Advice on what new car to buy.

[railwaytrack]

Are there any car experts on this forum? Or anyone who knows about cars?

My current car is now well over thirty years old (in fact i think in a few years it will reach fourty years old) and it is in a terrible state and really needs replacing. I have used it every day since i bought it brand new over well over thirty years ago and it is so worn out now and constantly develops issues and i have to take it to the garage all the time. So i am now looking for a brand new car to buy.

However the thing that puts me off is that i do not like any of these modern cars. They are to complicating and have too many features and controls and touchscreens and electrics and automated driving and all other sorts of things that cars never used to have. My current car is so basic and simple. Cars these days are just too complicating.

So my question is which brand new car is the most basic simple car i can buy. I want a brand new car but preferably i want it to be as basic and simple as possible with the absolute minimal amount of features and controls with none of these touchscreens or lots of added features or any unnecessary things. I am basically looking for the most basic simple brand new car that is sold nowadays.

It needs to be a manual transmission. I need it to be a petrol or diesel as i do not really want to switch an electric car yet. And i most certainly do not want any car that is capable of driving automatically. I do not trust any automated cars like these Tesla i think they are called or anything like that.

So can anyone give me any recommendations? Is anyone on here good with cars? What is the most basic simple cars that you can buy these days? Any help or recommendations would be great to hear as i am no expert when it comes to cars?

 

[davart]

What size car do you need? How long will you keep it for? What do you have at the moment? What is your approximate budget?

Most new cars have touch screens. The Dacia Sandero was based on older Renault technology so effectively was more like a traditional car inside in terms of dashboard switchgear. The newer model appears to have a touch screen.

You might need to buy something a couple of years old to avoid a touchscreen entirely. I think Mazda have committed to not having touch screens in their vehicles for safety reasons.

Perhaps a basic model VW Polo will have a fairly standard dashboard that's not full of 'gimmicks'...

I'd suggest going to one of the car supermarkets that have lots of vehicles on site and have a look at what is out there.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Definitely petrol, not diesel. Diesel is cheaper to run but is very much falling out of favour, it is likely petrols will be allowed in cities for rather longer than even modern diesels.

 

[cactustwirly]

Definitely petrol, not diesel. Diesel is cheaper to run but is very much falling out of favour, it is likely petrols will be allowed in cities for rather longer than even modern diesels.

Euro 6 (cars from 2015) diesels are permitted in cities, including the ULEZ zone in London.

What size car do you need? How long will you keep it for? What do you have at the moment? What is your approximate budget?

Most new cars have touch screens. The Dacia Sandero was based on older Renault technology so effectively was more like a traditional car inside in terms of dashboard switchgear. The newer model appears to have a touch screen.

You might need to buy something a couple of years old to avoid a touchscreen entirely. I think Mazda have committed to not having touch screens in their vehicles for safety reasons.

Perhaps a basic model VW Polo will have a fairly standard dashboard that's not full of 'gimmicks'...

I'd suggest going to one of the car supermarkets that have lots of vehicles on site and have a look at what is out there.

A Volkswagen polo will still have touchscreens.

Personally I'd get a Ford Fiesta over a Polo.

Also don't fall into the bandwagon of buying ridiculous SUVs, that's just a waste of money.

Or get a 2018/19 Volvo V40. It doesn't have a touchscreen (just a bit too old). Based on the Mk3 Ford Focus, but has a Volvo engine, gearbox and interior. So it will be a lot nicer and refined to drive. As it's a premium hatchback.

 

[Gloster]

I would consider a recent secondhand vehicle. I bought a 66, bottom of the range Sandero last September as I did not want anything too complicated. Although I haven’t done much driving in recent years, I did many tens of thousands of miles in an old Mini in the eighties and nineties. That was about my level of technology: a wheel at each corner and one to sit behind. The displays are digital, but everything else you need is operated either by stalks attached to the steering column or by switches. I still have to look things up in the manual from time to time and I haven’t even tried to operate the radio.

 

[dgl]

Anything basic should not have a touchscreen, KIA/Hyundai seem to be the best of the bunch at the moment (plus have the best warranties), My step-mum has had both a Mk.1 facelift Kia 'Ceed and recently a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq and they were exceolent vehicles.
Peronally, even though I am not a driver, I prefer touchscreens for sat nav duty as it's much quicker to type things in though I like proper controls for everything else.
I believe most new cars will come with some sort of autonomous tech as it's becoming the law to have certain things fitted.

Also I understand you should avoid Ford Ecoboost engines like the plague as they are beset with reliability problems that cause expensive repair bills, plus I am not a fan of anything French, their electrics are still iffy and it shows in how the reliability of Nissans has gone down with supposedly lots of electrical issues on the new Qashqai now they use a lot of French electronics.

 

[thejuggler]

Last of the previous generation Yaris which will now be about 3 years old.

The entry level model was very basic, no touch screen. We have the model up which does have touch screen for radio and phone (no satnav).

Bonus with Toyota is the engine and gearbox are basic, no expensive turbos to go wrong, easy to work on. Toyota now include a year's manufacturer's warranty at every service until 10 years or 100,000 miles, even if the car doesn't have a full Toyota history.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Euro 6 (cars from 2015) diesels are permitted in cities, including the ULEZ zone in London.

They are at present but I would not bet on it continuing. Bristol for instance was proposing a complete diesel ban.

 

[NoRoute]

It needs to be a manual transmission.

If you want simple and relaxing driving then you might want to try a test drive in a hybrid with an automatic transmission, they're far less complex to drive than a manual and make driving more enjoyable, particularly when driving in town and heavy traffic.

 

[Neptune]

Also I understand you should avoid Ford Ecoboost engines like the plague as they are beset with reliability problems that cause expensive repair bills

I’ve never had a problem with any Ford ecoboost engine in the 7 years/200000 miles of owning them. Nor has anybody else that I know.

 

[Taunton]

And i most certainly do not want any car that is capable of driving automatically. I do not trust any automated cars like these Tesla i think they are called or anything like that.

I will merely say, in favour of our company Tesla which I regularly drive, that it may have automatic this and that, but I never use them, I just drive it like a normal car. It's also very nice to drive.

It's greatest upside is that it has no fluids in it, which are between them the source of the majority of car technical failures. Being all-electric, there's no petrol, no lubricating oil, no radiator coolant, no transmission fluid, no brake fluid, which all just makes for great reliability. The one fluid in it is the windscreen wash!

The key downside is they seem notably overpriced for such simplicity.

You do get used to novelties and then find them valuable. When reversing peepers first came along I thought they were for bad parkers, not needed by me. Then I got one as standard, and discovered I could park in tighter spaces than I could ever do by looking behind, using the variable peeps to get just a few inches away from whatever was behind, and never a dinged bumper. Wouldn't be without it now.

 

[Grumpy Git]

It's greatest upside is that it has no fluids in it, which are between them the source of the majority of car technical failures. Being all-electric, there's no petrol, no lubricating oil, no radiator coolant, no transmission fluid, no brake fluid, which all just makes for great reliability. The one fluid in it is the windscreen wash!

Good luck stopping if your Tesla has no brake fluid!

There is cooling liquid for the electrical system, (it also heats the interior in cold weather).

 

[railwaytrack]

Thank you for your replies so far. That is very helpful. I shall have a look at the cars that were mentioned.

My current car is a Skoda Estelle.

I didn't realise just how old my car was! It shows how bad my memory is! I have just now gone through my paperwork and realised that i bought it in January 1978 which means it is now just over 44 years old. I meant to buy a new car years ago but i just keep putting it off. My car is in such bad shape now after almost daily use for 44 years and has extremely high mileage so i have told myself i need to 100% get it done and buy a new car by the end of this year.

I use my car every day to get to and from work. I work in a very rural location and finish late at night so a car has always been essential to get to and from work. But when i go any further i use the train to get anywhere else in the UK. So it is mainly just for work. However i also used it every year (at least before the corona virus started) to go on holiday to other countries at least once a year. I have driven it to all different places in Europe and even parts of Asia and Africa so it has very high mileage. But for the most part i just need a car for shorter journeys to and from work every day

Preferably i am looking for a 4 door average size car. I definitely do not want a very large car or SUV or any of these ridiculous monsters that drive around on the roads these days.

The reason i do not want an automatic transmission is because i have never driven one before. I have always driven a manual transmission so that is what i am most familiar with. But i suppose i could give it a go and take a test drive and see what i think of one. The same goes for why i do not want an electric car. I would just prefer something more familiar to me.

I think the main problem for me is that cars these days are just so different to how cars were built over fourty years ago so it is such a big change to adjust to. So that is why i am looking for a very simple basic car with a basic standard dashboard without any of these new added features.

 

[Neptune]

Wow. I love the Estelle, an iconic and decent car unfairly joked about in the 80’s.

It sounds to me that the ultimate car for you would be the Dacia Sandero. A very good car but basic as you would like. One thing you‘ll have to get used to is power steering (under 40’s please note how heavy old steering was), oh and you won’t need a choke anymore! (again not many under 40 will probably know what a choke is and if they do won’t have used one).

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Power steering is another unnecessary gimmick.

I have been without a car for a while, was wondering about an old Volkswagen bus.

Had a look at "youngtimers", vehicles several decades old, restored like new. I shall certainly be thinking about getting one, maybe an Astra circa 1988?

I should certainly not buy an electric vehicle, fortunately I shall give up driving before they become the norm. The new t***a weighs two tonnes!

Do electric vehicles have brake fluid (mentioned above)? Do they use water for heating and cooling?

 

[Ted633]

Thank you for your replies so far. That is very helpful. I shall have a look at the cars that were mentioned.

My current car is a Skoda Estelle.

I didn't realise just how old my car was! It shows how bad my memory is! I have just now gone through my paperwork and realised that i bought it in January 1978 which means it is now just over 44 years old. I meant to buy a new car years ago but i just keep putting it off. My car is in such bad shape now after almost daily use for 44 years and has extremely high mileage so i have told myself i need to 100% get it done and buy a new car by the end of this year.

Another vote for the Sandero. As basic as you can get today and based on older technology, so in theory it's 'proven' and all the kinks should be sorted out.

44 years of daily driving is rather impressive. Out of curiosity, how many miles has it done?

 

[cactustwirly]

For sure don't scrap it! It will definitely be worth something

 

[The Ham]

Euro 6 (cars from 2015) diesels are permitted in cities, including the ULEZ zone in London.

Conversely my 2011 petrol is allowed.

Also I understand you should avoid Ford Ecoboost engines like the plague as they are beset with reliability problems that cause expensive repair bills,

I’ve never had a problem with any Ford ecoboost engine in the 7 years/200000 miles of owning them. Nor has anybody else that I know.

Likewise my 2011 Ford ecobost has only had two big repair bills. One (about £100) where the turbo needed fixing, turned out to be the bolts holding it closed had gone AWOL. Otherwise the only other large bill was changing the cam belt at about 130,000 miles.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Are there any car experts on this forum? Or anyone who knows about cars?

If, as a child, you gave me a piece of paper and a pencil, I'd start drawing cars. I went on to study another design discipline, based purely on the recommendation of a narrow-minded and pessimistic careers officer who said there was no hope of getting a job in one of the five or six European car manufacturers. But I regret that decision... what a child is drawn to is often a clue about what they should choose to do.

However the thing that puts me off is that i do not like any of these modern cars. They are to complicating and have too many features and controls and touchscreens and electrics and automated driving and all other sorts of things that cars never used to have. My current car is so basic and simple. Cars these days are just too complicating.

I agree... I own a car, but I also rent about 2-3 cars a month when I travel internationally. All of them have touchscreens, and at the top end of the market some cars have moved almost all physical controls into the screen, which is incredibly unintuitive and potentially dangerous. I agree that from a user perspective, physical knobs and buttons are better and easier to use.

However, the one modern piece of technology I can't live without is Apple CarPlay / Android Auto. If a car has one, it will have the other. This allows you to plug your smartphone into the car, and interact with it on the dashboard screen. It makes using a phone while driving safe, and it means you get a top notch navigation system built into the car for no extra cost. If you have a smart phone, I would still advise you to find a car that supports this. Most new cars do.

So my question is which brand new car is the most basic simple car i can buy. I want a brand new car but preferably i want it to be as basic and simple as possible with the absolute minimal amount of features and controls with none of these touchscreens or lots of added features or any unnecessary things. I am basically looking for the most basic simple brand new car that is sold nowadays.

It needs to be a manual transmission. I need it to be a petrol or diesel as i do not really want to switch an electric car yet. And i most certainly do not want any car that is capable of driving automatically. I do not trust any automated cars like these Tesla i think they are called or anything like that.

1. Fiat Panda.

The Fiat Panda will soon be discontinued, and replaced with an electric version. However the current model is a small, nippy and fun to drive. It has a manual transmission, with the gear stick mounted high up on the dashboard. I owned one for four years and it was tremendously fun and easy to drive.

2. Dacia Sandero / Duster

Recommended by others here. They have a price leading entry level model which might appeal to, which is designed to get people in the showroom before they are upsold to more expensive models. Hold your line... I think the cheapest entry-level model might be perfect for you. The Sandero is a small hatchback, and the Duster is a slightly taller estate / crossover. If you are older, you may appreciate the higher ride height and higher seat height.

3. Skoda Fabia

It does have a touchscreen, and some electronics, but having rented a mix of cars made by VW Group / PSA Group / MG etc in the last year, VW does the technology best. And underneath it all it's a fine little car. Well made, comfortable and efficient.

That said... the car manufacturers are all facing equipment and parts shortages. Some due to Covid-19 shutdown of factories in Asia over the last two years, some due to Covid-19 supply chain issues and some due to the war in Ukraine. Talk to the dealer or the broker and see what the order times are. You may have to consider a second hand car if the lead time is too long.

 

[trainmania100]

I’ve never had a problem with any Ford ecoboost engine in the 7 years/200000 miles of owning them. Nor has anybody else that I know.

Unless youve got the 1.0l like me and am soon going to need to fork out on the 10 year /100k mile wet belt change that was never designed to be changed

But I love my 2013 focus, 540 ish miles on a full tank, I've never had any problems. Been to Devon and back in a day, chesterfield, Nottingham, does it all with ease. No touchscreens etc,

I would recommend, if it wasn't for the expensive timing belt change

 

[ld0595]

Wow, according to Howmanyleft, there are only five Skoda Estelle's left on UK roads. I'd echo the thoughts not to scrap it - I'm sure there's an enthusiast out there who would gladly take it on and restore it.

I'd agree with others that the Sandero is a good shout. Just bear in mind that the semiconductor shortage is resulting in long lead-in times for brand new cars so perhaps a used model may be best if you want it replaced quickly. The newer model like this one is fairly basic, although the previous generation like this one is even more simple and will be slightly cheaper.

 

[Snow1964]

I would also stick to a shortlist of basic spec Dacia Sandero Essential spec, a nearly new Mk3 Skoda Fabia S (S is basic spec) but was discontinued few months ago ready for new more expensive version. There is also basic spec Hyundai I10 or Kia Picanto which might suit

Car production is rather low currently due to component delays as lots have semiconductors. So what is actually available might be a factor

If you go for a new car, don’t let them talk you into add ons and upgrades, and don’t be afraid to register with websites like carwow as it allows dealers to bid for your business (not that you will get much of a discount, if any, on lowest spec Sandero)

Some dealers also try and play with finance (which they get a commission for selling) so offer a lower price for finance. I don’t know about Dacia, but VW Group (including Skoda) allow you to settle it in full within 14 days of purchase, keep the discounts and any benefits (eg free service) and you are not charged any interest (but don’t mention this to dealer, just ring up finance company few days after you have the car). This works by taking advantage of a cooling off period and is subsidised by those who cannot afford to settle their PCP (personal contract plan) and use cheaper bank loan or use savings instead.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Good luck stopping if your Tesla has no brake fluid!

There is cooling liquid for the electrical system, (it also heats the interior in cold weather).

There will also be transmission fluid. It's just that for modern cars (including petrol and diesel ones) it is generally one fill for life for transmission fluid, unless something seriously bad happens requiring a gearbox rebuild.

 

[Grumpy Git]

There will also be transmission fluid. It's just that for modern cars (including petrol and diesel ones) it is generally one fill for life for transmission fluid, unless something seriously bad happens requiring a gearbox rebuild.

No gearbox on a Tesla as electric motors have constant torque, (100% at zero RPM). AFAIK, they also have a motor on each axle, so no need for a differential gear either (which would otherwise need lubrication).

 

[Bletchleyite]

No gearbox on a Tesla as electric motors have constant torque, (100% at zero RPM). AFAIK, they also have a motor on each axle, so no need for a differential gear either (which would otherwise need lubrication).

No diff if there's a motor per wheel, but the motor itself will almost certainly have gears inside it, it's unlikely to be direct drive. Could be though! What you don't need is the ability to change gears as, as you say, electric motors have max torque at 0rpm. Same as an EMU!

 

[JohnMcL7]

I will merely say, in favour of our company Tesla which I regularly drive, that it may have automatic this and that, but I never use them, I just drive it like a normal car. It's also very nice to drive.

It's greatest upside is that it has no fluids in it, which are between them the source of the majority of car technical failures. Being all-electric, there's no petrol, no lubricating oil, no radiator coolant, no transmission fluid, no brake fluid, which all just makes for great reliability. The one fluid in it is the windscreen wash!

Currently Tesla are one of the worst manufacturers for reliability last year coming mostly around the bottom in surveys and reliability reports. There's plenty more to go wrong on a car than the engine and the poor build quality Tesla have struggled with leads to numerous problems particularly with the suspension but there seems to be an 'Apple' like response with friends praising how well Tesla have handled their car failing majorly rather than being critical of a new, expensive car failing so early. I'm surprised what some friends with Teslas have had to put up with which I wouldn't accept from an old car never mind a new one. If you go to the top of the reliability reports you'll find petrol cars mostly from the Japanese brands as it comes down to build quality.

To the OP if you're going to spend the money on a brand new car I would go and look at some cars and see what you like. I do understand your point of view as it's one of the reasons I have a 2011 Mazda as it's a decent well specced car but comes before auto stop/start, electronic handbrake etc. so it's a good balance, the newer versions are a bit fancier but still mostly practical and well rated for reliability.

 

[Dave91131]

If the OP is absolutely set on a brand new car they need read this post no further.

I've always sought out low mileage and well looked after second hand cars as opposed to buying new, and have found value for money to be much better.

In 2009 I bought a 54 plate Nissan Almera, ex Motability with just 16,000 miles on the clock for £5k. I still have it to this day (it's not the daily run around anymore as it's now the pride and joy) and the most expensive thing I've had to buy for it in 13 years is a battery.

In 2015, being so impressed by the Almera, I bought a 55 plate Micra with 31,000 miles for £1850. That mileage has now more than doubled, it's the daily run around now, and it's biggest cost outlay has been 2 new front tyres.

Late last year I needed to make myself feel better for a number of reasons, so purchased a 1989 F-plate Nissan Bluebird for £2900. 63,000 miles from new, in better condition than some cars a tenth of its age, and unbelievably comfortable!

You don't need to go brand new for reliability, practicality and value for money.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Personally I have settled into buying used at about 2.5 years old, so a short warranty remaining to sort out any problems. This is much cheaper than new.

 

[NoRoute]

The reason i do not want an automatic transmission is because i have never driven one before. I have always driven a manual transmission so that is what i am most familiar with. But i suppose i could give it a go and take a test drive and see what i think of one. The same goes for why i do not want an electric car. I would just prefer something more familiar to me.

It's worth trying an automatic hybrid to see what you think, suggest a Toyota as these are reliable and well regarded. If you want simple, relax driving then they are worth considering - think about how many actions you remove by not needing to change gears, work the clutch etc, giving you more time to focus on the road and making it more relaxing in heavy traffic.

I think the main problem for me is that cars these days are just so different to how cars were built over fourty years ago so it is such a big change to adjust to. So that is why i am looking for a very simple basic car with a basic standard dashboard without any of these new added features.

I wouldn't say different, I'd say a lot better, all those added features generally make the cars easier and more comfortable to drive, so though they are new and may take a bit of time to get familiar with they are worth having.

Take reversing, most new cars have either reversing sensors to give you some audible indication if you get close to something, many now have a camera in the boot and a screen on the dash with reversing lines, so you can see exactly what you are doing as you reverse into a space. It starts working as soon as you put it into reverse. It's brilliant... makes reversing so much easier... why wouldn't you want it?

Built in satnav, gone are the days of struggling with your road atlas or printed out maps navigating your way around an unfamiliar town or city, stress-free guidance on screen and audio announcements as you're driving along, amazing.

Cruise control, so you can drive along at a steady speed on a motorway or dual carriage way without having to watch the speedo constantly. Latest models have adaptive cruise control, with a radar at the front, so they will adjust the speed to keep you a safe distance from the vehicle in front so you can just glide along at a safe distance. Makes motorway driving very relaxing, great improvement.

Climate control with air conditioning... electric windows .... tinting rear view mirrors so you don't get dazzled... heated seats... automatic wipers... automatic lights... heads-up display with the speed superimposed on the your view on the windscreen so you don't have to look down to check it... automatic full beams... etc

I'm sure there's cars around with none of the above, but I don't know why you would choose one because most of these features are really good. Try them... I bet you'll wonder why you kept the old car for so long !

 

[pdq]

A car supermarket such as Motorpoint or Arnold Clark might be a good place to have a browse. All their cars are less than 3 yrs old, often bought in bulk from lease providers, so still have warranty. You might see a good cross section of what's available and easily sit in a few. And there's no haggling. I agree with going for a car of this age. New cars are more for finance buyers who like the certainty of a new car every three years at a more or less fixed outlay.

Absolutely anything you drive is going to be light years different to your Estelle in every way.

The Dacia ideas are sound, as are Kia/Hyundai. The new MGs are also quite well respected. Not sure about SsangYong which could be another left field suggestion. And I would concur with others not necessarily going for the lowliest spec. In fact, if you're intending keeping the vehicle some time, I'd go for a few more luxuries or subtle driver aids, otherwise you might end up regretting it.

Good luck, and take your time.