[Help] Used Car Suggestions

[Eeyore]

I need a new car. Well, I don't need it, because I only drive about 4,000 miles a year. But I like to have one.

Ideally, it would be a very economical car with low or no tax and plenty of MPG. One that would last for many years due to a lack of heavy use.

A used car is preferred. Not one with high mileage. I'm looking at a lot of options.

I did see this one, which is an indicator of about what I'm looking for

https://pavillioncarsales.com/vehicle/name/toyota-aygo-vvt-i-x-play-5/

But what would the sages of NSC suggest generally ?

And is the AA protect warrant worth spending out on ?

Over to you fantastic folks.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

Toyotas are great cars. You won't go wrong with an Aygo.

Any 'Jap' car is good on the whole. As an alternative, most mechanics I know buy a Honda for their wife or kids. Insanely reliable.

Have a look at a Honda Jazz.

Also, try and buy from a franchised dealer. The warranties they offer are level with the original manufacturers. I just bought a 5-Series Touring and I reckon I paid maybe a £500 premium over a car supermarket after haggling. However, instead of the car supermarket "quick valet, tyre shine and a 90 day warranty" I got 4 brand new tyres, a 120 point check, a proper valet, a full major service, brand new MoT and a 12 month BMW official warranty. Well worth the extra, and then some.

 

[Eeyore]

Toyotas are great cars. You won't go wrong with an Aygo.

Any 'Jap' car is good on the whole. As an alternative, most mechanics I know buy a Honda for their wife or kids. Insanely reliable.

Have a look at a Honda Jazz.

Also, try and buy from a franchised dealer. The warranties they offer are level with the original manufacturers. I just bought a 5-Series Touring and I reckon I paid maybe a £500 premium over a car supermarket after haggling. However, instead of the car supermarket "quick valet, tyre shine and a 90 day warranty" I got 4 brand new tyres, a 120 point check, a proper valet, a full major service, brand new MoT and a 12 month BMW official warranty. Well worth the extra, and then some.

Will a used car dealer let me haggle down the price a teeny bit ?

 

[Icy Gull]

Will a used car dealer let me haggle down the price a teeny bit ?

He will 100% EXPECT it! Go for a big bit, nothing ventured nothing gained, he’s unlikely to show you the door rather than counter offer if he thinks you’re serious.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

Will a used car dealer let me haggle down the price a teeny bit ?

Absolutely.. I was a motor trader for almost 15 years and it always baffled me when people paid the screen price! Unless you've priced it dirt cheap and it's a 'cream puff' (trade slang for an absolutely perfect retail car) then you always expect to have a deal.

I got over £1,000 off my car at a main dealer. Factual approach, told him that his is one of about 50 identical examples on the BMW Approved Used website, so price is what drives me. I'm ready to buy, but I want a deal.

Salesmen are usually lazy, as are sales managers. Make their job easy and it'll reap you rewards.

You just say "Listen, I've seen your car, I like it. I've narrowed it down to three, yours being one. You're the first person I'm going to make an offer to and I'm prepared to give you a £250 deposit right now to buy it. Done deal. My money is yours. If not, no problem and I completely understand - I'll move on to the next one and make an offer on that. I want to buy a car today, and whoever wants my money first gets it, it's a simple as that"

You will move mountains with that approach.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I need a new car. Well, I don't need it, because I only drive about 4,000 miles a year. But I like to have one.

Ideally, it would be a very economical car with low or no tax and plenty of MPG. One that would last for many years due to a lack of heavy use.

A used car is preferred. Not one with high mileage. I'm looking at a lot of options.

I did see this one, which is an indicator of about what I'm looking for

https://pavillioncarsales.com/vehicle/name/toyota-aygo-vvt-i-x-play-5/

But what would the sages of NSC suggest generally ?

And is the AA protect warrant worth spending out on ?

Over to you fantastic folks.

If you're doing bugger all miles, don't bother to look at low mileage cars as you'll get far less for your budget. As long as it's been serviced properly, a higher mileage car may make more sense as even after you've had it a few years it will still only be average mileage.

Look on Autotrader at all cars that fit your criteria rather than a specific model. Find a few reasonable ones close together, take a day and do a quick tour round comparing them as you go and getting best price before you go to look at the next. I nearly always buy private but look at trade as well. But you do need to know a little about cars and give it a proper test drive (hard braking, hard acceleration, throwing into corners etc). Best to warn the owner/trader first

 

[Driver8]

I highly recommend the VW Up.

We have one that we tow with our Motorhome (a TSI) and it’s great. Doesn’t feel like a small car when driving it and has extras like heated seats, DAB radio, Air Con etc. There are also cheaper Skoda and Seat versions (Citigo and Mii)of the same car but they don’t do the TSI or GTI versions and I’m not sure their spec is up to VW.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

I highly recommend the VW Up.

I'll second that. I bought my Daughter one as her first car and it was faultless.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Toyotas are great cars. You won't go wrong with an Aygo.

Any 'Jap' car is good on the whole. As an alternative, most mechanics I know buy a Honda for their wife or kids. Insanely reliable.

Have a look at a Honda Jazz.

Also, try and buy from a franchised dealer. The warranties they offer are level with the original manufacturers. I just bought a 5-Series Touring and I reckon I paid maybe a £500 premium over a car supermarket after haggling. However, instead of the car supermarket "quick valet, tyre shine and a 90 day warranty" I got 4 brand new tyres, a 120 point check, a proper valet, a full major service, brand new MoT and a 12 month BMW official warranty. Well worth the extra, and then some.

Seconded n both a Toyota or Honda……..although last year I did end up with a 2015 Suzuki swift as an alternative…tax £30….cheap to insure and so far to run

The van for work is a Toyota …had it for eight years and hardly any issues

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Not entirely sure you can by a used zero tax car anymore unless it is fully electric. I pay no tax on my Mii but I think if I sold it, the new owner would have to pay tax.

 

[Driver8]

Not entirely sure you can by a used zero tax car anymore unless it is fully electric. I pay no tax on my Mii but I think if I sold it, the new owner would have to pay tax.

We pay £30 per year on the Up.

 

[Originunknown]

Good suggestions above, VW Seat Skoda low mileage you won't go wrong. The new Suzuki Swift is also excellent, as are Mazda 2s but may come with a premium.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I've got a 2013 Aygo. It's a bit too small and underpowered for my ideal, but it goes fine and doesn't breakdown. I'm not intending to change it in the foreseeable. Recommended.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

We pay £30 per year on the Up.

Mine cuts out when stopped which dropped it below 100 - the only model amongst the Mii, Up and Citycar that did at the time.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Absolutely.. I was a motor trader for almost 15 years and it always baffled me when people paid the screen price! Unless you've priced it dirt cheap and it's a 'cream puff' (trade slang for an absolutely perfect retail car) then you always expect to have a deal.

I got over £1,000 off my car at a main dealer. Factual approach, told him that his is one of about 50 identical examples on the BMW Approved Used website, so price is what drives me. I'm ready to buy, but I want a deal.

Salesmen are usually lazy, as are sales managers. Make their job easy and it'll reap you rewards.

You just say "Listen, I've seen your car, I like it. I've narrowed it down to three, yours being one. You're the first person I'm going to make an offer to and I'm prepared to give you a £250 deposit right now to buy it. Done deal. My money is yours. If not, no problem and I completely understand - I'll move on to the next one and make an offer on that. I want to buy a car today, and whoever wants my money first gets it, it's a simple as that"

You will move mountains with that approach.

As a motorcycle sales bod in another life I entirely agree. But if the used car market in the UK is anything like here right now it may well be worth waiting a few months, we have seen prices rise by 40% since the start of Covid.

Also, the above approach works brilliantly when you are buying a popular vehicle, the kind that one in four dealers have on their forecourt. It falls over when, like me, you are looking for something a little fewer in number. If I try that approach here I will likely be reminded that the next nearest car is a 90 minute flight away in Sydney!

 

[jakarta]

Another vote for getting an above normal mileage car if you are only doing 4K Per Year, you will soon pull it down to average and modern build quality means you won't know the difference...

 

[Mancgull]

Another vote for getting an above normal mileage car if you are only doing 4K Per Year, you will soon pull it down to average and modern build quality means you won't know the difference...

Yes, I bought a three year old BMW 520d which had done 75k. It should do 200k miles easy. £20 pa road tax and 45/50 mpg. Get it serviced by a BMW specialist ( not BMW themselves, that would be double the price).
Great low cost car in terms of £ pa.

 

[Eeyore]

So, thanks for the advice chaps. I went to see the Aygo above and loved it. Such a dinky, sweet little car.

Garage with a good reputation.

Asked for a cheeky discount. Chap was a bit reluctant because it was £100 below recommended trader's price and he is delivering free on top. I got the impression he thought he wouldn't have trouble shifting it. Offered me £90 off and an updated MOT in addition to a fresh service.

 

[£1.99]

Just brought a Japanese import, Honda Stepwagon. So far very happy with it. Probably no help to you though!

 

[jakarta]

I'm now on a lease package for Merc A250 Hybrid which might well be my last car seeing as how I'm finishing work in the next couple of years and we can downsize to Mrs Jakarta's SLK200 and my Honda CBR600 Bike. The A250 is very nice, surprisingly fast but rather bland. Hey Ho, I had my Peugeot 205 GTi time back in the 1990's...