Buying a used car

Hi all. Looking for a bit of advice. I want to buy a car -have around 7k to spend. I've driven a micra for years and it was great but I need a change...looking for something say 1.3-1.6L, preferably a hatchback but am open to a saloon. Problem is I have no idea what to get. Any advice on what's hot and what's not?

Depends on what is important to you...

As a Micra driver I'm assuming you'll want something similar-ish?

For €7K ish you could try:

02 Toyota Yaris - great car in it's class: v.reliable and roomier than you might think

03 Seat Ibiza - a bit bigger, sportier and fairly reliable also

04 Hyundai Getz or Skoda Fabia - both fine, nothing special, do the job.

The above in fact range generally from 1.1L to 1.4L. If you're looking for up to 1.6 you'll probably have to go for an older car - but why up to 1.6L?

...bear in mind e.g that a basic 1.4 Ford Focus is probably no more powerful than your Micra. You have to check bhp more so than engine size and also consider the size/weight of the car.

Hope the above is of some help...any more pointers as what you would look for in a car?

Toyota corola...Great car!

No, nothing too much wrong with a Corolla - but for 7K ish you'll have to go back to about 01 if that's OK Shan?

Hi guys.

Great advice and thanks a mil. Drove a micra for years as it was all I could afford at the time. Test drove a skoda and a V.W golf today. Like the golf in theory but the car was a no no. Smoke coming out the exhaust - also it had to be jump started in the dealers...I mean come on!
Saw a real nice Nissan Almera saloon in another place. Low milage (47k for a 01 reg). Thinking of going for it.

Thanks for the advice again.

If you like the Almera - go for it. A lot of 'car heads' don't like it because it's regarded as being very boring both in style and to drive.

Personally, I'd go for it over say, a Corolla. It's very reliable and fairly tough - the hatchback version has a really big boot and can look a bit more sporty if you want that.

Almera is NOT very reliable,especialy 01-02 models.Stretching timing chains failing gearboxes are the first faults that spring to mind.Go for the Corolla or a better Golf than the one you viewed.What did you think of the Skoda?

Shan said:

Saw a real nice Nissan Almera saloon in another place. Low milage (47k for a 01 reg). Thinking of going for it.

Click to expand...

Don't touch any Nissans with a 1.5 or 1.8l engine. Their timing chain likes to stretch. For lots of details Google it

Towger

Towger said:

Don't touch any Nissans with a 1.5 or 1.8l engine. Their timing chain likes to stretch. For lots of details Google it

Towger

Click to expand...

Honest John doesn't make any mention of timing chain problems with the Almera

[broken link removed]


On what site is the problem referred to.


Murt

...be interested to hear where this is referred to also.

A handful of problems can give a car an unfairly bad name.
Obviously not every individual car is perfect - despite the reputation of the model. But any bad news can spread easily.

[broken link removed] lists the Almera as the 7th out of 100 most reliable cars of the last decade.

Golf by the way doesn't come in until 36 and the Corolla until 91 ???