SUV - reliability, automatic for elderly parents 7-12k
Discussion
Hello all,
My father is currently going through chemo and having bought a second hand car we're desperately trying to reject (I'd love to name and shame this scumbag and his franchise garage for them screwing him over when he openly told them he needs a car for chemo appointments i wont, i'm going down the motoring ombudsman route after a failure to repair a problem thats cropped up twice.)
Right with that out of the way - requirements
Automatic
Decent size to take their dog and bits when they're not staying with me to the coast (dog, clothing and other stuff)
Reliable
He likes the SUV's, the height helps them both as they're getting older now and want easy in-out.
I've been wanting them to go for an XC60 as volvo have got a good rep for just being solid.
We've already made the blunder of purchasing from a charlatan, i don't know which way to go with purchasing a car now, do i go to a bigger name garage or do i go private, try to save and keep a chunk of money for repairs/issues possible. (I'm going to help with most of the cost and hope the rejection can pay me back or go towards it, if it happens.)
My father is currently going through chemo and having bought a second hand car we're desperately trying to reject (I'd love to name and shame this scumbag and his franchise garage for them screwing him over when he openly told them he needs a car for chemo appointments i wont, i'm going down the motoring ombudsman route after a failure to repair a problem thats cropped up twice.)
Right with that out of the way - requirements
Automatic
Decent size to take their dog and bits when they're not staying with me to the coast (dog, clothing and other stuff)
Reliable
He likes the SUV's, the height helps them both as they're getting older now and want easy in-out.
I've been wanting them to go for an XC60 as volvo have got a good rep for just being solid.
We've already made the blunder of purchasing from a charlatan, i don't know which way to go with purchasing a car now, do i go to a bigger name garage or do i go private, try to save and keep a chunk of money for repairs/issues possible. (I'm going to help with most of the cost and hope the rejection can pay me back or go towards it, if it happens.)
Sorry to hear of your dad's illness and the unnecessary extra stress.
Recommendation wise, you could do worse than a new shape Duster. Either a 1.6 or 1.8 auto, hybrid optional, decent height and visibility, without being too much of a climb. Decent boot space, and a good balance of tech/safety stuff without being overwhelming.
Recommendation wise, you could do worse than a new shape Duster. Either a 1.6 or 1.8 auto, hybrid optional, decent height and visibility, without being too much of a climb. Decent boot space, and a good balance of tech/safety stuff without being overwhelming.
Thanks for the suggestion RoadToad.
I do have a limit of cost from 7-12k. No experience of PCP stuff, but am open to the idea of them getting on the hire purchase sort of thing than overall ownership.
Youve got me looking at Stepways but this is completely outside my wheel house with cars as the most modern car i've owned is the slk55, SUV/Crossovers aren't my thing and modern engines fill me with dread, let alone the complexity of hybrid and full electric.
I do have a limit of cost from 7-12k. No experience of PCP stuff, but am open to the idea of them getting on the hire purchase sort of thing than overall ownership.
Youve got me looking at Stepways but this is completely outside my wheel house with cars as the most modern car i've owned is the slk55, SUV/Crossovers aren't my thing and modern engines fill me with dread, let alone the complexity of hybrid and full electric.
Edited by MrBrightSi on Tuesday 2nd June 18:22
I'd love them to go for something a lot simpler and survivable as a fusion. I'm butting up against them wanting to enjoy something flash as well, while they're with me i went and bought a DS3, was sold by a guy down the road who i know and trust and to just be something my mum wants to drive while they're in the local area, so we do have that simplistic stop-gap car (they look for excuses to use it).
They have a caravan on the east coast where they do spend the majority of their time and come to live with me over winter and now during the 1 week when he needs to go to the hospital (only a few sessions left), so they're still wanting something that is good for long distance and isn't a long distance drag and can also carry the chunk of things they bring back and take with them, as well as the hound who is a spaniel.
They have a caravan on the east coast where they do spend the majority of their time and come to live with me over winter and now during the 1 week when he needs to go to the hospital (only a few sessions left), so they're still wanting something that is good for long distance and isn't a long distance drag and can also carry the chunk of things they bring back and take with them, as well as the hound who is a spaniel.
MrBrightSi said:
I'd love them to go for something a lot simpler and survivable as a fusion. I'm butting up against them wanting to enjoy something flash as well, while they're with me i went and bought a DS3, was sold by a guy down the road who i know and trust and to just be something my mum wants to drive while they're in the local area, so we do have that simplistic stop-gap car (they look for excuses to use it).
They have a caravan on the east coast where they do spend the majority of their time and come to live with me over winter and now during the 1 week when he needs to go to the hospital (only a few sessions left), so they're still wanting something that is good for long distance and isn't a long distance drag and can also carry the chunk of things they bring back and take with them, as well as the hound who is a spaniel.
A fusion is better for carrying things than a DS3? They have a caravan on the east coast where they do spend the majority of their time and come to live with me over winter and now during the 1 week when he needs to go to the hospital (only a few sessions left), so they're still wanting something that is good for long distance and isn't a long distance drag and can also carry the chunk of things they bring back and take with them, as well as the hound who is a spaniel.
Buy them one and say " that's it I am done " lol.
At the lower end of your budget I'd recommend the QX50, they're bulletproof drive well & you'll get a very nice low miles one for your budget:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604131...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202511147...
The Sportage/Tucson is another good option but you'll be at the higher end to get the 1.6T:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605012...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605012...
DS7 is overlooked but they're a good car:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202602250...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605252...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604131...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202511147...
The Sportage/Tucson is another good option but you'll be at the higher end to get the 1.6T:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605012...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605012...
DS7 is overlooked but they're a good car:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202602250...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605252...
I'd suggest a Suzuki Vitara. Mrs GT's is over 10 years old and so far only needed new tailgate struts (cheap to replace).
Ours is a NA 1.6 manual but the newer 1.4 turbo are available with a straight forward torque converter auto.
Get a good one for £10k because the brand isn't regarded as 'premium' ' but if reliability is what needed just check Suzuki's ranking.
Ours is a NA 1.6 manual but the newer 1.4 turbo are available with a straight forward torque converter auto.
Get a good one for £10k because the brand isn't regarded as 'premium' ' but if reliability is what needed just check Suzuki's ranking.
Jamescrs said:
I d look at something like a Vauxhall Grandland X. Very popular with older people for their ease of access and pretty much any garage will maintain them. You will get a 2020 car in your budget and a lot of choice.
I agree but finding a 1.6t (you do not want the 1.2t) is the hard bit which is why I said the DS7.
ked up selling the 21 plate diesel I bought with a snapped timing belt to a family member for peanuts. He got it fixed for 700 quid. stevemcs said:
Honda crv or Toyota rav4 would be my picks
Agree these are probably best SUV choices for reliability and meet the OPs criteria in terms of size. Budget might mean a c.10 year old car, which will benefit from being simpler tech non hybrid offerings.An XC60 in budget is likely to cost much more in maintenance.
I doubt you'll find much from a franchised dealer for the budget set. Choose an independent dealer with a good reputation or an honest private seller.
Wishing your father a full and speedy recovery.
Thank you all for the suggestions.
It's given me a lot more direction than i had before and some of the choices are good, the suzuki is a good shout as i didn't realise they were quite so fancy.
The ds7 is a damn lot of car for the money, but having the ds3 the ride is harsh, does this transfer over to the ds7?
In terms of the argument with the fusion, it isn't that the ds3 is a better car than it or carries more, it's just a car that's going to live here as a run around for my mum, it was cheap from someone i know so when it's fulfilled its purpose i'll probably sell it, or it can live on the drive for her to use over winters.
I'm at the point of drawing out a bit more money and saying to-hell-with-it as it has been a while since i bought anything like this new or mainstream, the octavia is a scout and a mk1, the merc (Thanks to ZX10R for his suggestions way back then) is niche and anything else i look at nowadays is 10+ years old.
I've got to go out and do some searching in person or at least let them both see these choices/suggestions in person and then bite the bullet as to who we're gonna buy from.
Thank you all for wishing him well too, the man is made of some kind of tough steel i can't say i'm made from and is doing incredibly well to say that only a couple of months ago we found he had asynchronous cancers, but the silver'est lining to the cloud is there and only 2 sessions of his chemo remains and for his age is carrying a weight that would break younger men.
It's given me a lot more direction than i had before and some of the choices are good, the suzuki is a good shout as i didn't realise they were quite so fancy.
The ds7 is a damn lot of car for the money, but having the ds3 the ride is harsh, does this transfer over to the ds7?
In terms of the argument with the fusion, it isn't that the ds3 is a better car than it or carries more, it's just a car that's going to live here as a run around for my mum, it was cheap from someone i know so when it's fulfilled its purpose i'll probably sell it, or it can live on the drive for her to use over winters.
I'm at the point of drawing out a bit more money and saying to-hell-with-it as it has been a while since i bought anything like this new or mainstream, the octavia is a scout and a mk1, the merc (Thanks to ZX10R for his suggestions way back then) is niche and anything else i look at nowadays is 10+ years old.
I've got to go out and do some searching in person or at least let them both see these choices/suggestions in person and then bite the bullet as to who we're gonna buy from.
Thank you all for wishing him well too, the man is made of some kind of tough steel i can't say i'm made from and is doing incredibly well to say that only a couple of months ago we found he had asynchronous cancers, but the silver'est lining to the cloud is there and only 2 sessions of his chemo remains and for his age is carrying a weight that would break younger men.
There's an automatic petrol Yeti here at a Skoda dealer under the Approved Used scheme, within your £7-12k budget:
https://www.skoda.co.uk/apps/stock/carDetail/GBR22...
Bonus: It's metallic brown. I like metallic brown.
https://www.skoda.co.uk/apps/stock/carDetail/GBR22...
Bonus: It's metallic brown. I like metallic brown.
Having had a DS7 for 3 years now, the ride is very supple indeed and even more so if you get one with the active suspension (prestige and above). Avoid any with wheels above 20inch as the ride becomes compromised but it is probably the most comfortable car I’ve ever had.
Handling isn’t much to write home about but that’s not the point of this car. 1.6t is the sweet spot if you don’t want diesel. It has more than enough go, returns 40mpg and is now a reliable unit. Avoid the 1.2t as it’s underpowered and the PHEVs have had a few issues.
You get a LOT of car for the money as depreciation is pretty heavy making it a canny second hand purchase and I’m struggling to think what I can replace it with. Only thing that’s gone wrong with mine was a spilt CV boot and water in the rear lights that was subject to a recall in any case.
A bit chintzy for some but don’t be too quick to discount it.
Handling isn’t much to write home about but that’s not the point of this car. 1.6t is the sweet spot if you don’t want diesel. It has more than enough go, returns 40mpg and is now a reliable unit. Avoid the 1.2t as it’s underpowered and the PHEVs have had a few issues.
You get a LOT of car for the money as depreciation is pretty heavy making it a canny second hand purchase and I’m struggling to think what I can replace it with. Only thing that’s gone wrong with mine was a spilt CV boot and water in the rear lights that was subject to a recall in any case.
A bit chintzy for some but don’t be too quick to discount it.
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