Vauxhall Astra

Yes - these are the cars to buy if you want a decent buy for longer term ownership.

I'm on my second Jaguar = low mileage, bought for nought, still going strong. Current S type only worth a few grand but parts are usually cheap...yes cheap, sure I have a few  niggles as you would with any car, there is always one bill that I can't avoid every two years. But super car performance from this V8? Luxury? Superb. Too good to replace.

Magic. 

You can do it too...

Buy new look after it and sell when it starts to give you trouble

that is what i do I never worry about depreciation because i make sure i have had my moneys worth before i sell the car privately i never part ex as the garage then makes profit out of the car they are buying off me (thieving I really mean) and the car i buy off them.

my best advice is haggle until you are nearly thrown out of the showroom then go home and have a cuppa they will ring you up when business is slow and offer you the deal you were after. 

I'd love to buy a new car, but then i'd keep it for a long time, the numberplate doesn't mean anything to me. I'd buy a new car to have it the way I wanted, I don't see the point of buying a 6 month old car and settle for what other people chose, if you want to be 'smart' and not fork out money buy an old micra, you'll save a fortune, and when it goes wrong it'll be dirt cheap to fix compared to newer cars.

I currently drive a 7 year old car that i've owned for the past 4 years, its worthless to sell, but its got 160k on it, still drives like new (recently replaced suspension, nothing wrong with the old but was getting a bit bouncy), and i'd say in better condition that most newer cars as I replace things as they get worn.

I still pay for servicing, theres so many people with a year old car who ignore the service light and various problems, who just ruin their cars because they forked out all the cash on looking rich with their shiny car and can't afford to run it.