Help! I have to buy a car. Please tell me if you love / hate your car.

[Wasgijenaj]

Hi, my old car has finally gone to the junk yard in the sky & I have to replace it. I think I need to get an approved used car, but really not sure where to start.

Can anyone recommend their car make & model & let me know why they like it?

Alternatively has anyone bought a car they hate? Please share so I can avoid if appropriate.

I don’t really have a wish list for a new car but obviously reliability is v important. Thanks!

Love my 2019 Leaf. Reliable, fun to drive and cheap to run. Decent boot for an electric car.

If you want a little, cheap car, I have a Picanto which I've had for ten years and I love it. It's been pretty reliable - not needed anything major doing - just brake cables, tyres, and the like. Zero tax and very good fuel efficiency, and I like it to drive. It's got a small engine so if you care about acceleration then it wouldn't be for you.

We also have a Megane, which I also like driving and hasn't been any trouble (also about ten years old but we've only had it a couple of years). However the fuel consumption and tax costs make me wince every time - though that's probably a bit unfair as I'm comparing to the Picanto. It's very useful for transporting lots of stuff - absolutely massive boot.

I love my Ford Puma, drives so nicely, comfy, economical.

@Carsarelife great, thank you. Sounds like I can't go wrong with either. Am really looking forward to trying them out!

Another vote for the Honda Jazz. Mine is 8 years old and has clocked up 95k trouble free miles other than an annual service.
I had AA guy out to change my punctured wheel . He commented that he never has a call out for a broken down Jazz. He said they are really reliable cars and if anyone asks his advice on what car to buy he always recommends a Jazz.

I love the 1litre Hyundai i20 but only the T-Gdi turbo version.

The first model Ioniq petrol hybrid was really good too. The interior plastics s d exterior paint scratched easily, but it was such a lovely car to drive and loads of space. Quite long though.

A family member has a Kia Picanto automatic and that's also a great little hatchback, very nippy, comfortable and easy to drive.

Conversely DHs ancient E class is a dream because it's got no fancy gubbins to go wrong and he is able to repair almost everything himself. It's super reliable and is like driving in a lovely comfy sofa. My mums 20 year old CLK is also a dream for repairs etc and mega reliable.

it's the newer, all mod cons models that are a pain in the arse.

I’ve got a Volvo XC60 and I absolutely adore it. It’s so comfortable and well made, really roomy and just feels nice to drive. It’s a bit heavier on fuel than some options, and it’s not a small car but thats fine by me, given I drove a Mitsubishi L200 truck before 🤣

Avoid a Peugeot like the plague, I had nothing but problems with mine (seems to be a common theme among acquaintances who also have/had Peugeots). When it died the last time and I'd had enough of ploughing money in to it I bought an auto fiesta as a quick 'need a car's temporary fix and I actually love it 😂 it feels so reliable and hardy.

Loved my Vauxhall Mokka

Well I never knew that, thanks!

As @Doggymummar me and DH have a toyota aygo(2012) and landrover discovery (2008). I joked the aygo runs on fairy dust is £0 road tax around £200 on insurance as insured for both of us and maintenance has been fairly low. Great commuter car into the city on 16mile trip each way twice a week do short run rest of the time and costs me about £45 in fuel every 4 weeks

Disco obviously costs a lot more to run and maintenance is a big cost due to age. Cost about £250 on insurance and £100 on fuel every 3 weeks biggest expense is road tax at £60odd per month. But 7 seats makes it a perfect family car and shipping kids about for activities and doing distance runs on motorways to footy matches.

Depends really on what you want out of your car and what your budget it on buying and running.

Good luck finding your perfect car I have in my mind a car I would like to replace with but not an option yet

I love my Mini convertible. It's got a 2l engine and great fun to drive!

I love my Vauxhall Mokka but the new version does not have a lot of space in the back

I'm on my 2nd Mini Cooper. This time I've got a 21 plate 1.5 auto. Absolute doddle to drive & fab handling. Very easy to park & get 42mpg average. They are expensive for a small car but good build quality & residual values hold up well.

Check out a Hyundai i10 or i20. The people I know with these really like them.

Don't be afraid to ask to test drive the car in particular situations. I always ask to park it in a supermarket car park because if I can't park it (or feel nervous parking it) then it's a no. Gives you a good feel for the rear camera/visibility too.

Ditto, on my second mini had to give up original one after birth of ds owing to too small for pushchair but now he is all grown up back to mini 😊

Love, love, love my car.
Hyundai Bayon petrol hybrid automatic.
so easy to drive, I just have to be there!
cheap to run too

i hate VAG group cars (vw, Skoda, Audi, bmw etc)
overpriced and underwhelming

I'm in my third Skoda and absolutely love the make. We currently have a Octavia (needed the boot size when we got it) but for me it feels a bit too big - my ideal would be to go back to a Skoda Fabia, like I had previously.

I have a ford puma, love it.
It's mid size, massive boot space, heated seats, heated steering wheel and the quick defrost button so no scraping in winter.
It's a mild hybrid and I've already saved fuel in the 3 weeks since I got it.
I filled the tank, showing 300 miles in tank, I've done over 300 miles and still have a 3rd tank of petrol 🙌🏻

I've been driving Vauxhalls since early 1980. Mostly Zafiras. My DCs have Vauxhalls for several years. The only one I didn't like was a courtesy Corsa, in which the driving position seemed slightly off centre.

'Everybody' says they are unreliable, but I've never had a moments trouble with any of them, nor have I ever met anyone who owned one and had trouble with it. I don't see them broken down by the side of the motorway and my trusty mechanic shrugs when I ask him and says he doesn't have much to do with them, apart from servicing.

I guess they're not very exciting, but I've never found one boring. I like that they are all basically variations on the same car, so when parts need replacing they are readily available.

They are also cheap. Partly, I believe because lots and lots are/were made, and partly because they have a poor, but in my opinion, undeserved, reputation.

I have been very impressed with the Peugeot 2008 we got in May. We were not actively looking for a car but had to make a emergency purchase due to a write off (not our fault).

We were limited to what the local garage had in stock and our 7 year old 2008 cost us less than £5000 having done over 120,000 miles. Initially we thought we'd keep it for a month or two whilst the insurance was sorted, now four months and 5,000 miles later we are very pleased with the car and will be keeping it for the foreseeable future. It does everything we need and seats two adults and two teens comfortably as well as having adequate luggage space. It seems well put together and servicing and insurance costs seem to be reasonable.

As with any car check the service history

i am on my 2nd mini, love it. First one was a clubman which was great with the kids and very economical. My current car is a Mini Cooper S convertible. Love it but the petrol consumption is high given I do mainly town driving. Next one will be a countryman.

So I love my Jazz for reliability - never anything wrong with it BUT the visibility is weird because of the aFrame thing either side of the windscreen. Drives me MAD. Both sides. So not getting another but Honda is great.

😂😂😂 is that really true?! Like how do you command it? 💨💨💨