I am looking to buy a used car in the UK but man the cheapest are like £6k+... Any tips on where to find cheaper cars, what to look out for? any good web sites to find about a car's history?

Also if you are somewhere in Scotland, near Dundee ideally but Edinburgh and Glasgow would be fine too, and have a car you'd like to sell then let me know... I am looking for a small car that doesn't cost too much petrol-wise. Something like a Fiat 500.

OP here. Asked around, and I was suggested to use facebook marketplace and set off reminders. I had to make an FB account for that which feels kind of dirty lol.

if you want one that's real cheap don't be afraid of rust buckets. you could probably get a rusted through compact or subcompact for anywhere between 1k and 4k, depending on the severity of the degradation. sure, they're unsafe and their days are numbered, but they're cheap and they get the job done. just make sure to perform the most basic maintenance possible regularly: get your tire pressure right, replace brakes when they become worn and make sure the machine has all the fluids it needs. oh and these cars can be really shitty so make sure to test stuff like lights and signals, seatbelts, wipers, door locks and the radiator before trusting it for longer trips. i've had my engine overheat on me before because of a busted radiator, not fun. try to look for one from a manufacturer who has a reputation for long-lasting engines, like toyota or honda. keep your standards low and you'll have a nice life. good luck with your car hunt, hope you'll find a sick ride.

Ebay... I found the car I wanted and it was sold by a garage at Arbroath! Right up the road~

Ignore everything >>3 said, they don't need an MOT in Amerikkka. Don't cheap out on a knackered car if you have to spend more than its value to pass the MOT.

>>4
Thanks. If I buy a £1k rustbox then I'll be fleeced by mechanics to fix it for the MOT. Which mileage of car should I buy? Under 80k miles or does mileage not matter as long MOT history looks good?

>>4
Also, is it worth checking whether the cars are written off? Did you check that when you bought a car?
A friend of mine suggested a way to check out if cars have been written off for free on autotrader. Basically you choose the option to sell and enter the cars registration number and mileage.

I am looking at ebay right now. Thanks, things looked pretty grim on facebook ads. Hopefully this is better.

>>4

Sorry for all the questions is there a particular car make or type that I should look out for? My friend swears by Toyota, but even that leaves quite a few options. I just want a car to drive abt 80 miles everyday for a commute.

I buy a £1k rustbox then I'll be fleeced by mechanics to fix it

I was going to say you can maybe find cars in decent condition for about a grand, but then everything seems to be more and more expensive these days, I'm afraid I don't really have a good idea what prices are like in the car market today. Here's a good tip though, ask friends or colleagues for recommendations for a good local garage they go to. If they're good, stick with them. Never go to the big chain garages like Kwik-Fit, they'll rip you off. And be wary of garages offering cheaper MOTs, because they're more likely to find more issues to fix, and recoup their costs that way. I've been going to the same garage for 10 years, a wee family-run one, and when they realised I was a loyal customer they started doing me good deals any time I have to see them. For instance, he saved me £300 last year on something when he didn't really need to.

Under 80k miles or does mileage not matter as long MOT history looks good?

I think that's what I would aim for, it depends on the kind of car I guess. If the MOT looks okay that could persuade me to get a car with a higher mileage. On Ebay they should hopefully be honest about any issues with the car, what's running down and what's recently replaced etc. They'll often say when its MOT is due and maybe any expected issues. Take those things into account for weighing up how much you'll spend altogether.

is it worth checking whether the cars are written off?

Erm I'm not exactly sure what you mean by that sorry. Wait I think I remember doing something with a number plate to get a vehicle's history... Sounds like a good idea though!

>>7 No ploblemo! I once had these questions too. It totally depends on what you want to drive, but Christ, an 80-mile commute? If it was me I would move house tbh! You can't get back the hours you spent on the motorway! A couple things to take into account would be your insurance, and if the place you commute to has an LEZ. Luckily my car is exempt from LEZ. It might be worth checking if the car is liable for LEZ fines, if that applies to your city. If it's just a runaround for getting from A to B, I think there's plenty of cheap-to-buy, cheap-to-insure options. A Vauxhall Corsa or a Ford Ka or something like that? I used to have a Ford Ka and it was perfectly fine for my life at the time.