A used car buying expert has recommended a number of models for motorists looking to get behind the wheel of a reliable model for under £4,000.
Scottish Car Clan is a YouTube channel which gives motorists tips on how to save money on their driving bills and reviews a wide range of cars.
In a recent video, the host of Scottish Car Clan recommended the Honda Jazz to drivers looking for a durable yet affordable used car.
He advised: “I’ve owned several of these personally, we still have some in the family, and they never die. Now, from a maintenance point of view, these are all timing chains so there’s no belts to worry about, that’s going to cut down on the maintenance costs.
“And if you buy one of these that hasn’t been serviced in like 10 years and you just top the oil up, chances are it’s still going to run great. They really are that reliable.”
Whilst new examples of the Honda Jazz are priced from £26,395, drivers can get behind the wheel of a clean second-generation car for well under £4,000.
Built between 2007 and 2013, the Jazz may not have the trendiest appearance, however, the i-VTEC engine found in most examples is very efficient and durable.
However, the YouTuber warned drivers interested in buying a used Honda Jazz to check the wheel arches for any signs of rust that could be costly to put right.
Motorists looking for a larger family model on a £4,000 budget were advised to choose a Skoda Octavia, with the driving expert reminding buyers it is a Volkswagen Passat underneath.
He continued: “A solid bet in the mid-sized category is the Skoda Octavia, the only non-Japanese car that we’ve got on this list. You know the one, it’s usually taking you home from a night out with a kebab in the back.
“If you have a look at the used market there’s a good reason that you’ll see these for sale with 200,000 or 300,000 miles on them. They will do these mileages but, a little advisory, they’re not going to be as trouble-free. Chances are you’re going to need to do [overhaul] a turbo if it’s a diesel.”
Finally, Scottish Car Clan suggested that buyers in the market for an affordable SUV should take a look at a Honda CR-V.
He added: “I actually owned a Mk2 CR-V eventually with a galactic mileage on it. Rust killed it eventually but before we sent it off to the scrapyard, we put it through a durability test and put it here on YouTube.
“We rolled that thing, we crashed it, we shot it. We basically did everything we could think of in order to kill this car and it still worked by the end of it. These are tough, tough cars and if that’s what you need, go for one of these.”
