I’d add the Volvo C30. Good spec for the money, drives well and looks quirky

@mgproryh

2 ай бұрын

Depends on the engine really. Id say my 2.0 petrol is pretty boring, I also get about 25mpg so in hindsight no better than the sportier models so I imagine those t5s or d5s are a good buy. If you could find the 2.4 in manual, probably the holy grail in terms of reliability to fun ratio but I dont think them auto boxes are great. I suppose the r-design kit and facelifts look pretty good, especially with a de-chrome. Selling mine if your interested lol :)

Was this the most useful KZread car video produced by anyone recently? Absolutely!

@muckle8

2 ай бұрын

Agree completely. - matt’s on point as usual .

I'd so go for that S type. Hated the look of them when they came out but just like my kids, they've really grown on me! 🙂

@dickpeuten1988

2 ай бұрын

😂😂

@Sickiey

2 ай бұрын

had a 2.5 petrol and it moved, ..was funny taking off at the lights and leaving cars sitting ,

@mrzee321

2 ай бұрын

😂

@Brummie666

2 ай бұрын

Just bought an S type with good history and service history, well under £3k, even if it has a few problems later then I'll see if its worth keeping but it's nice.

We bought a Berlingo as a dog carrier/dump run car......and it was so much fun I ended up driving it more than I expected! Bomb proof, hoseable interior, sliding back doors are a boon, making getting the grandkids in and out so simple. And more storage cubbies than ikea....loved it!

Dutchman here. I have my Jaguar S-Type diesel now for about 5 years and done 125000 miles myself in it. Great car, love it! Realistic fuel consumption is (over 125000 mls) 38 mpg. With a steady 60mph on a long run I once achieved 45mpg.

As someone who likes a 'luxury barge' I'm surprised you didn't include the Citroen C6. Luxurious, rare, very stylish and quirky and you can get them for £3,000.

My friend has a 04 TT, he is a painter and decorator and uses the TT to carry all his equipment and tools round in

Great call on the MK1 Berlingo, they go forever and insanely practical.

My advice is to buy a car for 2k and save the rest for repairs. Thats usually how it goes.

Saab 93 maintained are 100% an addition to this.

@Cloud007.

2 ай бұрын

Don't do it! So unreliable. Ask me how I know 🎉😂

@stevo63n

2 ай бұрын

I agree wholeheartedly.I had a 2007 Tid pre facelift model.Loved it.I think they still look good amongst more modern cars.Only problems i had were a seized front brake caliper and i replaced the suspension on all four corners.Drove really well and was great on diesel.

@planestrainsdogsncars4336

2 ай бұрын

The Cadillac was 95% Saab.

@andrewcarter7503

2 ай бұрын

Have had 4 93 convertibles, current one for 6 years, nearing 100k miles. Never had a serious problem with any of them.

@johanaberg6528

2 ай бұрын

The 93 is a classic from the late 50s and costs way more than gbp 3000. The 9-3 is a GM car from 1994 onwards:)

Gutted you didn’t include a Saab 9-3 CV 🤞🏼

I've got a diesel 1.6 Peugeot Partner Teepee which is the same as a Berlingo Multispace and after ten years from new with 100,000 miles on the clock and regularly serviced, the only trouble i've had was a blocked fuel filter ! No new exhaust, no new clutch, no electronics to go wrong, rear seats that come out making it a vehicle everyone wants to borrow for dump runs etc ! Can't recommend it enough ! Plus 50mpg and more !

Dutchy here. Checked the local market and the Audi TT from 2006 and up start around 8000 euro ~7000 pounds, Petrol only. They definitely still look good for their age.

I had a last-gen Toyota Celica as my first car many years ago. Great fun, extremely reliable (chain engine), low tax, low insurance, look and handle great. £3k gets you a really nice example with < 80k miles

@spingybingy5610

2 ай бұрын

I had one too. Great sounding engines for a 4cyl. And the seat/ cockpit really did make it feel sportier than what it was

@andrewnyland7090

2 ай бұрын

Had a Celica for the last 4 years - almost 20 years old now. Thought one may have made it on this list of sub 3k cars.@@spingybingy5610

I enjoy your KZread posts, have you ever considered doing an article about the recent rises in car insurance premiums. Thank you.

Honda accords are a good consideration around this price range, well equipped with good reliability and a lot are taken care of well. The 2.2 diesel is a great engine, specifically the later generation i-dtec and the petrols are good too, even if theyre a little bit underpowered

@arturseversons3444

2 ай бұрын

Is it 'interesting' though?

@wiktorkaczmarek34

2 ай бұрын

@@arturseversons3444 They're fairly rare in the UK and if you can get a type S, they get a nice body kit along with some extra grunt (from 150 to 180bhp) from that i-DTEC engine, and up to 220bhp can be squeezed out from an ECU tune. But I can see a case being made for how they're not the most thrilling out of the bunch. It does stand out from most cars on the UK roads though.

The Lexus iS.. "the best instrument cluster I've ever seen"... then proceeds NOT to show us ! Brilliant 😂

@merseyrailer7780

2 ай бұрын

This channel is becoming more more and more a personal ego and financial trip. “Let’s see how many videos I can produce that’ll give me a nice income. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention today’s sponsor”…….

@jamesnolan925

2 ай бұрын

​@@merseyrailer7780unsubscribe then 😊

@mijr9075

2 ай бұрын

@@merseyrailer7780bit harsh mate

@Taylor40667

2 ай бұрын

@@merseyrailer7780have you seen autotraders price tracker recently? 📉

@gazzertrn

2 ай бұрын

@@merseyrailer7780 They all do it , if it brings in money then why not , still a great channel though .

I needed a tip run car so for £800 last week a bought a slightly shabby 120k Skoda roomster 1.2tsi with full main dealer history and 10 months mot. But that seems really quirky

Jeremy Clarkson liked the Berlingo van-car. He couldn't fault it. The episode was a trip to Calais booze cruise. 😊

@DJC-10

2 ай бұрын

Fairly sure it was the very first review of the first season of the “new style” top gear with Jason Dawe and Hammond along with Clarkson

@volt8684

2 ай бұрын

That was a brilliant episode. I am driving a 17 yr old berlingo and often recall clarksons views and he was dead right. If they made the one I have new, I would buy one tomorrow.

@DJC-10

2 ай бұрын

@@volt8684 it always depresses hearing the price of the cars back in the day 😂

@muckle8

2 ай бұрын

@volt8684. Citroen/ Peugeot dropped the ball completely imho when they adopted the ugly Renault kangoo front end , totally spoilt the nice looks of the first gen belingo/ partner - I love these too

@muckle8

2 ай бұрын

As Matt rightly said the early ones are the gems , hard to find a nice one now though sadly

Hi Matt, Honda CR-Z is another interesting choice, bullet proof reliability, £30 road tax, 50+ mpg

@thegrowl2210

2 ай бұрын

That rear end though…

Had a berlingo multispace on an 02 plate in 2006 lasted 11 years with very little maintenance. That was a 1.9 straight diesel and yes it would run on chip oil . Probably the best vehicle I’ve ever had 🤔

Maybe a SAAB or Volvo should be on the list? I thought those 6 cylinder Subarus were not as reliable as the 4 cylinder ones.

Hey Matt my mechanic guided me to a X reg S Type 3 litre petrol its a brilliant engine and haven't any trouble it was well looked after before me. Great videos these ones.

Great video Matt! Very informative 👍

250.000 miles on my S type. Quite extraordinarily reliable and only service items like brakes, oil and spark plugs. No oil puddles and no oil consumption. If something goes wrong it's very seldom and most of the times an easy fix. Check sills though. Akilles item. But fixable of course. 3.0 petrol the pick of the bunch IMO.

@TheSunlight74

2 ай бұрын

Tax per year?

@ln5747

2 ай бұрын

Auto?

@alanaxan8793

2 ай бұрын

Don't worry about tax if you own a Jag. Why bother then? Mine is 395 pa. That is what people pay monthly on cars they buy for 3-5 yr lease....crazy, and you still owe money on it at end of contract!

Loved my 2 S Types. Real sense of occasion when getting into those cars!

@Libertarian606

2 ай бұрын

Was told they’re not a proper Jag, then I sat in one… I’ve owned three so far

@robmarsh2217

2 ай бұрын

Brilliant cars !

For 3k you can now view a nice selection of Up/Mii/Citigos. There are some moderate mileage examples though they will do high miles.

hyundai coupe. 2L SIII great car. wish I'd kept mine longer. great looks, reliable and drives well with a nice mid range engine note.

Suggestion... Honda Accord 2005 2.0 i-vtec Exec Auto fully loaded heated leather seats sunroof front and rear parking sensors, premium stereo with sat navigation.

I have a 2008 TT roadster. Not very happy to see how much it depreciated but I love it to bits

@AJ-yc3bl

2 ай бұрын

I don't mind at all, cheaper for me😅

@stephen3000x

2 ай бұрын

It's probably because of the cold I've been having for the past few days, but I've read that as: 2008 TT Toaster. I hope it has room for quattro slices of bread. Ok... I'll show myself out now!

@ianfrost3529

2 ай бұрын

I went with my mate to buy a 2009 mk2 TT 2.0 petrol 120k lots of history 2owners £1250 needed rear callipers and front tyres but lot of car for the money.

I had an Alfa 147 1.6 TS, which is the hatchback version of the GT. Great drivers car, handled like it was on rails, way better than my Giulietta does. Some fragile parts, like pre-cats and wishbones, it won't forgive spirited use lol. I went through 3x pre-cats, stick out below the car and strike speed bumps or crossing humpy roads. Started getting expensive.

I envy the car prices in the UK. All these cars are probably 5-10 times the price where I live.

@robertkellett1156

2 ай бұрын

Yes here in AUS you would never buy a car for those prices either..

@planestrainsdogsncars4336

2 ай бұрын

That's coz in the UK cars RUST.

@volt8684

2 ай бұрын

@@robertkellett1156my daughter in oz just bought a 2010 yaris 99k kilometres, one owner 8k dollars = £4k no different to uk

@Mazza-hz1zf

2 ай бұрын

It's the upkeep that costs a bomb, mechanics can easily rinse you dry

@simonroyle2806

2 ай бұрын

@@planestrainsdogsncars4336 I haven't seen a rusty car for years in the UK, unlike in the US where you see half eaten cars driving around. The main reason is that the UK MOT annual safety/emissions test is stringent. So fixing cars over about 8-9 years becomes expensive as they start failing the test and need parts replacing, with mechanic costs of say £100/hour its cheaper to buy a newer car. If you can fix cars yourself then older cars can be a real bargain. Also the annual road tax penalizes older cars as its based on emissions, a new EV costs zero vs a 20 year old Range Rover being @£750/year.

My Diesel S-Type was amazing. I had to replace the rear suspension on mine shortly after buying it which wasn't cheap but the car was worth it. Unfortunately someone reversed down the side of it and wrote it off, but for 24 months it was stunning. Bearing in mind I got it from a friend for the price of a garage bill £400. It was well worth what I spent on it over 2 years of owning it. The only issue was, it started my love affair with jags. :)

Had a 2005 3.0 spec b legacy saloon manual, bought it in 2014 for 4K 62,000 miles, oil, filter plugs every 8k miles was all it needed - great car, so much so ive now an 2009 spec B, so in my 10 years of spec B ownership I cannot fault them. No plans on selling it, fun in the sun, goes when it snows, great all rounder.

@jdo582

2 ай бұрын

Welcome to the club! Bought mine new in 07; still on the drive.

@David-cm4ok

2 ай бұрын

Isn’t the spec b nearly 700 quid tax per year?

Love the choices Matt....one thing to remember with the S-Type Diesel is it gets you round the Nurburgring in under 10 mins as Sabine Schmitz proved and Jeremy Clarkson.....win win!

Great and interesting video Matt: Keep bringing fascinating alternatives to the standard concept 👍

I have a 300c estate got it at 68k full history and its been pretty good. Happy with fuel consumption and very comfortable. Its been pretty reliable so far and cost a tad under 3k

The S type Jag I had two over the years both 2.7D great cars to drive but both blew turbo's around 80,000 miles.

Enjoying the vid. Thanks for the content

@HighPeakAutos

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Cracking video I recently purchased a 2003 mini cooper s convertible full service history and in pretty good nick it's got 65789 miles on it and drives spot on up to now no problems apart from replacing the drive belt

@richyclubsport5155

2 ай бұрын

It's a chain not belt allow £5-700 to do it

@MrJoffster

2 ай бұрын

@@richyclubsport5155 I meant the auxiliary belt buddy

Love this sort of video. The Subaru brought back happy memories. My mate’s late father had one in that yellow. Great choice. Well done Matt.

The Alfa Gt is a great car for the money, can pick up 1.9 diesel which is a good engine in them and very tunable for less than 3k, can get the 2.0 petrol aswell. Things to watch for are the Sills, they are renowned for rust or bending due to incorrect jacking. Sub frames, gearbox etc usual checks Matt, if you ever want to test drive the busso v6 GT, you can use mine, what an engine. Will certainly put a smile on your face

The thought of owning a Lexus definitely brought out the Alan Partridge in me.

@adzy166

2 ай бұрын

It’s the Japanese Mercedes after all

@grenvillephillips6998

2 ай бұрын

@@adzy166I still don't know what the plural of Lexus is, though!

@user-bm3uz9cg7l

2 ай бұрын

Ask Sonja

2012 Citroen Belingo and Peugeot Partner are EXACTLY the same car but re-badged. Bombproof diesel engine.

My 59 plate Mazda 3 2.0 petrol has a 6 speed manual box. The gearing still feels short though, sometimes I look down to check I am not in 4th 😄

100% agreed on the GT just picked a red 2.0 JTS up and I love it 😍

By coincidence my brother just bought a 300C from a specialist. He wanted the V8 hemi but I told him to get the V6, which is the bread-and-butter engine in the US. It only has one real weakness in the head compared to the V8. Good call.

Quality intel as per Matt, well argued Chap.

I had a MK2 IS220D sport and you're right. Those engines are quiet and smooth but you risk catastrophic DPF failure (even with majority motorway miles) and an injector went on mine. I got rid and bought an XF.

I have a Chrysler 300 CRD estate with the Mercedes 3.0 V6 diesel. It's a great car. When I test drove it, in the mirror, the tailgate looked like it was in another county. Have had no major issues in 3 years other than a glitch with the starter motor which had the terminal resoldered by my local garage. Everyone who has been in it raves about the ride and comfort. It is quiet and economical for a 3 litre. Nice to see it on this list.

Superb video! please consider doing further videos on price ranges.. Loved this and could not wait to watch it after KZread recommended to me on the train on the way home - hence the need for a new car :) Love the tips and hints you give also - well done.

Some good choices there, particularly the Berlingo. A very practical car with a surprisingly reliable diesel. The 2litre is very good. The 300C estate is another good one but I found sitting in the back for a long period a bit odd due to its small windows.

I'd be tempted by a Volvo XC70 at that price.

S Type Jag , I had one did 50k motorway miles 45mpg easily attainable the engine V6d is a peach , go for the latest model 2007-8 check boot for water as in it should be dry ....

I bought last week, for bang on 3k, a 2010 audi a6 with 120k on the clock, its had its clutch, flywheel, timing belt, water pump all done last year, 2 owners, fsh, 2.0tdi and an absolute bargain in my eyes. Only problem, which isn't massive, is there is some lacquer peel on the boot.

I'm in agreement Matt. I like a TT, the Mini is a good buy, Jag S Type has been on my list for years, Alfas are nice but id have a Brera, the 300c is a fine car and I love an estate, never considered a Mazda apart fron the MX5, Subaru is OK, never looked at a Lexus but they're reliable, Cadilac SRX is a weird choice, Berlingo Multispace is a really good tip run or dog car and the other arfs car of choice (3 dogs)

@mickeysmouse4800

2 ай бұрын

Brera: beautiful looking car ❤

Thanks for that interesting review Matt 👍

S types are very good cars. Thanks Matt

Loved this and some genuinely interesting choices. Even better, unlike some comments suggest, you didn't use it (as you never really do) as a "clear my stock" or sales gimmick. BTW - last car was an IS250 mk2 ...absoliutely brilliant as you say, but tiny flag on running costs is that certainly pre-facelift you have to use E5 petrol, not E10, so MPG isn't the whole story.

My first car I spent over a grand on was Lancia Beta Coupe 2000 ie. Cost me 2.5k. I was 21 and thought I was the dogs wotsits. Loved it. replaced it with an Alfa 164 3.0 V6.

I've just bought a 2001 audi tt as a project for me and my boys to do up, I paid £200 for it, I'll get the brakes working properly then take it for an mot, I've checked over it and it doesn't look too bad considering it was parked up for 5 yrs on someone's drive, looking forward to having it back on the road

A really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on this. I had a 2008 TT and I loved it - and yes it is surprisingly practical, so long as you think of it as a two seater as the rear seats are next to useless!

I changed my smart roadster for an Alfa GT just before Christmas. For under £2.5k 2 owners, full Alfa history and 54k miles. The 150 its very punchy and frugal (if a bit agricultural on idle). It has a few common faults that need fixing (boot won’t open from the outside and one of seat cables needs replacing) otherwise has been super reliable, fun and quite rare for such a cheap car. The interior is lovely tan leather too.

I've owned the Alfa GT 3.2. It was a great car, but if I was on a £3K budget with no more money available, I would probably give it a miss. Nice cars need maintenance and that costs money.

Hey Matt. Love your work 👍

Great video. ❤ Can you do a video on what "interesting" cars are cheap to insure please.

I have been looking forward to this all day 😀

I bought an IS300 wagon and its been great, green, cream leather, a sort of primitive tiptronic style gearbox, nice engine, eats wardrobes, added a wireless carplay gps and it makes it feel modern.

Honda crv 2 gen Civic 8 Toyota corolla Skoda fabia monte carlo Suzuki swift Interesting and reliable... In my opinion. Love this content. Last video with xc 70, finally put last dot on not to think to buy xc 70 or xc 90 for crazy repair bills. I hope you will sell it , and dont repeat your mistake. No more volvos😄

Great choice of cars Matt, especially the S Type Jag and Subaru. I do love the Mini but knowing my luck it would break.

I took Matt's advice on a previous video and was looking for a decent cheapie and went with a 2012 Mazda 3 which he recommended. - it had 1 owner from new, and 80k on the clock - it wasn't the sport version but the 1.6 petrol - it is flat as a fart but have got to say its been so reliable and is a great runabout. The only major expense was the wheels, which were rotten so they had to be refurbed. I do agree with Matt's comments in that it does miss a 6th gear for motorway driving.

I reckon Matt would be excellent as the main presenter on top gear! Great video as always !!

@arturseversons3444

2 ай бұрын

Top Gear is finished, like officially.

@fauzanriez9472

2 ай бұрын

Add Mat Armstrong and Matt Watson as well. And call the program Top Mat😅

My mate has the Subaru Legacy and you are correct, he’s had his for at least 15 years and counting and loves it. Cracking vehicle. 😎

Another vote for the S'Type a lot of car for the money and a lot of its mechanical underpinings were carried over to the XF Mk1. I would suggest the 3.0 V6 petrol is worth considering - yes its thrirstier than the diesel but has a good reputation for reliability.

Another great video Mat. I’m coming to the end of my pcp lease on my current car. I discovered your channel about 9 months ago. You’ve now made me consider something different. The CLS that featured in your Christmas trip to Scotland is a model I’d consider.

Volvo C30/S40, basically the same car. can't go wrong, Mk2 Focus chassis and Duratec engine, cheap parts, cheap to maintain and excellent interior and sound system

Fantastic deals wow, I just now discovered your channel,glad I did. Insanely gorgeous cars🚘.

Some good suggestions there Matt, one or two I was surprised about, but yeah, very good. A great video and I’d like to see more like that. Maybe best economical, 4x4, most fun to drive for £… Keep up the good work.

A great 3-4k car is a last of the facelift 2009 cls 320cdi, leather everything, air suspension and pulls like a rocket ship. Great smoker

The mk1 swift sport deserved a spot on this list

Drove a 1999 Lexus is200 from the top of Ireland to the bottom and back with no issues

@Cloud007.

2 ай бұрын

Fair play but driving a car for 16hours without an issue is not really a big deal to be fair.

At least half of those are completely me, good job 👍

Love the content. Can you maybe do a video for older people who need a good car but is cheap to tax and insure. I am sure it would apply to young new drivers too.

Must say, the best £3,000 car I've ever bought is my current one. A 1997 Volvo 940. Interesting starter classic car that just does everything, and will never let you down. Not cheap to run (25mpg at a push and £350 a year road tax) but if you can get past that, they're great. Won't lose your backside come sale time too, prices are on the up!

Great advice Matt. You really know your cars !!!

@HighPeakAutos

2 ай бұрын

Thanks! 👍

Matt I have noticed on the video you just released and that in the dado trunking one of your data points is upside down? Sorry to be a pain by the way great videos as always. Mike

nice High peak auto shouting out my Chrysler 300c estate 3.0 crd, enjoying that car alot for couple years now, didint really had any major technical problems

great video and great cars, just a correction: just bought a is250 2006 model petrol automatic, i did a run few days ago from london to northampton and then back which was around 190 miles all together. i drove normally and used the cruise control were i could, traffic was normal. i easily averaged 41 mpg.

I had an Alfa 156 Sport (factory spec. Dealer demo only) in the old days Alfa built these models to promote the car. Owned BMW & Audi. The Alfa was the best fun I ever had. You're not a petrol head until you drive an Alfa. I had 4 Company reps., they all wanted one.

Massive fan of your vids they're always great you're doing a FANTASTIC JOB!! I'd like to see a 'best BMWs for the money' video because I need to swap my Astra for one LOL!

I bought a Berlingo as a runaround. Paid £1400 for it and went all over in it. I had a boot jump camper in it. We went to the Isle of Wight, France, Suffolk. Mine was a 1.9 non turbo. My mate borrowed it to go from Barnsley to Durham and asked if the fuel gauge worked because it hadn’t moved by the time he got there. It got costly with welding and rust so I let it go. I’d definitely have another. At least the rear sub frame didn’t rot like my 12 year old C class 🙄

Very good Matt, I'm not someone who has a lot of money...at all...but I had a Renault Megane for the last two years and I just bought myself a really nice BMW E90 for 4 grand about 4 days ago, its cheap and wonderful and I am happy, which is the most important thing.

Amazing vid, I’m toying with a winter driving around Europe/Morocco snowboarding and surfing and had a budget of 3k I’m mind. My mental list is similar but with the addition of a celica (you’d be surprised how much they can carry), 3 series estate prob with an oil pot or a mark 3 vitara so I can get a little off-road. I can’t mark my mind up between on road fun or off road capacity, maybe the Subaru is the balance.

I still think the TT is a stunning looking car. Can i add the Z4 as a fun shout and the A5 as a good daily all rounder

Good video for me seeing as my budget right now is about 3/4k for a car and I’m looking at cars well over that😂😂. Nice video for me to consider future cars Cheers.

You give the best advices 🙂

I owned a fully loaded Alfa GT when it was new. Full leather Q2, with 18”s, Sat Nav, phone. Suffered from water ingress, new gearbox, door stay, headlight. The Sat Nav more suited to Colin McRae, Voice activated control so bad it would delete your contacts no matter what you asked it. But you’d forgive all of that, when you clocked yourself in a shop window driving it. What a gorgeous car…. Miss that thing everyday.

With the Mazda 3, not a SP23/25? Or would they be out of budget in the UK?

I always liked the Mazda 3, and/or wouldn't mind a Subaru legacy Tourer, or a Lexus. I didn't realize the 300c came in an estate version. Love the content.

I'd recommend the Mazda 3's cousin over the 3 itself, actually- the Volvo C30. Very unique and stylish, a lot of kit as standard and now being featured in classic car mags as one to invest in. Also, petrol and Diesel engine options from 1.8 upwards have a six speed manual available.