5k budget

[KyleFZ6]

I've already posted a thread asking about cars under 2k.. Ignore that one. Kind of accepted I need to stop driving bangers and the new kitchen can wait for a bit.

Car will mostly be used for town driving and Lincolnshire country roads. Hoping there's an "all rounder" that can tick the boxes for economical, reliability, and relatively fun around the country bends. Although had an old rusty 1.2 ibiza for 10 years so anything will probably feel fun to me now.

I've been looking at a Fiesta 1.0 ecoboost although have heard there's issues with the earlier ecoboost engines? But have heard the ecoboost is good to drive. I'll be looking at around year 2013 in my budget. Or even just a normal Zetec?

Also I've been looking at Japanese like the mazda 2's, Civics and Swifts and they all seem like good options but hard to narrow them all down to which will be the best for me?

Seems to be a lot to choose from so just looking for people's suggestions or any cars I may have missed out?

Cheers in advance

Edited by KyleFZ6 on Thursday 30th June 15:13

[CouncilFerrari]

A couple of years ago, I was in the market for a cheap, reliable car and ended up in a Suzuki Swift. It's a 1.3 so it's not exactly fast but it has been faultlessly reliable (ignoring the squeaky fanbelt) and is subjectively good fun on a country road in a first car as a teenager type of way.

Bonus with a Swift being it's chain driven, and NA so no turbo's and few sensors to go wrong.

I paid £1300 for mine and have used it to drive up and down to Aberdeen from North Yorkshire for 2 years. It's done everything I've asked of it.

Edited by CouncilFerrari on Thursday 30th June 15:28

[ingenieur]

£5k can buy you basically any type of car in various conditions.

You'd have to narrow it down a bit.

I'd think a 80s Volvo estate was fun and you can get one of those for less than £5k. The word itself is subject to personal tastes.

[BoRED S2upid]

Mini Cooper s. There must be thousands in your budget. Doesn’t have to be the S. normal cooper is still fun and can be mapped to get a few extra Hp.

[Jiebo]

Avoid the 1.0 ecoboom

[ZX10R NIN]

At this price point the Astra GTC SRI in 1.6T 180:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204064...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206227...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205266...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206237...

1.4T but you don't get the Revo knucke style suspension on these:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204094...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206297...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206257...