Budget motoring

[Roboticarm]

Hoping to use the combined knowledge on here to make some recommendations for my brother in law please;
His 2006 (ISH) Kia Soul diesel is on its last legs, time to replace
He's not a car guy so brand, image etc aren't high on the list 
Needs to be reliable, similar running costs to the Kia, capable of carrying 4 adults and doing some reasonable motorway runs a few times a month 
He's not worried about the mileage, doesn't need to be cosmetically perfect etc, he's realistic about what the budget will mean 

Budget is £2k, ideally something reasonably local to Leeds

[OutInTheShed]

At this level, you are taking a punt on an individual car.
It doesn't matter a jot if the average xyz model abc is the most reliable, you are picking one and taking a chance.

Also even a modest problem can eat a big hole in a £2k budget, a few service items like tyres or brakes or needing a cambelt change etc.

A lot of the advantages of more reliable models is also priced in.
There are no risk-free options at this price.

Also, if budgets are tight, then you need to look at the full annual running cost, fuel insurance, tax.

[Leftfootwonder]

I bought a £2k 2.2 diesel Honda FR-V as a stop-gap and ended up keeping it over 5 years! Finally failed an MOT this yr due to rust but mechanicals were still going strong at 245k miles. I'd recommend Japanese at this budget. If ULEZ isn't a concern then the 2.2 diesel is in the CR-V too and they can be had very cheaply. Just make sure rust is a minimum and it will last forever.

[ZX10R NIN]

As above look at the car/condition etc.

Personally I'd be looking for the nicest rep car I could find:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604171...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604281...

Mazda6:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604111...

i40:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604271...

Laguna:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604241...

If you don't mind a CAT car there are a few more options

Kia Optima:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604021...

[Pickle_Rick]

Will the Kia cost less than £2k to keep it on the road for another 24 months? If its been reliable so far I'd rather put my money there than some unknown banger that could go catastrophically wrong in 6 months.

Maybe preventative maintenance is the way rather than waiting for something to fail.

[Mad Maximus]

Honda or Toyota petrol with manual gearbox. Check for rust make sure it’s half decent and looked after and your onto a winner.

[7 5 7]

Ask on the "joy of running a shed thread shed" - most of us run sub <£2k cars every single day.

Usually cheaper and a false economy - just keep and fix what you got until it fails it's MOT catastrophically, that's basically what us shedders do, the MOT guides most of us.

[Vegasphil]

2k is banger money these days. Loads of filters on auto traders. If he’s not into cars I’d be looking broadly for something with low owners, a long mot, decent mot history (not loads of advisories and fails = hopefully looked after).

12 years old or less, 4 doors plus, five seats, 1.6 engine or higher. Are other good filters.

[CSR Performance]

I wouldn't be looking at a specific car at that budget.

Just filter on Korean / Japanese brand. Petrol and naturally aspirated and buy on condition.

[ND_19]

I ran a 5 door 207 1.4 HDi for 13 months for nothing which cost me £1100 and I sold for £800 ( wanted a quick sale and it went within an hour)

It was £20 road tax and did 70mpg.

Old french cars were built for cheap motoring

[Roboticarm]

Thanks for all who have input, we've ended up with a merge of the above posts, using the auto trader filters, finding one with a long MOT per the advice and following "old french cars are built for budget motoring" advice

A 2013 Renault megane has been located