Cheap family car?

Crizzy

Crizzy

Crizzy

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Joined
31 May 2007
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2,488
Location
Bristol
Evening all,

I am looking at picking up a cheap family car over the next few days, I only have a minimal budget of £1.5k tops. Unfortunately I don't really have the luxury of time to look around so I' d like to keep the search local (Bristol) so I don't waste time travelling too far for one car.

My essential criteria are: 5 doors, reasonable running costs (30 mpg), track record of being reliable.

My desired criteria are: Isofix seating and cruise control, 1 owner from new, estate.

No preference on the age.

I've considered Mondeos, Octavias, Xsara Picassos and Renault Scenics.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif.../mpv/price-to/1500/postcode/bs148ju?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ostcode/bs148ju/quantity-of-doors/5?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...earchad/used,nearlynew,new/usedcars?logcode=p

Problem with this end of the market there are sooooo many dogs about it's hard to find a potential option. Can anyone offer me any tips/advice?

Ideally I'd like a Mondeo but can't seem to find any that look half decent at the moment.

Thanks!
 
For 1.5k I wouldn't look any further than the standard issue Focus or Mondeo. There's plenty about and will still be some great examples.That budget should get u upto a 2004 mk1 Focus/Mondeo which are soo reliable and dirt cheap to run/maintain. Get a petrol. What engine size u after?
Edit; there are quite a few Mondeos not too far from your location with less than 80k on.
 
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1 owner from new is gonna be a tough ask at this point in the market. People who can afford £15-20k brand new motors don't generally hold onto them until they are worth £1.5k. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I doubt it happens often.

I would say when your looking at 10-15 year old motors (dictated by your budget), you can reasonably expect 3-4 owners and it still be well kept.
 
xs2man said:
1 owner from new is gonna be a tough ask at this point in the market. People who can afford £15-20k brand new motors don't generally hold onto them until they are worth £1.5k. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I doubt it happens often.

I would say when your looking at 10-15 year old motors (dictated by your budget), you can reasonably expect 3-4 owners and it still be well kept.
Click to expand...

It's a fair point, I'm amazed at how few adverts actually list the amount of previous owners though.
 
Crizzy said:
Really? It does seem to have a nice couple of extras such as the leather and heated seats which are appealing.
Click to expand...

I had a special edition just the same as that with leather seats etc the same age but with 80k on that I sold just over 2 year ago for 1k. You can get a decent 2004 focus or Mondeo with less than 80k on for 1.5k. I had a look on AT but cannot post links as it won't let me on my phone it keeps going off as I click the link button.
 
I'd expect you to be able to pick up one of the last of the mk3 mondeos for not far off your £1.5k budget, which I'd say is a better car than the focus - the later facelifts still look quite fresh even now.

Problem you might have is selection as Bristol/surrounding seems to be littered with absolute snotters of examples (of any car)

Interior absolutely not for me and not quite the last facelift but can't be too picky and it could be decent:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201504262951198

Edit oops missed estate bit(why are you linking focus hatchbacks?), could you make do with the hatch's massive boot?
 
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Cheers for the help. The estate isn't an essential requirement.

The Ghia you linked to actually looks really nice, top end of the budget is £1500 though so I'd have to haggle.

Was also looking at something like this, but the mileage is a bit on the high side.
 
Haggling £95 shouldn't be a problem. In fact, I'd be looking to get a couple hundred off at least. And that car is 10 years old with 100k on it. That'll be average mileage, or probably below average mileage for its age. With your budget, I doubt you'll get much better.
 
105k is 10k a year, its low for that sort of car surely.

Why do people think that cars explode at 100k? The most reliable, best condition cars I've owned have been the ones well past 100k.

If a car has done 6k a year, chances are a lot of it has been spent around town over potholes and speed bumps, clutch being used constantly, engine never reaching temperature. If a car has done double that or more, chances are it's been spent sat on a smooth motorway in top gear.

There's also a lot of maintenance items that can be due on cars just under the 100k mark - clutches often need doing about then, cambelts can be an issue - on a car with 120k on it, these have normally all been done.
 
You really just need to find a Mondeo Estate

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...cars/price-to/1500/body-type/estate?logcode=p

.....but you've said you don't want to travel.

I think your criteria are going to push you into 'odd' cars that people won't like. I'll be ripped apart for this, but what about a 1 owner 'low mileage' Meriva if you have to get something ASAP and near Bristol ?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...had/used,nearlynew,new/channel/cars?logcode=p

My father in law has one for his Gardening business, its actually not that bad.
 
Look up any Jap car, Avensis, Accord, Mazda 6 etc. Avoid Diesel at this price point.

Mondeo and Vectra Petrols are also worth a look, dont go expecting perfection for a 10 year old car, just look for a cleanish car that seems mechanically sound, ie Clutch,Brakes no smoke from engine etc.
 
rodenal said:
Interior absolutely not for me and not quite the last facelift but can't be too picky and it could be decent:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201504262951198
Click to expand...

Thanks rodenal, I had a look at this on Thursday night, took it for a drive, gave it a look over and went through the paper work. Picked it up this morning and couldn't be more delighted with it!

It's the perfect spec for me, I've always been a fan of a cream leather interior and I think it looks really good. It drives really well and is feels pretty refined, I'm certainly a happy chappy at the moment.
 
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Crizzy said:
Thanks rodenal, I had a look at this on Thursday night, took it for a drive, gave it a look over and went through the paper work. Picked it up this morning and couldn't be more delighted with it
Click to expand...

Good stuff, it looked like it would be about as good a balance of what you wanted as possible for the money
 
E39
Loads about.
Paid £1000 for mine done over 4000 miles in 3 months not missed a beat, everything works as it should, had suspension and cooling system replaced by previous owner, amazing drive it is. Bargains can be had I guess, it's just the timing
 
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