Top 10 reliable used cars owners can snap up for just £4,000 including Toyota and Honda
Motorists can secure some of the most reliable cars on the market for just under £4,000 including top models from Honda, Toyota and Skoda.
Car expert and YouTuber Scottish Car Clan revealed his top 10 list on YouTube, highlighting the models those on a budget should look out for if they want to dodge costly ongoing maintenance fees.
Toyota Aygo
Some Toyota Aygo models can be picked up online for just under £4,000 making this a steal for motorists looking for something simple to get around town.
Measuring just 3,405mm long, 1,615mm wide and 1,465mm tall, Aygo was the smallest Toyota ever launched in Europe when it first hit the market back in 2005.
According to YouTube star Scottish Car Clan, the Aygo is a “cheap, no thrills, low-cost motoring at its best”. Older Aygo models also come with a decent fuel range of around 51 miles per gallon.
Honda Jazz
Scottish Car Clan claims that the Honda Jazz “never dies” making it one of the most reliable affordable cars on the market.
He said: “There’s no belts to worry about, that's going to cut down on maintenance costs. Honestly, if you buy one of these and it’s not been serviced in like 10 years and it's just had the oil topped up the chances are it's still going to run great.”
He warned rust can be an issue with the Jazz but a very good 53mpg ratio makes this one of the better options on the list.
Honda Civic
Civic's can be picked up online for as little as £3,000 but some models can be priced a little higher with some valued at over £12,000.
However, the Civic certainly packs a punch compared to others on the list with an impressive speed of up to 170mph. The model can reach 0-62mph in just 5,4 seconds, making this one of the sportiest models on the list.
Toyota Yaris
YouTuber Scottish Car Clan picked out the Yaris as another option for those looking for a reliable second-hand vehicle on a budget.
Last year, the Yaris finished seventh overall in the most reliable used cars study. The model even tipped the poll among the small car class making it stand out among its rivals.
Scottish Car Clan stressed: “You can pick up a decent Yaris from about £1,500 these days and it will just run and run and run."
Toyota Corolla
Scottish Car Clan claims the Corolla is just a bigger version of the Yaris with our research showing prices were a little higher.
Second-hand models can be picked up for around the £2,000 mark with some a bit higher depending on the overall condition.
Honda Accord
The Accord made a name for itself competing in the British Touring Car Championship in the early 2000’s with its racing pedigree likely to pique some interest.
The stylish Japanese car can reach 0-62mph in just 5,5 seconds and has a top speed of 116mph. However, Scottish Car Clan has explained how the Accord has a secret ingredient underneath the car which could make it an even more tantalising purchase.
He explained: “The catalytic converters on them are some of the most valuable available. So if you did buy one of these run it to the end of its life and send it to the scrappers you are going to get a good return on those cats as well as the scrap metal from the car.”
Skoda Octavia
The only non-Japanese model on the list has become synonymous with taxi companies over the past decade. These are relatively solid and reliable cars and should easily exceed more than 200,000 miles during their lifetime.
But Scottish Car Clan has warned the vehicle may need more work than some of its rivals. He commented: “Not going to be as trouble-free as something like an Accord. Chances are you're going to need to do a turbo at some point, if it's a diesel you might have to contend with some DPF issues.”
Honda CRV
Scottish Car Clan stressed: “These MklII CRVs are tough tough cars.” However, he warned the petrol car was a bit better with less likely to go wrong than the diesel model in a top top to potential owners.
Toyota RAV4
Some older RAV4 models can be picked up for just under the £4,000 threshold making this one of the more expensive options on the list.
However, the mighty SUV off-roader is stylish from the outside and can handle any condition or road type when put to the test.
Scottish Car Clan remarked: “Again a really reliable car similar price point to the CRV, similar kind of size, similar all-road, off-road capability. Honestly, it's just going to come down to which one you prefer.”
Toyota Land Cruiser
The Land Cruiser is the heaviest model on the list but surely one of the most impressive. But, costs could become an issue with older models being sold for around the £8,000 mark online.
Scottish Car Clan claimed: “On your £4,000 budget you’re going to be stretching a little bit. It's going to be older, it's going to have a good few miles on it so some silly little things are likely to go wrong. But overall a pretty indestructible car.”
