Old volvo vs old passat under £1k

[Ineedahouse]

I dont have a lot of money to spend but could do with a safe run around that will fit my two large (lurcher) dogs in along with my 4 year old. I wont use it everday - just on weekends and maybe a few longer trips to visit family depending on how reliable it is.

Ive had a passat estate before and loved it but if im spending so little am i just going to be buying a heap of trouble???

Ive never bought for this much but as a single parent looking to buy a house i cant afford to get a loan as need to keep out of debt for affordabilty checks on mortgage application.

If anyone has any advice much appreciated! Is a volvo costly to run / insure / repair? Should I just forget it at my budget??

VW every time for me. I’ve had 2 Passat estates and never been let down. I also have an 18 year old Beetle, which has also never let me down, it passes its MOT every year with no work. I do have an annual service.
I’m awaiting the arrival of the new T Cross, but the Beetle is being kept, it’s like a family pet.

2000-2004 Volvo V70 2.4 Diesel. Every. Single. Time.

Will do 350k miles, 60mpg and will run sweet as new.

Thanks for your replies! Makes me feel reassured that either one will be reliable!!

I think im going to take the plunge - living without a car has been ok but Im starting to feel quite restricted on where i can take my little girl and i think it would be nice for the dogs to get to new places too.

I feel quite excited! Any tips on what to ask about other than timing belt and water pump? I know passats can also get rust spots over the wheel arches but thats not too hard to get fixed.

I’d ask to see any receipts for brakes or other repairs, no matter how old they’ll give you an indication of when they might need replacing. Also, look at the current MOT, I know they’re registered on line now, but the garbage would have given the owner documentation with any advisories. Look at the service history and also look at condition of tyres. If it’s standing on a drive or roadway look underneath to see if there’s any oil or water drips.
When test driving pay attention to how smooth the gear changes are, does the steering feel straight and listen for any knocking when going round corners.
Buying an older cheap car does not always mean problems, my DC bought a very old Astra for £400 and it lasted 4 years, only needing a couple of new tyres and an oil leak fixed.

I would base this decision on the age, mileage, condition and history of each car. Not the brand.

Make sure what you're buying has been used regularly. Bought a Passat that hadn't been used much (and was quite old). Turbo blew on the way home.

Fantastic advice - thank you! I will make sure to look underneath definitely - jad a leaking car before and it turned out to be the radiator which was a pain to get fixed.
Going to start looking now!