Here are the Automatic Cars You Should Buy (£5k and Under)
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- Опубліковано 26 вер 2024
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Today I'm discussing the best automatic cars to buy for £5k and under.
#highpeakautos #automaticcar
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That mmt is actually good 👍
Hi I’m looking automatic petrol vehicles above 2010 near 6k or 7£ need yur help to chose in Toyota and Skoda.
Why against french cars?
The honda jazz has a cvt box but is that a good one
Summary
- Avoid French or Italian
- Stick with Petrol or Petrol Hybrid
- Avoid semi autos
- Avoid CVT
- Avoid twin clutch
Brands/cars that are ok
- BMW 1, 3 or 5 series
- Honda accord, Cr-v, Jazz (gearbox may need a service). Early civics are fine. Avoid iShift gearbox
- Ford Fiesta, focus, mondeo but avoid later ones. Recommended are 06/07 focus. Make sure fiesta doesn't have powershift/durashift
- Jaguar X/S type but it has a massive engine, 18-20 mpg
- Jeep Cherokee but it has high running costs
- Kia ceed, venga, picanto (they do rust, particularly underneath)
- Lexus is-250, big engine 20mpg approx, GS-300 (but 3L, 18mpg)
- Mazda 3 (they do rust), mazda 6
- Mercedes C class, c180 compressor, CLK. E-class E200
- Saab 9-3 or saab 9-5
- Suzuki swift (some of them are semi auto, usually 1.5l is full auto)
- Toyota Corolla, prius, RAV4, early auris mk1 are fine but later ones (mk2 or later) have semi-autos called multimode
- Volkswagen mk4 golf, but mk5 onwards should be avoided
- Vauxhall astra 1.8
- Volvo S40, V40
do the cars u mentioned here help in lowering the insurance?
I would never entertain the idea of an auto for literally 3 decades. Then I got one because it was a bargain even though I didn't want the auto, I still wanted the car. Its' actually quite relaxing. No more knee pain from 200 clutch presses in traffic. No more messing about a handbrake on hills.
I get that manuals are fun and all, but you really can't beat the convenience of an auto for a daily.
I have a buddy who has a tiny automatic daily he uses, all paid for in cash, cheap insurance, cheap tax, easy to squeeze into tiny roads, easy to parallel park, sips petrol. Then he has his manual BMW that he uses when he rips around or wants to go on long trips on motorways or twisty roads in the country side.
I know you hate doing these videos - but they are soo useful
Why would hate it he's making money
Lots of money in advertising food and his business, so hate is probably not the correct word.
What a strange comment...😆
I just feel like they’re a bit of a cop-out because they dont take me long to make but if they’re popular then I’ll keep doing them.
@@HighPeakAutos nah definitely keep doing them mate. It's like sitting down with you over a pint and chin wagging about real cars that real people buy. Really useful 👍
Today I learned something about "modern" automatics and what to avoid. Appreciated Matt.
That was fun. I am sad and flick through autotrader like that . for fun , even when I'm not buying, so it was fun so to see you do the same - and share your knowledge/ preferences. I could see several videos in that format, with a different proposition diesel estate car for £8k, saloon with quick engine £10k etc
I do the same 😂
Me too. I think it’s a car guy thing.
Like, sitting on the bog wondering what £1500 would get me within 10 miles
@@Life_Of_AL lol, me too
At last…!!
I very nearly feel like an expert for once in my life.
I am an older gentleman and have driven auto only for over 40 years.
I have never had a lot of money to spend so am at the bottom end of the food chain when it comes to purchasing cars.
I laughed out loud when you got to Suzuki because I currently drive Postman Pat’s van, as did your sainted Grandmother. 😊
The back seats go flat which actually does turn it into a little van…almost.
As you know it’s a 1.3 and mine of course has the auto box.
Bought it 4 years ago for £1600 with 13.000 miles on the clock !!!!! Still running it with no issues.
I do love and much prefer a big old luxury barge, and have owned a few high milers in the past.
I check all car sites daily for fun and knowledge and was foolishly delighted to tick virtually all the same boxes you did.
I look at your stock list often to see if something in my price range comes up (half your videos limit) but quite naturally I don’t think you sell those there although I know you pick up cheapies which you review sometimes.
Anyway, great video.
Postman Pat rides again !!!
What sort of Suzuki is it
@@joshuabarry6650
Wagon R +
@@Mercyme57brilliant little car ive owned one in 2 yrs i replaced wiper motor
Hi Matt, my wife has 1997 Nissan Micra 1.3 Automatic,75000 mls, full service history, my wife is the second owner, we absolutely love it. Top of the range, electric front windows & sun roof!!! 😅😂. This our second Micra, our 2004 is still going with just over 235000 mls. I'm a biker, so you often get bikers acknowledge one another. To my surprise, people in Micra's get so excited when they see you they start waving, and I'm waving back. How sad is that,but so much fun. 😂😂😂
I'm a biker too, my wife has a Micra ( ours is a 2002 ) and I too have the over-excited wave at other Micra drivers when I see the same generation on the road which they usually smile and reciprocate.
An absolutely wonderful car that I have abused so much ( I've spun it twice on roundabouts pushing it too hard ) but it has never, ever missed a beat. Glad to see the over-excited Micra fans aren't only over my way.
If you look at a proper automatic look at the colour of the gearbox oil on the dipstick. If its black forget it. It should be red, but a tinge of brown is OK. Then when you get it change the gearbox oil 3 times to flush some new oil in. You can measure how much u get out and re fill with the same amount . Then check the level after. Some gearbox's don't have dip sticks and all sorts of various ways of checking the level.
Have had 2 Japanese hybrids with CVT autos. Very smooth and reliable. No complaints.
Hi. Love the videos. Bought a Ford Focus 4 years ago for my daughter, it was 2006 automatic. Still going and passes its NCT in Ireland every year. I paid €500 for it. I thought if she gets a year out of it happy days. Nearly 5 years later no problems. Just service them regularly. The second hand market has gone crazy here now and would be lucky to pick up an automatic mk 2 Focus for less than €2000.
True, I paid 6.700€ for a 2010 c220 merc in 2019. sold it months later for 7.700€ just before covid took off. Possibly could have got 8k or more Id say if I waited. the days of cars for 500€ and a year nct & 4 new tyres are long gone 😢
I don't think you can buy a better car for less than £5000 than a Lexus is250. Mines got heated/cooled seats, sat nav, parking sensors front and rear, Reversing camera, touch screen dvd player, Mark levinson 14 speaker stereo, memory seats, etc. Nice looking, and comfortable. And it's been absolutely bullet proof.
Running costs/fuel consumption? The higher the specs, the more there is to go wrong....and the older the car, the more likely the extra features will wear out or break. I agree that the engines and gearboxes are bulletproof.
Superb - this landed on the very day I thought "I need to find out what cheap automatics are worth getting". It's not just a coincidence, this is biblical 🙏
personal experience the dsg in my 2011 golf was very reliable, lasted me a few years before i sold it, in comparison my brother had an Audi A4 avant with the cvt on a 56 reg and it had to get serviced and codded twice in the same amount of time.
Likewise I ran a skoda L&K octavia estate on a 57 plate, diesel with DSG box. Never serviced the box but got to 220000 miles before I sold it and that included towing a caravan every summer. Can’t say I ever had a problem with a DSG box.
the dsg box is a good box, i think the point is that at this price point you may end up with a dodgy one
Spot-on again Matt....Autos are so much better for the 'around town daily stuff' we have two Autos one a Grand Vitara, (worth £3,500) and the other a Mazda CX-3 (Wife's and worth a lot more than £5k) but both great and do a job well and not had any trouble with either.
The amount of ruined clutches I've seen at fairly low miles because people 'ride' them in town is silly....and the main reason why an auto is so much better.
Keep up the good work!
I would suggest a Saab 95 with the General Motors engine and five speed genuine auto box. I had a diesel one of these that I got off my father-in-law when Mercedes wouldn’t even offer him £50 trading and it was an absolutely brilliant car and on one magical trip back from Leeds achieved an astonishing 62 mpg.
I have an Audi A3, its reliable and a good first car. I have it with an automatic transmission and haven't had one singular problem as of the 2 years I've had it.
I love that you have so much knowledge on all sorts of cars from all sorts of manufacturers. The sort of knowledge that only comes from years of experience. Thanks for the vid!
It does unfortunately 😂
Picked up a 2006 Auto Honda Jazz for my wife a couple of years ago. CVT gearbox but the previous owners maintained it really well and it’s been totally reliable. Although slow, it’s good fun to drive and I find myself taking it over my new car. Don’t worry about where I park it and it’s cheap to run. Lot to be said for owning a car like this for local use, tip runs etc. Great Video, really useful info 👍
Totally agree. The jazz had never featured on my radar until I recently came across a pristine 04 auto jazz for my wife with 44k, but suffering the jazz judder, for £700. Changed the gear box oil, taking all of 10 minutes & it was perfect. Fun to drive with the shift buttons & averaging an amazing 54 mpg. Jazz = best kept secret out there!
@@scotstrowger3885 Still see loads of them of a similar age to my wife’s locally and most of them are in very good condition. Probably because older people tend to buy them and look after them properly. Well built reliable little cars that won’t let you down 👍
Honda Jazz is an amazing car except the insurance on it every year is £300 more than on my Ford Fiesta automatic, which i am selling for £1k on facebook in London btw. Anyone interested in ulez free automatic that is cheaper to insure than many manual gearbox cars then let me know quickly.
I WILL NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER BE SEEN IN A HONDA JAZZ SHOPPING TROLLEY FOR SPINSTERS
@@si4632 That of course is your choice, nobody is forcing you to go out and buy one !
About to get nerdy: about the Audi/VW DSG I think you have to make a difference between the 6 and 7 speed versions. The 6 speed uses a wet clutch and is reliable as long as it gets serviced every 60k km. The 7 speed uses a dry clutch, with this one I wouldn't bother. (Fun fact about the 6 speed: if I'm correct the earlier versions (starting 2004) use only one hydraulic system to both control and lubricate the clutch. The marketing promise was you never have to service them, but with such a set up and the oil getting dirty, it's actually very critical to stick up to the 60k km figure...). I did have a second generation A3, but why the hell do I still know this while I'm working in IT service??!
Agree with you on this. I had an early DSG Golf that had the gearbox fail shortly after I bought it, metal in the oil was the issue. Had two further later DSG 6 speeds - on a Skoda Octavia vRS and VW CC that were both absolutely fine - they used different oil reservoirs. Also had a 7 speed die on me on the motorway which was unbelievably hairy - wouldn't touch one again.
Yep - 100% this, I had a 2016 1.6 diesel passat with the dry clutch transmission. Started acting up. Called a few VW dealers and most service guys didnt know what I was talking about when I mentioned it was a dry clutch. Ditched the passat.
I've been using 6 speed dsg boxes for the last 15 years with no issues. I do get them serviced though. I really like them. I should add I don't do big miles though.
Absolutely agree I have the VW Golf Sportline Estate with the 6 speed Dsg which has been serviced regularly every 40 k mls and it is perfect
The newer (Around 2017 ish?) cars with 2.0L+ engines have 7 speed wet dual clutch versions - just to clear up a little confusion!
Typically you should look at the engine size to determine if it's a dry or wet clutch car. It's quite normal for the DSGs to be dry-clutch if the car has an engine under 2.0L :)
Honestly.... this is the best used car video on the web... wish some one had done smthing like this when i was buying used
Toyota Corolla 2002-2007
Toyota Yaris 1999-2005
Toyota RAV4 2000-2011
Mazda 3 2003-2007
Mazda 6 2002-2006
Ford Focus 1998-2009
Volvo S40 1998-2004
These ones are the best in my opinion and they are all in order from best (top) to less best (bottom) :)
ULEZ is the biggest problem and tax
Yaris and Corolla . Smooth as butter and very reliable.
Aren't the 1st Gen Mazda 6 total rustbuckets? I nearly bought one about six years ago and went on an owner's forum. General opinion was that the best thing to do was to paint the entire underside in Hammerite! 😂
I Had a 2004 Yaris t spirit 1.4 D4d 3 door although it was manual its was dirt cheap to run and never caused me any problems 30£ road tax and £10 worth of diesel got me on average 90 miles and had 160k miles
Anything more modern?
I rescued a 52 Civic auto, that hadn`t seen a spanner in years, looked like previous owner thought the brake pedal was an optional add on. It spent nearly 2months at my mechanics, he looked at me "Why do you bring me bring me knackred old shit" ad it 3 years now, it actually get serviced now, its been amazing
Love these videos. Personally I’d love to see the best Estate cars for under £5000.
I’ll keep doing them if they’re popular
@@HighPeakAutos please 🙏
@@HighPeakAutos was it a Mercedes GTC you drove on the video? x
09 Saab 9-3 Vector Sport estate, Auto diesel. Fair power. Great mpg. Spacious interior, heated leather seats. Solid built to last. Best grand i ever spent, running very well! It was cheap as it has slightly damaged passenger side body work
Toyota blit mk2?
My wife has owned a 2006 Fiesta 1.6 Ghia petrol Auto since 2008 with the full fat auto box. Its done around 95K now and we have had no issues with the the engine or gearbox in all the time we have had it. The only drawbacks are the car tax and fuel consumption compared with my Fiesta 1.4 TDCI manual.
I agree with you Matt about auto's you're either on the motorway or stuck in the a city traffic jam.. an Auto is so much easier these days.
Matt, last year I bought 2003 Honda Civic automatic for my wife, its been a great car and very good choice for first car(new driver), heated leader seats, sun roof, good condition(previous owner was elderly couple), maintained in one garage for many years. It was barely driven during lockdown, brakes need changing. Cost me £1400 to buy and £600 for brakes and TLC, I replaced the spare tyre as well as it was 12-13 years old with visible cracks. The car came with almost brand new Michelin Cross climate all season tyres. I'm super happy of my purchase. The only thing that bothers me is the road tax - £265 from this year, it was £255 last year.
Cheers for the good videos mate, I enjoy them, you are especially helpful when you state the cost of repairing a car.
That road tax is nothing really. 20 quid a month to keep a reliable car on the road. Otherwise you'd be paying hundreds of pounds a month on a new car on finance or a much higher up front cost. Theres no way around some kind of costs.
Those Honda's are very good. Had a 2003 auto executive one and they're very good, nothing I could criticise it for. Decent interior for the age and smooth. Not exciting but they're never gonna be. I sold it at 100k miles most of which were tough miles on an island and it was fine so I'm pretty sure that will go 200k plus easy in normal conditions.
@@abraxas7779 I agree with you on many points, I love Honda, had 3, technically 4. But I don't like Civic 7 generation because of the seat position, I'm tall and the fuel tank is underneath front seat, very uncomfortable.
Previous generation was fantastic. I do like more Honda jazz, had 2 in the past. If I was buying car now, one of my choices will be post 2015 Honda jazz 1.6 VTEC 130bhp.
As I said, this is my wife's car, I have diesel estate and don't want to think the cost of repair when something will go wrong. Cheers.
The Focus had a true auto gearbox until 2010, so a 2010 Titanium petrol would be a great choice. You get the facelift looks too, which personally I prefer.
Thanks, i'll take a look at them too. Friend wants to buy an automatic car but doesn't know much so he's asked me for help. Only issue is Focus usually have a timing belt? and often not they're on sale at the time the belt is due to be changed, which is unfortunate really.
Just a note!
Geartronic box on Volvos are the same as Saab, Aisin AW55 gearboxes. So it's a traditional greatbox that is super stoute without any major issues.
I would go Newer S40 P2 plattform anyday over the old one that is based on mitshubisi carisma :)
Also note about Saab 9-5, Always for the 2.3, it has higher compression and as lower fuel milage than the 2,0
Saab 9-3 1.8t and 2.0t is the same engine just diffrent SW
Tid is a fiat motor same as JTDM :)
After a mild stroke left me with chronic left leg pain I bought a low mileage, semi-auto, Peugeot 206. Pile of p**p! After much research, I found a battered old 2006 Prius and took a punt. The hybrid battery only lasted 10 months but the car was cheap. A good quality, high-end replacement hybrid battery has transformed the car, which I really liked for the spec (T3 Spirit) and the ease of driving. I should also mention the £10 a year tax! A solid and reliable car for the more stately or cost-conscious driver.
Q
How much did the battery cost?
Very (very) useful video - I’m looking for exactly that, an Auto under £5k, but not a Saloon…. Doesn’t take longer to do a 200 mile search ! But you’ve given me excellent reasons to cut out lots of manufacturers, massive help, thanks
Great video for low cost motoring with an automatic license. I can highly recommend a W204 C180 pre-facelift Kompressor. I bought a 2009 C180k saloon for £5k, fMBsh, one owner with 50k miles in 2017. I traded it in this year (May 2022) with 90k miles against a 2016 E350d coupe, fMBsh, one owner 39k miles and got £3.7k for it. £1,300 for 5 years and 40k miles is a bargain. I even got 40mpg on a 2000 mile holiday in France in 2019. Never had a single issue with it either.
I can vouch for the 1.5 Swift auto, my other half has an auto only licence and he had one for his first car, in nearly 5 years of ownership and 74k covered (we sold it with 96k on) it never put a foot wrong, we went all over the country in it. I miss it dearly.
I'm surprised why he dosent reccomend CVT's ?most Japanese car manufacturers use CVT and I'm pretty sure Lexus and Toyota do too.
I wasnt surprised he failed to mention the Kizashi, a lot of car for the money but because no one has heard of them they get looked over, oh well their loss.
Bought myself an Auto Astra when I passed my test. Mostly drove locally but have ventured on some 100+ mile trips in it. It had 84k on the clock now it has 89k. Starts first time, gearbox is smooth 99% of the time. It struggles sometimes to change to a higher gear when you pull off after a cold start but apart from that it's a wonderful little run around & a great gearbox. Doesn't struggle in sports mode either, handles the revs nicely.
which auto astra did you get as I want to get one after my test please let me know cheers
@@jacomps1 An 07 plate Astra H Elite model. I got lucky and found it at a local dealer who gave us discount as they wanted to get rid. Had a few little dings to the bodywork but apart from that it's been a great car. You can probably pick one up for around 1500 these days, mine was just under 1900.
tbf 5k miles isnt a lot to judge a car by
@@doodzy2 same story a year on, 102k on the clock now, no complaints from me! Fully get your point though.
Please make a video on what auto is good for under £10k, would be an interesting watch, love your videos mate keep it up !!
I'd avoid any W203 C Class registered before 2005 - the engine and gearbox are excellent but they suffer terribly from rust.
Same is true for the E class of that era
@@petticlone the sbc braking system was also garbage and is not cheap to fix
Yeah they were shìt plenty of gearbox problems
Any old Merc I wouldn't bother with really.
@@rob5944 they are super nice cars if you can do stuff yourself. And with the amount of information avalible on the internet you can learn pretty fast. I had a great indie mechanic so the bills werent that high and i loved my w211 untill the day i sold it. There are some high ticket items that you need to look out for but they usually last a long time after the change. My sbc went out at just over 300k kilometres. With thr amount of milleage i was putting on the car i wouldnt have to servicd it for the next thousand years lol. The dude i sold it to regularly makes 800km round trips with it and it never skips a beat.
A very nice bmw with a proper auto is the 325i with 214hp. Upto 30 mpg in town and 50 mpg on the highway. 155 mph top end. Lovely smooth 6 cylinder engine. Shapes available were coupe, sedan, convertible or estate. I had a 2007 325i touring for years until it was written off in a KFC car park when a big truck reversed into it while it was parked and I was eating a zinger inside the resturant. I ran outside but the trucker took off.
I’ve caught myself watching your video even though I would never buy a cheap auto. Just enjoy your videos Matt. For a £5k auto I would suggest a Ford Focus is a good reliable buy
Awful gearboxes to be fair
Only DSG automatic 👍
No Ford Focus auto boxes are terrible nice cars but probably the worst box in the market huge law suit still ongoing in the states
The Focus/Fiesta of that era have shite gearboxes... We had one (past tense - we still own it, but its not really a usable car anymore). Won't shift into 3rd any more, leaks oil everywhere, has shifting issues in general, screams transmission malfunction at you all the time... you name it. As Matt has said, I'm certain the box in the Hyundai i10/Picanto from that era would be miles and miles better. Good Korean stuff.
@@alexdev5809 funny,we had a 04 focus ghia auto.most reliable trouble free car i have ever had.110000miles and was still running like a dream body started to go on the doors tho.
Greatest video,he knows what he’s talking about.I know for a fact most semi-automatic systems are rubbish,the MMT that Toyota used in Aygo,Yaris and Auris is terrible same as I-Shift Honda used in some Civics.
BUT CVT is not a bad gearbox and used in most makes.the DSG that Volkswagen uses is actually a great system only issue is it needs oil change every 40k miles,and MANY people neglect this and damage their gearbox so the used ones are risky.but if maintained,it’s a great system.
Actually, on the Ford's the PowerShift is the crap one, it's the DuraShift you want, the DuraShift is a proper torque converter auto.
The Geartronic on the Volvo is a great box, plenty with 250k on the clock and still going strong. So that gets you into some c30s, s60, s80, c70, v70, xc70, xc60 and xc90 but usually have to have the 2.4, 2.5 or 3L engines. The 2.4 D5 diesel will go on and on.
Had a 12 v50 D3 auto 275k still going strong, serviced the box once.
I rate the 6 speed DSG box and the ZF 4HP 22, if you are after some old school luxury, the ZF, was the best automatic transmission of it's time.
do you recommend dsg6? seriously? mine dsg6 dq250 in 2016 skoda superb died at 54k miles. literally all gears are gone.
@@-xYz--nk1gm
Was it serviced at 40k?
@@paulie-Gualtieri. Yes, even earlier at my request skoda changed oil to dsg at 30k miles. And at 54k miles it completely fell apart. Thanks to the Skoda-all-in warranty they replaced the dsg with new ones. now it's time to sell this car and crush the Japanese mazda 6 2.5.
@@-xYz--nk1gm
Mine is a 2012 Superb 170 tdi has done 128k, serviced at 40k then again 80k and again 3 months ago, it's been spot on, smooth quick and responsive. Had absolutely no issues with the car.
@@paulie-Gualtieri. You know you're lucky? Unfortunately, newer cars are rubbish. I even had to change the water pump because the engine was overheating (factory defect of the water pump). With Superb 3, I'm not the only one with problems,there are a lot of users who have had a DSG(dq250/dq381) damaged/broken at low mileage despite the service. I am already looking for another car because with this Skoda I’m afraid to drive without a warranty.
Sorry for my english but it's my native language.
I own an automatic volvo S80 from 1999. absolute banger of a car. has about 450000 km but still runs perfect. bit thirsty with 0.8 liter per 10 kilometer but otherwise never really had any problems with it. altho a bit big but considering that i spend a lot of time and almost always need stuff with me its absolutely amazing. great tips also, learned a lot today
I can vouch for the pre 2010 Suzuki swift 1.5 auto. Its actually a Toyota engine & trans. Excellent cheap auto and takes a good thrash with no issue.
She does.
Volvo used the Aisin Warner AW55 and TF80-SC Gearbox in almost all the cars from that Timeperiod as automatics. And that was called Geartronic but just because it was a Automatic where you can shift yourself not because it is a Dual Clutch or CVT. TF80-SC is the 6 Speed and also the better one and the AW55 is the 5 Speed.
Love my S60 D5 Geartronic with the TF80-SC. 140k in the next couple of weeks, half of them with me and never misses a beat. Probably could do with a service though.
@@Tigermoto yes they are really good. Mine has 295000km on it and still running strong. Officially its sealed for Life but i would change the oil every 60000-80000km according to Volvo Serviceguide (for Taxis).
Totally agree about the Ford Dura-shift gearboxes. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid!
My grandmother had a 2008 Ford Fusion with this gearbox and it’s slow between changes, slow to react, and genuinely felt like it was going to break every time you drove it.
Hi Matt..I have a 2011 pergeot bipper semi auto .50mpg £20 tax ...cracking run around camping gear in the back and kyack on the roof makes no difference to mpg
I recently bought a 2009 3series Auto Petrol estate to keep back in my country to use on my holidays only - Petrol because Diesel's simply dont like siiting around with they're dpf filters clogging up due to lack of use. I did the same 20 years ago with an E30 BMW which has now become very valuable and collectable hence the reason for buying the recent one.
As an auld long distance runner, returning from Marathons and 1/2 Marathons up in the north of Scotland; I had to use an auto as my left leg would cramp up so badly having to use a clutch! Pure agree with your selection criteria, no French etc etc lol! I liked older Mercedes!
I should add I own a Volvo S40 Auto. Registered 2004 done 220,000 miles. The transmission cooler leaked in 2017, lost all the fluid. Cooler was bypassed (part no longer available), the transmission refilled with fluid, been alright ever since!
As for the Kia's - these are replicated in the Hyundai ranges - i10- i20- i30 - just the same cars
Picked up a 2013 Kia Rio for my Dad last year for just under £5000. 1.3 petrol, proper auto box, completely straight and bomb proof build quality. He loves it.
Great cars
If you are on tight budget never take automatic. I made that mistake twice and costs of repairs in uk are horrendous. Now only petrol, manual with timing chain. As an example: whole gearbox for mazda 6 costed me 1750 what was nearly half of the price of car.
But remember if you buy a car with cash, you don't have the massive lease or loan payments every month. I have a colleague who leases a Mini Cooper for £380 per month. She'll never own that car. It's dead money. My advice when buying an old car is put the lease payment amount away in a separate bank account for a year. At the end of the year, you will have £4560 to cover future repairs. You then stop the £380 and just top it up with fifty quid every month. You're pretty much covered!
Enjoyed the video, thank you. But I do take issue with you "dissing" the Hyundai and Nissan brands in general. As a family who have had automatics for over 25 years, we have had two Micra automatics that gave no trouble. The 2014 Micra is a CVT is has given no trouble so far. We also had a Hyundai I10 (2011) auto and it gave no trouble at all either until it was rear-ended and unfortunately written off. I ran a 08 C180 auto for over 240k kms; the auto box eventually needed work but it was poorly serviced by an official MB agency, shame!. My own experience is that Japanese (and Korean) manufacturers make the best automatics and I was surprised that the Toyota Avensis (early models) didn't feature in your line-up. They are bullet proof.
Brilliant video Matt! I had a 67 plate Volvo V40 D3 on lease with an auto box and it was very smooth. I later established that it was an Aisin box which is a brand owned by Toyota I believe. The other brand to look out for is ZF which are used in BMW and Jags I think. My next motor will 100% be an auto from your list 💯👍
I have a MK2 Focus 05 plate, 1.6 Ghia Automatic, like the one in the vid. Have had it for 12 years now and it has been a great car, would highly recommend them.
Another great video, thanks Matt. I spend a shameful proportion of my life going through Autotrader and it's a neat way of sharing your thoughts with us 👍
I bought 2011(62) plate Honda accord 2.2 diesel last year for 4200 with 125k miles on it which is nothing for these engines. Splendid drive and gear box is quite responsive. I would highly recommend accord as the one I bought has sun roof, heated seats, reverse cam, front and rear sensors. Anyone worrying about dpf just use redex diesel engine booster. You can get them for 2.50 at any wilko and use half in each tank. I don't drive motorway and my drive is only short and local and i didn't have any dpf issues. Easy to run car.
"Citroen definitely not" 🤣👍 Cracked me up right off the bat I needed that!
Cheers High Peak, very useful. I have a 1.6 1997 Suzuki Baleno Auto Hatchback, still going strong, touchwood! Bought it in 2007 with 26000 miles on the clock and it hasn't let me down yet. Touchwood again! 😉
Great to hear!
Top tips on these videos Matt.
You have a lot of experience in buying/selling cars and your knowledge is valued.
Hi, i got the CLK 240 had gear oil changed at 70k, did not need to, but it was recommended by a friend who loves them, smooth ride, but like you say, drinks plenty of petrol
My MG ZT uses the 5sp Jatco JF506E and aside from fluid changes it’s been absolutely faultless. Mated to the 2.5 KV6 it’s on 167,000 miles and although it’s not breaking no 0-60 records anytime soon, it is smooth and effortless.
Reverse pistons can fail though and it is expensive to run, especially with the V6. But still, in 2001 petrol was less than 80p a litre so 17mpg didn’t really matter
Several older Rover models have reliable auto boxes (and engines). He's too quick to give i his biased opinions!
ZT manual was a horrible heavy clutch...leg ache in traffic!! BEST handling car EVER but 2.5KV6 was gutless...I wish I'd tried the 1.8 turbo which was just as quick, more economical and, unlike the 2.5, remap will bring a lump more power. Nice car though...cut-price Bentley interior and fast in the corners.
I hate to admit I’ve had 2x 1.9cdti Zafira automatics. Totally reliable. The first one had over 140k when I sold it.
Great video, as always! I would like to mention that Volvo's "geartronic" gearboxes are regular torque converter autos, not CVTs or dual-clutches. I think most of them are sourced from Aisin. Some models, at least here in Sweden, between, let's say, 2010 and 2015, used Ford's "Powershift" box, but the rest of them should be reliable if taken care of.
Thanks for the info!
Had a Ford Focus mk2.5 1.6l with 4 speed automatic gearbox, it was slow af( long gearing) but it was reliable.
Hi Matt,
I had a 2007 Mondeo Automatic 2.0 TDCI which also was a Durashift. It had a proper 6 speed Aisin Warner torque converter box. So, with the Mondeo Durashift is good and Powershift is bad. So it seems not all Durashifts are alike.
Anyway, good video and also meets my sentiments exactly, I also would never buy any dual clutch cr@p. Cheers, Marco
I'm a true petrolhead. I love cars. I'm actually considering an Auto, even an old school torque converter type. Too much traffic in London.
Very slight correction Matt but the mk5 Golf 1.6 FSI petrol automatic is the 6 speed 09G gearbox and not a DSG, I had one for 160k miles and had no problems but serviced the box every 50k routinely. I believe all the diesel options were DSG and many were problematic after 100k.
All comes back to servicing. Look after your car and it will look after you, unless it's a vauxhall insignia then run for the hills.
I have a 2003 Merc CLK200 1.8 auto. I get over 30mpg, she's made to an extremely high standard, and the gearbox is super smooth. And I agree, I think she's a future classic.
I think we are close to a point where you can go for both Hyundai and Kia. Hyundai bought in to KIA in the late 90's and by the late 00's they used the same parts, as the old (Not anywhere near £5K) pre 05ish plates die off you're left with essentially the same cars.
I was searching for this commentary... I didnt understand why he didnt recommend Hyundai... Hyundai/Kia are good brands and they develop and produce their transmissions.
Thanks Matt. One of the younger members of staff where I work are having trouble learning to drive with a manual box. I suggested she take the automatic option (we are all heading that way). Your vid has given me great clues on what not to buy for her first car. Thanks again & all the best........
Thanks Matt brilliant video on choice of automatics .
I will always follow your advice you know more about cars than me you've been a good salesman.
I like you for your no nonsense straight talk about cars.
Above all you are honest and have a good character which is sadly lacking these days not many honest car sales men left in UK.
I think I could count them on one hand
To be honest there are alot of rip off merchants out there.
To each his own. Matt appears to be a one man lexicon of facts and figures for all things on four wheels with an engine. He pushes my buttons - for a used car sales man - I mean that in a good way.
Lexus is250 for the win, incredible build quality with amazing luxury. Extremely dependable Japanese engineering. Plenty of power, all for less then £5k 😍👊🏻
They can burn oil and suffer carbon build up
@@HighPeakAutos yeah this is one of the rare cases where I think the equivalent bmw 3 series is the better option over the lexus.
@@spicysnowman8886 you must be joking 🤦🏼♂️🤣
@@HighPeakAutos burning oil is a rare case and is almost always the Pcv valve as people don’t change them on schedule and causes higher cylinder pressure. I’ve had 3 over 10 years and with fresh Pcv valves never burn any oil. Every single car can have carbon build up if not used on premium E5 fuel as the is250 is direct injection is can happen much quicker 👍🏻
@@spicysnowman8886 Buying a BMW instead of a Lexus sounds like a horror film to me.
I’ve owned 3 high mileage Saab auto (2000-2004) they had the Aisin automatic gearbox which is extremely robust and can take up to 300bhp. They’re not the fastest change but are smooth, one box had tiptronic controls but I thought unnecessary, only time I used manual control was on motorway to control faster overtaking. Aisin is owned by Toyota!
Aaaaaaa! You're so right on most of these but so wrong on some of them. CVT's are not bad at all usually. Also, Nissan worked together with Suzuki on the Alto/Pixo from '09 and later, and those can be had fairly cheap as well (source: I sold mine for €2k recently). Also, the Volvo's with the Geartronic boxes are usually really good. They're from Aisin-Werner, a sub-brand from Toyota. There's one model which can develop a fault which is fixable with a simple refurb kit costing only a few quid. Source: I was looking for an AT in the country across the smaller pond, to the east. The only kinds of cars that were somewhat sensible were either like a Volvo S40, V40, V50, S60 or something like a Saab 9-3. Haven't read much about the Saabs, but I've ended up doing quite a bit of online research on the AT Volvo's I mentioned earlier (so I did end up getting a V50 with Geartronic, and it's been nothing but an absolute pleasure so far). I can't drive anything else than an AT because of my license (reasons), so yeah my options were really limited.
You did show the BMW's but you kinda glossed over the fact that pretty much all of those 1, 3 and 5 series have engines with chains that WILL fail sooner rather than later, since those bad chains were used for a LONG time in those BMW's (those chains stretch too much, unlike they're supposed to, and massively b0rk up the valve/cam timings). It's a shame really, would've loved one but in those cases you may not have the gearbox to worry about but an expensive engine failure. Diesel ones have this issue much less, but it's still too common. And when they do fail, it's a complete economical write-off.
Oh and that's not to say any of the other good AT gearboxes are fault-proof either. Quite the opposite. On my previous Alto, the gearbox DID fail at around 160.000km (not miles). Why? Because the differential bearing had completely worn. I got lucky and was able to get a replacement box delivered for
I thought I was already cooked to buy 2007>15 Yaris. But, watching this video, just got confused again! Now I’m not sure if Yaris are AT or CVT.
Most mechanic will tell you to stay off cvt transmissions
@@ademiravdic most mechanics also charge you three times more for a job than it’s worth and don’t even do it properly
If looking for a car in the VW group people need to keep in mind the gearbox's termonology so they know what they are getting. Tiptronic is the classic box, DSG is the dual clutch one and Multitronic is basicaly the CVT. You can find good gearboxes in VW group as long as you look out for the Tiptronic gearbox wich is the classic gearbox.
In vw group There's cars fitted only with tiptronic like golf 4 and octavia mk1, but others use both tiptronic and dsg like golf 5 and octavia mk2.
How could i know that it's tiptronic or dsg in such cars.
Is there a website that explains the type of gearbox according to engine and year.
Tiptronic transmissions (using torque converter) in vw group are not the same ( 01M, 09A, 09G ..): wich one should i choose (main concern is reliability).
My budget do not exceed 5000 £ 😅
Avensis says hi upto 2009 - the 1.8 petrol after that was CVT, but reliable more than most. The 2.2 diesel was a proper torque box.
Just bought a Lexus IS250 Advance 2.5 V6 with the auto gearbox. It is silky smooth and is such lovely drive. My girlfriend has a semi automatic Honda Jazz and I know what you mean about how cheap and rubbish they are. It feels like you're rocking when changing gears.
Pre 2010 legacy and outback use the 5EAT proper auto. I swear by them as a reliable knock about. Under £5k too
Forester upto 2007, lots of autos 5eat, gearbox very understressed and reliable. Amazing cars
I’m confused by the comment that CVTs are unreliable (something I have also heard from other sources as well). CVTs on scooters look pretty simple and must be reliable or there wouldn’t be so many around. Is there a fundamental difference between the CVT on a scooter and the CVT on a car?
Ford Focus 2.0 Ghia auto is good. No timing belt and gets cruise control. Economy isn't much different to the 1.6. Better is Mondeo with Aisin automatic. Same 'box in V70, Freelander and in the Tiguan which is why I bought mine because I wasn't going to own DSG. Fancied an S-Max but only Powershift so No. The 2.2 diesel is also the same Aisin auto and in the Sovereign spec is a very good car. Vauxhall problem was failure of radiator internals so coolant could mix with ATF and get into the 'box. The Mondeo 'box is also the Geartronic in the V50, v70, s80 and V90 and there's no significant reliability problems.
I know many people are against French vehicles but the Aisin auto boxes used by Citroen are true autos. We had a DS3 (EAT) auto and it was very reliable, quick off the mark and the shifts were undetectable!
Another great video Matt - as a driver of autos found it really interesting...good ones are hard to find especially if you don't want a luxo-barge. Loved the comment 'why am I instantly attracted to a 20 year old e-class'!
My neighbours are on their 2nd honda civic 1.8 auto. First one 170k no issues only brakes and maybe a spring or shock needed in its lifetime. They kept it as it wasn't worth selling. Not great mpg but works all the time
The mk2 Punto I had wasn’t a semi auto. That said they did sell them with the semi. The only problem I ever had with it was when I blew the reversing bulb it wouldn’t go into reverse at all. Of course reverse coming before drive meant the car wouldn’t move until I replaced the reversing bulb 😂
That's crazy, truly idiot design to immobilize the car because of a reverse light.
Safety first!
Could you do a top 10 or top 5 automatic cars for first time drivers? That's would be a good video
Good video. I think one you missed is that actually Skoda do have a few proper autos. The Fabia model of around 2007 has a JATCO torque converter before they went to dual clutch. Had one for a while.
Smaller cars like vw polo do good automatic transmission in older polos not newest one, the fabia and seat Ibiza were based on polo platform
@@willtaylor6112 Yes. The 2000-2007 Fabia had normal autos. But also so did the next generation for a while. I don't know what year they fully moved to dual clutch, but I had a 2007 Fabia hatchback of that newer shape with a proper auto and 1.6 engine. Nothing special but sold it to a mate and it's up to 150k miles so can't be too bad. They also did the estate version.
I don't think it's a very common car with the auto I'm talking about so probably not super useful to buyers. I think an old corolla is the easiest way to do it.
I can’t get past the Skoda design, ugly ! Plus my neighbours Fabia dissolved and was weighed in for scrap and it wasn’t that old.
@@mrbigvanlife7130 yeah it is ugly, the roomster is hideous. Most new cars are made as cheap as possible and only last a few years
@@mrbigvanlife7130 Oh for sure it was an ugly, awkward looking car. Awful seat pattern as well, out of a Communist bus.
I was dreading an steep uphill climb coming home from work in a snowstorm in Liverpool. It was very slippy but my 2 litre Accord auto. The traffic was heavy and with a pedestrian crossing and a big busy junction made that hill start - stop from bottom to top. But my 2 litre Accord auto handled it easy. No searching for the clutch bite point..just lift foot off the break pedal and it moved onward and up.
Outstanding video Matt , really good information and agreed with most of your choices with the automatics 👍
Would pick Ford any day of the week, i believe powershift is from 2011 to 2016 that has a ton of issues, i have a 2013 powershift 1.6 petrol Focus and honestly the engines are bulletproof the only issues i have had is the clutch pack needing changing but to be honest even when the powershift is fully working as it should its not a nice gearbox to be honest it still hesitates and sometimes feels like its going to just break, currently saving towards a 2018+ Focus that has the new 7 speed in which are meant to be really good.
Fantastic video, thanks for sharing. I’d love to see you do one on the best cars to give you a bit of luxury under £10k without them becoming a massive headache. Those old jags are very tempting but I’m sure there are better alternatives or a better sweet spot between luxury and reliability.
Brother what do you thing about citroen ds5 2013 auto?
Lexus ES300/330/350 or LS430.
Great video, I noticed you hesitated when you came to Hyundai. We've got 3 I10's in the family all Auto's and have had no issues. Love to know your reason for not recommending.
No going back to manual for everyday use after having a decent Auto
My city is having heavy traffic most of the times so driving a stick is really tiring with all the constant clutch brake. I feel like my left foot is aching in the evening times afterwards. Switched to automatic and all I have to care about is steering. What a relief. So many stress in this world already. One less struggle is a treat.
Merc CLC is a decent auto. Had one for over ten years. Loved that car!
Edit; the mk1 Yaris also did a semi auto. My grandad had one and the gearbox went, TWICE in 34k miles 🙃
Oh dear. Yes good call on the CLC
I wouldn't be put off a Mk 1 Nissan Note 1.6 auto as these have a proper auto (MK 2 later ones from 2013 are CVT ) we have had 2 Notes for the past 10 & 12 years in our family and never had a issues with the auto box or anythings else other than service items.
Mazda 3 it is
Thanks for making the video…. I got an automatic 2009 Nissan note last year and I must say the car has served me well…. Maybe you should reconsider putting Nissan care on your list 😁
My girlfriend is Australian and only has an automatic licence and I have done a lot of research into this subject. I eventually came to the exact same conclusions as you, in reality there are hardly any petrol, traditional torque converter automatic gearbox cars for under £5K. The BMW will have the N43/N46 engine which is notorious for fuel injector and timing chain issues. The Japanese cars will most likely be very crusty underneath. The Mercedes C180K engine can suffer with timing chain issues and they also suffer rusty rear subframes and rusty rear brake lines. Some of the smaller cars such as the Hyundai i10 will have the ancient four speed automatic which is a really slow and dim witted gearbox.
I would like an automatic, but lack of choice in this price range and the fact that automatics seem to cost twice as much as manuals means I will probably end up getting another manual next time.
What did you end up doing