What car for £6k?

Ands

I've got £6k to spend on a car. I had a wish list but I'm going to have to compromise on some of the criteria. What am I best looking at?

It's for a runaround, second car. It will probably only get used a couple of times a week.
Criteria:
Low insurance/low tax
5 door hatchback (must be able to get a bike in with the seats down).
<5 years old
<30k miles

I had been looking at a Focus or C-Max and for that price, I can get a good petrol car but that means tax band G/H. The low tax band diesels are over budget.

Would I be better getting an older diesel with more miles, or getting petrol and accepting a higher tax band ? Could I get a bike in something like a Fiesta or Polo?

Ben6899

I'd buy an older diesel rather than a newer petrol model... you'll realise the savings in the long term.

As for fitting the bike in, I can confirm that I got my bike into a 09 VW Polo although I had to remove the front wheel and seat/seat post.

You could get a lot of bike and a bus pass for £6K; are you sure you need a car!?

Anonymous

Ive got a 54 plate zafira that has dome 130000 miles. I'll let it go to you for 6K, mates rates and all that....

(metallic silver, no less)

Bikerbaboon

3 year old corsa is that kinda money. Can get 5 door and i should fit a bike in the back.
Spares are cheap as the car is common as muck. If you go for the 1.2 insurance is as low as you can get also has £35 road tax (i think)

Gazzaputt

Agree with going for a diesel.

I got a petrol Peugeot 307 SW last year and regret not holding out for the diesel version.

Can get a 307 diesel SW about 4-5 years for £4k +

fnb1

Audi A2 TDI, simples, cheap tax, great MPG, great build quality and surprisingly spacious

spasypaddy

Pinaerllo Prince...

Ands

Ben6899 wrote:

You could get a lot of bike and a bus pass for £6K; are you sure you need a car!?

I do need some new wheels of the bike variety but unfortunately I also have to get a car.

I've upped the mileage (on Autotrader) and just found a 2005 Golf diesel. I've also found a 2003 A2 in my price range but it's petrol. However, it looks economical and the tax band is £125 pa, which is only £10 more than the Golf tdi . The Audi is 34k miles, Golf 43k miles. WHich would be a better buy?

If I'm a cash buyer, and not part x-ing anything, am I in a better position to negociate?

Myk-ee

You might need to go older, but I have a diesel Golf that continues to surprise.

2 bikes with the front wheels off is effortless. If you need to, I have managed to get 3 road bikes and 3 people into it with front and rear wheels off. Was tight but doable for the drive to a race etc..

pneumatic

you could try ex-hire.

It is a while since I last did it that way so my contacts will be out of date but I got a couple of 10k on the clock less than a year old cars for sensible money through an ex-hire dealer in Edinburgh.

Ands

Myk-ee wrote:

You might need to go older, but I have a diesel Golf that continues to surprise.

2 bikes with the front wheels off is effortless. If you need to, I have managed to get 3 road bikes and 3 people into it with front and rear wheels off. Was tight but doable for the drive to a race etc..

Yes, I'm leaning towards the Golf now. The A2 would be great for me alone, but it looks a bit poky in the back and I have two children to ferry around. Also, it is better if I don't have to remove the rear wheel to get the bike in.

hopper1

a couple of years ago, Mrs.Hopper piped up with... " I think we need a second car, not new, but reliable and cheap to run"... 'sure', I say, sounds good to me.
Mrs.H then opens local freesheet for a look...
About 10 seconds later, she pipes up, again... " I like that!... What's an R32' :shock:

I'm sure, Ands, that if you use your ladies tool kit, you'll get the budget to fit your car

fnb1

I would go A2, great cars, shop about for a TDI though if you can.

Alternative buy, Vauxhall Meriva 1.3TDI, should be plenty around that have been owned & main dealered service ran by gentle driving pensioners

Ands

fnb1 wrote:

Alternative buy, Vauxhall Meriva 1.3TDI, should be plenty around that have been owned & main dealered service ran by gentle driving pensioners

I was looking for a Seat Leon last night and I found one which had 'Pensioner Owned' in bright yellow letters across the main photo. :shock: (Unfortunately, it was pre-2005 and not the cool new shape that I'd really like.)

Hopper, trust me, this will probably sit on the drive 5 days out of 7, which is why we got rid of the 2nd car a few years ago. Besides, I would rather use the tool kit to get new bike wheels

rolf_f

If you want reliability and good second hand value - Japanese every time. The German stuff is expensive second hand based on a perception of reliability it doesn't really deserve anymore. If you must go German, a Focus is pretty safe.

jc4lab

For low use ...Toyota Yaris..Big enough? They seem to be roomy for a small car

bexley5200

alfa 147 style sexey

rapid_uphill

You might get a 30 year old beetle for £6k

fossyant

bexley5200 wrote:

alfa 147 style sexey

Crap for getting a bike in - had one as a company car...also electrics are dodgy. Lovely car though..but not practical.

Yaris - we've had one since new for 10 years - it's been brill, but not sure if big enough for you - it's our second car - the main car is worse for bikes as it's a saloon, but I have a roof rack !

prawny

I've got a c-max I love driving it, but I wouldn't have another, google c-max problems and you'll see why. wheels are made of some kind of soft cheese, air con has packed up hand brake broke.

It's a shame if they could sort out the annoying little problems it would be a perfect car for me.

How about a Jazz? Bit slow but I had one as a hire car once and loved it.

shouldbeinbed

look at the number of old golfs you still see about the place. bombproof, brilliant, fun to drive and surprisingly roomy with the seats down.

VW's get called the poor mans Audi.

I always think of Audis as for VW owners with more money than sense

have you looked at a skoda - pretty much the same car as a VW or Audi under the skin but a fraction of the price.

carrotcruncher

Skoda Fabia vRS

garrynolan

I have a Citroen Grand Picasso diesel - 45-50mpg easily. Fits my bike in UPRIGHT . OK, I'm a short arse (50cm frame) but I've had 3 bikes in on their side without removing any bits. Mine is an '07 with 46k miles and not a problem. Autotrader have a few '07's with higher mileage at £6500-£7000. I'd bet you would get one for £6k with cash. Worth a look?

ratsbeyfus

Buy six CAAD 9's ... strap 'em together to make an ultra-tandem, get the whole family pedelling toa rhythm and you'llovertake any vehicle on the road. What's not to like?

dg74

Alfa 147 5-dr hatch.

Had mine for 2 years and had no bother with it at all. All the old doom mongers with their "Dodgy electrics (nearly all Alfa electrics are supplied by Bosch), Rust, engines are crap, etc have limited experience of the marque and prefer rumour to fact.

Just check the oil on a fortnightly basis as the oil sump is badly positioned and buy from a Alfa forum and bob's yer uncle.

Can you tell I love Alfa?

pastey_boy

i used to have a citroen c4 coupe. massive in the back with the seats folded flat. economical, insurance group five.

jermas

Mazda3 - roomy with seats down. Reliable. Group 5 ins.

Aggieboy

http://www.carsource.co.uk/used-renault-kangoo?gclid=COjw4ouumqICFVA03wodumODxA

Homer J

Astra Van

otlawrence

When i was learning to Drive back in 2002 i was driving a Golf from the late 80s and it had done over about 170,000 miles and was still going strong, with the efficiency of the diesel engines now days and the solid reliability i would go for the VW every time rather than the Audi. DO IT

Ands

Aggieboy wrote:

http://www.carsource.co.uk/used-renault-kangoo?gclid=COjw4ouumqICFVA03wodumODxA

Nice try, but minimum driver age for one of those is 70, I believe.