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
.... 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
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.
@@-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.
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!
@@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
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.
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 )
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!
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.
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. !
... 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
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 👍
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
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.
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
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.
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
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!
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 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.
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.
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.
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
On the mk8 civic reliability front, we've had a 2.2ctdi for the last 5 years. We have done nearly 100k in it, and it now sits on 160k. It has been the most boringly reliable car we have ever owned. Still on the original clutch, and it just gets serviced each year. Still it goes on....
Same, done 75k in my 2.2 in 6 years, only had to replace the maf and consumables. It's mapped to 180bhp and nearing 155k. Clutch and flywheel are next when I can be bothered. It's worth noting 09 onwards petrols did come in a proper automatic but can come at a premium.
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
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... 👍
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 😁
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
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.
I had a 2006 Daihatsu Terios drove it for a year Never had to touch it with a spanner apart from a service and front break pads absolute legend of a car
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.
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 (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pdfgqFbynXs.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 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 👍
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.
1st one, the one I have. Corolla 1.6 110hp. Works great.Bought it 10 years ago, when it was 9 years old. It is now 19 years old and keeps working great and going strong. Yes, spare parts have been replaced and the car has been serviced yearly. It never fails to run. It has now 178K kms on the clock. Ah, it is the 3 doors one! Buy one. It never lets you down.
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
I've got the same accord 2.0 petrol manual, 2003. It's got 202k miles on it. I also had to replace an ABS sensor, and 2 ignition coils. Apart from that it's excellent. I can concur the engine is bulletproof and has timing chain, not belt. 36mpg all day. I've had it for 17 years!
I bought a 2003 petrol Accord a couple of years ago as a when I needed an auto after a shoulder injury. It was meant to be temporary, but i decided to keep it instead of my "main" car. 18 years old with nearly 110k miles and it runs perfectly.
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!
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.
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 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...
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 👍
My wife bought a Civic six and a half years back because she wanted reliability because she drives into London four days a week and wanted no trouble. It is a 2013 1.4...really underpowered, however sh'es not so bothered. 13,000 miles when she bought it and on 105,000 miles now. With the exception of a brake pad falling off on the motorway ( !) not one single problem from it and good fuel econ 52 mpg .
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!
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.
Anecdotal, but Skoda Octavia MK2. They are used for everything in the UK; taxis, police cars, ambulance. Therefore, they are cheap to buy, easy to get parts for and really reliable. Had mine 6 years, she's 13 years old now and passes MOTs really easily with occasional general maintenance that I can do myself at home (filters, oil, swap an occasional wear-n-tear part but absolutely nothing expensive).
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. 👍
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.
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!
I bought a 2007 VX Corsa D 1.2 with just over 32,000 for £850 9 yrs ago. Apart from new tyres & brakes & servicing I’ve had no trouble with it. It passed 99,000 a few days ago and is still on its original clutch 👍
My 2009 Corsa's done over 100,000 miles and gets through its MOT every year with minimal fuss, I change the brake pads myself and do minor replacements. Starts first time and providing the oil and water is maintained it does great and its emission zone exempt, and cheap to run :)
100k miles is nothing though. Check back in at 200k. There's a reason you won't find any Corsa D's at that kinda mileage (other than 1.7 cdti's that are Isuzu powered anyway)
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.
I can say from personal experience that the Civic is a very reliable car to run - I had a 2.2 ctdi which was absolutely bulletproof and delivered 40 mpg around town, nearer to 55 on the motorway and was plenty quick with the low down torque in a relatively light car. 9 years of ownership and probably the best hassle-free car I've ever had.
I had a CRV with the same engine and it always had a throttle position sensor problem and changed it about 4 times and never solved it. It was intermittent and apart from that it was a good car
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 :)
I had a Subaru Justy which is Daihatsu Sirion basically. I can confirm that is awesome. My kids always say that was small outside but big inside. They absolutely loved that car. We sold it just because we need a 7-seater, but Justy will be never forgotten.
Good video, but you missed out Some German cars like the VW Golf, Polo, Tiguan which is very reliable and you can easily get for under 5kand is cheap to run, a lot of Diesel VW engines are bulletproof as well as I have owned 3 Diesel VWs and they have all been reliable with no issues, the DSG gearboxes on them are also reliable as I have owned 2 with a DSG gearbox and it has given me no issues, as long as car is serviced and driven reasonably there will be no problems. Honda Jazz is also another reliable car for under 5k
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.
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 am 50 years old with well over a million miles driven..... and the only speeding ticket I have ever received was in a Chevy Spark (Ok a Matiz) - the impressive thing is that it was at the top of Drumossie Brae in Inverness - a large climb (around 1300 feet) on a dual carriageway - to this day I have no idea how I managed it
In my 60's and will easily double and plus some your million miles having driven for a living and averaged 180,000 miles a year. I've never owned a single car on this list but diesels that are berated have been my staple diet......a 3 cylinder 50 bhp just doesn't cut the mustard :)
I have that Accord! Acura TSX actually.. it has the K24 petrol (200hp) and a 6 speed. Its my 3rd one I have owned over the years. I always come back to these, This is one of the best cars made in my opinion
I'm retired I used to sell s/h cars many years ago lost count of the cars I've had, I bought a 2006 Honda Civic EX 5 years ago and I can honestly say its the best car I've ever had for looks,still looks new, interior outstanding, good performance, reliability and comfort (not counting pot holes etc) its a pleasure to drive, my shiny galaxy grey space ship Mk8 awaits to lift off at a seconds notice.. ,I have no need to change it so I wont.thanks for the list....they are all good motors.
I bought my daughter a Citroen C1 to learn to drive with - an amazing car - she kept it for 3 years after she passed. I drove it for a week and thought the petrol gauge was broken - it just sipped fuel!
I have a Yaris 1.4 diesel. Bought it second hand 10 years ago. Never missed a beat. Never failed MOT. Never needed parts apart from 2 tyres and 4 windscreen wiper changes. £30 a year road tax. Had 80 mpg on a run. 42 mpg round town. Looks like new after a wash. Goes great. Won't be getting rid of. Stick your EVs.
Prices have probably gone up since this video was made but I can confirm the reliability of the Chevrolet Spark. Mine is the earlier M200 model but still going strong. I've had it 11 years as it has been so good.
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.
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.
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.
missed out on the 1.9tdis 🤟i got a skoda octavia with a pd130 on 272k, piled 50k of those on it myself with only oil and filters to change, never once skipped a beat. Runs efficiently, has been mapped so isn’t a slouch and i also run a 50/50 blend of veg oil to diesel, loves it.
Pre 2005 ish TDIs are the golden era for reliability. Great stuff, mine (PD100 Audi) has 261,000 miles, by the time they reach 18 years and that sort of mileage nothing will kill them. I disable my egr and it doesn't smoke at all. It didn't with it connected. The bodywork will go before the engine. I didn't think they could have veg oil in but good to know.
It's easily fixed, I slapped sealant around all the rubber bits. It stopped the leak. Get the welded seams too if it's still leaking. Hardest thing is drying out the base of the boot in Winter since it doesn't evaporate naturally!
Here in the U.S. I own a Honda Accord, just turned 200,000 miles. Two headlight bulbs and a sun visor. Has the 6 speed manual ,the manual is almost impossible to find in the U.S. About half of those cars aren't available here. It's resale value is stupid high right now, even with 200,000 miles it's worth almost half of what it cost new!
My first car: Mk2 Skoda Fabia Estate, 1.9 TDI PD engine, purchased at 67k miles this April for just under £2k! Absolutely reliable, starts on the button and I love how noisy and rattly it is, as a new driver it's great to have all the feedback from the engine and clutch.
Here in Australia the Japanese dominate the market for small cars because they are reliable and will do very high mileages and are sensibly priced too. Years ago I hired a K11 and did a road trip from Sydney to Melbourne (it was all I could afford). You would think it wouldn't be that well suited to such a trip but it was much better than I expected. Nippy and comfortable for a small car and I have always liked the styling. A mate had an S reg one until quite recently that managed a very high mileage. It was only rust that killed it in the end.
Can confirm the K11 Micra is bullet proof. My girlfriend at the time (Now wife) drove hers from Cambridge to Lakeside shopping centre and back with no coolant and survived. Only things I ever replaced outside of normal service items was the radiator obviously, and the starter motor. Other than that it just kept on going and gong and going....
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 😊
The Daihatsu Sirion is a Toyota Yaris underneath (engine and running gear). Engine, service and brake/suspension parts are therefore easy to find. The Sirion is more spacious inside than the Yaris despite it being the same size externally. The automatics were even good.
Dad has a Dacia Logan 2004 and did not have a problem with it. Of course wearables had to be replaced but nothing major or expensie. He took care of it, as it said in the manual.
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.
The honda i ctdi was Honda's first diesel engine avoid early one's but the idtec sorted out the issues with timing chains pretty easy to hear if the chains rattling on them the 1.6 idtec is a very good engine as well.
I like the KISS advice, Matt. In a period where we needed reliable motoring at the bottom end of the cost range, I bought a 2006 Skoda Fabia 1.2 HTP, with 70k miles on it, with metallic paint, for £1,800. 8 Years later its done 180k miles, not a mark on it, has never let me down, and gets me 50mpg. Bits have gone wrong now and again - to be fixed at next service for £80 - £90... KISS works...😁
I've had a honda CRZ for 6 years and done 100000 miles. Lots of toys, cheap servicing and economical but can surprise in sport mode. Keep looking to change it but seen nothing to do so.
My mum has had a 2010 CRZ from new. She's talked about changing it, but there is nothing she likes to replace it with. All it's had in 11 years are tyres and brake discs/pads outside routine servicing. Great cars that are very underated.
I needed a cheap 4x4 so got a daihatsu fourtrak for 600 quid with 180k miles. 4 years later it’s on 265k miles and just passed mot needing 2 tyres and an anti roll bar. Bargain.
I own 14 years old Peugeot 308 GT 2l HDI with 137k on clock and car is absolutely faultless. Bought it 3 years ago for 1500£ and now there is only 1 for sale on autotraderuk. Service cost me 50£ every year (oil,filters) that's all I changed in 3 years time. And I can achieve 800miles/full tank easy on motorway driving. My mate got one too for 6 years and it's running sweet. 160k on clock . Great runner no issues. People talking rubbish about french cars but then forget that PSA engines are used by many other manufacturers including Range Rover, Mini Ford Volvo Mazda etc..
@@iaintdonknow old thp maybe. But I am talking about 2l HDI engines which are indestructible. I had couple of them in the past and own some now with high mileage and They're running sweet no issues whatsoever + very cheap service too and so good on fuel. Another thing is I own Mk2 308 GTi BPS 270 which is thp engine but it's forged from factory and completely different than old thp I own it for 7 years now and never had single issue!!! Literally change oil , filters and spark plugs. That's it. It's super reliable. my dad own 2010 308 SW with older 1,6 thp engine he's got 140k on clock and it's running sweet. He ain't got any issues whatsoever too 👍
@@ejdydmj1650 that's great, it just got bad reputation. I drove 200 miles last weekend with a 2014 C3 Picasso, with Semi-Automatic, and I loved the easy drive and comfort of the suspension. There is always a reason for people to dislike a car, but that doesn't mean a car can be right for you.
After about 2005 vw pd tdis went downhill. Dpfs ruined them and vw started cutting costs by using inferior engine parts. Some would last 200k and others blew up at 60k (seized conrods iirc) BXE engines an example of that. Ours are the last of the golden era of tdi engines.
The Toyota yaris is a good little car we had one for a good few years and yes didn't have to replace anything, it was a vvti engine and it developed a very loud rattle on start up which went away almost immediately, at first I thought it was the cam chain but after reading up on how the vvti thing works I was pretty sure it was that causing the rattle, we also lost 4th gear but it didn't really cause an issue we just jumped from 3rd to 5th it was a very tough car I drove it like I stole it every time I used it, I have owned many cars over my time of driving and found the most reliable cars I have owned have been peugeots the toughest being my ol 406 1.8 petrol never had to replace a thing on it apart from tyres and brakes and the odd oil change it had a terrible oil leak for about a year and a half turned out to just be an overtightened oil filter and I would literally drive it until all the lights came on the dash and just topped it up the car never let me down I the 7 years I owned it and the only car I really regret selling, I also had a little 306 hdi 2.0 and only thing I had to do on that was the wheel bearings that was a great little car but probably the last of the really good peugeots in my opinion, I think most cars built after 2003 ish had so much done to them to meet emissions standards that they killed the reliability, I had a rav 4 2.2 diesel on paper they are very tough but after only 2 years the clutch starting getting very loud and it needed a new duel mass flywheel to get the clutch and flywheel would cost best part of £500 for aftermarket who knows how much more it would have been if it was from Toyota and as it was 4 wheel drive the transfer box had to come out as well so it would cost the best part of £1500 to replace, the car was lovely but I couldn't justify the huge cost to repair it so sold it for £500
Chevrolet Spark was my first car. Couldn't have asked for a better one! It just kept going no matter what I threw at it and it felt a bit nippy at times even. Never had a single problem the entire time I owned it despite my careless attitude with looking after it.
The 1.4 d4d engine on the Toyota Yaris, is a good diesel car. These things can go 300k miles and barely cost anything to repair. Albeit it's a pain to work on them in the engine bay cos it's so cramped, the mpg is very good and it's a lot faster than the petrol. The Accord, I've been red lining 1st and 2nd literally everyday since 2 years ago, stop-start out into a dual carriageway . 1st gear was 40mph and 2nd is 70. I've yet to need the adjust the valves, not bad at all.
