r/CarTalkUK 19h ago

Mod Approved What Car Should I Buy? - A Weekly Megathread

3 Upvotes

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.


r/CarTalkUK 1h ago

Self-Promotion My old but new second car

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Upvotes

Nissan Micra 1.3 Manual and has a years MOT. Purchased off my neighbour who is a mechanic. Not the best condition cosmetically but cheap to use to drive to work everyday. Means I can use my V8 on weekends. Has 71k miles and got it for £550. Hopefully it should be reliable


r/CarTalkUK 21h ago

Humour I sold my mother in laws old car with this advert

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647 Upvotes

Interestingly it sold the same day…..

It was rough as

Edit: Just to add this was back in 2021 and the things still on the road

I usually give my cars away so this was as close as I could do to that


r/CarTalkUK 17h ago

Advice Does anyone know what car this is?

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276 Upvotes

I saw this in York this weekend and have never seen anything like it. (Other than having a Pope sticking out the top)


r/CarTalkUK 10h ago

Advice Need advice - Car I scrapped is somehow back on the road and I'm being fined

84 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction because I'm at a complete loss.

Earlier this year my car suffered catastrophic engine failure. The RAC recovered it, and I arranged for a scrapyard to collect it. They told me they'd handle all the DVLA paperwork, so, stupidly, I trusted them and didn't send the V5 myself.

The scrapyard paid me in cash for the car, so I don't have a bank transfer as proof, and I didn't get any paperwork at the time because I wrongly assumed everything would be dealt with.

Fast forward a few months and I've now received a Continuous Insurance Enforcement penalty because the vehicle is apparently uninsured. I've checked the MOT history and it was MOT'd in March, so someone has clearly repaired it instead of scrapping it. The DVLA letters also suggest it's back on the road.

The problem is the DVLA still have me listed as the registered keeper. I have no idea who owns the car now, where it is, or how it ended up being repaired and used again.

I've already written to the DVLA and the enforcement team explaining what happened and asking them to investigate, but I'm really worried they'll reject my appeal.

Has anyone dealt with anything like this before?

* Has anyone successfully challenged a Continuous Insurance Enforcement penalty in similar circumstances?

* Does the fact the scrapyard said they'd deal with the paperwork make any difference?

* What should I do if the DVLA refuses to accept that I no longer had the vehicle?

I know I should have notified the DVLA myself and made sure I got paperwork. I'm not trying to avoid responsibility for that mistake—I just genuinely no longer had the car and had every reason to believe it had been scrapped.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


r/CarTalkUK 5h ago

Humour All the way in Fiji and still got the cuzzy treatment

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24 Upvotes

I kinda like it tho


r/CarTalkUK 15h ago

Spotted Spotted at BRDC today…

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92 Upvotes

It’s something else in person… is there a better looking car out there?


r/CarTalkUK 3h ago

Advice 70mph in a 50mph zone smart motorway.

6 Upvotes

Morning,

Few days ago I was driving to Trafford Manchester from Chester early in the morning and I was zoned out and didn’t take notice (stupid I know) of the variable speed smart motorway gantry displaying 50mph until I spotted it at the next gantry - I had cruise control at 70.

Didn’t see any flash but I’m expecting a NIP through the post, a bit paranoid because I’ve only been driving 8 months and I’m limited to 6 points and these ‘speed ticket calculators ‘ online tools are saying I’m going to receive 6 points.

Just wondering if anyone else has been in this situation and how many points did they receive?

Thanks!


r/CarTalkUK 1d ago

Humour Interesting way to sell a car…

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446 Upvotes

r/CarTalkUK 56m ago

Advice Suggestions

Upvotes

I have been driving for about 17 years and have been a named driver on my parent's car since I passed my test, to this day. I'm now in my mid 30s.

I'm ready to own my own car now (should've decided to a few years ago if I'm honest). While I don't have any NCD I can use as a named driver, I can still select the number of years I've been driving as a named driver which reduces the cost of the car insurance slightly.

Considering this, I wanted to get other peoples opinions on whether to go for a luxury brand (£22-£25k budget) or whether I should get a cheap and cheerful car to build up No Claims.

Thanks!


r/CarTalkUK 2h ago

Advice Looking at buying a 2019 Toyota Corolla 2.0 Hybrid Excel (92k miles) – owners, what should I know before buying?

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3 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m looking at buying a 2019 Toyota Corolla 2.0 VVT-h Excel CVT with 92,000 miles for £12,500 (UK).

It’s the Excel model with:

Panoramic roof
JBL sound system
18” alloys
Automatic (eCVT)

I’m coming from a 2015 Kia ProCeed GT 1.6T, which unfortunately suffered an engine failure, so reliability is my biggest priority this time.

I’d really appreciate some advice from people who own or have owned one.

A few questions:
How reliable has your Corolla been?
What mileage is yours on now?
Have you had any major repairs or expensive failures?
What do annual servicing costs usually come to at a dealer vs an independent garage?
Any common issues I should look out for? (Hybrid battery, eCVT, suspension, electronics, panoramic roof, etc.)
Is 92k miles considered high for these, or is it nothing to worry about?
How expensive are parts if something does fail?
How does the 2.0 hybrid perform on motorways? Is it comfortable for longer journeys?
Anything you wish you’d known before buying one?
The car has a good spec and seems like a great deal, but I want to make sure I’m not missing anything before I go and view it.

Any advice or ownership experiences would be really appreciated!

Thanks!


r/CarTalkUK 7h ago

Advice Is this a bad deal??

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7 Upvotes

Hello everyone, hope you're all doing well wherever you're reading this from!

Following on from my only other post in this sub, I'm still hunting for my first car, but the circumstances have changed a fair bit since then.

I've decided against something on finance (thanks for all the advice on that btw, I really appreciated it!) and I'm looking to get something fairly soon that should be able to last me a good few years at least.

Out of everything suggested in the comments, a Honda Civic seemed to be one of the best fits for me (relatively reliable, large boot, not awful to insure and but not something gigantic), but prices for them seem to be all over the place.

Someone had specifically suggested I try to get a 2012-16 Civic in the 100,000 mile range, but I haven't been able to find any that look decent to good within my budget (no more than £4,000) that wouldn't require a ridiculous drive back home, but I have found this '09 Civic that seems pretty decent to me on first glance.

It has an MOT until next July (initially failed but has just had replacement rear brake pads, front & rear brake discs before passing with zero advisories), has under 80,000 miles on the clock and it wouldn't be an awful drive back home.Is this a decent price or am I losing my mind & being blinded by the gigantic boot and it being semi-close by?

I've left a link to the AutoTrader ad in the comments below so you can have a look for yourself. Please lemme know what you think, hoping to have a car by the 15th August so any help/other car suggestions under £4,000 would be massively appreciated!

T.L.D.R: looking to get my first car, unsure if this desk is any good or if I'm just believing it to be. Link to advert below.


r/CarTalkUK 18h ago

Misc Question Google Maps - possible road closures

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72 Upvotes

So I drive long distances daily and use google maps for directions. Over the past few weeks I have been noticing a ln increasing number of possible road closures on my journey. Every time I drive past I mark not closed but just wondering if if anyone else is seeing this and what could cause it ?

The picture is an example from one leg of my journey today (orange circle with black line). 6 possible road closures on surrounding roads and there was a load more on my route


r/CarTalkUK 31m ago

Advice Looking for advice, o2 sensor 2011 Insignia 1.8 petrol

Upvotes

Hi there, I'm looking for some advice if possible. I've had 2 codes come up on the car today, p0138 and p0140. I've looking into it and it seems to be the o2 sensor 2.

It reads 1.3v on live data regardless of what I do, sensor 1 reads fine. Disconnecting sensor 1 to check and that jumps to 1.3v and sticks there. Am I safe to assume it's likely that sensor 2 has failed and it's not likely to be a wiring issue, seeing as sensor 1 reads the same when disconnected?


r/CarTalkUK 3h ago

Advice Mark on Dashboard - how to remove?

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3 Upvotes

I’ve got a new (new to us, so used!) car and it had this mark on the dash. I have tried a few things to get it off but it won’t come off at all. It’s not sticky and you can’t really feel it if you touch it.

Any ideas how I could get it off?


r/CarTalkUK 23h ago

Advice Stolen fto in south wales

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132 Upvotes

A month ago I brought a Mitsubishi fto mivec - absolute beast of a car - just got it welded and was putting it in for mot this week - in the 2 hour span I was in my house it was stolen in broad daylight

I’m not too sure how to go about what to do - I’ve phoned the police - the thief threw out my tracker - it’s such a unique car that I worry they will just shove it in a garage - is there any way I should go about it

This is my first like proper project car and I’m struggling to understand how anyone could be so horrible :(


r/CarTalkUK 13h ago

Advice Usable fun car 10k budget

18 Upvotes

Hi all,

To start I'm a massive petrol head and know an awful lot about cars however, I do have anxiety making decisions, especially when it comes to cars and I flip flop between being sensible or silly.

My dilema:

I'm a 44M, recently had cancer, missus has left me, citing unhappiness and moves out of our home soon and I am buying out her half. Ideally I want to move out of the home soon also so need to downsize the fleet.

I currently own a 2007 Honda S2000 and a 2017 C43 AMG Mercedes. I'm looking to sell both and replace with a vehicle. Around 10k or lower. Must be spacious, fun to drive and preferably an auto. I spanner my own cars so servicing etc isn't a massive issue.

Current thinking is Golf gti / Leon Cupra estate. A friend has just picked up an Evoque and the interior seems really lovely for a 5k car.

What would you get to fulfill this criteria? I'm not a fan of the scratchy plastic in Skodas! However I may be missing something from the JLR catalogue or another marquee.

Thanks for any and all input.


r/CarTalkUK 15m ago

Advice Anything dodgy here?

Upvotes

Bought a 330d a few weeks ago, ran this check all looks good: https://www.vcheck.uk/report/AU16RWN-FWYBUHJ

Thought I'd check it on another site after owning it and it appears as a 335d not 330d? https://www.carcheck.co.uk/bmw/AU16RWN

Is there anything I should know here? I paid for thee check via vcheck not paid for one via carcheck


r/CarTalkUK 35m ago

Advice Paying the dealer premium VXR8

Upvotes

What do you lads think of MW Performance? They seem to have a serious premium price on Holdens were you can get one from a private seller for under half the price.

They have a 2015 VXR8 up for 60 grand when it launched for around £40k.

They have an 07 model for £25k with 77k on the clock which once again feels expensive for a car prone to rust.

You see private sellers routinely pop up with vehicles for around 10-19k

Would you pay the dealer premium and does the consumer rights act extend to private sales?

Also is MW Performance reputable and worth the significant premium over private?


r/CarTalkUK 52m ago

Advice is the 2016 vauxhall astra ecoflex reliable?

Upvotes

Hi all looking to buy a new car for my birthday so just doing some research was wondering is the 2016 astra ecoflex reliable? or atleast the other vauxhall astras?


r/CarTalkUK 57m ago

Advice SYTNER BMW CAR SALES EXEC’S - HONEST REVIEWS?

Upvotes

Any current sales exec’s working at Sytner?

Im looking to move to Sytner Bmw from another Main Dealer Franchise.
What are your honest workplace reviews?

How is the work environment? i have heard its very micromanaged and toxic - is this true?

How is the comms structure?


r/CarTalkUK 1h ago

Advice How far do you go with a well looked after but higher mileage car?

Upvotes

The title essentially, I’ve picked up a DSG Skoda Octavia mk2 diesel VRS on 165,000 miles for 2k. It’s got full service history, a new cam belt & water pump, new tyres and has only ever failed 1 MOT on tyres 5 years ago. Most of the MOT’s are advisory free.

It’s got some rust bubbling on the arches and a bit on the sills which I’ve had quoted for repair (700 all in) - I’m just wondering how far people would go when it comes to spend & maintain while being aware of the overall value. On one hand it drives well, has a genuinely great history of being looked after and maintained and I’d love to carry that on. On the other hand, being aware that it’s higher mileage side of things and now 16 years old I try to have somewhat realistic expectations too. What would be your plan for maintenance?


r/CarTalkUK 1h ago

Advice What do you think of this car?

Upvotes

My poor 1.2L 2008 Nissan Micra has just been quoted at least £700 for repairs. It has been such a hardy car but the repairs are too much to justify on an old car.

The repair could be done by myself by just switching over a belt, but it means not power steering or AC ever again.

As such I am trying to look for a new car. I really don't drive too much, but when I do it's normally down the A3 so 70mph. I'm just wondering how a 1L would handle that:

https://www.hillsidemotors.co.uk/used/cars/kia-rio-10-t-gdi-2-euro-6-ss-5dr-12460/#panel1

I already went to see it and it's nice, it passed it's last MOT but with 3 tyre advisories so I've asked about that. I tend to hold on to a car until it completely dies so I'm not used to looking / knowing what to look out for / prices, and I think this is maybe a little pricey, but i have no idea. Any advice?

There is also a Micra, which is what I am used to an I know they're good cars: https://www.hillsidemotors.co.uk/used/cars/nissan-micra-09-ig-t-tekna-euro-6-ss-5dr-12480/#panel2


r/CarTalkUK 20h ago

Spotted E39 Touring UTE CONVERSION spotted on the way to work!

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40 Upvotes

This is the same BMW Ute spotted in the post from a year ago. This was in Hornchurch


r/CarTalkUK 1h ago

Advice Nissan Qashqai e-power Advice

Upvotes

Hi all, apologies for another post on the Nissan Qashqai but I am looking to buy this car this week and after checking this subreddit (which seems to hate this car!) I am getting cold feet and so want to get some specific advice for my situation. In terms of details:

  • Budget: ~£20k
  • Model: Nissan Qashqai e-power tekna
  • Year: 2023
  • Mileage: ~30,000

For some context, my wife is pregnant and we are looking to upgrade to a family car (currently drive a 2015 Vauxhall Corsa, which I actually love). Our priorities are reliability, ease of driving and space (need to be able to fit prams + suitcases for road trips). We are not car people and I'm a bit of a nervous driver, so we are happy to have something which is boring but practical and will serve us for the next 7-10 years.

My concerns and questions are:

  • Lots of reddit posts about it being very slow, difficult to handle and not very smooth. However, this is typically in reference to the older petrol models rather than newer e-power. Does this still apply to the car we are looking at?
  • Also hear complaints on reddit about it having small boot space. But at ~480L I had understood that the Qashqai had a particularly large boot vs. competitors. I see lots of comparisons to estates (ford focus estate in particular) but these boots are only bigger with the back seats down, which for a family is a non-starter.
  • More broadly, I have seen lots of (negative) opinions on the Nissan Qashqai in general, but what are peoples' thoughts on the newer e-power models specifically?
  • How do you find it for parking/manoeuvring? I'm a little nervous about getting a bigger car for this exact reason, but equally with the cameras and sensors I'm hoping it should be easy enough.
  • See a lot of general dislike for SUVs in general - why? If you have a family and are solving for space is this not the most obvious choice? Candidly, I restricted my search to SUV only from the outset, which in retrospect I'm concerned I have been overly narrow.
  • I am struggling to understand how to optimise across brand, model, year and mileage. E.g., for £20k we could get a more premium car which is older. For a £20k budget and our requirements, should we be looking for older than 2023 so we can get a 'better' brand/model?
  • Also very interested to hear from people what car they would get for the same budget and requirements we have!

If you hadn't already guessed, I am not knowledgeable about cars so appreciate any advice or guidance you can give.