James Ruppert: why cash is king for used cars

Well, here’s a surprise: paying up front for a car is increasingly falling out of favour with UK drivers, according to research from Close Brothers Motor Finance. Apparently, the proportion of drivers saying they will opt for finance, leasing or renting for their next car has increased by 6% (from 37% of total buyers in the car market in 2018 to 43% now). This trend is driven by the young, 60% of whom will borrow, lease or rent to acquire their cars, with the majority saying this was for lifestyle reasons rather than financial ones. Although paying for a car up front is the most common way of purchasing a car, the proportion planning to do this for their next car fell from 63% in 2018 to 57% this year. So, yes, paying with cash is going out of fashion and that is very understandable for those who want a simple, uncomplicated and rather more expensive life. At our end of things, rather than stumping up an initial deposit and then finding the easy monthly payments, you know what to do. Buy affordably used. And £5000 always seems to me like a sensibly solid budget to play with. The first thing I see is a Land Rover Freelander, which is becoming something of an obsession. To me, it is an alt-Defender, at least until we become either happy or sad about the new one. So £5000 for a 2008 2.2 TD4 SE with a panoramic roof, leather and Bluetooth seems very reasonable, even with 106,000 miles. Probably the most sensible family hatch of all would be a 2011 Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Zetec with just 57,000 miles. It has a full-up Ford service history and you will pay just £20 road tax. It may be evil diesel but officially you’ll get 67.3mpg, although anything near 60 is great going. This is a real no-brainer to buy. Actually, if you need a cheeky little hatch that’s more recent, I’d steer in the direction of a 2015 Fiat 500 1.2 – a Pop Star model with 26,000 miles. Finished in white with air-con and service history, this is a pretty little thing to use on your daily commute. If you just want to look dead smart, how about a 2012 Volkswagen Passat 2.0 TDI BlueMotion Tech Sport? That’s another 60mpg motor right there and all that sophistication for £5000, plus it looked as clean as a whistle and don’t worry about the verified 112,000 miles. Why bother going down the PCP route when there are beauties like this? Paying for cash may be going out of fashion, but at least our old banger won’t depreciate or get repossessed. What we almost bought this week Chrysler Neon 2.0 LX: ‘Over-sold and over here’ was a typical put-down for the Chrysler Neon, but there’s no denying it made an interesting alternative to a Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra. The second-generation model (2000-2005) was much improved, at least in Chrysler’s terms, and LX trim brought air-con, electric folding mirrors and leather trim. This 2004 example has done 44,000 miles and is up for £990. Tales from Ruppert’s garage For the past 40 years, my Mini Cooper has managed without a cigarette lighter. Just as well as I don’t smoke. But a 12V output might be useful in the modern world. I have never used a satnav in it (relied on maps for my last 200-mile-plus journey) and I often forget my mobile phone so don’t feel the need to charge it. Anyway, I thought I would install one that I bought for a tenner. It took me a while to sort out because I am no electrician but, hey, we have some power. Not sure what I am going to do with it. The suspension is still broken. Reader’s ride James McKinney is a regular on this page and here is something special. “Our fun car for high days and Sundays is an 11-reg Saab 9-3 convertible,” he says. “It has a 2.0 turbo petrol engine and auto ’box. We bought it in July 2016 with only 7000 miles up by one previous owner and with a full Saab service history. It currently has less than 20,000 miles on the clock. “It is a lovely car to drive and has all of Saab’s renowned safety features. It exhibits virtually no scuttle shake and the build quality is very impressive. Not surprising given Saab’s avowed intention was to produce a convertible that was better than its BMW or Mercedes equivalent. In my view, having owned both of the German marques, it definitely is superior.” Readers’ questions Question: I’m tempted by a new-model BMW 320d Touring but would a nearly new, old-shape one be a more sensible purchase? Gary White, Southampton Answer: We know you just want permission to have the new-shape model. And why not? We tested the saloon and gave it five stars. BMW promises the new Touring will “handle even better” than the old one. Add in its three-year warranty, tempting finance deals… It’s a no-brainer, except that we found an old-shape 2019/68-reg 320d M Sport Shadow Edition auto Touring with 1800 miles for £24,889, compared with £38,955 when new and £39,825 for a new-shape 320d M Sport Touring auto. A saving of £15,000 sounds pretty sensible to us. John Evans Question: I’ve seen a 2015/15-
Origin: James Ruppert: why cash is king for used cars

James Ruppert: why cash still reigns supreme

James Ruppert: The cars that cost least in maintenance bills

I like it when companies tell us how much cars cost to fix and which ones break down. So thank you to the whocanfixmycar.com people, who have crunched the numbers to reveal which cars cost a bomb to repair and which don’t. In theory, this should be our banger buying guide. The criteria is how much each car costs to maintain at different ages, from brand new to 15 years old, and there’s an average cost for each car per year. Each figure includes servicing, MOT and any unexpected repairs. Well, here’s a favourite of ours, a BMW 5 Series, which sits at the very top of the ‘most expensive cars to fix’ list. There does not seem to be any qualification, but certainly recent-era ones aren’t a cheap fix. Indeed, a Bavarian specialist once told me that the E39 generation was the last truly fixable 5 Series. With that in mind and ignoring the fact that E39s are more than 15 years old now, let’s get ourselves a nice one for just £1500. That will bag you a 2003 520i ES with 120,000 miles. It’s got those nice star alloy wheels and automatic ’box, and being a petrol, I think it will be pretty reliable. The stats, though, say it will cost £585 a year to sort out. You might get away with it, but I’m not so sure about a 2006 530d Sport with 185,000 miles at £1950. It was a dealer part-exchange and even they admitted that it needed some TLC. Not far behind at £557 per year is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. They look small, cool and unfussy now and a 100,000-mile 2007 C200 Kompressor Sport Edition with a fresh air-con condenser is £2490. Then there is the Volkswagen Passat, with a £543 bill. That’s a surprise because they seem to gobble up huge mileages with not too much bother. Certainly, the estates are wonderful luggers. A 2002 1.8 Turbo SE with 100,000 miles, a proper old-school petrol estate with a full year’s MOT, is just £900. After the Passat, it is more BMWs, with the 1 Series costing £518 to fix and the 3 Series £486. We’re running out of space here and obviously should have been focusing on the five cheapest cars to maintain. A Fiat Punto is at number one (£255) although, in my experience, every single used one needs at least that to struggle through an MOT. After the Fiat comes a Peugeot 206, then a Mercedes A-Class, Citroën C4 and Renault Mégane. Actually, those French cars always seem to need a lot of fettling after the first year of ownership. Maybe, though, it didn’t amount to more than £250. What we take away from this is avoid premium-brand used cars. What we almost bought this week Reliant Scimitar: Some people sell their car because they fancy a change, others because they’re worried it’s about to go pop, but the seller of this 40,000-mile, 1982 X-reg Scimitar 2.8 GTE auto, on which “thousands of pounds” have been lavished, claims he’s selling simply because he’s “unable to get in or out of it any more”. It’ll happen to us one day. Tales from Ruppert’s garage Just in case you wondered, the Baby Shark failed its MOT. The horn didn’t horn. That was it. But that really didn’t matter as it’s remaining in situ at the garage to have rather a lot of other things attended to. Not the least the fact that it is not keen on starting. At least I have a spare Weber carburettor to donate. Also, the fact that 16-year-old tyres passed the MOT should be a concern and I have decided to replace them all at no small damage to my bank balance. Contributions, please, to the usual channels. Reader’s ride Here’s Ross Neil’s latest buy. “It’s a 2012 A8 L 4.2 TDI SE Executive, 61k miles, full service history, £15k from a BMW dealer who took it as a trade-in. “They had already advertised and sold it, but when that customer’s finance fell through, it meant it was hanging about the forecourt longer than they wanted. I stepped in and got, to my mind, a cracking deal. “The alloys need repainting. I used that as a bargaining tool and got £500 off. I traded in my 2006 Jag XJ diesel and got £1800 for that so I’m delighted.” Readers’ questions Question: I’ve been declined motor finance but am convinced lenders are mistaken about my situation. What can I do? Nick Rowntree, via email Answer: Ask the last lender you dealt with which credit reference agency they use. There are three: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. Contact them asking to see your credit history. Ignore their request for payment: it’s a free service. You only pay for extras, if you want them. Check your file for errors or misunderstandings. If you find any, inform the agency and have a note attached explaining why you dispute them. Lenders must take this into account. Finally, don’t make multiple applications because they’ll count against you. John Evans Question: I’m in the happy position of being able to afford a new car but should I buy nearly new instead? Sophie Whittingham, Rickmansworth Answer: Autocar sibling title What Car? recently reported that to drive sales of new cars, dealers are offering discounts
Origin: James Ruppert: The cars that cost least in maintenance bills

James Ruppert: why petrol compact SUVs rule the classifieds

I do love stats which tell a story, and some I’ve come across recently are rather relevant to what is happening in the current used car market. According to some figures from Indicata, petrol engines dominated the list of the fastest-selling used cars for April, accounting for 70% of the top 10 compiled by Indicata. So yes, petrol is the fuel that the used car buyer truly understands – and they remain terrified of diesel. Forecourt sales staff will tell you of the reluctance they encounter when it comes to oil-burners. The models at the top end of the fast sellers list include the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Ford Ecosport and Vauxhall Mokka. The used car market is therefore petrol SUV-shaped at the moment, in particular the dinkier, more compact ones. That inspired me to go super-cheap-car shopping for something similar, but rather more Banger. I may be odd but I’m always looking at Land Rover Freelanders, not least because I can’t help thinking that the new Defender should look like this, but probably won’t. Just £595 gets me into a 2003 1.8 Maasai with an MOT and recent service to its name. A lovely looking three-door. But Land Rover’s marginal reliability is a worry for some, including me, and that might send me into the welcoming, alt-Defender style of a Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin GDi Equippe. It too is from 2003 and is up for just £595. Five doors, spare wheel on the tailgate. Fantastic. Then there’s an old-school Kia Sportage 2.0 XSE, which actually does not look so cool now. Just old. This 2002 with less than 80,000 miles is – guess what? – £595, and the dealer was selling it with a year’s breakdown cover. Then again, there’s a Honda HR-V 1.6, which is way cooler than the latest one. This 2000 example had covered just over 100,000 miles and seemed quite tidy, although they can cause trouble if less than pristine. Quite an old vehicle now but I’d still take the risk. A bright spot in the stats is the BMW 3 Series, which is the only saloon in the top ten. Obviously that is the sort of transport I’d buy, and the bigger the engine the better. There are some cheap 3 Series around. I liked the look of a £500 318i, but really it was a 2001 330i SE saloon with 99,000 miles, 12 months’ MOT, and all for £1900 all in. The gearbox is automatic, which may put some people off, but really, a light blue BMW saloon with a big engine is just about perfect. So there we have it: the fastest-selling used cars are petrols – usually with faux off-road bodies on top. We can save the day, though, by turning towards six-cylinder Bavarian saloons. There is hope. What we almost bought this week Blink and you’ll have missed this large family car when it was new (2005-’07). Shame, since the model was well built and reliable. We found a tidy 2006-reg Eleganza with 57,000 miles on the clock and a new timing belt on the engine. In addition to this 1.8 petrol there was a 2.2 and a trio of diesels, including a 2.4 making a useful 200bhp. Tales from Ruppert’s garage Innocenti Mini, mileage – 6759: Just to let you know that the Italian Mini I bought earlier this year still exists. It failed its MOT in fairly spectacular fashion: the brakes weren’t very good and, of course, there was rust. Loads of it. There’s not enough room here to detail what’s been happening and I may well go away and write a book about the whole experience. For the moment, though, I’ll just stick to the MOT, which it didn’t even need to be subjected to – and that should scare every road user out there. Reader’s ride Dave Bardsley is back: “My previous Bangernomics Kia Sportage failed its MOT and needed a sum in the hundreds and starting with a ‘3’ to pass, so I bought this 2007 Hyundai Tucson for £1795. It’s got 88,000 miles on it and an MOT until next February, so I’m looking forward to some hassle-free motoring. It’s a lot of metal and gizmos for the money, all electric and a split tailgate. It’s even got a remote-controlled radio.” Readers’ questions Question: I’m considering buying my next car at auction. Are there any guarantees or recourse if I buy a dud? Jason Townes, Epsom, Surrey Answer: Choose your auction carefully. Larger operators such as BCA have detailed terms and conditions that outline what you should expect and offer indemnities should a vehicle be incorrectly described. They also guarantee that good title is transferred to the buyer. If a vehicle’s mileage is warranted, then that should be correct. BCA also offers the Assured scheme, an independent multi-point check by the AA to ensure buyers have accurate information relating to the mechanical condition. Remember that it is up to you to check the car’s overall visible condition prior to the sale, as these parts of the car are always sold ‘as seen’. John Evans Question: My Mazda MX-5’s windscreen needs replacing but I’m worried about the accuracy of the driver assist systems, which use sensors mounted on the screen. Colin Gordon, Devizes, Wiltshire
Origin: James Ruppert: why petrol compact SUVs rule the classifieds

James Ruppert: In celebration of the long-reigning Ford Fiesta

You can rely on the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) to pump out some statistics on a regular basis. I’m just not sure whether they are on the side of Bangernomics and appreciate the importance of the used car market. They seem genuinely surprised when it is doing well. However, the used car market does seem to be down, by just 0.6%, year on year with more than two million transactions. There is inevitably a 30.7% growth in demand for hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure-electric cars, as a trifling 32,272 change hands. As ever, superminis are by far the most popular used buy, at 676,395, accounting for a third of sales and 6000 up on last year’s period. I won’t bore you with the most popular colour, but I will with the top-of-the-pops model: the perennial Ford Fiesta. A total of 92,798 Fiestas found homes and it is easy to see why: they are great little buses. Obviously, I cannot resist travelling back in time to find a 2001 1.3 Flight with a full service history and just 35,000 miles. You might think it would be £20,000 or something based on recent trends but, no, it’s a very reasonable £365. Not the prettiest Fiesta, but not a fish face. Those are a few hundred quid and becoming ironic classics. Mind you, a 1997 Fiesta 1.25 LX with a ‘pensioner owner’ (their words) and another one of those full service histories is just £495. Another point to bear in mind is the Fiesta remains a performance icon and an old-fashioned category D 2.0 ST from 2008 would, in the seller’s words, make an “ideal track project” and costs just £799. Otherwise, it is a 2016 ST-Line Fiesta with 41,000 miles at £9500, which certainly looks the part. Or you can up your game to a 2018 1.5-litre Ecoboost ST-2 with 5000 miles for £19,400. Then again, a 2006 2.0 ST with 100,000 miles is just £1795. Today, we’d call it a compact SUV or a crossover, but back in 2003 when the Streetwise was launched, it was called an urban on-roader. It was based on the Rover 25 hatchback and, to justify its name, was jacked up and given a tough-looking bodykit. This 2005-reg example is a one-owner car in immaculate condition. It has just 32,000 miles on the clock and is £995. Tales from Ruppert’s garage The Cooper doesn’t have any front suspension. You know that already if you’ve driven an old one, but mine has actually broken. The strut on both sides has busted, so that’s down to rubbish parts because these are just a few years old. Effectively, I have modern sports suspension. It is still drivable and nippy with added ‘slammed’ suspension. I can barely get a finger between tyre and wheel arch. It is a good look, but just when I thought all the traumas were over for 2019, the little car will have to be sorted out again. Reader’s ride Jim McKinney likes his bangers. “Our main car is an 04-reg RAV4 3dr petrol automatic,” he says. “We bought it in January this year. It’s our sixth RAV4 since 2002. Apart from being extremely reliable and reasonably cheap to maintain, they drive very well. They are really durable and very rust resistant, too. “Ours may be 15 years old, but with only 33,000 miles, one previous owner and a full Toyota service history, it drives and looks like a new car. It averages 32mpg-plus, which is pretty good considering.” Readers’ questions Question: Can you point me towards cars with cooled seats, because last year, my car’s air-con system was totally overwhelmed. I have around £15,000 to spend. David Hopgood, Chester Answer: You should have no trouble finding a new or used car with ventilated seats these days. They include the Premium-spec Hyundai i40, Ford Mondeo and Edge in Titanium and Vignale trims, Kia Optima 3 and Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport Elite Nav. High-spec Mondeos have had them for some years and £15,000 will buy a 2017 2.0 TDCi Titanium 5dr with 15,000 miles. John Evans Question: Naturally, as a loyal customer, my motor insurance renewal has gone up. Have you any tips for reducing my premium, other than going elsewhere? Sue Baker, Wimbledon Answer: First, if your insurer is listed on a comparison website, get a fresh quote on your current terms. Doubtless, it’ll be lower than you’re paying at present as the system thinks you’re new business. Next, armed with the website’s quote, contact your insurer direct and tell them their renewal is too high and that you’re considering leaving. Then hit them with their much lower online quote and see if that stirs them into action. It has certainly worked for me. John
Origin: James Ruppert: In celebration of the long-reigning Ford Fiesta

James Ruppert: the future of the banger is in danger

I must say I’m a bit concerned about the future of the banger. In 10 or 20 years’ time, I may be too incoherent and senile to care, but right now, it doesn’t look that good. Insurers Admiral did the usual attention-seeking thing and revealed that there are just 799 Ford Granadas in circulation. Or at least on our roads. Well, that always happens: what was once street furniture eventually, through natural wastage and rust, becomes a rarity. This isn’t bangers dying out: it is just them becoming classics. What is supposed to happen is that you move on to the next generation of neglected and overlooked 2000-onwards motors. Things like a Honda Civic, which is a recurring favourite of yours. A 2001 Civic 1.4i with 112,000 miles as an unwanted dealer part-exchange costs £295. It has those massive wide-eyed headlights and just some age-related cosmetic marks and knocks. That’s value for money right there. The Toyota equivalent is the Corolla. A 1997 1.6 GS can still do a job, especially at £475, which seems rather pricey actually, but if it never breaks down, then that’s a just-add-petrol situation. The point I am making here is that these are the utterly reliables that have proved themselves in the real world. However, the next generation of potential bangers is not looking good. A reader writes – and I will protect his identity – that he has recently spent quality time delivering hire cars and what he is experiencing is not great when it comes to wear and tear. Obviously, hire cars lead a very hard life indeed, but these are 19-plate vehicles and are no more than 10 weeks old and with mileages that are less than 1500. So let’s start with some worn carpets on a Hyundai i10 and Honda Jazz. More serious is a service light being on at 3500 miles with a Ford Tourneo Courier. Annoying is a frozen touchscreen on a Ford Focus and irritating, especially for neighbours, is a repeated alarm activation on a Citroën C4 Cactus. Driver’s door switches not working on a Mini Countryman need to be snagged and false tyre pressure warnings on both a Jazz and a Mitsubishi Outlander are a surprise. Our undercover correspondent signed off with a “Best of luck buying a banger in 10 to 15 years’ time”. He has a point. Cars are now needlessly complicated. It is disturbing that the cars he is driving are box fresh and already showing signs of failure. I spent some time with a major supplier of warranties called Motoreasy. They have the real-world stats, which identify repeat reliability offenders. Maybe I’ll tell you some real-life breakdown stories soon. What we almost bought this week The 1.8T is the orphan in the Mk1 range but no matter: this one, a 2002-reg with 112,000 miles, looks like a bargain. It’s got full service history, claims the private seller, and has had just three previous owners. This should go in its favour – except for the fact that they could all have been animals behind the wheel. Tales from Ruppert’s garage My 1964 Mini, which has been piling on the miles recently, made a guest appearance at the Autocar Awards and was in a little film that was shown on the night. I made the epic journey. Well, it was only a 250-ish-mile round trip, and blimey was it noisy. I usually do half-hour blasts, but six hours at 250dB was rather tiring for someone of my age, but huge fun. I will give it a quick once-over because it is due an MOT. Legally, it doesn’t need one, but one would be stupid not to. Reader’s ride Steve Lee is giving us an update on his Fabia 1.9 TDI estate: “It is not far short of 177,000 miles. It was originally for my son, who needed something cheap and economical. Once he had finished with it, I took it over and used it for work and now my wife uses it. “During its time with us, it took four of us and a boot load to near Frankfurt and back at 60mpg. That was when it had done 144,000 miles. Since then, I’ve used it to move the contents of my daughter’s flat, twice. “While we’ve had it, it has had only routine maintenance and servicing, a couple of front dampers, rear door locking solenoids, two brake light switches and a few minor things. I have done all the work myself. It’s been the best car I’ve ever had and I’ve had a few.” Question: I’ve got £5000 to spend on a first car for my 18-year-old daughter. Is this enough or would I be better off paying a smaller deposit and £100 a month for something newer? Gordon Turner, Bedford Answer: For £100 a month and a £200 deposit, you could get her a 2016 Renault Twingo with 27,000 miles but that’s a four-year PCP with an optional final payment of £2300. Simply put, you’ve paid £5000 over the term but still don’t own the car. So see if you can persuade her to take a 2015 Skoda Citigo SE with 38,000 miles for £5000 dead – no deposit, no monthly payments and she can part-ex it any time. John Evans Question: I’ve been observed doing 38mph in a 30mph zone by speed watch volunteers. I was caught doing the same speed by police in
Origin: James Ruppert: the future of the banger is in danger

James Ruppert: big, old diesels are proper pocket pleasers

I’m glad the majority of you see the sheer good sense in not ruling out those dirty diesels from your used car deliberations. Certainly, recent diesels have a pretty clean bill of health. Richard is one of you correct thinkers who liked my diesel saloon piece. “A used diesel saloon really is a shrewd commuter car but an estate is even better!” he says. “My philosophy is to have a cheap-as-chips Citroën C5 diesel estate as the daily driver, which is economical, smooth, quiet and comfortable, and is the ideal calm and tranquil commuter. What’s more, it’s only worth insuring third party, and it’s no slouch on long journeys either. This lets me afford a luxobarge for the weekend and my Mercedes S600L fulfils that role to perfection.” Richard is clearly doing Bangernomics right and I am glad that the C5 is serving him well. He’s dead right about estate cars. The SUV is apparently killing them off but just for now there are plenty around and, in practical terms, they are unbeatable. Not least because they are not carting around tons of extra metal, propshafts and other space-robbing, economy-sapping ballast. I would be inclined to go for the nominally more reliable product with a Japanese badge, even though they are not fully on board the diesel train, because the engines are damned reliable. The Honda Accord may have a sloping roof, but here is one of the prettier estates in circulation. If we only want to spend £1500, then that will buy a 2006 two-owner 2.2 i-CTDi EX with 150,000 miles. The combined consumption is officially 47.9mpg, so it ought to do a solid 45mpg. Otherwise, a Toyota Avensis is the rather more blunt-fronted affair and, again for £1500, you will get a 2007 2.2 D-4D T-Spirit with 150,000 miles. The one I came across was all ready to roll with a full MOT from a dealer. Then there is the Mazda 6. A 2004 2.0 TD TS2 with 106,000 miles and an absolute ton of history from a dealer was a tempting £990. Alternatively, a much more recent 2010 2.2 D TS with 165,000 miles is a realistic £1794. One of the biggest and most practical of all the real-world diesel estates has to be the Ford Mondeo. There is such a huge classified ad choice, which is always good news. I rather liked the fact that it is possible to get a 2008 2.0 TDCi Titanium with 159,000 miles, also for £1500. Unless you want an old-shape 2006 2.0 LX with 101,000 miles, which is a part-exchange clearance. I sort of love both and am sure Richard would too. What we almost bought this week “Always had oil and filters changed yearly.” It’s a good start to any used car ad and certainly caught our eye. The 2004-reg Clio Extreme has done 100,000 miles and, says the private seller, “has never let me down and is mechanically fine”. Begs the question why sell it – but, at £250, it’s got to be cheaper than taking the train. Tales from Ruppert’s garage Just to let you know that the fuel line was fixed. I got so covered in gunk patching it up, I let my local garage finish the dirty work and also make the headlamps work again as there was a rogue earth connection. Meanwhile, the driver’s side sliding window popped out again. My mistake: I slammed the door without the window being shut. I remember 99% of the time, but I forgot just the once and there it was on my lap again. Hopefully that is it for the Lorry, as there are now so many stories to tell about the other sorry members of the fleet. A to Z Bangerpedia J is for Honda Jazz: What we have here is a compact hatchback that nonetheless has lots of flexible space inside. Yes, the Jazz is such an ingenious little car, it is hard to find a rival model that is any better. The well-proportioned small-people-carrier styling is a key reason why the Jazz works so well. At the back is a very large boot and the load area can be changed easily. Simply fold the rear seats into the footwells for a completely flat floor or just fold the seat bases forward to effectively create two separate boot areas. It is very clever and all passengers appreciate the extra head and leg room. The high driving position is great for the driver and there is lots of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel. Under the bonnet is a highly efficient 1.4-litre petrol engine that delivers almost 50mpg across the range. A 2003 1.4 i-DSi SE is £490. Readers’ questions Question: My four-year-old Peugeot 308 is starting to develop problems, but is almost at the end of its PCP. Am I tied to Peugeot for its replacement? Donald Stewart, Kirkcudbright Answer: Fortunately, under the terms of a PCP, you can offer your Peugeot to any car dealer in part-exchange for another – be it a new or used Peugeot, or another make entirely. Peugeot Finance, or whoever stumped up your loan on your 308, is only interested in getting back the money it’s owed. Whichever dealer you go to will contact it to establish the car’s so-called settlement figure. Assuming they think your 308 is worth this sum and that you plan to buy
Origin: James Ruppert: big, old diesels are proper pocket pleasers

James Ruppert: when it comes to second-hand EVs, buy mainstream

If you read this column often, you will probably have gathered by now that I am EV-sceptic. Used EVs are a thing and I concede that, for some, they can make some sort of practical sense, if you’re a milkman. However, if you start doing the CO2 calculations, it all becomes rather harder to justify batteries as a method of environmentally responsible propulsion. As we all know, Bangernomics is the only way to drive with a jolly green conscience. But, hey, I like to do my bit for the home-grown car industry, so I was pleased to read that there was a Me (micro electric) car apparently being built in north London that costs a substantial £12,000. It looked like a Jeep that had been shrunk in the wash. These days, however, there is something called the interweb and, pretty quickly, you find that you could have bought one of these in China for three grand a few years back. So that didn’t go very well. This brings us to the electrification of classic cars, which seems to be breaking out all over the place. If it is your car and you want to do that, knock yourself out. Have fun. I don’t care. When it comes to commercial operations, I’m not quite so sure. Aston Martin DB6s converted by Aston Martin to EVs (and fully reversible) is presumably a pricey PR exercise. Even if someone buys them. A colossal amount of money is being pumped into one company that specialises in converting classics to battery-fy Fiat 500s and Ferrari 308s. What a colossal waste of finite resources that is. It is a pointless virtue-signalling exercise. So I asked to speak to the founder, who suddenly became unwell, and then someone else important, who went very quiet. I thought journalists were supposed to ask questions? Silly old sceptical me. The toy-town battery cars are promoted on the basis that they are Ultra Low Emission Zone-compliant, but so is a historic vehicle, making the whole convert-a-classic thing redundant. Never mind: don’t buy a brand-new Chinese battery pseudo toy car when you can buy a Nissan Leaf with airbags and everything: £5995 gets you a 100,000-mile 2012 example, which at least proves they will do some solid service. Dealer ones are £6995 and I am sure that there are plenty of years left in them yet. Much cuter Renault Zoes seem to have lower mileages and broadly similar prices. A 2014 one with 40k miles is around £6750. If you love EVs, great. There are more to choose from and it’s best to buy major-manufacturer examples. Meanwhile, the rest of us still have plenty of fossil options. As long as that continues, we have a credible rather than artificial marketplace. What we almost bought this week Citroen ZX 1.4 3-door And still the 1990s producesgems, such as this one-owner,1995 M-reg ZX 1.4 with 85,000miles for just £395. With thatkick in the window line, thethree-door is a pretty thing,and because ZXs are light, ithas a decent turn of speed. Themodel handles and rides well,too. Still holding out for a 2.0Volcane, though. Tales from Ruppert’s garage Porsche Cayenne, mileage – 101,500 There was definitely a coolant leak. I got right underneath butcould not see exactly where it was coming from. The curse ofthe engine cover. Anyway, I asked my local garage to take alook, which they did. They burrowed as far as they could andlocated the leak to somewhere at the back of the engine anddribbling down the gearbox. The leak is not colossal. So we have decided to live with it and,later in the year when we have more time, will ask a specialist toget stuck in – unless they suggest it will cost a million pounds. Bangerpedia A-Z: P is for Patrol The Nissan Patrol has always been one of the biggest andcrudest 4x4s you can buy. This revised version from1998 onwards was much friendlier than before,though. There’s acres of space inside that huge bodyand five-door models even provide seven seats.Luggage space is more than adequate, too. Buildquality is good and overall the ride is acceptable.Arguably, this is an alternative Toyota Land Cruiser,but cheaper and duller. A seven-seat 2004 3.0Di SVEwith 120k miles is £4450. Readers’ questions Question: I’m a shy and retiring21-year-old aboutto buy my first car.Everyone tells me I shouldhaggle but how, and what ifthe salesman just says ‘no’?What then? Damon Cliffe, via email Answer: First, go online to get a feel forprices. Now you can negotiateintelligently, but only when you’vechecked the car, test driven itand believe it’s the one you want.Confidently state your offer. A good salespersonwill try to talk you round to a number they believeis fair to you both. Keep giving those signals thattell them you’ll deal today if the number’s a bitfairer to you. At all times, be friendly but firm –and lose the shyness. John Evans Question: I’m torn betweena one-year-oldHyundai Tucson S1.6 GDi with 15,000 miles for£13,995 and a new DaciaDuster Comfort 1.6 SCe115 for £13,400. Which oneshould I buy? Angus Crawford, Fife Answer: The Duster is a great alternative tomore
Origin: James Ruppert: when it comes to second-hand EVs, buy mainstream

James Ruppert: Ignore the mileage, focus on condition

‘Clocking’ is the ancient art of changing the mileage on used cars, which should be called what it actually is: fraud. Oh, and it seems to be getting much worse. Here is a long-established stat: the car check people at HPI estimate that one in three cars that they check every year has a hidden history. Apparently, used car buyers now have a one-in-14 chance of purchasing a vehicle with a mileage discrepancy, which is extremely concerning. Well, that’s HPI’s take on it. I am so old I can look at something I wrote about this 19 years ago. Back in 2000, the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) said that it could “eradicate this problem once and for all” by logging the miles at every service, MOT and bodyshop pit stop. And yet the problem is still here and at apparently an all-time high. You would have thought that lowering the mileage to boost the value of a used car would have gone away by now. Especially as the 1980s digital dashboards and mileage readouts were supposed to be tamper-proof. Well, it didn’t take long for a criminal with a laptop to work that one out. A radical one-point plan is simply do nothing. Just rename the odometer, or milometer, as the service interval indicator. So when you go and buy a car, look a little further than the row of digits. Concentrate on the condition. In that case, let’s look at these. Avoid the MOT failures, ‘needs work’ and ‘spares or repair’ bunch and seek out a frog-eye 2005 Nissan Micra 1.2 S three-door with 208,000 miles at £400 and apparently in good working order. That’s a wonderful starter car if it all holds together. For a little more practicality, a 2007 Skoda Fabia estate in Elegance trim and a 1.9 TDI PD diesel engine seems to wear its 280,000 miles rather well. Charging £490 for it seems jolly reasonable and it is a dealer part-exchange as well, which often means that it is decent but they struggle to get anything remotely retail with those miles. Oh, and what is it with Skodas these days, which are like old-school redacted Volkswagens? A 2008 Octavia 1.9 TDI Classic with a staggering 318,000 miles and a year’s MOT for £490. Fantastic. If you want something posher, a 2003 Volvo S60 2.4 D5 SE with 250,000 miles and a year’s MOT is just £799. But here is a real head scratcher: a 2011 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 2.0 JTDM-2 Veloce with 206,000 miles for £1850. A pattern emerges here in that all these mega-mileage cars are those evil diesels. Okay, they will cost a bit to sort out when they go wrong, but they do seem to be capable of some serious mileage – clocked or not. What we almost bought this week The Accord coupé of 1998-2001 was a stylish and, in 197bhp 3.0-litre V6 guise, potent motor that deserved a better reception than it got. We found a 1999/T-reg with 140,000 miles for £800. With just three owners from new and “no issues”, save for a broken wiper, it prompts the question: what stopped us? Tales from Ruppert’s garage Well, this wasn’t good. It happened rather suddenly one Friday when the Lorry sprang a leak. First thoughts were oil, because it looked very oily. I assumed a seal had gone on the transfer box or something, looking at the location. Oddly enough, I’d been pre-booked to pick up a massively heavy old sofa to add to the old sofas we already have. When I got back, I looked underneath and clearly it was fuel. The flexible part of the line had been holed. It was messy, but packaging wrap and gaffer tape made for a temporary fix. Irritating. A to Z Bangerpedia A is for Audi A3: Here it is, a small quality hatch that you’d be proud to own. There is a great range of engines. Some argue that the petrol 1.6s are not that sporty, but they are more than adequate for most buyers who just want a posh hatch. If you want to get places, though, there is a 2.0 turbo, while the 3.2 V6 is sensationally quick. Buy the five-door if you often take more than one passenger but the three-door is great otherwise. Reliability has been fairly average. Still, a decent 1999 1.9 TDI is £695 with 150k miles and 10 months’ MOT. Readers’ questions Question: I’m replacing a Peugeot 208 GTi. I have £5000, do 8000 miles a year and want something that’s as sporty. It must be reliable and have done less than 50,000 miles. Shaun Riordan, Bracknell Answer: You need a Skoda Fabia 1.4 TSI vRS DSG. With 178bhp, it can crack 0-62mph in 7.3sec and is an agreeable little handler. Being a Skoda, it’s practical and will never let you down. We saw a lovely one-owner 2010 car with 46k miles and full service history for £5k. John Evans Question: Can you fry an EV’s battery by fast-charging it? A lithium battery costs up to £1000 – a considerable expense. Ken Bashorun, via email Answer: Fast-charging a lithium ion battery can cause it significant stress but EVs have systems that help manage the process. In any case, a good-quality fast-charger should match its charge rate with the battery’s ability to absorb it. Check if the
Origin: James Ruppert: Ignore the mileage, focus on condition

James Ruppert: how to take advantage of depreciation

I had to look at some stats the other day and it seems that electric cars outperform diesel and petrol when it comes to holding their value. Apparently a study of more than 7000 cars by our sister title What Car? revealed electric and hybrid models retain most value over three years and 30,000 miles, with diesels depreciating the fastest. That’s interesting, because for me it brings into sharp focus just how irrelevant resale value is. Apparently everyone now buys cars on a PCP basis, so although the future value affects the monthly payments, the used cash buyer wants to hear the bad resale news because it makes that model cheaper for them to buy. Just so you know, the new car money is going into the premium brands. They will be buying Range Rover Evoque P250 R-Dynamics, which lost the lowest percentage over three years (retaining over 70% of its £38,675 price tag) and 30,000 miles. Audi A3 e-tron, Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid and Toyota RAV4 all retain more than 63% of their purchase value in specific trim configurations. The less resilient ’lecky and hybrid cars are headed by Renault’s Zoe in R110 i Dynamique Nav trim, holding just 26.6% of its value. Meanwhile, the other high depreciators are all oil-fired and include the Fiat Doblo and Tipo, Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer and Peugeot 308 SW diesel. A prestige badge, however, does not protect anyone from a drop in value, so the Maserati Quattroporte V6 diesel, BMW 420d convertible and Jaguar XJ V6 are also at the bottom end of the chart. So there’s your instant guide to what you should be buying in a few years’ time when the PCP expires. I would leave it even longer for a full shakeout of values, and, mostly for the stupidest of reasons, it doesn’t look at all good for diesels. It’s a great time then to buy an XJ 2.7 TDVi or two as a tidy 2006 example with just over 100,000 miles is £4500 and falling. These are not skanky private sales but car dealer ones with warranties and include long-wheelbase Executive spec examples. If that’s a bit rich, drop a zero and for £450 a 2005 Renault Clio 1.5 dCi Expression with a functioning MOT is yours. It delivers EV levels of minimal cost but with a stress-free range. It will always be worth nothing, or something provided it remains roadworthy. Otherwise, the short-term future seems to be more electrified, provided, that is, you can afford the very high cost of buying a fully electric or hybrid vehicle. Unless you need to bother with congestion zones, go diesel or smaller petrol. Depreciation is always the used car buyer’s friend, although, as ever, it still pays to shop carefully. What we almost bought this week Not a patch on its predecessor, the CRX Mk2, but we’re thinking future classic here. It’s rare, it’s a sports car – of sorts – and it’s got some novel features such as its Transtop powered roof. We spotted a privately advertised 1997 P-reg 1.6 ESI with 140,000 miles, a functioning roof and a long MOT for £1650. We’ll only kick ourselves later… Tales from Ruppert’s garage Land Rover Series 3, mileage – 129,903: There I was casually filling up with petrol and something came off in my hand: the petrol cap. That’s normal, except that it’s usually attached to the car by a piece of chain so you don’t lose it in the jungle. After 35 years, it had given up being attached, which I suppose is some sort of record for a Land Rover. Anyway, I don’t think any chain ended up in the tank and all I had to do was get a pair of pliers out. A wonderfully simple distraction from the potentially fleet member-ending issue that has just reared its ugly head. Reader’s ride Colin Strickland is back and keen to give us an update on his expanding Bangernomics fleet. He says: “The £300 Focus is still going strong and has just passed its MOT, with just a new brake hose and pipe needed. It’s so good that my son set a budget of £300 for his first car. Needless to say the best value car I found was an identical Focus. It needed a new rad, but then a clutch slave cylinder went, taking the clutch with it. Still, it provides zero-deprecation, low-cost motoring and it’s just passed its MOT, too.” Readers’ questions Question: I’m changing my 11-reg Mazda 2 Sport 1.5 for something as fun to drive but more economical. I’m thinking an A-Class-sized Saab 9-2 coupé with a Scirocco-esque roofline. Any ideas? Calum Dalgetty, via email Answer: That’s some car you’re thinking of but you’ve answered your own question: a Scirocco. You say in your email that you’re a recent architecture graduate, so you’ll appreciate its concept-car styling. Meanwhile, it’s fun to drive and in diesel form will give you the economy you’re looking for. We found a 2011/11- reg 2.0 TDI with 60k miles and full Volkswagen service history for £7990. John Evans Question: I’m buying a car for my daughter and choosing between a Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 and Citroën C1. It must have a spare wheel, not a repair kit. Which of these cars does?
Origin: James Ruppert: how to take advantage of depreciation