Recommend me a small run around

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Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
My fiat Punto has been given the last rites. It’s 12 years old and owes me nothing but the MOT is a month away and it isn’t going to pass without major surgery.
i need a small run around for 5000 miles per year
I’m looking to spend no more than £4000, all I need is a small car that will start first time every time and cost peanuts to own.
I thinking a Yaris or Fiesta but other options will be considered.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Fabia :okay:
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Fabia is too big, B segment, a bit big, expensive to buy and insure and tax as a mere runaround, and diesel is inappropriate for either running around or such low mileages.

The original 107 or C1 fits the bill, and the very last of the MK1 cars comes comfortably into your budget. The Aygo essentially the same, but more troublesome. Free road tax on the later models (20 or 30 sheets on earlier ones), very low insurance grouping, a hoot to drive, and robust beyond all reason.
 

glasgowcyclist

Charming but somewhat feckless
Location
Scotland
Fabia is too big, B segment, a bit big, expensive to buy and insure and tax as a mere runaround. The original 107 or C1 fits the bill, and the very last kf the MK1 cars comes comfortably into your budget. The Aygo essentaiily the same, but more troublesome. Free road tax on the later models (20 or 30 sheets on earlier ones), very low insurance grouping, a hoot to drive, and robust beyond all reason.

An eight or nine year old Fabia Greenline will be between £2500 - £4000 and give well over 60mpg, with a £zero VED. Insurance for my estate can be had for about £180 fully comp.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
The Fabia greenline is a diesel, utterly inappropriate for low mileages and running around.
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
Sorry. I forgot it has to be ULEZ compliant as it will go into outer London occasionally.

Mine is ULEZ compliant (1200cc petrol, 2014 model)

Screenshot (1).png
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
Off topic, but being a resident of the more desirable corners of the UK :tongue:, I wasn't aware of this ULEZ thing. Is it the same as the congestion charge?
Edit... OK, a bit of googling provided the answer. They are separate charges. If I wander into the affected zone in my car, I'm exempt from ULEZ but not the congestion charge. If I do the same on my 800cc motorbike, I am exempt from the congestion charge, but have to pay the ULEZ charge!
 
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MarkF

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Suzuki Swift. Buy one from the right year and it's £30 VED, and 55mpg if you drive it reasonably.

Check out reliability ratings HERE.

Another one for the Swift, we (the family) have had a spare/shared Swift 2009 from new and another bought new in 2006 going from me, to my mother, to now my youngest son at uni. They both get an annnual service at MOT time and until last month neither had suffered any faults at all and nothing has stopped working or started rattling. The 2006 needed £200 of suspension work, the first significant amount of cash it had cost in 14 years!

The 2009 is a 1.3 and the 2006 a 1.5, the former is better (cheaper too) and suits the car better IMO as the latter is a bit giddy around town. The clincher for me is that the got the design bang on all those years ago when we preferred the 2006 to a Mini.:okay:
 

Jody

Stubborn git
It would be a Fabia for me also. A great value car.

A quick look and you can pick a 2013my 1.2 turbo petrol Monte Carlo estate up for about 3k with only 45k on the clock. Economical, quick, plenty of room for a small car, well specced and reliable.
 
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