Welcome to a new weekly post on CTUK aimed at people looking to buy a car, be it their first or 15th. Please post car buying queries in this thread rather than starting a new thread in the main queue.
**You do not need to use the format required below, but keep in mind the more information you give the better/more accurate answers you will get.**
Feel free to add add more information.
**Location:**
**Price range:**
**Lease or Buy:**
**New or used:**
**Auto or Manual:**
**Intended use:** (Daily Driver, Family Car, Weekend Car, Track Toy, Project Car, Work Truck, Off-roading etc.)
**How many miles do you plan to do a year:**
**How often to you make long journeys:**
**Does it need to be ULEZ compliant?**
**Vehicles you've already considered:**
[Do you have a vehicle size in mind?](https://i.imgur.com/mK7PoRg.png) (Examples in the hyperlink of size definitions)**:**
**Is this your 1st vehicle:**
**Do you need a Warranty:**
**Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle:** (fluids, alternator, battery, brake pads etc)
**Can you do Major work on your own vehicle:** (engine and transmission, timing belt/chains, body work, suspension etc )
**Additional Notes:**
Please remain on topic and anyone ironically suggesting the Skoda Octavia will be flayed with a set of jumper cables.
Been looking at cars for over a week or so and I’ve narrowed it down to 2 possibles. Would appreciate some insight or warning if either of these should not be considered.
**Option 1**
2017 Mini Clubman – 1.6 petrol – 91,000 – quite a few extras including heated windscreen, heated seats, parking sensors.
Pretty immaculate mot history, only ever failed or had advisories for tyre wear and windscreen wipers.
I do love Minis, I learnt to drive in a classic Mini and I quite like the barn door style boot. But it’s a manual and ideally I was looking for an automatic if possible.
Price £8,000
**Option 2**
2018 Kia Niro – 1.6 GDi hybrid 2 DCT – 75,000 – has parking sensors, privacy glass, Android auto
Very clean MOT history too, never failed and no advisories. Has been serviced regularly by the previous owner.
Never considered a Kia Niro before seeing one for sale but I do like the idea of a hybrid. I mostly drive short journeys in a city and my commute to work is usually in stop start traffic. The reviews do have some negative things about it not being “fun” to drive and not having much acceleration for overtaking. But I’m not really looking for a car I can thrash around in and fly round bends at high speed.
It’s towards the top end of the budget I would like to spend but it’s an automatic, should have lower running costs and less depreciation if I look to sell in 3-4 years.
Price £10,000
I’ve recently passed my test and am looking to buy my first car. I’ll be honest, I’m really not sure what I’m looking for aside from some key points. Ideally I’d like to drive an automatic, it be a small-ish used car and for it be happy enough on a motorway a couple of times a week for work purposes. It’ll also be quite rare that there will be more than just me or one other person in the car, and I’d need Bluetooth connectivity (and preferably rear cameras).
Obviously as a new, young driver I’m also quite mindful of the cost of insurance so I’d need that to be on the lower end if possible.
I’d say my maximum budget is around 12-15k but that’s definitely not a target and if there’s any cheaper recommendations that would be great.
Thanks!
Considering buying a bigger family car in the next few years when we have a second baby. We currently have a Mini which we’ll keep as a second car and I love it. We’re looking for:
* comfortably fits two car seats, and boot big enough for a trip away including pushchair and travel cot so maybe an estate?
* around £15k used but have wiggle room
* automatic gearbox
* reliable because I have zero ability to maintain a car
* preferably with quality of life features like CarPlay, reversing cameras and heated seats
We’ve considered the Kia Pro Ceed and maybe one of the Volvo ones.