Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

What's the best way of buying a cheapish (£5-8k) secondhand car if you know sod all about cars?

Won't be doing that many miles but will be needed for the occasional 250 mile trip up north.

I have a few options from on here as to the model (I also quite fancy a Ford B-Max, anyone know anything about them?) but what's the best way of buying something that's decent and won't end up being a money pit?

Honda jazz?

5-8 k is a tricky price range in my experience. Go top end and see if you can get something from an official dealer with a warranty?

I looooove cruise control.

Suspect your tank might be a little larger, but I can get about 350 miles out of a full tank in the 535, going 80-90ish, non-stop. I reckon you're 3 fill ups for your trip down wth half a tank left when you arrive.

Bon chance!

Mrs. Nahg recently bought a W176 A180 and the Distronic cruise control is absolutely brilliant! I'm looking forward to having some long drives but so far I'm extremely impressed!

Distronic sounds like a guitar pedal...I approve.

Ex fleet cars from places like this can be a good option. Much less hassle than a private sale although they do try to get you to take out paint protection and 3rd party warranty. You just have to keep saying "no" until they give up:

https://www.cargiant.co.uk/car/ford/b-max/KP66GPU

62 litres IIRC, 350 miles would be a record. Time to test empirically.

Comprehensive health insurance- anyone got it and can comment on how much it costs? And do you need it per country, I assume yes?

what's the best way of buying something that's decent and won't end up being a money pit?

Buy a Honda/Toyota.

Oh yeah, while I'm here, thanks everyone for warning me off the Civic with the air con issue. I think with hindsight it was best avoided.

I bought this from a nice couple in Ruislip last weekend. It's only done 67000 miles and the only niggle apart from a smashed front fog light (I've already got a replacement, just need to fit it) is the left power folding mirror which doesn't turn in sometimes. This is caused by a faulty resistor in the mirror shut off device, I tried to fit a new £1.60 resistor myself last night and cocked it up, which I'm annoyed with myself about because the replacement SOD I've just ordered cost £23. Outrageous.

After years of driving poverty spec cars I'm enjoying having luxuries like a panoramic sunroof, dual zone air con, auto lights/wipers, reversing sensors and cruise control 😂

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I love cruise control even in my little A2. However, you can get in to a smaller version of elephant racing. If I'm doing a set 73 and passing a set 72 the road is blocked for some considerable time. Unless I switch it off.

£23

Push the boat out. You're worth it.

The Civic is the most modified car in the US. Loads of aftermarket options for you.

Massive turbo, wide body kit, spoiler, tennis ball shooter exhaust, underbody glow....

That's pretty much 1% of the value of the car though!

I know they're a popular boy racer/modding option but I'll be keeping this as stock as possible.

Also given how fugly the US Civics are from that era I can see why people mod them ;)

That's pretty much 1% of the value of the car though!

My foray into my own bike mechanics was driven by the replacement costs of a cassette on a cheap hybrid. Slippery slope.

Any roofbox recommendations? Never used one before as the boot in the Octavia was huge.
Think we need about 300L - Thule worth the money over a Halfrauds?
Anyone looking to shift theirs?

Nice, I really like those Civics.

It's only done 67000 miles

Any record of cambelt change? If not, might worth doing soon.

Timing chain

It doesn't have one!

1.8 i-VTECs have a timing chain instead, which is a very good reason to buy one. It should last the life of the car, I've seen 'up to 300,000 miles' quoted too.

Very little needs doing south of 100k. The coolant needs changing at 120k IIRC. I'd be disappointed if I had to do anything major before 150k, hopefully 200k if I still have it then.

Honda make amazing engines and the engine will almost certainly outlast the rest of the car. As the world's biggest engine manufacturer they're kinda the KMC of engine makers.

Oh, I didn't leave the trim looking grey and minging like in that picture by the way. Put on some Meguiar's plastic restorer last night and it looks much better. A quick glance out of the window and it's survived last night's rain which is encouraging, but I will do more coats.

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Have a check after heavy rain/water on the road in the storage in the boot.

Water can collect there from a couple of common leaks.
They often leak through the rear light seals or where the rear bumper mounts.
Mine leaked where the bumper mounts; removed bumper and refitted added new sealant. Problem fixed

I bought this from a nice couple in Ruislip last weekend

The suburb that just keeps giving.

Thanks - yep checked that along with a bunch of other common Civic problems and it went through some very heavy rain last week so hopefully I'm OK!

The rear lights on this one don't leak or get condensation, the last one I looked at had condensation in that central boot light cluster which is another thing I didn't want to deal with.

One thing it did have was the very common issue with the iffy radio/air con display, so I took the dash apart on my first full day of ownership (eek) and got busy with my soldering iron. All fixed now.

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I know right - I thought of you! I wanted to hang around and have a look at the Manor and the Woods (the car was near Ruislip Manor tube) but the other half demanded that we return to the East ASAP :/

Do you have some of these @furious_tiles ?
https://www.civinfo.com/threads/honda-civic-foglight-protectors-covers-for-sale-clear-varoius-colour-tints.70827/#post-1137046

It seems worth spending a tenner to save the cost of possible future fog light replacements...

Not unless they were on there when I bought it.

Fogs still working in any case