Eek! Urgent car replacement - help please!

TheBigCheese

TheBigCheese

TheBigCheese

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Thanks for looking at this thread.

I've just heard from the missus that her car has failed it's mot...and is apparently more of a scrap job than a repair job (to be honest it was the rust holding it together).

So, she needs a car pronto...

Her stipulations are:
She doesn't want to buy from a private individual as she doesn't know a lot about cars and with a garage you generally get some sort of warranty.

She doesn't have a lot to spend - the less the better, secondhand is definitely an option!

She would like something that's around a 1.4, she has a 1.4 Renault Clio at the moment and she doesn't want anything with less power really as she is used to that.

It's got to be as small as a Clio for parking when she's at home.

It's around the Preston, Lancs area...can anyone recommend a good place to buy from around there? Or a decent make/model?

Many thanks

P.S. Yes we're car noobs, sorry about that!
 
Cupra said:
buy a 2nd hand 1.4 clio? crap car but seems your mind is set
Click to expand...

she needs a car pronto...
She would like something that's around a 1.4
It's got to be as small as a Clio for parking when she's at home


She would like a Clio purely as she's used to it, but beggers can't be choosers, currently four wheels is better than no wheels.

Her needs are: small car, but a bit of power in it...apart from that she's open to suggestions.
 
To be honest, www.autotrader.co.uk is what you need, that or just go to a local car selling garage and see what they have for how much you have to spend on one. If she doesn't know about cars, or care too much then that's going to be the easiest option.

If she needs it pronto then there isn't much that people here will be able to help with, I mean they will suggest cars, but to get the best idea as to what to buy people normally ask a few weeks/months before they buy.

As for cars, Fiesta, Clio, Punto, Ibiza, Polo, 206, 106, 306, the list goes on...

InvG
 
Thanks for your posts guys, it's really appreciated! :)

Autotrader looks good, I'm having a flick through there new.

Price...that's a tricky one...4-5K...maybe more if it's worth the extra.

I heard that the new Skodas are good reliable cars, is that true?

Oh...I should have mentioned, reliability is a really important factor.
 
VAG cars (including Skoda) are a good bet if you don't want rust as they use galvanized body panels.

Reliability wise though you may want to look at something Japanese as they tend to score the best on JD Powers surveys for reliability.

Oh, and stear clear of anything french as someone else said above.
 
Thanks for the help so far guys, it's really useful :)

We've found a Nissan Micra tonight (unfortunately I don't have the exact model number)
Diesel 1.5
37,000 miles
04 plate
Air con
Drive computer
Keyless design (I don't see the point of this from how he explained it)
£35 road tax
Group 3 insurance (not sure how good that will be)

12 month warranty
12 month RAC breakdown cover
Full service before collection

£5499, sounds a bit much to me, Parkers guide which we got today said a main dealer was around £5200.

He also seemed to be a bit vague about exactly what it came with, he said air con at first and then said climate control. If it does have C.C. it should have side airbags, which he didn't mention.

Anyway, the missus might have a look at it tomorrow, what's your thoughts?

Thanks
 
Many thanks for the posts guys :)

Ok the missus is running round garages today, and phoning me with what she's finding (I know it's a mad way of buying a car but we're a bit stuck!)

The Nissan Micra I mentioned previously...I don't know if it's the 64bhp version, she's trying to find out now...it says DCI SVE on it if that's any help :confused:

She's also asked me to ask you guys what your opinions of these are:
Nissian Micra 160 SR
Fiat Pandas

She's found a 2008 Fiat Panda with only delivery mileage for £5695

Many thanks :)
 
SVE is the 82ps engine. The better one i am assuming.

The 160 is a 108bhp engine, group 6 insurance which will see you 40mpg.

Not a big fan of the panda tho :(
 
Excellent thanks for the post.

We'll steer (boom boom) away from the Fiats and concentrate more on the Japanese makes I think, that seems to be what she's doing.

Not great on the insurance and mpg for the Nissan Micra 160...the SVE sounds much better but it's done 37,000 in three years and sounds a lot more 'worn' by the sound of it.

Difficult isn't it!

She's looking at more garages this afternoon so I'm sure I will be posting more updates and questions this afternoon, many thanks for all the help so far :D
 
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