Spec me a car - £4000

Dunks · 12 Jun 2017 at 09:56

Gents,

The GF is looking at buying a new car after her 2001 Polo automatic has finally started to bite the dust, she only spent £500 for it, and it's lasted 3 years of not needing anything than new tyres/pads!.

Her maximum budget is £4000, and it must be an automatic. Average week of driving is 50-60 miles on the M25 and around 10 miles London stop and start driving. Oh, and it can't really be anything larger than her current Polo!

The restriction of an automatic only seems to limit choices somewhat, but she's not budging on moving to a manual.

We've seen some nice 2006 Mini Cooper's with around 40-50k miles on them for £3.5-4k, and she is quite keen on these, but are we just asking for trouble at this price point and mileage?

Any suggestions welcome!

wedrum · 12 Jun 2017 at 10:04

do it
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-54-B...623425?hash=item3d374a5541:g:1nIAAOSwSlBY4jPY

wingman · 12 Jun 2017 at 10:44

Dunks said:
We've seen some nice 2006 Mini Cooper's with around 40-50k miles on them for £3.5-4k, and she is quite keen on these, but are we just asking for trouble at this price point and mileage?

You're probably asking for at least a little bit of trouble with any car at £4,000.00, unless it's under warranty somehow. I guess the biggest issue is that you're hell bent on an auto, so there's more risk involved than a typical manual box.

I can't imagine a 10 year old Mini being that bad, certainly not compared to similar cars of that age. If you avoid any charged variants, i.e. super or turbo'd and you'd probably be alright.

Dunks · 12 Jun 2017 at 10:46

wedrum said:
do it
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-54-B...623425?hash=item3d374a5541:g:1nIAAOSwSlBY4jPY

To my untrained eye this seems pretty good, but I'd be a bit worried out the mileage! Or is it not as bad due to having a full service history etc? Are these cars good for 97k?

wedrum · 12 Jun 2017 at 10:52

97k is nothing plus the fsh is there.
you could find the 3.0 for around that money too.

Nasher · 12 Jun 2017 at 12:27

If your going cheap, don't go for something German. Go Jap.

German cars aren't all that reliable when they get old and don't get any cheaper to fix, where as old Japanese cars are near indestructible.

grudas · 12 Jun 2017 at 12:35

Nasher said:
If your going cheap, don't go for something German. Go Jap.

German cars aren't all that reliable when they get old and don't get any cheaper to fix, where as old Japanese cars are near indestructible.

My Mazda 3 was more problematic than my z4 3.0 coupe. Couple of months between them and similar mileage. Z4 suggestion is not too bad tbf, it's a small car, quite reliable etc.. only issue is that fuel economy is not great

FurryLemon · 12 Jun 2017 at 12:51

A Z4 for someone who was happy to drive a 500 quid polo for 3 years... :confused:

I'd say something like a Fiesta would be bang on the money.

Dunks · 12 Jun 2017 at 12:59

FurryLemon said:
A Z4 for someone who was happy to drive a 500 quid polo for 3 years...

I'd say something like a Fiesta would be bang on the money.

She did like the look of it, and a convertible is definitely something she'd quite like. But she thought it being a 2.5 might be a bit much! Seems a lot of car for the money though.

grudas · 12 Jun 2017 at 13:01

Dunks said:
She did like the look of it, and a convertible is definitely something she'd quite like. But she thought it being a 2.5 might be a bit much! Seems a lot of car for the money though.

The 2.0 or 2.2 z4s are less reliable engine wise hence the recommendation for 2.5

Nasher · 12 Jun 2017 at 13:12

Dunks said:
She did like the look of it, and a convertible is definitely something she'd quite like. But she thought it being a 2.5 might be a bit much! Seems a lot of car for the money though.

It's a naturally aspirated 2.5 (which is a good thing for a sports car IMO), so you won't get a sudden kick of power like you would from some turbos.

Psycho Sonny · 12 Jun 2017 at 14:35

Dunks said:
She did like the look of it, and a convertible is definitely something she'd quite like. But she thought it being a 2.5 might be a bit much! Seems a lot of car for the money though.

i'd go for it over any other car in the £4K price bracket. sure it's going to cost £300 a year in road tax and probably another £300 more than what her insurance normally costs and about £40 a week more in fuel but it will be worth it.

Skillmister · 12 Jun 2017 at 14:48

Yeah a convertible sports car, sounds ideal for sitting on the m25 and in city centre traffic. Christ this place is ridiculous sometimes.

DiscoDave · 12 Jun 2017 at 15:07

wedrum said:
do it
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-54-B...623425?hash=item3d374a5541:g:1nIAAOSwSlBY4jPY

How is a convertible Z4 a suitable replacement for a Polo?

wedrum · 12 Jun 2017 at 15:08

well why not.
the OP said they like the look of it.

Psycho Sonny · 12 Jun 2017 at 15:11

the auto gearbox on the Z4 is bulletproof. people have even mapped their cars on the stock gearbox no issues. in fact for the E89 the auto gearbox is actually preferred for mapping over the manual gearbox as it's a lot stronger.

Dunks · 12 Jun 2017 at 15:19

Skillmister said:
Yeah a convertible sports car, sounds ideal for sitting on the m25 and in city centre traffic. Christ this place is ridiculous sometimes.

DiscoDave said:
How is a convertible Z4 a suitable replacement for a Polo?

wedrum said:
well why not.
the OP said they like the look of it.

The driving is only at the weekends, so the M25 is usually pretty quick but obviously there is still the stop and start London traffic. Mileage per year is probably 6000 at most, closer to 4500. The Polo was just a good option at the time; had passed her test about a year ago, didn't want to spend too much on a car. But now with an increased budget she's open to something a little different so it's not that wild a choice!

Maybe it's more logical just to save a bit of cash and go for something a bit more boring/basic. But then driving to summer countryside weekends away in a convertible Z4 rather than a Polo has to be that bit more appealing!

wedrum · 12 Jun 2017 at 15:27

exactly.
it will be a car she will get it everytime and smile.
they are a great machine and if i did not have kids i would have one instead on the E90.

grudas · 12 Jun 2017 at 15:29

wedrum said:
exactly.
it will be a car she will get it everytime and smile.
they are a great machine and if i did not have kids i would have one instead on the E90.

agreed.

5k a year you dont want a boring hatch! get the z4 2.5 or 3.0 and enjoy it

as biased as I might be I think they're great cars.

Skillmister · 12 Jun 2017 at 15:32

If you'd mentioned "driving to summer countryside weekends away" then it might not have made such a wild suggestion but the opening post made it sound like London driving was the only use for the car!