To ask what car you have and how much you paid?

[MrsELM21]

I have a budget of around £8K, looking for something that will accommodate family of 4 with 2 x young DC (no prams though) but I still want it to be a bit stylish rather than just a boring family car!

AIBU to ask what you'd recommend??

I have a Honda Jazz. Super reliable, great engine, classic acceleration, good mpg.

What are your needs? Will you be commuting every day or is it just for weekend use? I use it daily so I needed something fairly compact and with good mpg to navigate through London. Are you going to use motorways? The Jazz is great in the city and with A style roads but it's a bit noisy in motorways.

Paid around 9k just a few months ago but you can get them cheaper.

If I had only needed a car for family trips on weekends, I'd had got a Qasqai or a Citroen Cactus.

I love cars

Hyundai i30 - they come with 5 year warranty and breakdown so if you can find a 14/15 plate it would still be covered. Should be possible with £8k. Great sized boot and very comfy car to be in on long journey.

8k will get you a sub 3 year old Insignia diesel.
26k new.
Fast, reliable, Euro crash test 5 of 5 rating.
50mpg, £30 road tax, balance of manufacturers warranty.
Proper hatchback with very large boot.
Major toys, electric everything, proven technology and stylish.
A steal.

Vauxhall Astra sxi 07 and paid just under 3 k for it just over a year ago. It's Sailed through both mot's. My 2 ds's have plenty of space in the back boot sits my main monthly shop. It's quick off the mark and the spirt button adds extra fun. I love it and fussy dp is happy to drive it after his BMW coupe (which was very fun to drive but impractical as a 3 door with kids and our dog.

Nissan X trail Sport 2002. Paid less than a grand as MIL upgraded to a Range Rover. Absolutely love it. Massive boot that's permanently filled with tools though!

bought a top spec all bells and whistles hyundai i30 when it was 5 years old for £5600. I love it. It's economical, cheap to tax and goes/handles well. The inside is quite nice too, and the outside has sparkly paint and alloy wheels. No probs in the nearly 2 years I've had it. It's my favourite car that I've had- I would have never considered a hyundai until the dealer recommended and I did my own research.

Rather than showing off about the car you have, try helping the OP.

I would think about an Astra or Focus. Perhaps an Insignia. Not too expensive should anything need repairing and for the age of car you can look at (~4 - 5 years) it's unlikely to need anything major anyway.

Don't get tempted by a 3 series or C class. They're likely to be coming up to a few expensive items needing work.

Skoda Yeti's are spectacularly good (2.0L diesel is excellent). Quashquai's are spectacularly bad and don't forget, people will you driving it.

Mazda 6. In white its gorgeous big and stylish

Yes. Another great car. Enormous boot. Handles nicely and are excellently specc'd for the money. UI of satnav etc are way ahead of anything I've used in the same price bracket and Japanese engines keep going and going and going.

Thanks so much everyone, it'll just be used for a fairly short commute and ferrying the kids about, loads of good ideas here, really grateful for your input x

Thanks so much everyone, it'll just be used for a fairly short commute and ferrying the kids about, loads of good ideas here, really grateful for your input x

We've got a Dacia Sandero Stepway. It's fab. Ours was bought new for 12k, but you could get one that is only a couple of years old for £8k easily.

It's like a mini people carrier/jeep thing. Takes 4 plus dog very easily, good boot, very economical, comfortable and safe. Easy to drive, high up off the road. We got it with 8 yrs warranty. No issues, no tax, yearly full service only costs £130.

I would highly recommend.