Reliable 2nd hand car recommendations

[Ich bin ein Mod]

I bought a Hyundai Coupe brand new in 1998. In 2004 I bequeathed it to the kabbess whose old Beetle had just died and bought something else.

Other cars have come and gone since, but the Hyundai still runs like the day I bought it. Absolutely zero reliability problems, which from consumer reports seems to be the norm. And it's nippy and handles well too. Plus it has a big boot. And it looks fabulous.

Dunno how much a '98 Hyundai Coupe would cost you these days, but it can't be that much more than £500. I certainly wouldn't expect £500 if I sold it. But I ain't selling.

I just got a Coupe in january and would second all of this.

(Mine's Betty, still unsure how to pronounce the company name!)

 

[Roadkill]

I think it's meant to be pronounced Hyun-day. I learned to drive in a Hyundai Accent coupe, in an icky shade of pink. Nice little car, though, and my driving instructor was impressed with how reliable it was, although in fairness his previous car had been a Metro so maybe that was damning with faint praise...

 

[Cid]

I knew a girl called Kathryn...


<sigh>

 

[Poi E]

mid-late 90s Toyota Carina. Should be able to get a decent 2 litre with all the goodies, including the air bags that the old Mazda didn't have.

 

[kabbes]

I knew a girl called Kathryn...


<sigh>

So did I.

 

[Sunray]

500 quid buys you a right old banger. If you don't know much about cars I suggest spending more like 1500 quid which takes you away from dog ends of the market and gets you a circa 1999 1.4 VM Polo with 80k that should last for ages. Just need to ensure there is documentary evidence the cam belt has been replaced, it needs replacing at 60k and costs 150-200 quid to get done. If it breaks its a catastrophic engine failure, it may well put the car into the scrap yard.

The 1.4's have a bit of poke so will cruise on the M/W no problems.

 

[Poi E]

500 quid buys you a right old banger. .

Not these days.

 

[Sunray]

Not these days.

That's what I thought till I went and looked at the 500 quid machines that were available.

Bangers the lot of them.

 

[Poi E]

That's what I thought till I went and looked at the 500 quid machines that were available.

Bangers the lot of them.

got a 1992 Camry with 60K and FSH for £450 a year and a half ago off Ebay. Desperately uncool but reliable and well-built car.

The great thing about the British car buyer is that they are idiots. Buy after watching Top Gear and develop irrational dislike for certain models regardless of the inherent qualities of the car.