Small reliable car for £5k?

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

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.

I can confirm for the baffled or uninitiated that 'stots' may be a variant of the Scots 'stoats' as in 'fair bounces'. Of course a 'stoater' does not seem to be related to 'stoat'- except indirectly perhaps in the case of 'yer burds a right stoater' - in which case a 'fair bouncer' may be apt for some lassies.

Of more relevance to a golf forum perhaps is the cry that might go up from your golfing buddies when you hit an excellent tee shot - when the acclaim is 'ye've hit a real stoater there'

Am I sounding a bit parliamo Glasgow? (I watched a docu about Stanley Baxter earlier this week )

 

[casuk]

I can confirm for the baffled or uninitiated that 'stots' may be a variant of the Scots 'stoats' as in 'fair bounces'. Of course a 'stoater' does not seem to be related to 'stoat'- except indirectly perhaps in the case of 'yer burds a right stoater' - in which case a 'fair bouncer' may be apt for some lassies.

Of more relevance to a golf forum perhaps is the cry that might go up from your golfing buddies when you hit an excellent tee shot - when the acclaim is 'ye've hit a real stoater there'

Am I sounding a bit parliamo Glasgow? (I watched a docu about Stanley Baxter earlier this week )

Not heard that in a long time, also bampot, wtf was that about ?[/QUOTE]

 

[Dando]

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.

Think of all that pollution!
Thought you’d prefer a horse and cart

 

[HampshireHog]

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

I‘d hope you wouldn’t have any problems after 3 years. Last 4 cars me and the wife have had are Toyota’s all from new great value if you are doing a modest mileage. We both had the first 2 10+ years with about 80-90k on the clock at the end and they were both wrecked by the end. I’m not sure I’d want one if I was going to clock up the miles.

 

[Smiffy]

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.

Sorry to correct you, but it would have to be registered before April 1st 2017 to qualify for zero tax. The government put everything up to £140.00 (now £145.00) from then.

 

[harpo_72]

Sorry to correct you, but it would have to be registered before April 1st 2017 to qualify for zero tax. The government put everything up to £140.00 (now £145.00) from then.

Yes you are correct
www.gov.uk/government/news/new-vehicle-tax-rates-from-1-april-2017

This was the policy that hurt the car industry sales in the U.K.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

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

Thinking the Aygo might be a bit small for longer journeys (of 300+ miles)

My wife reminded me that all the vehicles we hired (cars plus camper) when down-under were Toyotas, as was the little bus that took us the tour from Adelaide to Uluru ad Alice Springs - and it had done 600,000 km - and apparently there are some the tour company have that have done >1,000,000 km.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Thinking the Aygo might be a bit small for longer journeys (of 300+ miles)

My wife reminded me that all the vehicles we hired (cars plus camper) when down-under were Toyotas, as was the little bus that took us the tour from Adelaide to Uluru ad Alice Springs - and it had done 600,000 km - and apparently there are some the tour company have that have done >1,000,000 km.

Toyota Auris?
£5k will get a reasonable aged diesel with acceptable mileage, or at the top end of you budget a petrol/hybrid with about £100k miles (plenty of life left in that).
A slightly larger car perhaps more suited to large mileage trips and more chance of the auto models......

 

[pool888]

Thinking the Aygo might be a bit small for longer journeys (of 300+ miles)

My wife reminded me that all the vehicles we hired (cars plus camper) when down-under were Toyotas, as was the little bus that took us the tour from Adelaide to Uluru ad Alice Springs - and it had done 600,000 km - and apparently there are some the tour company have that have done >1,000,000 km.

The latest style Aygo is a big improvement over the last model and wouldn't hesitate to drive a fair distance in it, although if your doing that everyday something slightly larger would be preferable. Problem is the larger the car normally the higher the price, then you have to increase the age or mileage to stay within budget which makes it harder to find a nice example.

 

[stefanovic]

Think of all that pollution!
Thought you’d prefer a horse and cart

Horses being used for transport in towns and cities were responsible for massive pollution, up to 35 pounds of manure per horse per day.

One reason why I only drive a small stop-start car is because it is a lot more eco friendly than the SUV.
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...iggest-cause-of-emissions-rise-figures-reveal

Add to that the towing of a caravan or other trailer and this adds disproportionally to the threat to the planet.
But I suppose some of you here simply don't care.

 

[Jacko_G]

Horses being used for transport in towns and cities were responsible for massive pollution, up to 35 pounds of manure per horse per day.

One reason why I only drive a small stop-start car is because it is a lot more eco friendly than the SUV.
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...iggest-cause-of-emissions-rise-figures-reveal

Add to that the towing of a caravan or other trailer and this adds disproportionally to the threat to the planet.
But I suppose some of you here simply don't care.

I'm a lot more aware of my carbon footprint now, especially since having kids where I see my responsibilities more clearly to save the planet for future generations. From recycling to water collection and proper disposal of items I'm getting better.

That said I won't be going electric in a vehicle any time soon until they can offer me a range that suits my needs.

Perhaps we could get one vehicle that is electric in our household but it's a huge financial outlay also. Perhaps the government should be doing more to make electric vehicles more readily available and affordable. Give proper incentives to scrap my "polluting diesel"!

 

[Leftie]

Horses being used for transport in towns and cities were responsible for massive pollution, up to 35 pounds of manure per horse per day.

Yeh! And like many, many others, my grandfather did his bit for the planet back in the day. I remember him going out with his bucket and spade collecting the horse droppings and taking them back home for his vegetable patch and roses. In fact, I'll occasionally go to the local stables and take some from the fermenting pile for my veg. Some of the best recycling you can do

And your point was ????????

 

[USER1999]

I feel swapping my big polluting diesel for a petrol is doing my bit. I am currently saving the planet in my 577 bhp v8. Each to their own.

 

[stefanovic]

Yeh! And like many, many others, my grandfather did his bit for the planet back in the day. I remember him going out with his bucket and spade collecting the horse droppings and taking them back home for his vegetable patch and roses. In fact, I'll occasionally go to the local stables and take some from the fermenting pile for my veg. Some of the best recycling you can do
And your point was ????????

At the end of the 19th Century, big cities like London and New York had streets thick with manure. The smell must have been overpowering. They were saved by the small car.
Personally, I'd prefer not eat vegetables grown in manure.
https://www.growveg.co.uk/guides/the-problem-with-manure/

 

[Marshy77]

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

my wifes got a an I30 and it's a really nice car, good on the mileage too and great to drive.

 

[Marshy77]

I've got a clio and has done me proud for 6/7 years and I've no intention yet to change it. I only use it for short journeys so suits me fine and it gets my clubs in the back should I ever have a game of golf.