Stuck on buying a car

[wiltingflower]

Please help me. I need a car for work and have been searching for a while but I'm going around in circles! This is driving me mad 😭

Budget: max £7000. Ideally £5000.
Estimated daily miles: around 20
Size: big enough to fit lots of books (teacher)
Gearbox: automatic
Preloved: is fine, not looking to buy new

Colour and looks don't really matter. I just need something functional and reliable. I'd also like to get a National Trust pass and go on lots of little journeys using my car so I will be using the motorway at least once a month.

I live at home and am being badgered into getting an SUV by my Dad and avoiding any cars older than 2014 by both parents.

Cars I've looked at so far:
VW Polo
VW Golf
Skoda Fabia
Nissan Juke (by my Dad's insistence and then my Mum was adamant I couldn't get one as she has one)
Nissan Qashqai
Honda Jazz
Honda Yaris

Cars I liked that friends and family have ruled out:
Hyundai 1.0
Ford Focus/Fiesta
Vauxhall Corsa

That’s an easy one, either the Yaris or Jazz. Will they be big enough for you though?

I'd avoid the Nissans based purely my experiance but mine is 5yo and being unreliable with electric issues and my friend traded hers in for similar reasons.

My last car was a Seat, that I had from new to 9.5 yo. I loved that car never an issue with her. So I'd consider any of the VW group.

Ford's are quite reliable too. The focus is really nice to drive much more comfy than my current Nissan. I think my next car will be a Ford.

I don't know much about Honda or Vauxhall.

I have a 2004 Honda Jazz that I bought in 2012 for £4000 (from a Honda dealer). It had relatively low mileage at 40k and is so far doing very well.

Apart from the usual servicing maintenance like brake pads etc. the only repairs have been due to it leaking into the footwell, an issue I believe the post-2006 Jazzes aren't so susceptible to.

Thank you! 😃

Jazz and Yaris are fine size wise, my Mum used to have both in the past. Also just realised that Yaris is Toyota not Honda! 😂

I think I'm going to keep searching and this time narrow it down to Honda and VW and bring Ford back into the mix. I really enjoyed driving ford focus and fiesta when I first started learning to drive.

I have had two Fiestas and both have been great workhorse, never let me down.

My friend has the Skoda and she really likes it. She drives a lot on the motorway for work. Another friend has a VW polo and they are remarkably similar cars!

I'm on my second Golf and I love them. I would say avoid suvs, you don't get any more space and they don't drive as well. Unless you are an old person with dodgy knees I don't see the point. I would also say, go slightly older and get a better car rather than a newer cheaper car, iyswim.

I'm glad there are favourable opinions of ford on here, everyone around me irl thinke they're unreliable.

Interesting that Skoda and VW are similar! I'll try to see what I can find of Skoda Fabia. So I've cut out SUVs, Hyundai, Vauxhall and Nissan.

Any ideas on how old a car would be ok?

*thinks not thinke!

Loved my polo. Absolutely despise my new Honda jazz. Amongst many things it takes forever to demist and defrost in the winter.

I'm also looking at the moment & friends have said don't get a Polo. DH has had Golfs & loved them.

I also had a Fabia, it was a sterling little car saw both my kids through learning to drive, it was VERY forgiving when DS used to stall at the same set of traffic lights every. single. morning. I think it finally went to the great scrapyard in the sky when it had done well over 180,000 miles. I would have another one in a heart beat.

I wouldn't worry too much about the age of the car but I would look for one that was low mileage and has a service record.

Am on my third Focus, really like them. They're perfectly reliable.

You can get a brand new dacia for under £7000.

I have a quashqui and I love it but just had to pay out a fortune to have it fixed. Most people I know who have had a Ford focus swear by them, apparently they are very reliable.

I live at home

Most of us do.

I've just read the Op looking for the live at home comment.
I think your parents are wise to suggest nothing older than 5yo.
Not sure why they are pushing you towards an SUV, unless you have a need to have one ie live in the rural highlands where snow is likely to be an issue, i really don't see the need. I don't think you'd get much of an SUV for 7k without taking finance on it.

I'd go for as new a car as you can afford.

Get a VW Beetle- have some fun!

I'm on my second polo, never had any issues

Buy Japanese, defo!

Thank you so much everyone!!!!

I've now decided on Toyota Yaris after test driving a few different cars and mulling over things and changing my mind several times. I really enjoyed test driving the Aygo actually but the size of it was off-putting whereas Yaris is so similar driving wise and the right size!

Hey OP, good choice on the Yaris. Had mine 5 years (from pre-reg) and it still drives as well as the day I bought it. It's a nippy little car with plenty of space in the cabin considering the size, and drives well on motorways.