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go gently chaps - its because of illhealth in the family that buying a car has become a good option. I have never bought one before 🙂
For the car to be its most useful for me a large estate seems best ( tandem in the back, canoe on roof)
Budget - whatever is needed but preferably under £5000. Mileage is not going to be high and it will spend a fair bit of time parked and not used around town much
Questions:
Where would one find such a vehicle? back street garage ( big dealers seem to be mainly £10 000 minimum) Autotrader? Facebook groups?
Would you rather have a ten year old BMW or a 5 year old Skoda? ( other expensive and cheap brands available) Reliability is key to me.
Diesel or petrol? I have heard that Diesel might lose all its value with low emissions zones coming in. given low expected mileage I am not that bothered about economy
I don't want to get into bangernomics as I am very fussy about the condition of vehicles and this car needs to be serviced and MOTed and nothing more.
Recommendations for cars? I would like a little bit of joy out of it but its lowish on the list of priorities
Ta chaps
I am very fussy about the condition of vehicles and this car needs to be serviced and MOTed and nothing more.
Mileage is not going to be high and it will spend a fair bit of time parked and not used around town much
Given these circumstances, I'd really be thinking about hiring when needed. No cars are that easily accommodated. You can hire a lot of cars for the same money as depreciation, maintenance, insurance etc.
Sorry, doesn't exactly answer your questions.
Petrol Mondeo would be my choice
Hiring is what I have always done in the past but with the new circumstances its not going to work so well unfortunately. quickness and ease of use and hire cars you are not allowed things on the roof and estates are not common
But if i am looking for moon on a stick then maybe.
My vehicles have been approx £1500-2000 a year in depreciation, tax and parts (I spanner them myself). As they get older depreciation levels out to zero but then more components are required as they age and mileages increase.
£5k doesn't get a huge amount nowadays - new and used cars have rocketed in price over the last 5 years or so.
I'm swaying towards our next car being leased - there are some good deals if you shop about. Initially when doing the sums lease/PCP etc look way more expensive but if you factor your £5k depreciation, serving, repair costs & road fund and the value of car left in 4years Vs a 4year lease term there isn't much in it but you get a new (reliable) car with potentially lower fuel and road fund costs.
Should be doable, cars dont die at 100k anymore so mileage isn't an issue, especially if you're not doing much. You could buy a nice high high mileage car. Just be aware that expensive older cars still have expensive car spare parts costs.
Have a looks at cars derived from small vans, transit connect, berlingo etc are about the same length as a Mondeo, but the height makes loading them a lot easier.
Lots more private sellers/lower prices on ebay than autotrader.
Just search for all makes and models, set a maximum price and sort by distance from home. See what pops up.
ten year old BMW or a 5 year old Skoda?
Probably better off with an older Skoda to be honest. Skoda, VW, Seat and Audi use an awful lot of common parts, in fact the only difference seems to be the badge of the front (and the premium for the badge). Maybe consider something like a VW Touran, worlds most boring car but very practical, pleasant to drive (as long as you don't expect stellar acceleration or speed). Loads of space and the seats come out to create a mini van. Great driving position. Roof is still low enough to get stuff on and already has length wise bars. In true STW fashion I have a 1.6 diesel (fuel economy is great on long journeys), 2013 plate with 127,000 on it, still going well. There's quite a lot about, higher mileage shouldn't be a major issue, biggest problems with our has been suspension (springs, drop rods etc.) and wheel bearings, but I think that relates to the state of our roads. I'd avoid the pre 2013 version though, had one of those also from new and it was a money pit, got shot of it at 4 years due to the number of things that went wrong just out of warranty that shouldn't have, got a great deal on the current one as we knew the sales manager at our local VW garage and haven't regretted it.
I'm less experienced than many but am pleasantly surprised at what £3-5K can get you (no way would I ever buy a new car tho). I've bought privately and got on ok, on the basis that the rights you have against a dealer are only worth how much you can be bothered pursuing them.
Plenty of info on specific cars online including what goes wrong with them.
Mileage is not going to be high and it will spend a fair bit of time parked and not used around town much...........
Diesel or petrol? ......
given low expected mileage I am not that bothered about economy
Petrol.
You have to do 15k miles/yr before diesel really gets you any gains.
Personally I’d rather (and do have) a 10 year old BMW rather than a 5 year old Octavia but I wouldn’t buy a £5k BMW.
I’d look at Autotrader or eBay classifieds for private buying.
Buying at your price bracket will see all manner of dealers from dodgy backstreet lockups to decent well respected places.
Can you separate the need for instant availability and load lugging?
If you can, I’d spend less than £5k on a Honda jazz and hire vans for load lugging.
If you can’t, the petrol mondeo, Mazda or Toyota of some description.
Buy on condition rather than model.
The load lugging is likely to be fairly frequent ( I hope)
2009 Grey Ford Mondeo Estate
Gives you plenty of spare cash & its near you 🙂
ta
Arnold Shark / Clark, for all their faults, have provided us with a couple of decent cars.
IMO, for just two of you, you don't need a huge car.
The V70 is massive - perfect for 4 or 5 of us, a fortnights kit, boats on the roof and four bikes on the back. But it costs more in maintenance, tyres and general costs such as MPG.
The Ibiza Estate is big for a small car - it carries a single canoe just fine and two bikes on the back if needed. Costs a lot less on maintenance, tyres etc.
If I were you I would split the difference - something like a Focus Estate or Corrolla/Auris/Ceed/Civic estate is perfect. Stick to a petrol, the simpler the better for maintenance.
You have to do 15k miles/yr before diesel really gets you any gains.
Depends on the age of the car.
At the cheaper end the price gap shrinks to nothing. My Bangernomics Berlingo Diesel paid for itself in about 2 weeks / 3 tanks Vs the petrol equivalent.
Obviously a 10 year old diesel has more expensive bits than a 10 year old petrol, but modern patrols are also turbocharged, and on older cars in general there's always a clutch, belt, bearing about to wear out at some point.
FWIW my last car was £5k Ford C-max 1.6 petrol at 5 years olf with 33k on it and lasted another 10 years/120k before being written off in an accident. It was still good as new mechnically. Compared to the Berlingo anyway, that's the same age and feels like it's had a hard life 🤣.
On that basis I'd say Ford S-Max and get whatever the best one available locally within budget is regardless of engine or trim options.
tjagain
Full Memberta
Father in law has a 2009 2.0 petrol saloon Mondeo with 212000 miles on its been abused and driven hard for all its life as he's had it since it was an ex demo.
I've driven it yesterday and apart from slight wear on the switches graphics it drives perfectly
2009 Grey Ford Mondeo Estate
Gives you plenty of spare cash & its near you
Looks tidy but £305 VED - ouch!
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MrOvershoot
Full Member2009 Grey Ford Mondeo Estate
Gives you plenty of spare cash & its near you 🙂
Run an absolute mile from that ^ and it's crap MOT history that would suggest it's not had any care for the last fews years.
https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/?_ga=2.133984590.1552647113.1618747306-278110864.1618747306
that MOt checker is exactly the sort of info I need. ta
Jeez I hate being a newb!
I am a decent mechanic so I guess the usual checks would be a crawl round underneath - check exhaust systems / cats / sills and floor pans, shake the wheels to check for bushing wear accelearte hard in evey gear / check dipsticks for oil cleanliness
Do modern cars still have filler caps to check for emulsion?
anything else?
OK so I was only looking at cars near TJ but on an MOT tyres and exhaust problems on a 2009 car are hardly rare?
OK this is a 12 plate with a a new engine fitted
Mondeo 2012 2.0 Titanium Powershift Estate
Probably better off with an older Skoda to be honest. Skoda, VW, Seat and Audi use an awful lot of common parts
But can be VERY expensive to replace wear and tear parts (DSG). The cost to repair my 3.5year old Skoda with 14k miles was 1/3 the cost to buy a 1 year old Belingo MPV with 3k miles on it. Even then, I couldn't find a dealer willing to do the work. And no, it wasn't involved in an accident or fire etc. Just poor bad luck.
on an MOT tyres and exhaust problems on a 2009 car are hardly rare?
Yeah, I wouldn't necessarily write a prospect off for that, the owner just seems to turn up, have an MOT done and got fixed what was needed for a pass. Not really the sign of a cherished car to give such a swerve to proactive maintenance though!
Personally I’d rather (and do have) a 10 year old BMW rather than a 5 year old Octavia but I wouldn’t buy a £5k BMW.
Indeed.
Although a car at 5 years old / 60,000miles should be solid, be aware that they can have expensive bills like timing belt replacements which can add £800 onto the price instantly.
I don’t understand car prices though. The price of leasing a new car has dropped yet the second hand values have rocketed.
I’d look no further than a petrol Honda Accord or Toyota Avensis estate.
that MOt checker is exactly the sort of info I need. ta
Jeez I hate being a newb!
I am a decent mechanic so I guess the usual checks would be a crawl round underneath – check exhaust systems / cats / sills and floor pans, shake the wheels to check for bushing wear accelearte hard in evey gear / check dipsticks for oil cleanlinessDo modern cars still have filler caps to check for emulsion?
anything else
Decent branded tyres not Chinese ditch finders - also decent branded battery = looked after car rather than budget banger
Pedal and steering wheel wear matching mileage
Mayo under oil filler cap
Oil tide in water header tank
Smell of diesel on dipstick coupled with high oil level
Replacement wings - check bolts for paint disturbance = front end shunt
Up inside front suspension turrets from the wheel arch for rust setting hold
Pull boot liner and check spare wheel well for ripples/rear end damage
Move drivers seat belt away from bolster and make sure it's not covering a split
Check when timing belt due/last done
Stick finger in wheel and check for brake disc lip
Ask why selling - check how long owned on V5
Yeah, I wouldn’t necessarily write a prospect off for that, the owner just seems to turn up, have an MOT done and got fixed what was needed for a pass. Not really the sign of a cherished car to give such a swerve to proactive maintenance though!
To be fair, a lot of it is stuff like worn suspension bushings (a clunk if you listen out for it), a tyre worn on an inside edge, an indicator bulb thats gone yellow, and a rusty exhaust.
Some of those things a mechanic might pick up before an MOT. But an average person probably wouldn't.
And "preventative maintenance" means different things to different people. Some people swear by replacing the oil and filter every 6k, why? It's not the 70s anymore, we have synthetic oil now. On an Ariel Atom I'd expect the bushings changed every few years to keep them perfect as proactive maintenance. On a family saloon Id not expect them to be picmed up before the MOT because no one has pry bars and ramps in their garage.
On a 9 year old Mondeo I'd expect most but probably not all the stamps in the book were there and check the cambelt had a few years left on it. Everything else I'd say was a visual check and a test drive.
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thisisnotaspoon
Full MemberYeah, I wouldn’t necessarily write a prospect off for that, the owner just seems to turn up, have an MOT done and got fixed what was needed for a pass. Not really the sign of a cherished car to give such a swerve to proactive maintenance though!
To be fair, a lot of it is stuff like worn suspension bushings (a clunk if you listen out for it), a tyre worn on an inside edge, an indicator bulb thats gone yellow, and a rusty exhaust.
Some of those things a mechanic might pick up before an MOT. But an average person probably wouldn’t.
And “preventative maintenance” means different things to different people. Some people swear by replacing the oil and filter every 6k, why? It’s not the 70s anymore, we have synthetic oil now. On an Ariel Atom I’d expect the bushings changed every few years to keep them perfect as proactive maintenance. On a family saloon Id not expect them to be picmed up before the MOT because no one has pry bars and ramps in their garage.
On a 9 year old Mondeo I’d expect most but probably not all the stamps in the book were there and check the cambelt had a few years left on it. Everything else I’d say was a visual check and a test drive
But why buy a flogged out money pit when there are cherished looked after cars out there.
But why buy a flogged out money pit when there are cherished looked after cars out there.
Because, realistically a £3-£5k car isn't "cherrished". Expensive sports car with a known problem, might get fixed preventatively on a "cherrished" car. On a bog standard Mondeo, you're going to find bushings get fixed when they wear out 🤷♂️
And TBF doesn't need to be.
My last C-max's previous owner traded it in because they couldn't cope with a manual gearbox. They'd also worn a set of tyres and rear brake pads out, and missed and annual service in ~33k. And the boot looked like it had done some work too. It was the definition of the sort of thing internet experts suck through their teeth at and tell you to walk away. But I needed a car that week and the dealer stuck new pads and tyres on it.
Didn't do it any long term harm though. It was still on its original clutch when it was scrapped!
Hire a van when you need to transport tandems & canoes and then hire a car when you don't.
Otherwise £5k buys you trouble - when it goes wrong you have to fix it.
In answer to your question - I would take the 5yr old Skoda, in fact I would take most 5 yr old cars over a 10 yr old because I don't have the time or inclination to change the bits that would need changing.
At 5 yrs a 50-70k FSH car will have lots of life left. A 10yr old 90-110k car could after a few more years use need new dampers, if you are load lugging new rear springs, bushed may perish, corrosion etc.
That's not to say you won't find one with all that done. Buy on condition, history, look for 10-15k a year and don't touch low millage cars at those ages. May have gone 2 yrs between oil changes stewing in acidic moisture laden oil/ egr and egr cooler gummed up.
Mondeo estate gives a lot for the money - look to see if the bottom timing chain has been changed. 2 people at work had these fail, one paid a lot for a rebuild the other scrapped an otherwise perfectly good car losing a similar amount (this may have been coincidental bad luck though).
Volvo v70 or merc eclass estate.
Huge load luggers with low roof for tandem mounting without step ladders.
Likely to be owned by old people who just take it to a garage to be fixed.
Mot. Gov. Uk for fail history and milage check
I would check the above plus driveshaft boots. Volvo cambelt is 90k, merc diesel 150k chain replacements recc interval
Avoid geartronic volvos
Interesting split on opinions - a couple of folk stating a £5000 big estate could well be a money pit, ramp up on my taxis and hire cars, others that a car in that price bracket should be fine
some good stuff to think about. Ta folks
Big posh german mile munchers do seem to be very good value - I guess because of thirsty engines?
Big posh german mile munchers do seem to be very good value – I guess because of thirsty engines?
Yes, but mainly because of the high cost of running compared to the cost of the car - servicing and a lot to go wrong and expensive when it does.
From your description of prioritising reliability I'd suggest going Japanese - most things from Honda, Toyota etc will (generally) be more reliable although models vary, how it's been used and looked after matter a lot plus there's plain luck to consider.
A good guide is to look at what models taxi drivers choose (the budget end of the market rather than the fancy airport limousine end of things) - there's a reason why certain models are commonly used.
Mondeo was my first thought also. I've no idea how long your tandem is but you might even get it in a hatchback with the front wheel* off? Worth testing, the boot with the back seats down is cavernous.
On your usage:
Modern diesel engines need the occasional long run to get hot enough to start burning off shit or you'll start killing (expensive) filters and sensors.
Modern car batteries will die (expensively) if they go into deep discharge, which depending on age and condition will likely be after a few weeks laid up unused.
This limits your option to be particularly choosy as big cars around your budget tend to be almost exclusively diesel, there are many ex-fleet company cars out there which will have been driven with varying degrees of care but will at least have been serviced regularly.
If you just want something to pop to the shops once a month then you either need something made in the 20th Century or a taxi.
(* of the bike)
Big posh german mile munchers do seem to be very good value – I guess because of thirsty engines?
I'm only guessing, but I'd have thought that the sort of people who buy big posh German mile munchers tend rather to want new big posh German mile munchers rather than 10-year old ones?
usage will be visiting my folks a 50 mile drive away and then getting the most out of opportunities to get away into the countryside with either a canoe or the tandem. so its likely to be twice weekly 50+ mile runs. No nipping to the shops
to fit the tandem in the boot with just the wheels off needs around a 6 ft load bed. Remove the fork as well and it can be a bit shorter
Big posh german mile munchers do seem to be very good value – I guess because of thirsty engines?
Depends on the model.
If you took say a 520D and compared to a Mondeo 2.0 diesel. The BMW will be much more expensive to buy. And parts will probably cost more. Even consumable stuff like tyres will tend to be less common sizes which means more £££.
They only look good value if your mindset is £40k car for £10k Vs £20k car for £5k and the old Beemer has "saved" you more money buying it used.
There's also the odd daft thing like a 4litre V8 S class or 7 series. Which weren't fast enough to have a following and become classics, but cost so much to run that no-one wants them as Bangernomics options.
to fit the tandem in the boot with just the wheels off needs around a 6 ft load bed. Remove the fork as well and it can be a bit shorter
Some van derived cars have a folding front seat, as long as Mrs TJ doesn't mind being in the back that might be the easiest way to move big bikes. I do this on long trips with surfboards as the OH just sleeps and the boards make a racket on the roof.
Look at the reliability tables....not just the most reliable, but the least.
You'll be surprised at the once trusted names that end up near the bottom.
I agree with @rustyspanner - look at reliability facts, not someone's perception.
a couple of folk stating a £5000 big estate could well be a money pit,
My V70 is worth around £5k now.
It's in the garage next week. Service. Suspension bushings. An unidentified whine (I think alternator bearings).
That is going to be a £1500 bill from my (good) back street garage.
Big, heavy diesel estate is not needed for the two of you, even with tandem, walking kit and the boat.
I guess maybe the BMW thing was me trying to avoid buying a ford mundane!
We have had the tandem in a berlingo with 3 people but it needed the forks off. I am thinking a low roof car as if / when we go canoeing its likely to be just me to load it hence not wanting something with a high roof. I don't like putting bikes on the roof
Ta again folks.
May I present the answer to your car dreams. Yes its a Dacia Logan;
Cheap, basic (very basic) transport. Get a 1.2 not a 0.9 and enjoy budget motoring. We had one as a hire car and I was surprised at how well it went. (Rose tinted holiday glasses were on at the time).
For vehicles up to £5k I would suggest motors.co.uk rather than autotrader. Buying a used car is always a bit of a gamble. Good luck!
Also consider cars that are just unpopular because thy're just not good lookers. things like Focus and Astra estates, they often have more space than you think, and as no one wants them, they're cheap.
£5K is plenty of money to get a good car though TJ and the basic haven't changed regarding mechanical soundness good tyre depth and smoking exhausts and all that jazz.
I traded in a Berlingo HDi 2.0HDi for £50, that was a bargain, because internet search reveals it's still MOT and taxed.
I did look at an astra estate - surprisingly big
I was hoping you guys would tell me a 10 yr old BMW touring would be better than a ruddy Dacia!
Petrol tick
Big estate tick
Reasonable mileage tick
Good condition tick (based on pictures)
A bit interesting tick
And think you’re Edinburgh? So not a million miles for collection.
Just my own experience, but an older petrol Toyota Avensis would fit the bill. My Dad had one from new, serviced every year by Toyota. Was desperate to pass it on to someone, but in the end I sold it to WBAC for £500 at 15 years old. Sailed through the MOT again this year I noticed.
Dent in every panel, but non-turbo chain driven petrol engine. Conventional auto, so no clutch to worry about. Will probably go until it rusts away (not that it had any).
Petrol, possibly Auto but not an actuated auto
something that would appeal to older more professional people. Used to love Saabs for this.
I'd look stuff like Kia for example. Maybe a Volvo saloon Something solid and un trendy.
I found that things like cheap bmws Audis etc tend to get bought by people who want the kudos of owning a BMW etc but dont have the money no maintain it brilliantly if at all. as all money is spent on the insurance or finance
Honda Civic estate? Massive boot on those!
If you want something really cavernous, Mondeo or Skoda Superb. My money would probably be on the Superb.
TJ, I got a car a few years back from John Inglis car sales in Eskbank, Dalkeith a few years back. Very happy with the service from him, Stuart only works on cars he has sold and sources new cars for existing clients. I only go in when I have time to spare as he likes a chat and has a good memory for every little detail you ever tell him.
Currently borrowing a Renault Kangoo - van with windows. Load lugging is unsurpassed. Just done a garden centre run. Upside is £500 buys you fittings to make it a small camper. Easy of entry with sliding doors and high seats is super for the old.
Downside is it’s a van. If you get your motoring thrills out of knowing you have the right tool for the job, rather than having some compromise sports estate to make progress, then this class is a very good choice indeed. If your parents need mobility aids, even better.
Son1 is liking the single camper options.
I had a Mazda 6. I bought it for £600 with 168,000 miles on. Added another 25,000 miles in one year and it never missed a beat. Sold on for £450.
I think Mazda 6 does an estate version and for that money you might be able to get something around 2010 age.
Lolz @ TiRed
I guess maybe the BMW thing was me trying to avoid buying a ford mundane!
With reference to this and the Skoda comment I would strongly suggest to sir that sir needs to drop his outdated preconceptions and go do a few test drives. You're doing the equivalent in my world of saying that Windows 10 is shit because you had a bad experience with Windows 95.
The Mondeo is a very, very good car and back when I had one like a decade ago it annihilated everything else in its class.
colinrobinson215
Full Member
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazda-6-2013-skyactiv-2-2-diesel-estate-new-shape-top-of-the-range-/294113847011?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286/blockquote >Had the previous version of the Estate for 9 years. Based on the Mk4 Mondeo floorpan with seat tech borrowed from Volvo (in the same group)
I think some on here are forgetting that TJ is not a serial car owner and he's just after something to get the job done, Anything based on the Ford EUCD platform will drive well and be fairly cheap to repair if and its a big "IF" it goes wrong.
Backed up by Cougar, I honestly think that many are foolishly turned by the German Marques
Did that Mazda ^^ not have the ****el rotary engine that was thirsty as hell and ate itself for fun, or am I confusing with another model?
Skoda Superb has a 6ft load bed
Did that Mazda ^^ not have the ****el rotary engine that was thirsty as hell and ate itself for fun, or am I confusing with another model?
No you're confusing a big family estate built from the Ford parts bin with the RX8 which was the fire breathing sample engined sports car.
Hiring is what I have always done in the past but with the new circumstances its not going to work so well unfortunately. quickness and ease of use and hire cars you are not allowed things on the roof and estates are not common
But if i am looking for moon on a stick then maybe.
If you do go down the hire car route - have you looked at City Car Club (now owned by Enterprise). I've been a member in the past it works well, with none of the usual inconvenience of hire cars. I used to use them from our Edinburgh office and never found I had to go more than 1.5 miles even booking for immediate use. You can also pick a size that suits, so if you need a van you can get it (harder to do at the drop of a hat).
Its quite economical for a 1/2 day trip, starts to get similar to a hire car after 24 hrs and multiday may not be worth it depending on the miles / fuel cost for the hire car. Not sure what the official policy is on putting stuff on the roof but I have seen one with an inflatable rack attached.
If you can, I’d spend less than £5k on a Honda jazz and hire vans for load lugging.
ANd you might find you need to hire less than you expect because the Jazz is the most sensible car around, with amazing internal capacity. I think you can probably fit the tandam in with the wheels off, and I've seen people put canoes on smaller things. The way the seats form a flat base may even be of interest for some car camping.
I fit a tandem in a Mondeo hatch a couple times, wheels off vertically longways, forks dropped behind front seats. That was an older mk2 tho. But don’t discount large hatches.
Also I bought a 14yo BMW for 4k, needed some money spending on it but we budgeted for it, and with a decent indy didn’t find it catastrophically expensive. That was a a z4 tho, more likely to be owned by people that like cars and care for them. So maybe a nicer big old estate may have been better cared for than a newer “appliance” vehicle. No one that loves their cars is buying a Dacia...
I was hoping you guys would tell me a 10 yr old BMW touring would be better than a ruddy Dacia!
guess maybe the BMW thing was me trying to avoid buying a ford mundane!
Been persuaded by branding and advertising have we?
Buy a Mondeo. They don't make them anymore. Well, they won't be doing soon.
RIP Mr Mondeo Man.
Ps. don't buy a new Mondeo. Buy a second-hand Titanium estate. In gold.
Our 26" tandem took up less space than the harp which required a 6'x4' load area. Volvo V50 and Mk1 Octavia estate fitted the tandem with front wheel off, but not harp.
Mk3 Mondeo estate took tandem, 2 more bikes and kit for a week away - still had a spare seat and stuff sliding around
So you might be able to go smaller than you think, older Focus is the same base as V50 and also has good folding seats and height.
Petrol.
Gold isn't a bad shout, colour of choice for the sensible retired couple.
No you’re confusing a big family estate built from the Ford parts bin with the RX8 which was the fire breathing sample engined sports car.
Yes, you're absolutely correct, I am. As y'all were, sorry.
Been persuaded by branding and advertising have we?
I didn't particularly want to start an argument with TJ for the sake of it so didn't say anything, but this was my first thought also. (-:
TBF if I had your budget and your needs, I'd spend about half the budget and keep the rest for bills or, if need be, throwing it in then bin in a few years and buying another one. No matter how much you know about cars, you can never really be completely safe with a used one, stuff can go wrong with even the best cars.
tjagain
Full MemberI did look at an astra estate – surprisingly big
Long, is the trick with these, which might work well for you. I'd consider a zafira too, it's just a tall astra but extra height can transform a boot (like, my Legacy is a decent load carrier, but if the roof was literally an inch higher it'd be better for bikes)
Mondeos are really good. Cheap to run, surprisingly cheap to buy for what they are, really pretty well put together, nice to drive. I loved and miss my 2.2 diesel, the slightly bigger engine just made everything effortless, if was such a relaxing car to do distance in. (it could shift, too, if I wanted it too) It was a wee bit of a shed but then it was half your budget. Had a few decent sized bills in its time, but, again, paid for with the purchase price saving. But, they are big. Like, "total pain in the arse to park near my brother's place in Abbeyhill" big. I think petrol would make more sense for you for various reasons, but, the diesels are usually a bit more loved- people hang onto good ones, petrols except for the V6 tend to be a bit more used and discarded.
Have to be honest I don't have the best handle on how a tandem fits in any car, they seem like an awkward size? This is where things like Octavias with their slightly less practical boot might fall down a little. No replacement for displacement in the end but some cars make amazing use of space, others really don't.
Likewise Avensis is good but ime isn't as good a use of space, we had 2 for work and they were fantastically reliable and useful (er, don't ask how this happened but we put something like 140000 miles on one of them without a service, it literally just got tyres fuel and washer fluid, never missed a beat.). But, I was always surprised and a bit confused by how little stuff we could get in them, considering their size. Stuff I could easily just throw into my car needed careful packing and stacking in those.
Honda Accord?
(I had a mk1 focus for my first car and that thing was uncannily big inside, so I'm judgemental when I drive a car the same size or bigger and it's not as useful in the boot. But they're definitely getting on a bit and there's still a wee bit of a Focus Tax I think)
Interesting and timely thread for this newb trying to sell a car for the first time (for an elderly relative who's now beyond driving). Unfortunately a near good as new VW Polo Match that's sat in Bristol isn't going to help TJ.
Buying/selling bikes is so much simpler.
Wouldn't it be more convenient to put the tandem on the roof? That would then open up small, petrol japanese cars which will be more reliable for the money (jazz, micra etc)..
Generally at £5k you’d buy on condition rather than miles or brand.
That said there are some estates that seem to fair better than others, the Toyota Avensis, Honda Accord, Skoda Superb, Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia.
Re the mot check you’ll need to cross check it with its service history, having a number of issues over the years that don’t appear year on year is fine and indicates someone who spends to fix the car.
The same faults (if significant) year on year or multiple cascading faults over the last few years can indicate openers who have run the car into the ground. Also look for signs the mileage has been given a haircut.
As for dealer vs private again it’s down to the car, it’s just as likely to find a good trade in that a dealer wants to shift as it’s not his ‘profile’ car as a trader who’s picked up a £3-4K auction special and used the metaphorical oily rag to wipe it over and it’s now on at £4995...
Buying private offers the same opportunities for bargains or for folk knowing a large bill is looming or even just knowing or caring little about cars.
Set up a auto trader search for £4-5.5k within however far you are willing to travel see what you like and look into the serving or known issues, does it need a cam belt every 5yrs or 60k @ £600 and that’s why the cars for sale or are x renowned for auto gearboxes going at 100k etc, etc...
Then have a look at the same on eBay and get a sense if there is better value to be had there.
Had two touring 320Ds. 42mpg, not very big, both did over 200k miles, all original
replaced with Avensis touring, 1.8 petrol, 39mpg, prisonable speeds easily achieved, massive boot, £245 VED. I haven't had a car that cheers me up so much in years, economy, performance, never seen such clean oil, comfortable on a 200 mile drive, rolls like it's on Chris King bearings. I spent some time looking at reliability, safety etc and this was a winner. What was an 'interim' car is likely to stay put until it or we explode.
Couple of things to consider:
Some cars have auto-levelling rear suspension on estate models and sometimes others. Volvo do this, as do VW on some Passats. Might be something you would appreciate with a lot of stuff in the car - but then again maybe not if there are only two of you.
If you have a VAG car and you really want to work on it you can get a thing called VCDS which does most of what dealer diagnostics does, but not all of course. Other DIY level systems are available for other cars but none are anywhere near as good and most revolve around dodgy ripped off copies of software. It is £250 though, but it can pay for itself if you are committed to fixing it. It takes all the guesswork out of the modern car.
Also, estates hold their value better than saloons, which in your case makes them more expensive to purchase.
Don't get hung up on depreciation. Buy the car you want for the price you want and consider the money spent. If you are environmentally minded you'll want to keep it as long as possible, which means that there is no point worrying about depreciation because it now works in your favour. You might find a diesel more value for money. They do still emit less CO2 after all.
I did look at an astra estate – surprisingly big
I was hoping you guys would tell me a 10 yr old BMW touring would be better than a ruddy Dacia!
One factor that is almost always overlooked is comfort and the general quality and condition of the interior of a banger. Cheap cars are nasty inside and generally dull to drive - you pay money for luxury / refinement and that applies at the banger end as much as the top end. You have to balance the mechanical side with the driving experience, you might find a low miles mechanically mint example of a budget car that has an interior that looks like a crime scene. Personally I'd rather a nice car with some toys such as cruise control and at £5k i might go for something premium with +120k miles and +10 years old as opposed anything mechanically less tired but just less car for the same money. At £5k you can have a BMW if you want one - it will just be older and have more miles.
One factor that is almost always overlooked is comfort and the general quality and condition of the interior of a banger.
The majority of modern cars are pretty comfortable to drive, at least as far as the seats are concerned, however the amount of room for legs when the seats are pushed back can vary, location of pedals, etc along with the position of things like handbrake, armrests and suchlike can make a huge difference to enjoying driving a car. Getting into a model and make of car that you’ve never ever been in before, and spending three hours or so driving 200+ miles, which I did for two years really does prove quite enlightening regarding creature comforts in modern motor vehicles.
French cars often have the most comfy seats, however Berlingos and Partners I very quickly learned to loath and detest because they’re horribly uncomfortable to drive; at least for me, because I have arthritis in my left knee, and the cabin layout won’t allow one’s left leg to stretch out by the side of the pedals, there’s a footrest in the way. Which means driving with legs bent in one position, because it’s basically a van with windows and the seats don’t slide back very far.
Someone suggested the Zafira, and I wouldn’t argue with that, with the rear seats down there’s a fair amount of room in the back, they’re pretty nippy, and the later ones have a much improved dash layout. ‘Cos they’re really popular with Motability clients, I’ve driven loads, and our pool car at work is a Zaffy, it gets horribly abused but the damn thing just keeps on going, spent many hours driving them, and I can’t really fault them.
Update
The situation is quite fluid right now and uncertain so I have decided not to rush into buying but go with the car club and hire vehicles for now, but from this thread I do now have a better idea of what to go for ie
Jap estate maybe mazda 6 or Avensis, Astra estate perhaps but the key thing is condition and history. Not a big v8 bmw 🙁
Thanks for your help
go with the car club and hire vehicles for now
A good choice IMO, unless doing a lot of miles or bikes on each week.
Had a couple of Mondeo hatchbacks, both have had a couple of kayaks on the roof and a tandem in the boot - with passenger seat right forward only need to remove front wheel & turn both sets of bars, so you don't necessarily need an estate.
Never buy a car from Birmingham is a piece of good advice