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Original poster

Old banger or shiny new motor - what kind of car have you got? And which model/company would you recommend?

30 replies

MissScarlett · 04/03/2009 18:36

We've had 3 cars in the last five years, all have cost about £1000 and have been pretty old. We've always saved up for them and then paid outright.

However, they've variously broken down and had to have bits replaced and it's cost us a fair bit to keep them roadworthy. DP is suggesting a new car - something small for about £6,000 on the basis that it'll run better and not need to be replaced any time soon - but we will have to pay the dealer on a monthly basis and it's going to be over £100 per month, maybe more.

We are having real trouble making a decision, especially as we're just about to move to a cheaper rented property to increase our savings (trying to get together a deposit for a mortgage at some point). What do you think we should do?

Also, what car would you recommend for a family of four? - my only considerations are that it's safe, cheap to run and won't break down in the near future.

OP posts:
MmeLindt · 04/03/2009 18:45

I would go for a nearly new car, up to a year 1 1/2 years old. You normally get at least 3 year warranty with new cars (or you do here, not sure about UK) so you are covered for anything major. If you buy a new new car then you are losing about 20% of the new price just by driving off the forecourt.

We have a one year old Renault Megane and it so far have had no problems with it. My parents have a Nissan Note and are also happy.

MmeLindt · 04/03/2009 18:50

This is similar to ours.

That website is pretty good, you can put in your search criteria and get a good idea of what to expect.

Buying from a garage means that you get warranty. Buying private is normally cheaper but you don't then have a warranty if anything goes wrong.

HeadFairy · 04/03/2009 18:53

Have you thought of an ex-demonstrator? Usually around the time the plates change (next one's coming up in April) the dealers sell off their old cars they used as demonstrators. I bought a 6 month old Citroen zx a few years ago, it had less than 1000 miles on the clock and it was half the price I would have paid if I'd bought it new.

HeadFairy · 04/03/2009 18:54

Oh and I should add we have an ancient Ford Escort and we're looking to upgrade, possibly to a newish Mazda 6.

Raggydoll · 04/03/2009 18:58

i lease my car. a 58 plate clio costs me 109 per mth and in 4yrs i can swap it for another new one. the downside is that i will always have a monthly debit and never pay it off - unless of course i pay the balance owed at the end of 4years instead of getting a new car but i personally would rather update the car.

Ivykaty44 · 04/03/2009 18:58

Note that an engine under 1400 (?) gets cheaper road tax, worth considering as my samll car has an engine size of 1498 - so I just miss it.

Original poster
MissScarlett · 04/03/2009 18:59

Mme Lindt, that car is lovely - I will defintiely have a look around that site and see if there's anything on it for me.
Ex demonstrator sounds like a good idea - do you just turn up at the local show room and ask? I'm liking the idea of a warranty...

OP posts:
HeadFairy · 04/03/2009 19:01

Yeah, I went in to look at new and second hand cars and the salesman showed me an ex-demonstrator. It's worth asking if they're selling any off, esp as the plates are about to change to 09. I got a warranty with my ex-demonstrator too.

Original poster
MissScarlett · 04/03/2009 19:03

Raggydoll - can I ask who you lease your car through? And is it under warranty throughout the 4 years?

OP posts:
MmeLindt · 04/03/2009 19:04

Yes, we looked for an ex-demo car too but did not find one we liked.

I like the Megane, it drives well and is roomy. We had a BMW before (company car from DH's previous job) and it was a real struggle to get an adult in between the two car seats in the back. No problem at all in the Megane.

Tinker · 04/03/2009 19:07

I'd stick with Japanese or German if you want reliability. Japanese cars always come out best in reliability surveys

Original poster
MissScarlett · 04/03/2009 19:09

Really? Everyone in RL keeps telling me Fords are the most reliable and encouraging me towards the Ford Focus! Not sure though...

OP posts:
MmeLindt · 04/03/2009 19:13

German cars are good but seriously overpriced, imo. The prices of Golfs are just ridiculous and the quality is not that much better than other makes.

I would steer clear of the Italian cars though, even though I love the styling. Fiat and Alfa are just not reliable enough.

We had a Ford for years and I was always very happy with it. It never let me down. My PIL has had Fords for over 30 years now.

ohdearwhatamess · 04/03/2009 19:14

On your spec, I'd go for a Ford Fiesta or Focus (depending on how much space you need), or even a nearly new Fiat.

Fords are fab - we recently got rid of a 10yo one that never had a single thing go wrong with it (mechanically - had many scratches and scrapes). Was cheap as chips to run.

SnowlightMcKenzie · 04/03/2009 19:23

We usuall pay around 2k for an estate about 8 yrs old, with parts that come cheap from scrap if needed. We run them into the ground. Usually last 6-7 years.

herbietea · 04/03/2009 19:37

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skewputt · 04/03/2009 20:20

We had similar issues to you re paying out on loads for repairs on old bangers. Last year got a 1.5yr old vectra direct from a vauxhall garage, still under warranty and relatively cheap as vectras are being replaced by a different model.

Parts are quite cheap should anything go wrong (compared to parts for our previous ancient merc and vw anyway!) and it is a good size for the four of us - I prefer estates but was surprised at size of boot. Lots of taxi drivers have them so they must be fairly reliable! They do lose value fast compared to vw etc but we shouldn't be wanting to sell it any time soon so I'm not too worried about that!

Lilyloo · 04/03/2009 20:28

MmLindt i disagree about the quality of VW cars.
They are quite highly priced but in my experience worth it.
I have had my VW polo from new , it is 51 reg so coming up to 8 years old.
It has never cost me a penny other than general wear and tear.
DP however has had numerous cars since i bought mine.
He has had peugeot , rover and is on an astra which is newer than mine and has cost us a fortune.
These have all in some way cost us for more expensive repairs.
He bought these all 3+ years old.
The astra has been no end of trouble.
We are now getting rid of it for another VW.
I think they also hold there price so although they cost more initially when you come to trade it in you get a decentish return rather than the token few hundred quid.

I would really reccomend looking at a polo , small car 1 litre couple years old.

herbietea · 04/03/2009 20:34

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Lilyloo · 04/03/2009 20:44

Also a Polo is a very different price to the golf.

SausageRoleModel · 04/03/2009 20:59

have you thought about a Kia Ceed? They come brand new with a 7 year warranty from about 8k (I think), and Parker's reviews rate them pretty favourably.

www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/kia/ceed-2007.aspx

hellymelly · 04/03/2009 21:02

We have a pretty ancient Volvo,can't remember how old,16/18 years maybe? And although we don't look after it at all it has hardly cost anything in repairs over the years we have owned it (6) and my friend had it for three years before that and it never broke down at all when she owned it.It cost £500 and we love it.

27T · 04/03/2009 21:09

I have had brand new cars every 3 years for the last twenty years. Now I am a SAHD I've stopped doing it - depreciation is such a waste of money. I now own;

1955 Ford 100e with 2 litre Capri engine and running gear. No road tax, £120 fully comp insurance and over 45mpg. Goes like sh*t off a shovel. 4 seats and a decent boot. Cost me £1500.

An Avion trike I built about 10 years ago. £60 road tax, £150 fully comp insurance, 2 seats 60mpg. Great fun. Cost me about £5K to build. It will last forever and probably see me and my 7 month old DD out.

1927 Model T Ford with an 8 Litre Pontiac engine. This is still in build up. It'll be faster accelerating than a Ferrari with a top speed of around 140mph. Will do about 25mpg. No road tax, again cheap insurance. I dread to think how much it has cost so far - we don't talk about it. Probably £20K by the time it's finished.

My wife has a Peugeot 807 - it's OK and was cheap because it's a 2 litre petrol model. She has to have a car under 5 years old or less than 100,000 miles to get the car allowance from her employer. Ideally we'd have an early 1950's Buick or Oldsmobile with a new V8 engine. All the comfort, space and speed you could ever want with no depreciation.

SnowlightMcKenzie · 04/03/2009 23:08

I never understand why people buy new cars! Why why why????

All that money, when imo old cars are pretty reliable these days.

Also, there are SO many cars about. Why not use the cars that are already made rather than make new ones?

EyeballsintheSky · 04/03/2009 23:11

I have just sold my 9 year old Focus and it was fab, not a moment's trouble. Would highly recommend them - would have bought another one but my next car choice was taken out of my hands.