Not sure this is a good place to ask but I'll try here before HJ.
I'm looking for a small (wife's choice), reliable, safe, low running cost, second car for my wife and parents-inlaw for the school run and for my wife to get to work. My wife can't drive at the moment so our parents-inlaw who are from overseas would be driving initially. Both parents and wife would prefer an auto particularly as much of the driving will be in slow traffic. Also my wife has tried manuals before but has struggled with hill starts.
Budget is upto 10k. I prefer new or pre-registered and petrol. I don't want or need the hassle of a second hand car out of warranty breaking down particularly on the school run. It's likely that we would keep the car a long time assuming it stays reliable as I don't like changing cars. Driving dynamics are not important. Reliability, safety and low costs (insurance could be interesting) are much more important.
So far I have considered:
* Fiat Panda - no auto option on the latest new cars. Otherwise like the idea of the galvanized body, low insurance group, simple mechanics, old design so issues long since sorted and well built.
* Toyota Yaris - auto version not recommended
* Suzuki Swift - good looking, a little bigger which appeals from the safety point of view and apparently well built. Auto good. The old model is just about in budget but there's a new model out.
* Hyundai i10, i20 - reading the hyundai forum there seem to be lots of issues with these. I do like the good warranty though. The i30 looks like a good option but maybe too big and it's more than 10k unless we go second hand
* Mazda 2 - auto just outside budget. Also more dissatisfied customers on the mazda forum.
On balance I'm favouring an old model Suzuki Swift. So are there any other options that I have missed?
One car that I haven't mentioned is the Fiat 500. This is my wife's favourite seemingly just because it's cute! It would be pushing the budget but appeals to the heart...
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bit.ly/fSAjsf is the cheapest in the UK, apparently.
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10 grand gets you a very low mileage, year old Kia Ce'ed,
It has the balance of its long warranty in tact.
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201103377459170/
So I would be looking at "nearly" new, dont cut your options down
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It's a good call, Z.
For a school run car, I'd be looking for something with a bit more protection than a city car, particularly given the proximity of rear seat occupants to the back of the car in teh event of a rear ender (Mrs A managed to rear end someone whilst on the school run just a few weeks back, no harm done happily, other than the Golf will need a new front bumper and our insurance renewal is not pleasant reading - we've three claims between us in 18 months now).
I was trying to think of a supermini saloon, but I don't think there are any new ones around since the Skoda Fabia saloon was withdrawn.
Would like to be proven wrong, I love a saloon car, whatever the size.
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>> So I would be looking at "nearly" new, dont cut your options down
Thanks Zero - I've always avoided nearly new because I suspected they were either:
- thrashed from day one by someone on a company scheme/or rental who doesn't care about their car
- lemon cars that someone was offloading fast.
Having read the discussion about "how often do you do it", clearly there must be some nearly new cars that would make an excellent buy so I'll add the Kia Ce'ed to my list.
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How about a Kia Rio? Can be had for around £10k brand new in auto form. And there's the 7 year warranty with that, handy if you're keeping it long term.
They're also doing a special edition Picanto auto at the moment, list price £8.7k. maybe some discount from that and a 7 year warranty too.
Their website has all the gen!
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Yep given the OP seemingly isn't that worried about performance, handling or street cred but practical aspecst and a good warranty then a year old long warranty far east car would be ideal. Ensure it is transferrable and that any required service has been done to keep things in order.
Agree too something that little bit bigger than the smallest cars is good for the school run.... both for safety and fitting in kids plus friends.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 15 Feb 11 at 12:47
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Unfortunately, Fenlander, most people in my overcrowded South Eastern town take that as a prompt to buy a Land Cruiser Amazon for the school run.
;-(
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Fair point.... not that I mind the 4WDs but then we have plenty of space for them to spread out round here.
I was just thinking that the kids seem to take up so much room with themselves and bags, guitars, PE kit etc a little extra space is welcome when they want friends to tea so the very smallest car isn't always best if going to a year old gets you up a class.
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I agree entirely, F, I was just being flippant.
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How about one of the VAG Group TSi engined cars... Fabia, Ibiza and Polo? hey all have the DSG box.
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For a school run car, I'd be looking for something with a bit more protection...
That may be an overreaction. Those of us who walk our children the half-mile to school find the must-drive parents irksome, and wish they wouldn't park on the pavement (they don't when the PCSO makes her occasional appearance) but we confine ourselves to tuts and rolled eyes and don't generally take matters into our own hands.
};---)
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Try walking them 6 miles to school, including a massively busy dual carriageway with two underpasses and no pavements.
We don't know what kind of school run the OP is talking about, but let's give the benefit of the doubt, eh?
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>> We don't know what kind of school run the OP is talking about...
I'm not sure yet myself. My daughter starts in September and we need to move to be close to the school. Unfortunately it's in the south east just within the M25 but out in countryside. No doubt where we live won't be in the countryside. The school run buses from all over but only children 7+ can use them. For the younger children they have to come in by car. So we will have 3 years of school runs unfortunately.
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>> Those of us who walk our children the half-mile to school find the must-drive
>> parents irksome, and wish they wouldn't park on the pavement
I take the lad to school (as it's on the way to work), and park nearby, walking the last bit. The school's in a close. You should *see* the idiots driving. Will they ever give way, when parking means only half the road is usable? Will they heck as like, as they say Up North - they stuff their stupid selves headlong into the gap, and then there's gridlock. The whole lot jams, they're trying to drive on paths, getting out to see what's up, setting down ickle whatsit (dear thing) down in the middle of the road, and all sorts of things. Overtaking people waiting for someone to come the other way, parking where they will 'cos they can't get any further (blocking up things more), you name it. I've seen a door bent back, and two fools bashing each other up the backside, and a couple of slanging-matches. It was icy a while ago, you should've seen it then! You can stand by the side of the road, watching. Perhaps someone should set up an ice-cream stall in the Summer!
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I'd look around for a Hyundai 120 1.4 auto, about a year old.
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>> I'd look around for a Hyundai 120 1.4 auto, about a year old.
£10640 new OTR from a broker if you are prepared to go a bit over budget.
Last edited by: Focus on Tue 15 Feb 11 at 13:48
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Tee hee, FT. It always raises a hollow laugh when the subject of the 30mph speed limit comes up and someone halfwittedly opines "Of course, it should always be enforced outside schools.". When did anyone last pass a school at even 15mph at a time when there might be any children about?
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Tue 15 Feb 11 at 13:51
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>> ...something that little bit bigger than the smallest cars is good for the
>> school run.... both for safety and fitting in kids plus friends.
I hadn't thought about needing something a little bit bigger for fitting in kids and friends. The problem is persuading my wife. It will be her first car and in her mind she really wants something small because she says it will be easier to park. Judging by comments about what happens on the school run, perhaps having a small car does have its benefits.
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Our Ford Galaxy is far easier to park than some much smaller cars we've owned. It's not all about size, but visibility.
The easiest car to park I've ever owned was a Fiat Ulysse, I think.
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>> Judging by comments about what happens on the school run, perhaps having a small
>> car does have its benefits.
Heh. The "school run" isn't the problem, it's what happens at the far end! I don't think that there's a problem with your original choice, although I'm sure that there must be similar suitable cars.
Isn't there a "new car selector" service anywhere? Bung in price, number of seats/doors/MPG etc, and see what it comes up with? If there isn't, there should be!
Edit: www.parkers.co.uk/choose/Wizard.aspx (poor reviews of this tool)
Others if you Google for "new car selector tool"
Last edited by: FotheringtonTomas on Tue 15 Feb 11 at 14:11
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> How about a Kia Rio?
Thanks - I hadn't thought of the Rio. Another to add to the short list.
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The cheapest list price for an on the road Skoda Fabia is £9.7k at the moment.
Worth considering also.
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Suzuki Alto/Nissan Pixo too small?
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I guess HJ will recommend Hyundai i10. It should last a long time, if my i30 is a guide.
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>> I guess HJ will recommend Hyundai i10. It should last a long time, if my
>> i30 is a guide.
I'm not so sure about the i10. Judging by some of the comments on the Hyundai forum I'm not convinced they have the i30 level of quality. Safety is another concern given its small size and NCAP result.
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>> The cheapest list price for an on the road Skoda Fabia is £9.7k at the
>> moment.
Thanks for that idea - I have reservations about the DSG auto box on Skodas which is why I hadn't considered one before now.
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Ah yes, fair enough, forgot you were wanting automatic. I've had a DSG box before, it can be a bit of a pig in urban driving, to be frank. The TC auto I've got now is much better in that regard. The DSG excels on the open road, but you're not interested int that bit of it I suppose.
It's a real shame that VAG has given up TC autos completely.
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Which small car? - FotheringtonTomas
