David Jenkins
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 04:04 PM |
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Contemplating the purchase of a small car for my wife to use.
Here's another question for the Locost community: my wife and I are considering whether to get her a little car to run around town, do shopping,
and so on. She's been using our Nissan Leaf, but has found it a bit overwhelming and has had a couple of accidents with it (e.g. hitting the
accelerator pedal instead of the brake - electric cars can accelerate FAST in reverse, with a LOT of power!). She also finds the vast number of
gadgets, options, switches and random beeps/alarms/warning messages a bit daunting (but I love the car...  ).
So we're talking about a small car, manual gearbox, preferably 5 door but 3 door acceptable if the car is especially nice, with enough boot
space for typical shopping. Good all-round visibility and easy to park. Small engine, probably under 1 litre, decent mpg, but capable of doing 70mph
on shortish journeys without making a meal of it. Not bothered about using it for major journeys. Not too many gadgets (she doesn't do
gadgets!) or frills, but A/C and electric windows would probably be required. Don't need or want any sort of 'sport' model, and a
low insurance group is probably for the best.
My problem is that I'm totally out of touch with modern-ish small cars - recently I've driven a Hyundai i10 that was quite nice, and also
a Skoda Fabia that wasn't at all bad. I've had no involvement with any other makes.
Can anyone recommend some makes and models worth looking at? And any that are worth avoiding? I don't like Vauxhall, not overly impressed with
Ford, and she hates Smart cars, so that narrows the field a little bit. Will probably be looking for something 3 - 5 years old, as far below £5000 as
possible - I know that's an optimistic target, but you have to start somewhere.
This isn't going to happen in the very near future, but we're keen to start looking around.
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softfeet
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 04:48 PM |
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Fiat Panda
It seems to fulfill your criteria. They are honest, totally unpretentious cars.
I have had a Fiat from new for 21 years and it has been generally reliable. Nothing has fallen off that I couldn't reattach by myself.
[Edited on 2/11/18 by softfeet]
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russbost
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 05:19 PM |
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I would go for a Hyundai, I have a 58 plate Getz 1.4gsi & it has been absolutely brilliant, fairly basic car, but has all the important bits like
abs, pas e/windows, central locking etc. Absolutely reliable & a great little car to drive, I assume the later "i" models would be a
development of the same theme - build quality is excellent
I no longer run Furore Products or Furore Cars Ltd, but would still highly recommend them for Acewell dashes, projector headlights, dominator
headlights, indicators, mirrors etc, best prices in the UK! Take a look at http://www.furoreproducts.co.uk/ or find more parts on Ebay, user names
furoreltd & furoreproducts, discounts available for LCB users.
Don't forget Stainless Steel Braided brake hoses, made to your exact requirements in any of around 16 colours.
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/furoreproducts/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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macc man
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 05:23 PM |
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I hired a Nissan Micra recently and was quite impressed with it. Very nippy car and fair bit of room in boot.
Simple and easy to drive. Worth a look.
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GaryM
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 05:40 PM |
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Toyota Aygo/Citroen C1/Peugeot 107 (all the same car). Just bought a 4 year old one for our daughter to learn in and have been very impressed.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 06:15 PM |
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All good suggestions - keep them coming!
I had one problem with a Nissan Micra... every time I got in I walloped my knee on the driver's-side end of the lower dash! Probably totally
different in later models (I hope).
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snapper
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 06:28 PM |
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Ferrari Dino, I grant you it’s only got 2 doors but it won’t loose money and you’ll enjoy driving it as well🤣
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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ragindave
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 07:01 PM |
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Plus one for the 107 , C1 , Aygo.
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 07:05 PM |
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I'll 2nd the pug 107 and derivatives. Onceyou understand they are a city car and maybe a tad basic, they are just great little cars. We bought
ours at almost 3 years old/13K miles for £3750. Now had it 2 1/2 years and nothing to report (apart from scuffed wheel trims and scratches that my
daughters know nothing about..... In Brighton and used for short commutes in heavy traffic it is doing a little over 40mpg. Which is very good
compared to other cars we have had.
There are probably plenty of other suitable candidates, but I am guessing a city car is what you want in one guise or another...
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SJ
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 07:21 PM |
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We bought a Swift - fab little car and less than £10k pre reg with 20 miles
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steve m
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 07:23 PM |
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I would say NOT a Nissan Micra, as we drive them every day, as runners, and any more than 15 miles, I always feel sick
Nissan Note, is a much ,ore refined car, and I don't seem to have any issues with them
Thats was probably spelt wrong, or had some grammer, that the "grammer police have to have a moan at
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perksy
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 07:30 PM |
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Mazda 2 
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Slimy38
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 07:46 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by perksy
Mazda 2
I second the 2... We got one for the wife and it's a really nice car. It's a bit light on extras (it does have leccy windows and aircon
but not much else) but it's a lovely drive.
It's also right on your limit, we paid 5K for a five year old one.
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907
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 08:41 PM |
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A couple of blokes round here have bought their wives an MX5;
then at the weekend they "borrow" it.
Paul G
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40inches
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 09:18 PM |
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Wife's got a Honda Jazz Auto, it's become the car of choice. Over my SAAB 9-5 TID 
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black fingernail
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 09:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by 907
A couple of blokes round here have bought their wives an MX5;
then at the weekend they "borrow" it.
Paul G
Mine has an MX5 (Eunos) mk1, she loves it, even though it is getting a bit long in the tooth, she is very possessive of it.
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AdrianH
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 09:31 PM |
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I just bought a 3 year old Skoda Citigo 5 door. I now do around 6,000 miles per annum in a tin top and wanted something cheap to tax, capable of the
high 50's mpg small engine but can still do 70 mph.
I have been pleased with it, the £20 per Tax and petrol.
Same as the VW Up and SEAT Mii, all basically the same size, as the typical city car.
There are lots to look at from Hyundai I10, Citroen C1, Peugeot 108, Toyota Aygo all very similar, I just liked the which car reviews of the
Skoda.
Good luck with your choice.
Adrian
Why do I have to make the tools to finish the job? More time then money.
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overdriver
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 10:43 PM |
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We probably average two foreign trips a year and always rent a small car each time. By far the best in recent visits was a 1.4 Polo tdi. My other half
was particularly smitten. So if you want economy with quite gutsy performance (it’s no pocket rocket mind), build quality, reliability etc. and don’t
mind an ’oiler’ I’d have no hesitation in recommending one.
You may have to stretch the budget a tad or settle for a slightly older example as they do hold their value.
To avoid? Well, I haven’t met a Fiesta yet that wasn’t in some way irksome.
Michael.
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JC
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 10:50 PM |
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Another plus for the C1/107/Aygo!
I ran a C1 for 5 years and loved it.
Son has an Aygo.....he tried running it without oil with predictable results. Secondhand engine was £160 and not too bad to fit. Been running like a
dream ever since!!
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rf900rush
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| posted on 2/11/18 at 11:32 PM |
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My wife has had a used 2012 KIA . 7 years warranty, had 4 years left when purchased. used for 2 very minor faults.
I have just bought it's first part for it, a lost wheel nut.
DO NOT GET A VW with gadgets. I use a GOLF only spoilt by the most stupid "Safety features" one could ever dream up.
I have had it slam the breaks on because it thought a shrub or tree was going to jump out in front of it!
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Angel Acevedo
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| posted on 3/11/18 at 03:03 AM |
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Does Vauxhall has a version of the Chevrolet Spark on that side of the atlantic?
If so I would definitely recommend one.
I think it´s Daewoo originally
Beware of what you wish.. for it may come true....
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 3/11/18 at 07:34 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by rf900rush
DO NOT GET A VW with gadgets. I use a GOLF only spoilt by the most stupid "Safety features" one could ever dream up.
I have had it slam the breaks on because it thought a shrub or tree was going to jump out in front of it!
My neighbour has just sold his Skoda as it had exactly that feature (it had loads of VW gadgets). We live in the countryside, and his car was
slamming on the brakes because it thought he was too close to the roadside - which he wasn't. You have to drive close into the edge of the road
round here, otherwise you'd risk colliding with oncoming traffic.
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Mike Bentley
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| posted on 3/11/18 at 04:22 PM |
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Honda jazz
just get in and go
You will be unlucky to have any breakdowns apart from an old Battery giving out.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 3/11/18 at 06:10 PM |
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OK - lots of very good suggestions here. I now have a good list of cars to consider.
Now, how about the cars to avoid at all costs? Bad because of unreliability, high maintenance costs, and so on?
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nero1701
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| posted on 3/11/18 at 06:19 PM |
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7's are fairly small.....great aircon...
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