TOP 10 MOST RELIABLE CARS UNDER £5,000
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My late mother is spinning in her urn - what, no Mk1 Honda Jazz! Bought from new in 02, just one clutch and two batteries in 18 years. Not my type of car but I enjoyed thrashing the engine and chucking it around, and in an added bonus, pedestrians would step back sharpish from zebra crossings when they saw the car coming. I never got that level of sheer terror in any AMG, Porker or Bentley, the fear of some half blind dodgy hipped pensioner at the wheel. A good list of cars perfect for just doing what they should without fuss or drama!
They need more servicing and servicing costs can be higher. Dual spark means twice as many ignition coils and spark plugs to replace - and these aren't exactly cheap on the Jazz. I don't know if anyone buys the CVT in the UK but the first gens were plagued by issues - particularly pre facelift. I still really like them but there are simpler cars out there.
... Do you know Jesus Christ can set you free from sins and save you from hell today Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today Romans 6.23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus
For knocking about, repeated short journeys to the local shops and visiting dodgy areas these sorts of cars are an absolute blessing 👍🏻
Well said!
Dodgy areas Hmmm. Like London 🤣. Before anyone gets offended that is meant tongue in cheek.. I live here
@@1881Gordon It's a cesspit. I prefer England.
.... Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today Holy Spirit Can give you peace guidance and purpose and the Lord will John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus
Shut up 🙄@@truckerfromreno
A very good video of brilliantly sage advice. Both me and my brother bought K11s for the reasons above. He had has for £450 off someone's doorstep with no service history and it lasted him 7 years with no troubles. Mine carried me about 40,000 miles in 18 months and never once left me stranded, despite me getting home and discovering a complete lack of coolant and little to no oil! Surprisingly roomy boot, easy to work on and parts still easy to source. Just watch for rust, both of ours were killed by it and they're well known for rot. Especially models with sunroofs whose drainage channels go through the sills, rotting them out prematurely. Did have a mate with an unreliable Swift, however his had very clearly been owned by someone who's skills at DIY maintenance were a little lacking. The wipers started fighting each other in a blizzard so he had to be towed home. Took the assembly apart to find the linkage between the two arms had broken some years prior and been "fixed" with a combination of cable ties and a pair of Skullcandy headphones tied in a knot 😂😂😂. Lesson for everyone, if a car you go to see has had go faster stripes added by the previous owner, particularly if they don't line up, run away.
Another great video Matt! Very useful for people on a limited budget. My step daughter had an old Micra - drove it to Italy, worked there for 2 years, then drove it home - no problems at all. Needless to say after 2 year coping with the traffic in Milan my step daughter is fearless!
Haha I bet! If you can drive in Italy, you can drive anywhere 😂
@@HighPeakAutos £5,000? That's like $6000 dollars, correct? 🤔💭 Here comes one of my all-time favorite quotes from Al Pacino when he chews out Kevin Spacey (Mr. Williamson): ,,You just cost me $6,000 dollars. Six. ☝ Thousand. ☝ Dollars! ☝... and one Cadillac." (Glengarry Glen Ross, 1992) 😁
... Do you know Jesus Christ can set you free from sins and save you from hell today Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today Romans 6.23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus
This was excellent ! Practical advice, concisely presented. Perfect. I guess at the prices mentioned, they won't depreciate further if you keep them in decent shape. I'd always heard Daihatsu spare prices were steep, but that was a few years ago. So if you had the money, you could have one of these cheap, dependable, park-anywhere cars for commuting/ around town driving/ grocery getting; and put bigger monies into something fun for the weekend. ( not the type of "something for the weekend" that my local pharmacy here in Prague was advertising today mind you, with a huge ad stuck across it's window " 10% sale on anti-conception products" ha ha )
Thanks to your review of the Aygo I bought one for my son as his first car. He is now learning to drive in it. Brilliant little car and zero tax!
Great video! Concise and straightforward. Old Scotty is great for entertainment but I found your take much more informative!
My Mum had a K11 Micra, it was a 1 litre and every time I drove it, I had a smile on my face. It was cheap to run, own and insure and you could park it anywhere. Great list especially for new drivers. Thanks for taking the time to create these videos, it’s an excellent source of no nonsense advice and info. A list of top family cars would be great - we’ve 3 kids and are pondering what to get. They’ll trash the interior so we’re not looking for a German Uber lux barge. But practical and reliable 5 to 7 seaters would be excellent!
Well you still can’t park on double yellow lines PAUL!
If you look for a cheap reliable family hauler I can't recommend the Toyota Corolla Verso, which is basically a minivan version of the corolla, enough. You can even find some with 2 extra seats in the booth, although your passengers there have to be legless and you can barely fit any other cargo at all than.
Good stuff. We've had two Toyotas and a Lexus over the last twenty years. All solid and as reliable as you could want. The Carina (1990) never missed a beat, never failed an MOT, never broke, and was as boring as a fridge. As a daily driver it was the most perfect car ever.
Great video Matt & very informative. My Mother had the Micra you featured. It not only stood the test of time (about 5 years I think) but also her appalling driving. No greater accolade for such a plucky little car!
Great presentation. Refreshing to have a straight forward practical information dump in a clear and no frills way.
Brilliant video Matt 👍 I mean, I'm a fan of the car reviews obviously, but this is an absolute gem. More of these please!
Can't believe you missed the Honda Jazz. The ultimate in reliability and functionality.
Unless you have a CVT. Dual spark also means twice as many spark plugs and ignition coils to go wrong. That said they v have tended to fail when the servicing schedule says they will. Still higher servicing costs than a Yaris. That said the Jazz is a way better car to own.
My wife drives a 2003 Honda Jazz. Awesome. Her last car was a Honda Accord Aerodeck. 19 years.
@@christopherjohnston6343 DSI engine was dropped over a decade ago.
@@-DC- yes but the cars pictured in the video are generally from the early to mid 2000s iirc. GE definitely fixes some of the issues from what I have heard.
I think we were talking about cars for the under 65’s though.
Really appreciate your videos, have watched a ton of them, so helpful and you're probably the only dealer I'd trust because you're so thorough and such a perfectionist! Couldn't help thinking that the small Chevrolet is a Daewoo in disguise, an offspring of Daewoo being taken over my Chevy and turned into GM Korea. Love the channel, keep up the great work!
This is really helpful thanks! You are, as a person doing this job professionally, kind enough for experience share!
Just to add a correction/addition to the 05 to 12 Civic recommendation, I got the face-lift auto ('59 plate plus I believe) specifically because they listened to the hateful feedback of the terrible iShift and put a proper torque converter auto in. It's actually a brilliant gearbox too. Had to get it for my girlfriend who despises manuals but I've got my NC MX-5 for the fun weekend drives, so I actually get a lot of joy out of effortlessly cruising. Top video as always, can't get enough of these videos!
Is it expensive to put in a torque converter auto? I have a Honda i-shift and I want to repair it very soon. Clutch problem.
Without any reservation I can confirm the K11 Micra was very reliable and cheap to repair. Kept mine for 17 years, did more than 200,000km and I eventually sold it because... it was going on forever and wanted a change! Have also driven a 2010 Suzuki Swift and it's still a good car, with a tasteful interior.
Good video, even as a driving instructor its good to listen to your advice, i actually use a mk1 focus which has been very reliable but after watching your vid im thinking of a yaris next! Used to teach in a k11 micra, very reliable little thing!
Thanks Matt. Your intro said it all; KISS. As a poor man, I did that basically all my life. Later in life I violated that principle and spoiled myself by buying (cash) a bit more luxury (from reliable selected sources), only when the book value or collectors value exceeded the purchase price with about 25%. I kept it insured at book value and always sold it many years later for same price or more. (Couple of awesome Merc 500's, Volvo V70, Land Cruiser, Boxster, BMW 's) etc. Never regretted it. Awesome content and fully agree regarding auto gear transmissions, diesels and turbos. (with older classics I'll even add rear wheel drive vehicles. Brilliant info, with it you can't go wrong.
Buying luxury cars later in life is a totally normal way to buy cars. When I see a young person in a luxury car, I shake my head, because I'm very doubtful they could actually comfortably afford it. I think too many are willing to risk their mental wellness, physical health, and dignity just so they can afford to lease an E-class
Great list. My wife had an Aygo for 11 years and the only thing that went, as you said was the clutch. We also suffered a leak in the boot which turned out to be water coming in round the brake light above the boot lid. A bit of silicone sealant fixed that - a common problem on the Aygo apparently. It was so good she has just bought a newer model just 2 years old. Good for another 11 years or so.
Its the cheapest car to run, they're very good
@@HighPeakAutos I bought one for my wife as her first car It's just so much fun, small nippy reliable.
Mate misses had one didn’t feel safe in the back seat would not want my kids in the back
I run a citroen c1 which is essentially the same car, can't fault it. Just runs and runs
Peugeot 107, Aygo and C1 are identical. Other common problems include door seals leaking and exhaust blowing. Otherwise very reliable.
Brilliant review, Matt! Thanks for an honest appraisal of affordable motoring at real value prices... Great for youngsters starting off, or frugal-minded others not wanting to waste money on style and testosterone led transport... 👍
My pleasure!
Some great choices there for reliable motors. I’ve had an N Reg Micra and a 57 reg Swift in the past for many years. Both super reliable cars. I’ve always said if your after a cheap run about on a tight budget go for a Micra or a Yaris. They won’t set your world on fire but you’ll never worry about where you park them or what if this breaks etc. Stress free motoring.
This channel is class, going to help me so much when looking for a used car. Thanks for your content dude
Scotty would be proud of the Corolla mention but some fantastic advice love your work so far this year!
Another great thing about the K11 is the load space, Once the seats are down you've got an great amount of space for such a small car. I moved house with mine!
I have had one for a few years, treat it terribly and literally nothing goes wrong ever!
This is it. This is exactly I was looking for. Went on google and found mumbo jumbo. I come to your channel and got it all well. Really well informative and very useful. Thank you.
Thanks for this, absolutely brilliant as usual. A friend of mine had a Nissan Micra K11 that was a great car, she did not want "such an old car" her words, so bought a new Micra in 2010. This new one has been an absolute boon, wonderful to drive (auto) and very quiet and such a comfortable little car. Only issues after 30k miles, boot lock and heater fan, she adores it and it does all she wants to do, I drive it occasionally and love it. Have you done anything, or will do a video on the E36 BMW at all.
I have an 11 plate swift and absolutely love it, nice to see it mentioned.
As a guy who loves value motoring I loved this video so thanks for this!! Chevvy Spark? Blimey!! My fave from here has to be the Civic. I think they look great and its a car I would definitely own. Thanks once again, great video Matt.
I had a Suzuki swift which was a great little car until the gear box failed 🙈 the fiat panda is also a brilliant car for towns and cities. Very basic and cheap but the panda does the job of getting you from A to B . I’m currently looking to buy a reliable city car and your channel is a great help 👍
Excellent advice, I’ve saved this, to refer back to, cheers mate, enjoy your reviews.
Amazing video. Very fair judgement on every car. Really informative, loved it. 👍
This shows that you really do know your cars Matt - I saw the Suzuki Swift and before I could get to the comments section you’d already added the caution regarding the potential for gearbox bearings to whine. You are continually a stand-up guy and too good to describe as a used car dealer. Keep up the great work 👍
Unfortunately I only know all of these common faults because I've experiences them personally over the years. Thanks for watching
You're so right about the Micra. Still loads of that generation around here being piloted by fast food delivery drivers, and they seem to be able to extract frankly ridiculous levels of performance from them at times too!
I drive a 16 year old Toyota Corolla verso Diesel...never let me down once! Its 150k on the clock and still going strong. 👍 Great video btw keep it up!
Had 2 civic type r first one was 2002 and last one was 2009 I drove a total of 170,000 miles in both and not a single issue and was driven around at 8500rpm bouncing them off the limiter....just incredible reliability
Excellent video, thank you. As a suggestion, I'd love to see a similar format for the next price bracket (circa £5,000-£10,000), as a possible future video. Many thanks again.
Ridiculous suggestion. The price point of 5k - 10k might as well be 5k - 50k on used car market. You simply can not compare two cars on these values.
Sorry to hear you feel that way. I would actually politely disagree. Matt more recently filmed yet another terrific video highlighting estate vehicles at circa £10k (kzhead.info/sun/o8ifl9V-mauki6s/bejne.html), many of which could be found towards the lower end (circa 5k), depending on the model, specification and mileage. Some higher spec comparisons could be as high as 15k. It seems Matt found a way of putting the spotlight on my previously noted range of 5k-10k, and I’m sure many others also enjoyed his breakdown as much as I did.
I have to add the 2003-2011 ‘bubble’ micra is bulletproof too. My sister got one at 21k miles, took it to 103k miles in 4 years and absolutely trashed it. Never serviced it once in that whole time and every body panel was battered, but it never once failed despite all that abuse. All this while my Peugeot 107 was having its little issues you described. The engine never failed but I had to replace a lot of wear and tear parts like the water pump, battery, starter motor, clutch etc, as it was 10 years old at the time.
Enjoyed this. I've broadly gone along with your "keep it simple" selection criteria myself over the years when purchasing various
How can the KISS principle be applied to any car less than 30+ years old? KISS can hardly apply to any vehicle with electronics that exceed what was used to send men to the moon.
@@clivewilliams3661 So, pre-1969 vehicles only. In my experience the simplicity of that era came bundled with reliability issues and preponderance to rust (here in the UK), and that's from someone who appreciates classic cars - bur perhaps not often as daily drivers. It's subjective, but perhaps early 90s was a sweet spot combining comparative reliability, minimal electrickery and rustproofing.
@@FoogouFilms I have various cars from a 1974 Beetle, 1984 Alfa GTV6, 1994 Merc 500E, and 2019 Skoda Superb plus a Clan to be built. The Beetle has been rebuilt and modified that has been 100% reliable and used daily - currently laid up for further modification. Only the radio is electronic The Alfa is waiting to be revived after being in storage when I had a company car - it was used as a daily up to that point. This has rudimentary electronics in the injection system. The bodywork is in great condition having benefitted from new (at the time) rust proofing plus wax injection at POS The Merc is awaiting a new lock set as the original has worn out along with remote locking, a refresh of the lsd diff and an upgrade to the suspension. It has completed 285k mls, 195,k mls in my hands and the only reliability issue was when one of the electronic distributors failed that couldn't be detected by the Merc Diagnostics and was resolved by an ancient Bosch machine. The Skoda has only done 12,500mls in 33 months, all reliably, the previous Skoda Octavia had two ECUs fail. The issue with classic cars is that production standards then were far lower than what is provided today and when those standards are applied to these classic cars in a rebuild they are as reliable and more enjoyable than modern cars. When electronics fail it is usually sudden and requires a sophisticated diagnosis, new equipment and a visit to the garage, whereas simpler cars can often be repaired at the road-side.
@@clivewilliams3661 An interesting and varied fleet you have; clearly an enthusiast. A useful insight you gave. I really fancied those GTVs back in the day. I agree with what you say regarding classic cars having lower production standards, and that they are often more enjoyable than modern cars. It helps if you can keep older vehicles under cover, which sadly I'm not able to do, even though we have enough space to park quite a few - three fairly boring ones at present. Going back a couple of decades or so, the issues with older cars that I experienced included a '78 2CV which rusted before my eyes and needed new kingpins every year, an '82 Ford Capri that was also very keen to turn into iron oxide, but was very easy to work on, even for me. By the time I got my old '86 Golf GTi, it displayed much less of a habit to want to turn into powder, and everything simply worked for years. Subsequent cheap and cheerfuls usually met their maker generally due to steering and suspension components wearing out and would not have been economically viable to repair. This is what we see so often now, seemingly useable and presentable vehicles beeing thrown away. I generally avoid French and Italian vehicles due to their reputation for electrical woes. Saying that, I would still like an Alfa one day! The car I miss the most is my '92 Eunos, which always put a smile on my face, even with a dodgy rain rail creating a swimming pool in the boot. But we live down a potholed track and it wouldn't have been fair to torture it that way. Latest aquistion, an '04 Grand Vitara, which drives like a much older vehicle - and has plenty of character.
@@FoogouFilms I don't allow the sensible economics to colour my judgement. My philosophy is to look at my vehicles and indeed mostr other bits as well and then work out what the cost of replacement is and that then defines a much larger budget. Also, I;m not a diehard purist and am happy to modify and improve, for example the Beetle has Porsche suspension and brakes that are also modified and improved.
Thank you Matt, great and helpful video! Any chance you're doing a video on the top ten cars to buy for a family under £5k???!
Good advice. Toyotas are the choice of mechanics. I bought one for my girlfriend who needed a cheap dependable daily driver(Corolla Verso petrol manual £1000) and it is more reliable than the tide. I got my mum a Honda Jazz, hugely practical and in 10 years no faults
Good stuff, Matt, well done! Now would be good to do a list of "cars for the soul" (subjective, I know), where cost is not a main factor. Would be interesting to hear that from someone with your driving experience. Thanks, regards.
Great suggestion!
You need to best of french best of germany best of Italy etc next..
A V70 P2 is definitely a car good for the soul 🤣😍
@@RichieRouge206 v70 / xc70 phase 2 gets another vote from me
@@jamesdaly1401 would the French list get to 10? Just saying 🤣
Love watching your reviews. Very helpful.
Excellent video, honest and very informative. In 2012, I bought a 59 plate Hyundai i20 mk1 "classic " 1.2 petrol, with 19,000 on the clocks. Ten years on and 40,000 miles later, still got the car. Ok it doesn't set the world on fire, it does the job. It goes, it stop, it take four people comfortable ( five a bit tight ) nice size boot, it fits in the garage ( you be surprised how many new car find it a tight squeeze ) no fancy gizmos and good on fuel. I just change the oil and filters every year and it a easy car to work on. It has not let me down. Keep it simple, stupid.
Great advice! Some of the cars you suggested have very, very reliable diesel engines too.
I know you don't like diesels but I had the accord 2.2 cdti and it was super reliable. The only issue was the power steering pump which you cannot get new as an aftermarket and the steering rack which started leaking. Bare in mind this happened on 240k miles. It was an executive model and it was loaded with options. Love the accord
I own the same Honda Accord (nr. 10 on the list), for 5 years now. Very reliable, only normal maintenance. Never broke. Mine is the 2.0 K20A in automatic, executive spec. Fuel consumption is of course a bit higher then the little cars you showed. But it still uses less then most other full size saloon cars from that era, especially on longer trips. It's about the size of a 5 series BMW. Anyway, I wouldn't know what to replace it with, if it ever starts to fail...
Fair play, that was a brilliant video that’s undoubtedly helpful to a lot of people. I’ve got a Suzuki Swift Sport and it’s an unreal combination of fun and reliability
Have an '07 Civic 1.8 manual. Needed some suspension work this last mot but after 15 years can't complain really. Drives like new. My mother had one of those Aygos until last year, serviced it about 4 times (mainly when new) whilst putting 150,000+ miles on it- coped with it all admirably taking a beating that would have seen off a Renault twice :)
Ran an Aygo for 18 months in 2010 and did - believe it or not - 58k in that time, utterly dependable cheap as chips but be careful on windy motorways - it does get blown about 😁
sir i live over in the states , but i do like your true candor . it is very refreshing , PEACE
Good, helpful video from experience, better than raking around on surveys ect welldone 👌
Amazing Content! Would be lovely to go through different price classes e.g. best luxury sedan for 25k or sports car or offroader
Noted!
Great video. Micra K11 - absolutely right, my friend had it, fantastic little car with quite a bit of space inside, nice and smooth drive, easy to park, low consumption. She even used it for long journeys across Europe. Corolla and Yaris are obviously legendary for reliability, never owned one, but many people I know have. Swift - we had one in the family, older model - never costed anything, eternal 1.1 petrol engine, scrapped because of rust in the end. Then 1997 Civic 1.5 VTEC - got finally sold for peanuts after many years when my father in law just could not drive anymore. Accord - another long journeys legend used by friends... Aygo - really cheap to run, despite many small problems my mate had with it. Can't say that about Mazda 3, as my poor nephew bought a diesel version and it was a disaster, constant issues and lots of money wasted, I guess petrol is fine though. The remaining 2 cars I never had any contact with.
I agree completely- I have a 2002 Corolla that had 180 000 km's on the clock when I bought it in 2018 for $5K Australian (just under 2900 pounds). I've put 50 000 km's on it in the last five years and it hasn't skipped a beat. It is absolutely bulletproof. I mean, it's not a sports car, and it will never be a head turner, but for simple, efficient, no-drama transport, it's fantastic. It has some mod cons- electric mirrors, good air con, power windows in the front, etc. It just goes and goes. Corollas also hold their value- in Australia anyway. I'll be keeping it when I eventually add an old Jag to the driveway, that's for sure! Thanks again Matt- your videos are always straight up, with no BS- keep up the great work.
Great video. My Grandson will be looking for a cheap 1st car soon, so he will need to look at your excellent summary to avoid a costly mistake. Thanks again.
For those of us who earn less than 500k a year, this was a helpful video. Most car channels deal with New Cars - fine, and they're interesting, for for us mere mortals, we need someone 'in the know' to give us information we need, not just lust after. Because you're in the trade, you are a good source of info. Perhaps a "top 10 for under 10,000?" I know - it's predictable but this would be the obvious next step for folk wanting something a bit 'special.' Thanks Matteaus :-)
nah he only drives an auto and far away from the steeringwheel with his arms fully stretched so he cant turn. People like those are not a good information sources, theres a name for it its starts with a P and ends with an S
Great advice! If You ask me I will choose the Civic UFO. Timeless design and best interior. Fun to drive as well 😉
Yep - had the civic and it was utterly reliable - but the seats are crippling on a long journey and the suspension is too stiff.
Just watched this video, as I am looking for a good reliable old car, brilliant no nonsense advise and factual information that no other car site seem to give u, until after the fact of course!!!. Well done and thanks for doing what u do
Glad it was helpful!
I will add another suzuki to the mix, my mum had the ignis, she had it for 8/9 years, 1.3 petrol and manual, we used to drive up to scotland and back from bristol in that, even with only a 5 speed box it didnt sound horrible at motorway speeds. apart from the usual brakes and tyres a decent service was all this thing needed. it was bought to commute about 4-5 miles each way to work, and it was small enough to fit into most parking spaces quite easily, plus it sat a little higher than a swift so was easier for my mum to get in and out of as she got older. plus was quite boxy shaped so was exceptionally practical.
I had that generation of Mazda 3 and agree its very reliable. Fun to drive too. It shared its chassis with the mk2 Focus after all. Incidentally facelift 2.0 models actually did have a six speed manual box! Another point to mention, the Daihatsu Sirion is in fact a Toyota Yaris clone (same engines and boxes) hence similar reliability...
I have it and I can confirm. (sirion)
I have a 2008 Mazda 3. Great car but beware of rust like Mat says.
Hi Matt, thanks for the reliability info. Good honest opinions as usual. Keep up the good work, you’re the UK equivalent of US Scotty.
Great to see no nonsense clear truthful information
Yes I agree about the K11 Micra as I have owned 2 and both were very reliable K10 was also very reliable.
Great video Matt 👍 always fancied a Honda Civic type R when I was younger but never did get one . Petrol cars seem to be making a come back , I don’t know if it’s just the 2030 limit of making petrol and diesel cars or the option of quiet smooth petrol engines that are not as bad mpg as thry used to be 🤔
Or the fact that diesel particulates are toxic to humans especially children’s brains , thus some people finding that morally unconscionable vs “ better mpg “ ? 🤔. Just a thought
I can vouch for the corolla, I had a 1.4 petrol for my first car and had no issues throughout my ownership. Luckily, after 4 years and 50k miles I managed to sell it for what I paid for it due to the current car market so can't complain 👍
Me too... 1.4 vvti hundreds of thousands of miles, zero problems
I had 97 corolla for 17 years. 0nly replaced radiator and shocks. It was 21 yrs old when it failed on emissions. What a car with no luxuries. I have avensis now so let's wait and compare
2005 Corolla diesel, 240,000 miles, still going strong. Ultra reliable, no issues.
You did well
I bought one and had to have the steering rack replaced which was expensive, guess I was just unlucky.
What brilliantly honest and to the point video.
Some good suggestions and keeping thing simple and cheap was the reason I got an 08 Renault Twingo extreme
Yeah, big fan of the K11 Micras, a granny car maybe but brilliant reliability. Not just a city car either, quite happy trundling along at 65/70 on the motorway. It makes me a little sad that very simple but very reliable and cheap cars like the old Micras are becoming rarer as time goes on. Top marks for putting them in the top ten.👍
Mine used to cruise lovely at 85. Was a 1.0 l 16v. Revvy and brisk if you used the gears right. All I did to it for 10 years was service it, check the oil and change the odd tyre/wiper. One weld on the chasis once. Cost me peanuts
I had a 1993 1.2 16v K11, it did 58mph in second gear and 114mph flat out. I paid £170 for it from a work colleague. throttle body and heater resistor card were easy to fix with a quick blob of solder.
I bought my grandson a Bentley Continental Speed peddle car for xmas. 100% reliable so far.
It will still probably break👍🙂
pedal
Can I have 1?
I purchased a new Honda Civic Del Sol in 1993 and still drive it daily Same engine and auto transmission. Greetings from a Brit residing in the USA. Good down to earth advice.
Cheers Matt, great as always !
I'm surprised that you didn't include the Honda Jazz. We have one and it's very reliable indeed and extremely practical.
Your channel is doing very well young Matt with over 76,000 views and over 6,000 likes 👍 Keep the great content coming mate and you are onto a constant winner here 😎
Thank you!
I bought a Corolla 1.6vvti last Monday, for just £1200, with a full mot, & full service history, so thanks for confirming my gut feeling about it being a great wee car!! 😁
Thanks mate that helped a lot as I’m looking for a little runaround under five grand and this just helped a lot
I bought a k11 off a local old man who was stopping driving..... its brilliant..... and its so small it fits almost anywhere. Best £400 I have spent
Amazing little cars aren't they.
I’ve owned 2 on this list and you’ve totally correct I’ve owned the Nissan micra and we owned it 18 years from new we only ever had to replace the wiper motor, unfortunately the rust killed it in the end but everything still worked, my wife has now a c1 and that’s the same it’s not a bit of bother apart from a leak in the boot of which we have sorted it’s been bulletproof 😊
Great vid mate ..loving the channel
I wish this review existed 14 years ago. I have had numerous cars over the years but this video is by far the best guidance to buy used cars. Simple petrol cars are so reliable especially japanese. I have spent £1000s in repairs on diesel German cars. I am now back to petrol naturally aspirated and no issues whatsoever. Thank you. You are the best. 👍
Great video as usual Matt! 👍. Quick question: how do you tell what type of auto transmission the car has if it doesn’t have a marketing name like “power shift”? I have previously found it quite difficult to identify torque converter models you see. Any tips? Thanks!
I currently own an Accord Type-S (2.0 automatic) and it’s served me very well! Got it for £1500 and it’s quite a lot of car for the money - half leather interior, climate control, cruise control and a pretty decent stereo system.
Smart buy
I had a '99 Type-R Accord for 4 years. Brilliant car.
I had a 1.6 petrol 58 Mazda 3, it was so much fun to drive, the only problem I had with it was the cd player didn't work but it was so much fun to drive. Decently fast and the engine sounded great too
The Mk1 Mazda3 Sport (2.0) he refers to changed to a 6 speed in late 2006. I have one after having a 2005 5 speed and it made a big difference on motorways. Great car.
I think in 2008 after financial crash robbery component quality went down and car makers became more h & s obsessed. I recently brought a rare manual 05 v50 t5 for £3,500. Always good videos on this channel
Definately spot on with the corolla, i bought a1998 one 8 years ago for £350 in an emergency (start work at 5 am 12 miles away ) was literally the only car for sale that night locally. Said id keep it till mot ran out. Put it in and It passed .and again and again. Just passed yet again with an advisory for a shock absorber. £89 fitted , does 45 mpg and 95 mph . (Not at the same time ) ive kept it as a spare car on classic insurance its just brilliant. !
A mate of mine had a carrolla for 20 years
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Thanks for the video. I am shortly going to buy a car. This really helps. Best wishes.
Videos like this are so interesting and Informative. It’s so boring watching every other car video resting the 0-60 etc
word of advice about the swift, get a sub 80k mile one and change the gearbox fluid once you purchase it, and keep replacing it at that interval. Most of the 5speeds fail because they dont change the fluid.
A lot of newer gearboxes suffer from the "sealed for life" stamp. Of course it is - its just a shorter life...
I've owned 3 on the list on a bangernomics budget , £600 k11, £750 yaris mk1 (and a yaris verso mini mpv thingy) and a £400 civic. All have been as reliable as you state, and sold on after use for a little profit Can't beat 90'-00's Japanese for the money... just watch for creeping rusty bits and neglect from past owners. I work on the mantra - if pensioner's buy them, they're probably a good used buy. As a result I have accrued a collection of tartan blankets.
My mk7 Civic auto has been a brilliant car-my partner and I both have one! It's a 4 speed auto and not a cvt, and is nippy on the motorway, reliable and has tons of head and leg room. And to me, it's like one of the last "normal" cars before they had more fancy bits in them. I'd have another one!
I enjoyed the video, and pretty much agree with your choices. My only reservation with some of the cars is their safety record. Toyota is great with reliability, but often marginal on safety and crash results. New subscriber.
K11 was the most reliable, good value, and possibly best spirited car I've owned. Ate the miles up and never let me down. Miss it
And i actually think a great looking car. There are 2 in my area, both owned by youngsters who've done them up, paint job, aftermarket wheels, tinted windows, not over the top, and they look fantastic.
@@tilerman so do I. Have real character. Nice styling, good lines
The era when Nissan was a good independent brand. Micra. Almera, Primera and maxima´s from the late 90´s were incredibly good cars.
M mother in law had an indestructible micra. It had been run with no water in it, due to hose breaking and made some weird noise but it kept going for years anyway. I had a primera at the time, again, totally reliable but starting to rust when I sold it. That's why you don't see them any more
I bought my 1999 Nissan Primera for £1,595 13 years and 5 months ago and it has been extremely reliable. My wife sees it as a symbol of our marriage. Awesome cars.
@Iain McLaughlan.... All Nissan cars are awesome😁
Thanks for this video, it’s honest and really helpful. 👍👍🙏
Love this! Would like to see a similar video with more family cars in rather than small cars. (P.s. we already have a 190k miles Honda Accord! That's used and abused!)
I’ll tell what to look for, if a car is being used as a takeaway food delivery car then get one of those but not one that has been used as a delivery car. Also whatever cars mini cabbers pick is usually a good choice but again don’t buy one that has been used as a mini cab.good list you’ve made I agree
agreed, grab a low miler and chances are its not had a takeaway or cab driver yet
Haha surprised the Avensis wasn't on the list too, that's a cabbie special and seemingly go on forever....
Thanks for good honest consumer advise Matt. Can you meka a same video about SUV s please? Most other car reviewers won't go beyond how many cup holders the car has.
Great suggestion!
SUV's under 10k - yes please 👍👍👍
Very true about the Aygo. I had one for a few years, bonnet was opened once a year for the service and MOT! I saw the mechanic once a year!
Excellent vlog ...thanks Tim