Recommendations for €8,000

I can only offer you some advice, which is the result of many years experience of buying second hand cars. Firstly if most of your mileage is to be city driving you are right to think petrol. Diesel would be able to give you good miles per gallon at a saving per litre of around 10 cents, but diesel engines do not like short journey times, and suffer damage accordingly if they are not allowed to reach critical engine temperatures. Next thing is your choice of maker and model, and understandably the ones that command the higher prices for a similar year and engine size are the ones that have earned a reputation for trouble free running and a good resale value. In my opinion the nippier small cars are often ones like Peugeot, Renault and Citroen, and they often sell for what seems like a good price, but they also suffer from a variety of mechanical and electrical problems as they age. Generally you will find the really popular cars like Toyota, VW, Hyundai etc are the ones to look for. Never let your heart rule your head and always make sure to get reliable mechanical advice on any car that you are seriously thinking of buying. Don’t call in that advice until you have found a car that seems to tick all your boxes, or you risk annoying your advisor with too many calls on their time. Remember the old adage “ if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” You may find there is not as much difference in your insurance costs as long as you keep below a 1.6 engine and mpg can often be better from a 1.4 or 1.6 than a 1.0 engine because it doesn’t need to work as hard hauling the same body shell around. Road tax is not a consideration on cars since 2008 as there is very little difference in the rates up to 2.0 L . It’s much better to pay a bit more to get a good car than to pay a lot more to fix lots of hidden problems on what seemed like a bargain on the day you bought it. Good luck with your search.

My most important thing to look for when buying a second hand car is a full service history.

Another thing to note is that it is very hard as a young driver to insure a car over 10 years old. So be careful about looking for a 2012/2013 car as you're touching cloth with the age.

I know its not exactly glamorous or particularly quick. But the below might do the job:

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/nissan-micra-1-2-4dr-5dr/28876380

Should be decent on insurance + cheap tax.

Another 2 door one

You could get a brand new Dacia Sandero for less the 40 euros a week. No need to worry about NCTs or servicing for at least 5 years.

Just an idea.

I don't think the OP is retired and using it to commute to bingo.

I wouldn't look past a Japanese marque if you want a reliable, economical petrol car.

If you're amenable to a private sale this is a low mileage Auris that looks genuine. Always do a thorough background check on a used car regardless of who is selling it and if at all possible bring a friend or family member who can assess a cars condition competently.

Hyundai and Kia make fine petrol cars also. This will have warranty with the sale if that puts you more at ease!

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/hyundai-i30-2012-1-4-petrol-warranty/29171373

2 more ideas