Car choice: A car that hates garages, please

Brendan Pooley wants a car that doesn’t need to visit the garage very often, he thinks it is a waste of his time. So he rates reliability highly and is looking for something new or nearly new for around £12,000

SsangYong offers a five-year unlimited mileage warranty on the major components, so a Tivoli is the best new buy

A car for the head

That is what everyone wants. Vehicles need to go to the garage for a good reason, be it a repair, a service schedule or when it is three years old and it needs an MOT. One logical approach to minimising the hassle of taking the car to the garage is to buy a brand new car with a manufacturer warranty. Perhaps the best warranty available at the moment is from SsangYong. It offers a five-year unlimited mileage warranty on the major components. The Tivoli is a stylish and tough compact sports utility, which costs just £12,950, upgraded for a limited period to a 4x4 as a special winter offer.

Toyota consistently tops reliability surveys, so it’s a great choice for used models (Toyota)

A car for the heart

The alternative approach is to aim for the most reliable used car possible. That would mean sorting out a used Toyota which consistently tops reliability surveys. The Toyota Approved Used scheme provides twelve months’ unlimited mileage cover. It also includes roadside assistance and MOT test cover during the period of the warranty. I found a 2015 Toyota Auris 1.2 Turbo Icon, which has sat nav and had covered just over 3,000 miles. As well as the used warranty there is also the manufacturer warranty which still runs for three and a half years. The total cost is £12,995.

If you would like James Ruppert to help with your car choice, email james@freecarmag.com. For more motoring views visit freecarmag.com