To think there used to be a cars topic in talk?? (I need car buying advice.) .

[YourHandInMyHand]

I'm sure there used to be a cars topic?!

Anyway, I need to replace my very old banger (a citroen xsara picasso with a cassette tape deck!!).

We've loved the size of it but I no longer NEED such a roomy car so I'm tempted to go smaller for lower running costs.

Has anyone downsized cars and regretted it?

I usually buy a cheap used car outright, I could go up to about 5k absolute max (that would be using a loan from the bank as its lower interest, and the monthly repayment being about 100 a month).

Or is there a better way? I've seen people say you can get a new car very cheaply per month but I don't get how?

Can anyone recommend a family car they love that has cheap running costs? I like the look of the Renault Captur or Nissan Juke (or anything similar to these), eldest suggested a 4 door Mini.

It would need to be 4/5 door, lowish mileage, low running costs.

I'm CLUELESS with cars. Last time I let my child pick and he chose based on the cup holders. 🤦‍♀️🤣🤣 Pure luck he picked well.

Please give me help and advice!

I can't advise on downsizing a car, but I've always been happy with Skoda Fabia's. They are a "super mini" and are pretty reliable.

I've got two DC and it works for us. I have one with a small engine so not very powerful but cheap to run.

Thanks it's good to know that you are happy with that one. I'm considering any really so I'll add it to the list of possibles.

If you are buying a second hand car from a garage or privately and aren't sure what to look for, I highly recommend reading the first post here www.boards.ie/discussion/2056198864/buying-a-used-car-in-ireland-guide
I found it very helpful when buying my first car in terms of knowing what to avoid and what questions to ask!

I used to have a Kia Ceed and it was great, surprising roomy and very reliable, I sold it to buy an impractical mid life crisis car, and miss it at times

I would avoid the mini, not because they are bad cars, but they are priced higher, so getting a good one in your budget will be tricky. Particularly as second hand prices have risen so much lately.

Japanese brands are usually fantastically reliable, whereas German brands are a premium because of the success of "German = well engineered" marketing. Toyota are upper end of Japanese brands price-wise.

Another vote for a Skoda Fabia. Great little cars. It's whatcar's used small car of the year.
www.whatcar.com/skoda/fabia/hatchback/used-review/n808

Do not get a Nissan Juke, they are hideous and impractical things!

I'll second a Fabia. we had one. It saw both kids learn to drive in it DS stalled at the same set of lights every day for months regardless of the colour of the lights, it saw them through the first couple of years of driving and a trip into a field, cheers again son and it did well over 150k miles, it never put a foot wrong.