Car for city driving with a toddler?

MichaelMedik

Looking to buy second hand and don't know much about cars in general, would anyone have advice on a good model for our family?

Live in Dublin city, do less than 10k mileage a year, just to go shopping and bring the toddler to visit relatives. Looking for something safe and cheap to run and tax, budget max 10k. The brother has a Toyota hybrid that looks ideal but not sure they'd be in budget.

As we don't know much about cars should we stick to buying from a dealer or is there a safe way to buy from donedeal? Should we just stick with GOCar? Thanks for any advice.

hoodie6029

10k a year on GoCar will be quite expensive.

Something like a VW UP, if there is only 3 of you, would be perfect for the city. Cheap to run etc.

With Private sales, you have no comeback so a buying from a reputable dealer would be best. This is an old thread but the advice in it is all still relevant:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2056198864/buying-a-used-car-in-ireland-guide/p1

zg3409

Di you need back doors? Do you have a booster seat? Do you need a decent boot to take a week's shopping as some of the tiny cars have little to no boot.

Can you order shopping online to get delivered?

Are you surviving with go car and how much are you spending per year and what are pros and cons.

MichaelMedik

Thanks for the pointers Hoodie and Zg, We'd like back doors but it's not completely necessary, that VW Up looks like it could fit the bill.

We're surviving with the GoCar at the moment but it took a half hour to fit the child seat this morning, which was the last straw 🤣. We've had a good experience with GoCar so far in general however. We use it about 1 day a fortnight.

So this car we are planning on is just for a few year - when the toddler is older we'll probably go back to just using GoCar and not have a full time car, it's surely possible now to get by without one in Dublin now, our location by chance benefitted a lot from the new integrated bus system.

User1998

Toyota Yaris

zg3409

Be sure you get a confirmed insurance quote using the reg of the car you intend buying before you buy it. If you don't currently have a car I surance could work out a higher cost than the car.

There are lots of small cars so I suggest go an sit in some at dealers and see what may work. Factor in insurance, fuel, servicing, tax, NCT & repairs & depreciation which will be thousands a year. You will be lucky to get away with 3000 euro annual cost for an occasional car so think carefully before making that financial commitment.

wildwillow

A two door car is a nightmare if putting the toddler into car seat in the back.

Yeah Right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121462942#Comment_121462942

You'd be better off spending a few grand extra on a 5-door than you would on the chiropractor when your back gives in alright. Even getting a swivel car seat is a huge game changer compared to a rigid one, can't imagine how painful it is in a hatchback.