£4K used car choice - need help

[SussexChap]

Hi everyone.

It's time for our family to replace our car - we have around £4K for a used model. We currently have a Citroen Xsara Picasso which we like because it has big cabin and boot spaces without being too long. It has good headroom, but enough has gone wrong with ours, and the mileage high enough for us to replace it. Wife has said she would like a car that isn't French - we previously have had a Renault as well as this Citroen.

Car use is 95% urban, 5% driving between towns, rare that it goes on a drive more than an hour at a time. Reasonable boot space is a requirement, no more than a 2.0 engine. I would like a reasonably nice interior, and would buy up to 100K miles, perhaps 120K.

I can't make up my mind. I looked at a Mercedes C Class but the back seats seemed too low for my kids to look out the back windows (helps prevent motion sickness) - same for Volvo V40. I could get a Zafira, but part of me would die somehow. I'm worried that BMW spares would cost a fortune. I'd love an X-Trail but they are too guzzly on the fuel for our predominantly urban driving.

I'm down to a Golf Estate, a Saab 9-3, a Ford Focus Estate, a Skoda Fabia Estate, and a Qashqai dCi. I have seen a Qashqai I like but it has done 125K miles - can they do 160K, generally?

Any other suggestions? I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by Autotrader...

[Douglas Quaid]

Get a Volvo S80 d5.

[SussexChap]

Thanks for the suggestion, but the boot opening a bit small on those hatchbacks, and the engine a 2.4.

[ZX10R NIN]

2008 (facelift) Mazda5 Sport 80k (in sport form they come loaded with kit) a very good MPV

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2008 Mazda5 Sport 54k (just over budget slightly but worth haggling over)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2008 Ford C Max Titanium 64k Auto

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2007 C Max Titanium 69k Auto

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Alternative SUV options:

Mazda CX-7 70k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2007 Vauxhall Antara 75k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2004 BMW X3 3.0i Sport 79k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2004 X3 2.5i Sport 59k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Out of the all the cars listed above I'd look at the Mazda's they're a really good option.

[SussexChap]

That's really useful, thank you. I used to own a Mazda 323 with pop-up headlights and have fond memories of the marque, so will def have a look.

[george79]

Ford S-Max is a very good car.

[CubanPete]

Focus, Mondeo, Mazda 6.

[kurt535]

Get Auto trader app

Put in:

4.5k max budget
up to 2007 or 2008
up to 25k miles
engine 2.0
4 door

see what comes up??

[ZX10R NIN]

SussexChap said:

That's really useful, thank you. I used to own a Mazda 323 with pop-up headlights and have fond memories of the marque, so will def have a look.

I meant the Mazda5, I'd also consider the Mondeo but I know you said size was an issue.

2.5T Mondeo Titanium X 67k

[Trabi601]

Toyota Prius T-Spirit.

50+ mpg (for most people), not a dirty diesel, reasonable boot, limo-like rear leg room, quiet, smooth, loads of kit (Sat Nav, reversing camera, self-park, JBL auto with AUX input and CD changer).

Don't rust, rock solid reliability.

Should be able to get a 2005-2007 example with under 80k miles for your money.

[SussexChap]

Trabi601 said:

Toyota Prius T-Spirit.

Thanks - is there an expensive battery replacement risk with an old Prius?

[Trabi601]

SussexChap said:

Thanks - is there an expensive battery replacement risk with an old Prius?

No, despite what the pub experts will tell you!

For proof... google for 'Toyota Prius Battery Replacement'. You won't find many hits!