City/Errands runaround for the wife... Fiat 500? Any others?

[ayedubya]

My new job has got me using the one car we have... she bending my ear about not having access to a car when she needs one.

Requirements:
Size: Small, can be 3 door no issue.
Budget: £3k
Needs to be LEZ compliant.

I am thinking Fiat 500... I have no experience with them, are there alternatives that might be better value/more reliable?

Cheap tax and running costs would be a bonus. Expect mileage to be no more than 2-3k per year.

Thanks!

[Gastons_Revenge]

Citroen C1/Peugeot 107 or 108/Toyota Aygo

[Feirny]

Up/Citigo/Mii.

I’ve had an Up! And it was brilliant.

[ayedubya]

good suggestions thanks!!

would i be right in assuming that the aygo would be more reliable than the pugs based on Japanese reliability etc?

[Manners79]

Only get the 500 if you REALLY enjoy changing bulbs on cars, especially headlight bulbs that skin your knuckles.

[ZX10R NIN]

ayedubya said:

My new job has got me using the one car we have... she bending my ear about not having access to a car when she needs one.

Requirements:
Size: Small, can be 3 door no issue.
Budget: £3k
Needs to be LEZ compliant.

I am thinking Fiat 500... I have no experience with them, are there alternatives that might be better value/more reliable?

Cheap tax and running costs would be a bonus. Expect mileage to be no more than 2-3k per year.

Thanks!

There are some good options for your budget, 500's are a good reliable car they can have the odd niggle but no better or worse than others.

Look for a Lounge model with a bit of looking around you'll find one with a Pan Roof:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407021...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404238...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408243...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408102...

Clio Dynamique Media Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408273...

Mazda2 Sport:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407302...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407262...

Twingo Dynamique:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408092...

Now should you end up borrowing it from time to time then these might just be the pick.

Abarth 500:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408223...

Alfa Mito Cloverleaf:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407191...

Veloce 140:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408273...

Twin Air Sportiva:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309232...

Twingo RS:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408012...

[anyoldcardave]

Fiat Panda.

500,s are made from chocolate and paper, scrapping so many and never scrapped a Panda.

Clutch issues are always the gearbox and make a 3k car not worth repairing.

Female friend recently bought a 61 plate for 4.5k, I was recovering it within a week, and with my help, got her money back, clutch failed, they replaced it, it failed again 2 days later, they need a gearbox out and reseal at the very least if the clutch fails.

[Nickp82]

Suzuki Swift all day long, unless she needs a biggish boot. 1.2 petrol ones (circa 2010 onwards) are £35 to tax and they’re generally reliable things plus they drive well.

[stevemcs]

Feirny said:

Up/Citigo/Mii.

I’ve had an Up! And it was brilliant.

This

[Mammasaid]

Leafs (Leaves??) are in budget.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408172...

[ayedubya]

ZX10R NIN said:

There are some good options for your budget, 500's are a good reliable car they can have the odd niggle but no better or worse than others.

Look for a Lounge model with a bit of looking around you'll find one with a Pan Roof:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407021...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404238...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408243...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408102...

Clio Dynamique Media Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408273...

Mazda2 Sport:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407302...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407262...

Twingo Dynamique:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408092...

Now should you end up borrowing it from time to time then these might just be the pick.

Abarth 500:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408223...

Alfa Mito Cloverleaf:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407191...

Veloce 140:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408273...

Twin Air Sportiva:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309232...

Twingo RS:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408012...

thank you! really appreciate the time you took to compile this great array. thanks again

[Terzo123]

Feirny said:

Up/Citigo/Mii.

I’ve had an Up! And it was brilliant.

I fancy one of these for my Daughter who is currently learning to drive, but even at the 5 to 6k price point, they all seem to have bad rust around the fuel filler cap.

[ninepoint2]

Panda is a much better bet than the 500, my wife has had both and the Panda is great, and more spacious, and has 5 doors too

[Mr Peel]

ninepoint2 said:

Panda is a much better bet than the 500, my wife has had both and the Panda is great, and more spacious, and has 5 doors too

Panda is indeed a superior all-rounder, but many people prefer the 500 for its looks (Mrs Peel for one).

[66HFM]

Ford Ka is the same underpinnings as the Fiat 500.

We used to have a Fiat 500 and as mentioned before go for the Lounge as adds air con amongst other things.
Re headlight bulbs, I changed mine to Osram Nightbreaker 200 as the original bulbs were as much use as a candle.

Good luck and have to keep SWMBO happy

[anyoldcardave]

Mr Peel said:

ninepoint2 said:

Panda is a much better bet than the 500, my wife has had both and the Panda is great, and more spacious, and has 5 doors too

Panda is indeed a superior all-rounder, but many people prefer the 500 for its looks (Mrs Peel for one).

Tell he she will look as common as muck in a 500, while the lesser spotted Panda will have her getting waves from other owners.

A 3k 500 would be the last thing on my shopping list if I wanted reliabilty and little risk of bills.

A 1.25, or even a 1.4 Fiesta would be a good choice for reliability, as long as the belt is done.

I sold one to a friends daughter, serviced and belt done, and I don,t do that lightly, as it is often more agg than its worth.

It was a 2011 car, she got for 1500 quid, with 236000 miles racked up, not heard a peep from her in 18 months, it is well over 250000 miles now. Mega service history though.