Which (second hand) modern to choose?

[Escadrille Ecosse]

Daughter in Cambridge is moving from current central Cambridge rental (stupid expensive) to a slightly less extortionate place in one of the satellite villages.

All good but it means that she will now need a car to get to work.

So which model?

The little green monster 2009 Fiesta runabout up here in Weegie has, after 15 years and 130k miles, generally been an excellent little car but I get the impression that the current crop of 'old' Fiestas with the wet belt engine are proving very much less than special.

Cambridge is a long way away from Dad so no day to day help from yours truly and while she is a very capable lass anything more than checking fluids is not really her thing. So looking to narrow the field a little so wonder if there are any thoughts on the subject from Sideways?

Edited August 11, 2024 by Escadrille Ecosse

[Nick Jones]

So find a decent example of one of the older ones? Definitely avoid anything with a wet belt.

Or…. Suzuki Swift seem recent, Toyota Yaris (stupid name), Honda Jazz. Maybe even one of the VAG Up!/ Citigo/Mii family which appear to be fairly reliable for a modern German. 

[andymcp]

Fiat Panda?  The basic  1200 8v is simple, economical and fun to drive.  Our two both proved reliable (touch wood).  The Peugeot/Citroen/Vauxhall wet belt engine appears simple to work on so regular belt changes, ahead of schedule, shouldn't break the bank like the Fords.

[MilesA]

Agree with Nick. Don't lose faith with the Ford. Find a decent older version. Started both my daughters with Fiestas on the basis that there are masses of them around, parts less expensive than foreign models, not complicated and any garage can work on them. 

Miles

[thebrookster]

I'm going to throw in the Fabia into this mix.

'Er indoors has a 65 plate no frills version with the 3 cylinder diesel engine, plucky little thing with excellent consumption figures. And very little seems to go wrong with it, indeed the only things that usually go wrong are "driver induced" rather than poor quality.

So that gets a thumbs up from me.

[PaulAA]

Do you have a budget in mind, Colin?

[Escadrille Ecosse]

Thanks gents. Good suggestions and some decent options.

2 hours ago, MilesA said:

Agree with Nick. Don't lose faith with the Ford. Find a decent older version.

I am tempted for all the reasons given but the very dodgy wet belt ecotec Fiestas were introduced in 2012 so fairly long in the tooth. And the timing chain ecotecs are still fairly new/expensive. And still have the wet belt drive to the oil pump. 

1 hour ago, PaulAA said:

Do you have a budget in mind, Colin?

Maybe 3k up to 4-5k max. There is always the PCP option but longer term cost is still there and ties her in to a deal if she doesn't need the car longer term.

Another solution may to to give her ours and we get a newer runabout.

[PaulAA]

Interesting search.

According to What Car?, the top four most reliable small cars are, in order, Suzuki Swift, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i10 and Honda Jazz. Up to an (arbitrary) age of seven years, only the Jazz wouldn't fall within your budget. Top European car is a Dacia brick, at no.9

I considered reliability so important when buying my son his first car that I chose a 30-odd year-old Mercedes W124

Paul

[RedRooster]

Fiat 500 perhaps.

[PeteStupps]

26 minutes ago, RedRooster said:

Fiat 500 perhaps.

Very small interior and a useless back seat, I would venture to suggest. Hired one for a short family trip (2 kids) a few years back, big mistake. Uncomfortable for everyone!

[RedRooster]

It's only his daughter, not a family. 

[yorkshire_spam]

Daughters both have Suzukis, which I've ended up working on. Not terrible and both nice and reliable. One has an Alto, the other a newer Celerio.

If it was for me I'd have a Toyota Aygo. 

[zetecspit]

We bought a 13 plate pug 107 (exact same car as aygo and C1 bar a few odds and ends, but mechanicals all have a toyota sticker) It is now in the hands of a friends son, who has run it up and down to Coventry (where he has just finoshed Uni) from Brighton. Apart from a batteru at 9 years old, some brake pads tyres, plus annual oil change, it has never gone wrong. zero road tax, cheap to insure. 

I currently have a Suzuki Baleno, with the excellent 1.0 litre Boosterjet engine. VERY willing engine, £30 road tax and again, seems mechanically bulletproof (note, aircon seems to have packed up and the satnav no longer knows where it is, aerial is the likely culpret, that involves entering the dashboard!) Bit bigger than a Swift, capacious for 4 full sized adults. Same engine in a swift would be excellent. 

[thebrookster]

17 hours ago, Escadrille Ecosse said:

Thanks gents. Good suggestions and some decent options.

Another solution may to to give her ours and we get a newer runabout.

A thought that comes to mind, may be relevant or may not be. ULEZ compliance? Will she need it?

No point buying her an older model car if it then turns out it can't be used in 18 months time!

[PaulAA]

When I lived there, 30ish years ago, initially out in Milton, then for a couple of years in The Kite, driving (and car ownership) in Cambridge was a drag. Heavy traffic everywhere all the time and precious little parking...

[egret]

1 hour ago, PaulAA said:

When I lived there, 30ish years ago, initially out in Milton, then for a couple of years in The Kite, driving (and car ownership) in Cambridge was a drag. Heavy traffic everywhere all the time and precious little parking...

Can confirm that (still) living here, it's only gone downhill in the last 30 years.  I avoid driving in town wherever possible only braving it when I absolutely can't avoid it, or during school holidays!

[Nick Jones]

E-bike?

[Escadrille Ecosse]

Thanks for all the comments folks.

ULEZ is not an issue at the moment. Was suggested for Cambridge but fell foul of the 'funnamenal human right to drive a car' brigade.

For context she currently lives in the centre of Cambridge very close to the railway station. Which is perfect for town but she works out of the city, south of Duxford and not near a station. She gets to work by bus but that can take up to an hour with all the city traffic.

The new accomodation is outside the city and much closer to work, but there is no bus and there is no reasonable/safe bike route (typical). But it is a quite short/easy drive by car. Hence the car.

Sideways advice is most welcome as the move is imminent. Easiest solution is probably that I do the sourcing of the car and then drive it to her.

 

[thebrookster]

1 hour ago, Escadrille Ecosse said:

Easiest solution is probably that I do the sourcing of the car and then drive it to her.

Do a check on prices/location, Colin. I (and friends) have found that on average most SH motors are cheaper further south you go. Scotland seems to attract a premium!

Hence why I went to Manchester to buy the Ranger in January.

[Escadrille Ecosse]

9 minutes ago, thebrookster said:

Do a check on prices/location, Colin. I (and friends) have found that on average most SH motors are cheaper further south you go. Scotland seems to attract a premium!

Hence why I went to Manchester to buy the Ranger in January.

Fair point there Phil.

Upside I get to see no.1 child sooner 

[mpbarrett]

Driving into Cambridge is terrible but driving out is good. Most of the cycle routes seem to be north and west of the city and the one by the guided bus way is excellent going from St Ives all the way to Addenbrooks. I would have suggested an E bike (new or home grown)  but only if there is a decent cycle path and some where to lock it away during the day. Cambridge has a lot of bikes and more stolen than anywhere else!

Last time we were looking for a car for Libby we asked our local small garage (used them for our cars and MOT'ing the Herald) about what was most reliable and what to avoid, they have a good feel for the problem cars. She has a Hyundai SUV, horrid to drive but good for the 2 kids and has been very reliable.
What village will she be moving to, most Cambridge villages seem to have good local FB groups, its a good way to find the best local garage etc.....

Mike

Lives 3 miles north of Cambridge, avoids Cambridge whenever possible and has an home built E bike, retired so no commuting!.

[Martin]

Another vote for Hyundai. We have a low mileage Getz. 1.1 ltr engine. Reliable, cheap parts, cambelt done at home, low fuel consumption. Lives outside but absolutely rust free. 

[Escadrille Ecosse]

Well. Was planning on having to head south to look for a suitable car, likely areas being Tyneside, Manchester, Birmingham and Norf East Laandan (sorry Pete!).

Then this popped up locally. 58 plate Nissan Micra. PO since 2012. 37k miles only. In Glasgow. Went for a look. Everything works. Paint good and no obvious respray missmatches. Underbonnet and underbody significantly better nick than the Fiesta. And to cut to the chase I just bought it.

Brought home across town through biblical rain. A bit tinny but went fine. Including the wipers. And the a/c.

Will give it a full service before driving it down to Cambridge. Probably do with an alighnment check at the front too. Interior is also in very good nick but a bit of a scrub won't hurt either.

[PeteStupps]

4 hours ago, Escadrille Ecosse said:

Norf East Laandan (sorry Pete!)

Wouldn't be seen dead round there Colin, full of ruffians. I only leave Zone 1 for holidays

Tidy looking low-miler that, good result. Built in Sunderland.

[Escadrille Ecosse]

33 minutes ago, PeteStupps said:

Wouldn't be seen dead round there Colin, full of ruffians. I only leave Zone 1 for holidays

Tidy looking low-miler that, good result. Built in Sunderland.