Best used car for around 2k.

[Milzy]

My own Honda civic needed a new sidelight. It needed wheel removal and prising enough clearance for a plastic panel underneath, so I can confirm supposedly simple tasks can be a balls' ache. I got the garage to do it as it was already in for an MOT

By way of anecdote I had to replace
the headlamp bulb on my Saab. Huge
palaver unscrewing access panels, which I put down to the hassle of owning an executive car, then found the other side had blown as well. About to grit my teeth and spend another couple of hours on it, then "hang on, what'a this clip?". Sure enough it should have been a five minutes job, rather better thought out than it would have been on a cheap car!

Done this job on my civic. Turned wheel in. Popped the poppers got my little hand in.
You don’t need to remove the wheel it just helps with the access.

 

[biggs682]

I reckon the best person to ask wold be @Accy cyclist

 

[newts]

Nissan Note c2014 very untrendy car (keeping prices low) with great reliability d quite spacious.

 

[Gillstay]

Toyota auris 1.6 petrol, 147,000 1900 notes. Good, reliable, 2012. full history, 50mpg. Worcester any use.

 

[Profpointy]

Done this job on my civic. Turned wheel in. Popped the poppers got my little hand in.
You don’t need to remove the wheel it just helps with the access.

Useful tip, thanks

 

[cyberknight]

Toyota auris 1.6 petrol, 147,000 1900 notes. Good, reliable, 2012. full history, 50mpg. Worcester any use.

basically a corolla in all but name , never liked the name change but thankfully they changed it back when the current model started .

 

[CXRAndy]

Toyota auris 1.6 petrol, 147,000 1900 notes. Good, reliable, 2012. full history, 50mpg. Worcester any use.

It will be worn out at 147,000 miles.

Brakes, suspension, bushings, engine mounts, engine wear cambelt/chain.- unless it has an owner who regularly gets all the work done and has very recent service history.

 

[DRM]

It will be worn out at 147,000 miles.

Brakes, suspension, bushings, engine mounts, engine wear cambelt/chain.- unless it has an owner who regularly gets all the work done and has very recent service history.

Every chance it's a former "Just Eat" delivery car that's been run into the ground, but it could have been a Private Hire Car that has got a full history, and been kept up to scratch to keep up with licensing requirements, some councils say every 6 Months for an enhanced MOT, I believe Doncaster insist on quarterly MOT's that are tougher than the one's privately owned cars have

 

[Accy cyclist]

I reckon the best person to ask wold be @Accy cyclist

Someone on a local Facebook page the other day was mocking Fiat 500's, when someone posted about the driver of one being involved in a road rage incident. They said words to the affect of 'No wonder he was raged, with him only being able to afford a Fiat 500'. The thing is, he gave the registration of the Fiat 500 and it was a 2025 model, so that car would've cost a fair packet, as they say. If you can find a Fiat 500 for around 2 grand then give it some thought, as if it's that price it'll most likely be a pre 2015 one, when the 'road tax' will be £35, not about £145 for post 2014 ones. Plus they are in a low insurance group. 😉

 

[Milzy]

Little Seat MII look good

 

[Jameshow]

It will be worn out at 147,000 miles.

Brakes, suspension, bushings, engine mounts, engine wear cambelt/chain.- unless it has an owner who regularly gets all the work done and has very recent service history.

FSH....

It's a 1.6 too so hardly stressed....

Driven by an older forumite I expect too..

 

[hobo]

Wont be worn out for a Toyota.

 

[presta]

My own Honda civic needed a new sidelight. It needed wheel removal and prising enough clearance for a plastic panel underneath, so I can confirm supposedly simple tasks can be a balls' ache. I got the garage to do it as it was already in for an MOT

I put a new sidelight bulb in for the MOT once, and by the time I'd driven to the VTS the other one had gone as well.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

Mazda 2 petrol. It's cheaper than a Yaris or a Jazz and a lot better to drive, and very reliable. The one from around 2008 on that shares the same chassis as the Mk7 Fiesta. They're also very easy to work on. Do look underneath though.

Mk8 Honda Civic (2006 - 2011). Loads of old ones around where I live. They're all good but think the 1.8 petrol is probably best, it's good on fuel and less to go wrong than the 2.2 diesel. The 1.4 petrol is reliable, but not much better on fuel than the 1.8. They don't rust that much, but the rear subframe is a known weak-point. They're very practical too.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I see Suzuki have already been mentioned. Would an Alto fit the bill or would it be too small? Mine has been pretty good over the last couple of years reliability-wise, it's a hoot to drive, being like a road legal go-kart, it's refined enough to have a normal conversation with your passenger at 70mph and the engine pulls really well for a 1 litre. Edit: economy is 50 miles per gallon+ without trying.

It wouldn't be too hard to find a low mileage example for about £2k.

I've come to this from a Kia Picanto which I felt was probably better packaged, but wasn't reliable and I hated driving it.