UKC

Having spent most of my life living in cities and never owning a car, i find myself on the verge of moving to the countryside (North Wales...lucky me!) and in need of some transportation.

However, i know very little about cars. So, am looking for advice on what type of (second-hand) car i should be looking for.
I want something economical (i.e. good mpg and preferably in the lower road-tax bracket....sub 1.4L?) , probably a hatchback with room for a bike in the boot, and generally reliable. Maybe around £3000?

any advice?

I am also wondering whether i might be better off going to a reputable dealers rather than private. If so, how much more could i expect to pay over a private sale.....£500?

In reply to kieran b:

I could have sold you a very reliable Skoda Octavia 1.9tdi estate last year for under £2000 -- I'd had it since new and it had a full service history. 9yo and done just over 90k. -- I sold it in less than 2 weeks via AutoTrader website.

If you tried to buy that one from a dealer it would probably have cost £2750!

Check for full service history, and the interior condition - even if it looks as though it's just been valeted. ( Sagging seats, worn pedals are often give aways that a car has done a big mileage irrespective of what the odometer says.)

There are bargains out there if you look hard enough.

Good luck.

In reply to kieran b:
that sounds like it would have been a great deal!

Thanks for the advice

In reply to kieran b:

I don't think I'll have another low mileage Octavia Estate for sale for at least 10 years! I bought my new one to enjoy in my retirement!

(PS it's no 'old mans motor' -- its as quick as the top of the range Honda Accord 2.2exi that I had in Saudi back in the 90's - and that went like 'it off a stick when you put your foot down)

In reply to kieran b: yep those Octavia diesels estates get a good rep with vg fuel consumptions and loads of room

personally I have only bought cars off friends as at least you know what youre getting ,buying a car is always gonna be a gamble .a lot of car dealers buy from local auctions and chuck their 30% on top..
try and get a car with full service history from a main dealer and low miles and cheap!alas these beasts are very rare!good luck in your hunting.

In reply to kieran b:
Ok, so the Octavia is already top of my list!
The diesels sound good but also, the surprisingly small-sounding 1.2L petrol has great reviews!

Any more i should be looking at?

In reply to kieran b: if your buying used and your going to be getting it in the next month i have an HPI check you can use if you want.

i just bought a car and paid for 5 checks but only used one.

not sure if you will get the associated insurance but let me know if you want a car checked.

In reply to kieran b:
Tch.


Not ONE of you have tackled the highly significant motoring issue that all car buyers MUST deal with first....









What colour do you fancy?

Sx

In reply to kieran b:

...another Octavia recommendation here (sorry). I had my '05 model for 80,000 miles and it was the best car I'd ever had (and I'd had some nice cars) until I got my current one (which is a skoda superb).

Be prepared though for lots of people on here stating that Skodas are bad because, erm, they don't like the badge.

In reply to kieran b:

I endorse the Skoda Octavia as suggested by other UKC users. Skoda's are very reliable and the stigma has all but disappeared.We bought a second hand 02 Fabia 1.4 (which would not be big enough for a bike) for our daughter last year and it has been brilliant.

In reply to alanlgm:

Thanks for the offer A, but it wont be until may

In reply to kieran b:
ok, alright already, an Octavia it is!!

...but which Octavia??

In reply to kieran b:

Was surprised at the 1.2l option, but checking it seems quite pokey 104 bhp reasonable torque and 50 mpg.

I'd still be tempted to get the diesel so I did not have to worry about thrashing it to get up hills or over revving on long motorway runs. Just concerned about longevity of a very hardworking little engine.

In reply to kieran b:

I have a Focus Estate 1.6D that i'm about to put up for sale. 57 Plate, 85K, Full Service History, Just passed its MOT with no advisories. Tax is £30 per year. Will have the next service done before I sell it too.

Only selling because I bought a van off here. But i'm looking for about £4400 for it.....

In reply to kieran b:

For your budget of around 3k, try and get as low a mileage 1.9tdi as you can lay your hands on - particularly if you're going to to a decent mileage. You're probably looking at a 54/55 plate model.

The later PD diesel engines have had some issues with particulate filters. Steer clear of the DSG gearbox.

In terms of creature comforts, whilst the basic S models are adequate, the Ambiente / SE models are worth the extra, and the Elegance models are really rather nice. I could get my bike in to the back of the old Octavia estate without taking the wheels off.

As I no longer do big mileages I opted for one of the new 1.4 tsi petrol engines. Smoooth quick and quiet, but thistier than the old diesel. On the plus side I was able to get an petrol Elegance for less than the cost of an SE diesel - but that's because they had a special 0% VAT deal on elegance models at the time! From 55 plate onwards, they increased the wheelbase by around 50mm compared to my old car.

I'm a happy Skoda owner of more than 10 years.

In reply to kieran b:

Unless you are doing lots of motorway miles, avoid a modern diesel as the cost of replacing the Dual Mass Flywheel, the Problems with Exhaust 'Cats' outweigh the cost of fuel.

Also don't make the mistake my sister made, and buy an engine that won't get up them welsh hills. She Lives near bangor and says the 1.25 fiesta is dead in the water with 3 adults passengers.

Also consider a large unfashionable barge, as insurance group is not always the driver of insurance cost.

I recently priced up adding a 17 year old to the insurance on a 1.8 Cavalier, and it wasn't much more than adding her to a 1.0 Lupo, and cheaper than adding her to a 1.0 Corsa.

In reply to dingbat46:

if i was in the country now i would think about that..thanks

In reply to kieran b:
and thanks for the detailed replies LoD and POD...actually im not planning on doing lots of mileage in it so maybe i should stick to the petrol versions and maybe a little bit stronger for those welsh hills!

Maybe ill go to a dealers when im back in the UK and just test out a few of the different versions

In reply to kieran b:

As said on another thread, it isn't just fuel economy with diesels, I find they are just easier to drive, with a lot more torque than an equivilent petrol

In reply to kieran b: i'm on the hunt for a car as well rather than throwing more money at my old xantia
i've just been looking at 1.4 HDI cars of about 10 years old- going for around 1000 quid..eg peug 206/citroen c3? you could always put your bike on the back?

In reply to Sarah G:

Sound advice, and when walking around the car kick the tyres knowlegably, talk out of the side of your mouth, don't ask how fast "she" goes - the correct petrol head term is "quick", and ask when the cam belt was last replaced? That makes you look as though you know what you are talking about (even if you don't) and lowers the risk of being sold a pup....well that's the theory.

In reply to Trangia: I've just bought another diesel Fabia.

In reply to Trangia: how does she hyperdrive?

In reply to Fat Bumbly2: how much and what tax band?