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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hope that I can get a reliable good car for £3000

86 replies

wheelycote · 01/02/2016 22:05

Need a car for new job....they don't supply a car. Its a fantastic opportunity...start in March. I need a car and have been turned down for car loan...previously had a debt management plan 5 years ago...all resolved and paid up now however its still affecting my credit...which is fair enough. Past years have not missed any payments with anything and been excrutiatingly good were money is concenred.

I have 3grand saved (painstakingly saved for towards a house deposit over the past couple of years) (Two jobs one full time and one satueday/sunday job). I was hoping for the loan but now that is not possible unless I want a high APR 35 per cent ish apr.

I might beable to stretch to 4 grand at an absolute push, but would be skinting not only the savings account but the birthday account. I rent and worried if the landlord wants the house back I will have to find the deposit and moving costs for another place with higher rent :()

Is it possible to get a good reliable car for 3000 ish that would be used for about 15000 to 20000 miles a year or am I delusional and need to grovel to my employer that im serving notice with and apologise to the new one saying I cant get a car.

So fed up...I've a few Gnt's on my todd (my kids are dtweens, they are safe) and fed up as I don't know what. Am I car snob and are there good cars out there for 3grand that wont have to pour money into

Thank you for listening to my drunkard worriying ramble

OP posts:
Wardrobespierre · 01/02/2016 22:07

My car cost 1.5k three years ago. Never even had an advisory on the MOT.

Of course it's possible!

WhimsicalWinnifred · 01/02/2016 22:08

I'll admit, I didn't read your entire ramble but shop wisely and you can get the bees knees of cars for 3k and you can get a good one for 1k. It just depends where you go and what your expectations are.

WhimsicalWinnifred · 01/02/2016 22:10

I bought an 04 vectra for £710. It has high mileage but it's fantastic and does 2000 miles a month.

Dp just bought an 05 BMW 320d for 2950 and so far no issues.

Do not soend all your savings on a car. You don't need to buy you do need savings.

Original poster
wheelycote · 01/02/2016 22:12

Wardrobe....do you mind me asking what car you have?

Whimsical....I have humble expectations....as long as I can fit to teenage boys in the back 14 and 15 and theyres some sort of boot and its reliable...and is a work horse...Ill be happy

OP posts:
Maverick66 · 01/02/2016 22:16

Definetely doable. I would go for a high end car but down the years iykwim . So something like a 10 year old Mercedes A class or an executive saloon type.

Catzpyjamas · 01/02/2016 22:17

Yes, but don't you don't need to spend the full £3000 (keep some back for any necessary repairs so you're not worrying about it breaking down) and you may need lower your sights slightly.
Many 2nd hand car dealers offer a warranty now so look out for them as it can be worth it, especially if you can get the car independently checked within the warranty period and get anything covered fixed by the dealer.
If you are not trading in, always haggle. Either on price or getting a full year's MOT.
Get on Autotrader and set your filtersGrin

PirateSmile · 01/02/2016 22:18

Volvos are usually excellent value for money and very reliable.

lilydaisyrose · 01/02/2016 22:19

I bought an 06 Ford Focus (5 dr) 1.6 in 2013 for £2,200 with a year's free tax. I do about 1,000-1,500 miles a month and I've had no big issues.

It is definitely possible, and I think you could get a really good one for between £1,000-£2,000 if you shop wisely. Do you have any friends who know about cars who will help with the search?

Will your new employer pay you a car allowance (on top of petrol costs) to help with maintenance/tax etc - if a car is a pre-requisite of the job?

Fairylea · 01/02/2016 22:21

Of course it's possible. Bought my current car for £990 5 years ago (10 year old Renault Megane) and the most I've ever spent on it was £140 for a wheel bearing! Passed every mot. No problems. (Touch wood!)

You really don't need to spend loads on a car at all.

Pretendingtobe31 · 01/02/2016 22:25

I would definitely get a Toyota or a Hyundai. My Toyota was 15 years old when we finally scrapped it and had 150,000. I said to the car salesman who I was buying my much hated Vauxhall from 'it's done a few' - he said he wouldn't expect anything less for those cars.

Original poster
wheelycote · 01/02/2016 22:26

Maverick Ive been advised of that already...Ill be doing home visits and some areas i'll be leaving the car at I worry wont take kindly to a Mercedes badge however old it is...or do you think it wont matter? Going to google that car

Catzpyjamas was thinking holding some cash back...Im rubbish at haggling...going to need to get knowledged up so I can haggle properly

Piratesmile thanks Im googling Volvos too

OP posts:
MrsSippy · 01/02/2016 22:29

Agree with getting a good quality older car. I have a 10 year old Merc A class and it passes every MOT, no advisories. It cost me less than £2K

lastqueenofscotland · 01/02/2016 22:32

I recently (end of last year) bought a previously written off car (you'd want to take a mechanic with you if you go down this route...) but it's 4 years old, has sat nav, parking sensors, cruise control, Bluetooth for your phone etc etc. It's perfect and only had 17000 on the clock when I got it.

Cost just under 3k. Loos for cat d/c

WhimsicalWinnifred · 01/02/2016 22:33

Old a-classes are not high end.

Google faults of any car you're considering.

Eg a 1.6tdci focus between 05-08 (years may be longer) is renowned for the turbos blowing and once they do, they keep going. This engine is shared by Peugeot and Citroen in various sizes.

A 1.5dci Megane (upto 06 from the shale change) is renowned for the fuel pump going. This engine is shared with the Nissan micra 1.5dci.

If you want a work horse go Passat, vectra(flywheel can be an issue but they're bulletproof), BMW etc. If you want easier to fix go for a simple petrol engine.

Avoid French. Some people have fantastic experiences with meganes but I think you have to be lucky. Sorry pp.

The most reliable car I ever had was a 16 year old petrol BMW 318. I'd be loyal to BMW now if it wasn't for the vectra saving me fuel money.

Original poster
wheelycote · 01/02/2016 22:35

Diddleydokey thank you actually love that Honda Jazz the reviews for the Honda jazz look good too

MrsSippy and Maverick what are the repair costs like for the A class.....Are they expensive? need a Mercedes garage?

OP posts:
PrimalLass · 01/02/2016 22:35

Volvos are usually excellent value for money and very reliable.

This is completely anecdotal, but both folk I've known with older Volvos have had nothing but problems and expense.

PrimalLass · 01/02/2016 22:38

Eg a 1.6tdci focus between 05-08 (years may be longer) is renowned for the turbos blowing and once they do, they keep going

Agreed. Our 08 CMax did this last summer. Tbf it has done nearly 140000 miles. We loved that car Sad

WhimsicalWinnifred · 01/02/2016 22:39

Wheely, no car will need a manufacturer specific garage but you may feel more comfortable with a 'specialist'. There are lots of these around and in my experience they are similar in cost to other garages.

Lurleene · 01/02/2016 22:40

I second the Toyota / Hyundai recommendation. After a series of duds we asked the breakdown man as he towed our broken car home. He said that they rarely get called out to Japanese cars. Took his advice and we have a little gem (touch wood).

lastqueenofscotland · 01/02/2016 22:40

I think cars can be luck mind... I had a corsa when I was in my late teens that was the same age as me, 300k on the clock, and a real war horse. Put 30k on it in a year. Broke my heart when that went!! Most others I know with that model had nothing but trouble.
I think renauts aren't too terrible citroens are horrific in my experience.

Id be looking at lowest possible milage IMO...

WhimsicalWinnifred · 01/02/2016 22:41

Yes primal!!!! Mine had done 157 so was well within her rights to give up but I was devastated and feel your pain. Sad

Diddlydokey · 01/02/2016 22:41

wheely I don't have one but they have 3 good seats in the back and honda are usually reliable. Oldies quite like them but look after them too so low mileage and fsh

milkysmum · 01/02/2016 22:42

I've just bought a new car for work ( community nurse) for £1200. It's a seat Ibiza and I love it! I looked into leasing a brand new one through work but then thought no why bother when I can buy a decent second hand one for that price!

WhimsicalWinnifred · 01/02/2016 22:43

Dp paid for her to be fixed and took the car off me. She lasted less than 1k more before the turbo went again. Astheproblem wasn't the turbo itself, it wasn't covered under warranty.