Quote Originally Posted by shano76
Just my 2c but I think the price point you're talking about reflects an age & mileage that certain cars (Mondeo, 320d, A4 etc. ) in that price range are likely to come with. If you were to look at something smaller, less "premium" or less "sales repy" the same budget would probably get you something newer/with less mileage. John's point about a 4.5k capital investment & 1.5k contingency is a good one. Under 10-12K I think this appraoch is essential. I got stung myself earlier this year by not sticking to this rule out of haste & being in a "need a car now" situation. Unpleasant lesson to learn.

While mechanics can't predict the future, there is value in getting someone who knows what they're doing to look at something before you push the button on a purchase. Especially if you're not mechanically minded or don't know the potential issues to be watching out for. A bit more research could have saved me a lot of hassle earlier in the year for example, and bringing the car to a mechanic for a once over would have been money well spent.

So all down to buying on condition rather than anything else & get it checked as much as possible, and hold back some contingency cash.

No one has recommended a Mazda 6? Worth considering as an alternative?
That's it in a nut shell.
As for the Mazda 6 petrols would be a good alternative but the diesels are made of chocolate