Cheap Reliable Car for Wife **Help Please

Macker1

As the title says I'm looking to pick up a second car for the wife.

We need a second car as with both will be working different shift patterns and my car is not going to be enough.


Money is tight with 4 kids so budget is quiet small at 1200 euros so I know options are going to be limited.

Was hoping for Yaris, Micra or Corsa probbaly around 2002 and with a recent NCT.

Seems to be a few on the likes of Adverts and DoneDeal

Any good deals that more knowledgeable car lovers can point me in the right directions

Any advice or suggestions appreciated

Jesus.

You'd nearly be better off getting a bigger car cos they're generally cheaper. I bought a 99 626 with a new NCT recently for 600 quid. There's not even a scratch on it and they're as reliable as hell.

bazz26

Toyota Corolla is well worth looking at, better value in them and just as reliable as a Yaris:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-corolla-car/10434937?offset=3
http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-corolla-1-4-nct-amp-tax-price-drop/10285633?offset=6
http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-taxed-and-tested/10044842?offset=8
http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-corolla/10453018?offset=18

Macker1

Jesus. wrote: »

You'd nearly be better off getting a bigger car cos they're generally cheaper. I bought a 99 626 with a new NCT recently for 600 quid. There's not even a scratch on it and they're as reliable as hell.

Running costs would be important.

Driving up and back from Ballivor in Meath to Clondalkin 3-4 times a week.

She currently drives my car from time to time which is an 07 Nissan Primera 1.6 petrol. This is costing me a fortune to run but when she gets a smaller car it will take the pressure off mine.

horse7

Macker1 wrote:

Running costs would be important.

You will find it impossible to get insurance on such a car.

Macker1

horse7 wrote: »

You will find it impossible to get insurance on such a car.

Please clarify to which car you are referring to ????

colm_mcm

get a 1.4 corolla. smaller car than that wont be any more efficient in reality.

CJhaughey

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-corolla-estate/10300258?offset=10
Think outside the box a little, when most are looking for a hatch or saloon sometimes estates get overlooked and can be surprising value.
These are Japanese built and I think superior to the UK built ones.
4ZZFE engine is reliable and poky enough for a small car and quite economical.
I know three people with these and they all rate them very highly.
Estates are not as big a risk to insurers as small hatchbacks either.

colm_mcm

id sooner have the newer model for similar money

JohnBoy26

colm_mcm wrote: »

id sooner have the newer model for similar money

Easier to get a good example of an e11 for that kind of money though.

colm_mcm

true, but they're out there. the e11 is pure 90s.
20 years ago like!

Nekarsulm

If you go to Lidl in Cavan town, there is an 04 Astra for sale in the car park today for 600 euro. Spotless.

JohnBoy26

colm_mcm wrote: »

true, but they're out there. the e11 is pure 90s.
20 years ago like!

They are not that bad tbh. It's based on an e10(which was very good for it's time) but they are a big improvement on an e10 and a vvti e11 is a very pleasant car to drive. It's very quiet and Refined and the interior is of very decent quality too. In general I think they are of better quality compared to an e12.

An e12 is more modern and a decent car but for €1200 a good example of an e11 is much easier to find and more than good enough for the task tbh

JohnBoy26

Jesus. wrote: »

You'd nearly be better off getting a bigger car cos they're generally cheaper. I bought a 99 626 with a new NCT recently for 600 quid. There's not even a scratch on it and they're as reliable as hell.

If you value comfort I'd give the 626 a miss. The seats are rock hard in them.

CJhaughey

OP has 4 kids, I would have thought an estate would have been an automatic choice!
I can only say that the E11 estate we have run has been stone reliable, given regular oil changes, I think the indicators packed up at one point and had to be fixed but apart from consumables like droplinks and brake pads it hasn't needed anything else in 90k miles.
Gearbox is noising a little now though so thats one thing to watch for in Toyota's of this vintage.

corsav6

Nekarsulm wrote: »

If you go to Lidl in Cavan town, there is an 04 Astra for sale in the car park today for 600 euro. Spotless.

If that's a 98 to 04 astra g then for 600 notes then its a good buy. I had one for 8 years and it never failed to start. Very cheap parts and service gear and not to bad on fuel for a 1.6.
I would avoid the Corsa in them years however, not half as reliable as its predecessor and not even that nice to drive.

horse7

Macker1 wrote: »

Please clarify to which car you are referring to ????

Friend has 01 car and can't get quote for it, so ring up a few and ask them if they can quote for any car the year you are interested in.

corks finest

Macker1 wrote: »

As the title says I'm looking to pick up a second car for the wife.

We need a second car as with both will be working different shift patterns and my car is not going to be enough.


Money is tight with 4 kids so budget is quiet small at 1200 euros so I know options are going to be limited.

Was hoping for Yaris, Micra or Corsa probbaly around 2002 and with a recent NCT.

Seems to be a few on the likes of Adverts and DoneDeal

Any good deals that more knowledgeable car lovers can point me in the right directions

Any advice or suggestions appreciated

Skoda fabia 1.2,3 cyl,,timing chain,reliable,,,,,my old one was anyway,,cost me e 55 in parts in 4 yrs,

flazio

corks finest wrote: »

Skoda fabia 1.2,3 cyl,,timing chain,reliable,,,,,my old one was anyway,,cost me e 55 in parts in 4 yrs,

Careful, between 00 and 03 the engine in those was a 1.4 power unit made by Skoda themselves, not by Volkswagen. Nothing wrong with it, but does affect the value.

horse7

Any news on the purchase?

horse7

Now we'll never know.

Nichard Dixon

I have a car, I am in market for a cheap reliable wife though.

colm_mcm

corks finest

Macker1 wrote: »

As the title says I'm looking to pick up a second car for the wife.

We need a second car as with both will be working different shift patterns and my car is not going to be enough.


Money is tight with 4 kids so budget is quiet small at 1200 euros so I know options are going to be limited.

Was hoping for Yaris, Micra or Corsa probbaly around 2002 and with a recent NCT.

Seems to be a few on the likes of Adverts and DoneDeal

Any good deals that more knowledgeable car lovers can point me in the right directions

Any advice or suggestions appreciated

Pick up a second wife,with a car