5yr old one up from a Toyota dealership and get their warranty. I might well just go with that advice.

The new shape Yaris feels very roomy inside. My daughter had an 06 plate 1.4 diesel and it pulled like a train with a very good engine with good economy (the engine was developed in conjunction with BMW, and was used in the first Mini's I believe) . My wife now has a (now 6 month old) hybrid Yaris, and its averaging 68mpg. Its a very smooth drive, and feels so big inside.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Lady Doon bought a new four door VW UP a couple of years ago for around £9k.
Very cheap to run and feels solid against the other wee cars we tried.
We have driven it down to the English south coast a couple of times and it zooms along the motorway at 70mph very nicely.
Only has seat belts for four which very occasionally is a pain. The angled rear windows are great during hot weather.
Stots along at 60mph in 3rd gear quite comfortably which is quite embarrassing for me driving
I have to do a special 'ohh look squirrels' move into 5th gear to escape the wrath of my passenger.

PS....we discovered on that purchase that the afternoon of the 30th November [St Andrews Day] is a great day to buy a new car.
Sales staff desperate to close a deal on the last day of a dull month.

 

[Jacko_G]

I wouldn't be able to fit my clubs in any of them I dont think, i quite like the yaris

You'll pick up a Hyundai i30 easily in that price range. Economical and reliable, gets the club's in.