Used car - low budget

BlackStreet

Hi lads

I know there's been many threads like this already but I guess I'm just looking for some personalised advice if possible.

Looking to buy a used car with a budget of 3k stretching to 3.5 if really necessary. I'm a young lad and 3k would be a lot of money to me so it's kind of a big purchase and one that I want to get right.

So basically looking for opinions on what would be the most reliable cars in that price range. Last thing I want is to be stuck with a car that causes me endless problems and bleeds me dry financially.

My preference would be a diesel saloon something like a Mondeo, Insignia, Passat, 320D.

Obviously at that price the cars would be touching ten years with high milage so its a bit of a minefield. Any opinions on which to focus my search on?

Cheers!

Idbatterim

Id be pricing up insurance first, if you are a young lad... if you want reliability , go Japanese. Do you need a diesel?

Belfast

2008 Mazda Mazda6 2.0 D 140 BHP EXECUTIVE SE
€2,950
https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2139841&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D51%26o%5B%5D%3D410%26e%3D4000%26f%3D2%26g%3D0%26z%3D6

2009 Toyota Avensis 2.0 D-4D AURA
€2,995
https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2077407&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D88%26o%5B%5D%3D726%26e%3D3000%26f%3D2%26yn%3D2009%26g%3D0

2008 Skoda Superb 1.9 TDI COMFORT ** IMMACULATE CAR **
€3,495
https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2128860&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D80%26o%5B%5D%3D683%26e%3D4000%26f%3D2%26yn%3D2007%26g%3D0%26z%3D6

BlackStreet

Idbatterim wrote: »

Id be pricing up insurance first, if you are a young lad... if you want reliability , go Japanese. Do you need a diesel?

When I say young I'm not that young, I've been driving for nearly two years, full license, etc. I'm driving 1.4l petrol focus at the moment, looking to upgrade. Rang insurance and 2L diesel wont be too much more which was a pleasant surprise.

Any thoughts on 2008-2011 Mondeo, Insignia, Passats? Or any alternatives on these?

Kevin Finnerty

What's your mileage OP? Is your petrol expense high at the minute?

um7y1h83ge06nx

Insignias have a very poor reliability rep.

Mondeo and Passat aren't bad. You could also consider an Octavia, big boot.

bazz26

Saab 9-3:


https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/saab-93-ttid-twin-turbo/19805205

The_Honeybadger

Passats of that era are to be avoided like the plague. First hand experience here. The amount of fiddly and expensive issues I had with mine was unbelievable, it felt like winning the lotto the day I got rid.

Avensis and Mondeo are good durable cars but anything around that budget is a roll of the dice unless you know the history of the car. Mate of mine has an ex fleet Mondeo coming up on 500k km that has only had a clutch and DMF and a couple of suspension parts done outside of normal services. Don’t know if he has just been lucky but that’s pretty impressive IMO.

ozzy78

mickeyk wrote: »

Passats of that era are to be avoided like the plague. First hand experience here. The amount of fiddly and expensive issues I had with mine was unbelievable, it felt like winning the lotto the day I got rid.

Avensis and Mondeo are good durable cars but anything around that budget is a roll of the dice unless you know the history of the car. Mate of mine has an ex fleet Mondeo coming up on 500k km that has only had a clutch and DMF and a couple of suspension parts done outside of normal services. Don’t know if he has just been lucky but that’s pretty impressive IMO.

I second the opinion on the Passat. Had a lot of problems and was glad to trade it for an avensis.

AdrianLM

So basically looking for opinions on what would be the most reliable cars in that price range. Last thing I want is to be stuck with a car that causes me endless problems and bleeds me dry financially.

A good tip is to look at the last year models, these will be cheaper (sometimes significantly if the changes were substantial) than a new model. Also, most design bugs will have been sorted so more reliable and you will often get additional extras.

babi-hrse

Have a 08 Passat 1.9tdi only had a stuck caliper aside from that had no issues with it.

The_Honeybadger

babi-hrse wrote: »

Have a 08 Passat 1.9tdi only had a stuck caliper aside from that had no issues with it.

You’re lucky. Mine was a 2.0 TDI I had EGR and throttle body to replace, handbrake switch, callipers, power steering issues, window motor failure x 2 and several other issues i forget in two years of ownership, although I do a lot of driving. I was probably hexed but the indie I use told me that all of these issues are common enough with those passats. I believe the model that followed is a lot better.

BlackStreet

So I'm gauging that Mondeo might be the most reliable at that price bracket?

To be honest I was leaning towards insignia but I've read some bad things mainly on this forum which has made me re think.

Any advice on how to filter through the thousands of ads on DoneDeal etc. Is buying off a dealer the safer option?

photosmart

Howdy


There's a couple of ways of narrowing it down


1. Do you know of any friend or family member looking to change cars. Sometimes someones dad has a 10 year old car from new that has been very well looked after and you can pick them up for small money since the owner would also get very little on a trade in.


2. If you can get a car with one owner from new they are usually better looked after than something thats changed hands three or four times and has been sitting in various dealers etc...


3. If petrol probably go japanese


4. If diesel look for engine first and car second. Well serviced older VW 1.9tdi engines were fairly good (I got 240k miles on my old 2003 Golf)


5. There's good value in cars that are not that desirable. ie Seat Leons, Nissan Pulsars etc


Best of luck with it


P

bazz26

BlackStreet wrote: »

So I'm gauging that Mondeo might be the most reliable at that price bracket?

To be honest I was leaning towards insignia but I've read some bad things mainly on this forum which has made me re think.

Any advice on how to filter through the thousands of ads on DoneDeal etc. Is buying off a dealer the safer option?

Your not going to have much in the way of warranty from a dealer selling a 2k-3k car. And Insignia's in that price range are just buckets of ****.

appledrop

photosmart wrote: »

Howdy


There's a couple of ways of narrowing it down


1. Do you know of any friend or family member looking to change cars. Sometimes someones dad has a 10 year old car from new that has been very well looked after and you can pick them up for small money since the owner would also get very little on a trade in.


2. If you can get a car with one owner from new they are usually better looked after than something thats changed hands three or four times and has been sitting in various dealers

This is really the best piece of advice. My husband had a car from new for 10 years + it was immaculate + barely needed anything done to it in 10 years. I'd see this as more important than make or model of car although I would stay away from Insignia.