Buy a Used Cars for 85 a Month
If you're desperate to change your car but don't have thousands in your bank account ready to spend, you may think you'll need to take out a loan, or perhaps re-mortgage your house. You could do that, but one less extreme approach is to save that £3.30 you spend on coffee each day and put it towards a car.
For such a manageable daily amount, you could end up with a genuinely desirable car, with low mileage and reasonable running costs, that would be out reach if you had to have the cash to buy it outright. Below are 10 great value used cars available for just £3.30 per day - or around £100 per month - with only a small initial deposit. If you have a little bit more to spend, you might also be interested in the cars available for £250 per month.
In fact, as you'll see from the list below, you could get the keys to a nearly new city car, or even a slightly older estate car on PCP finance for less than £100 per month, with a four-year contract and an 8,000-mile-per-year limit. Bear in mind that the size of your monthly payments can vary according to your credit profile and how much deposit you put down - the larger your deposit, the lower the monthly payment.
Our guides to PCP and Hire Purchase will give you all the details on the ins and outs of car finance so click on the links below to find out more, or if you're keen to take a look at what's on offer right now, read on for our take on the best used cars available for less than £100 per month.
- What is PCP finance?
- What is Hire Purchase?
- Buying a car on finance
Best cheap used cars: from £99 a month car deals no deposit
- Ford Fiesta
- Volkswagen Up
- Fiat 500
- DS 3
- Vauxhall Corsa
- Hyundai i10
- Renault Twingo
- Peugeot 208
- Suzuki Swift
- Dacia Logan
1. Ford Fiesta
Best used car under £100 per month for all-round ability
Used deals from £5,980
Monthly finance from £140*
If you thought the best cars would be out reach on a budget of £100 per month, that's not the case. Yes, for this budget you may want to focus on the more affordable previous-generation Fiesta, but the older model definitely isn't past its sell-by-date. It still feels nimble and is incredibly fun to drive.
A £100-per-month budget does restrict you to the entry-level Fiesta models, but the 1.25-litre petrol engine is zippy enough in town and can cope with motorway speeds if you don't mind working the engine reasonably hard when accelerating. If you increase your monthly budget a little, you should be able to get a Fiesta with one of Ford's excellent 1.0-litre turbocharged 'EcoBoost' petrol engines. These are faster and more economical than the 1.25-litre models, so you may find that you're able to make up the difference in monthly payments with lower fuel bills.
The cheapest cars often only have three doors, with two at the front and a hatchback boot, but there are usually a handful of five-door versions (pictured above) available, which are more practical for those who regularly carry passengers in the rear seats. With air-conditioning, a split-fold rear seat, alloy wheels, and attractive styling, Zetec is a popular but affordable trim level. If you can stretch the budget to afford a top-spec Titanium model, you'll have all the bells and whistles you need in a small car.
FORD FIESTA BUYERS' GUIDE
2. Volkswagen Up
Best used car under £100 per month for a feeling of quality
Used deals from £5,000
Monthly finance from £129*
If driving a car that feels like it will last is important to you, then the VW Up is a solid choice. It proves that small city cars don't have to be tinny and cheap-feeling. Even within this budget, the strong build quality you'd associate with larger Volkswagens remains, making it feel like you're driving something much more substantial in terms of size and price.
The Up's doors close with a satisfying thunk and its trim feels anchored for life, making this a good car to purchase second-hand. It's good to drive, with light and accurate steering, and it also copes well with typical rough and bumpy city streets.
The basic 60hp model is nippy around town although you might want to consider the more powerful engine (badged 75PS), which offers 75hp, as this is much more refined and capable on longer journeys and faster roads.
The 'Take Up' trim is a little basic but if you can find one within budget, the next level in the range, 'Move Up', brings air-conditioning and a split-fold rear seat, making it a more appealing choice for many drivers.
VOLKSWAGEN UP BUYERS' GUIDE
3. Fiat 500
Best used car under £100 per month for retro design
Used deals from £4,995
Monthly finance from £107*
A three-year-old Fiat 500 for less than £100 per month is astounding value - particularly as the car's retro design still looks fresh and up-to-date.
That style and the 500's small size does have its downsides. The boot is tiny, and the rear seats are tight for taller adults, making the 500 more suited to those who don't need a massive boot or are happy to put a few bits of luggage on the back seats if needed.
Examples at this price are typically fitted with the 1.2-litre petrol engine, but there's plenty of choice when it comes to equipment levels. Most cars within this budget are entry-level 'Pop' versions, which do have a basic specification, but there are 'Pop Star' trims from which come with air-conditioning that you might want to look out for.
FIAT 500 BUYERS' GUIDE
4. DS 3
Best used car under £100 per month for striking modern looks
Used deals from £6,495
Monthly finance from £127*
Sometimes looking good is the most important thing, and even at this low budget, you can get a car to help you do just that. Unlike the Fiat 500, above, the DS 3 looks really modern and striking, with its shark fin-shaped side panel and chiselled shape.
This bijou car is aimed at the fashion-conscious, and it certainly looks the part; with plenty of personalisation available from new, you're bound to find some pretty distinctive examples. Even versions that are more than five years old still look and feel modern.
Over the years thousands of DS 3s have been sold, so you ought to be able to find one without too much trouble. If you like the idea of a chic, three-door hatchback, but can't afford a Mini, we'd recommend going for one of these.
DS 3 BUYERS' GUIDE
5. Vauxhall Corsa
Best used car under £100 per month for young drivers
Used deals from £5,495
Monthly finance from £111*
Sometimes, all you need is a car that will get you from A to B with minimal fuss. The Vauxhall Corsa, designed to appeal to young drivers with its cheap prices and low insurance group ranking, is that car.
There is perhaps no other car that represents the entry level to car ownership more than a Corsa. It's cheap to run, easy to maintain and easy to drive.
The starting price is still low, which means that you can often pick up a model that's barely three years old for under £100 per month, offering the safety benefits of a more modern car alongside cheap finance and insurance costs. You might want to look out for specific models with air-conditioning, as it was an optional extra from new, but Bluetooth is included in every recent model for connecting your phone wirelessly.
Following the launch of the new Corsa, prices for the previous version should continue to drop, making this an even better value option.
VAUXHALL CORSA BUYERS' GUIDE
6. Hyundai i10
Best used car under £100 per month for a spacious interior in a compact car
Used deals from £5,899
Monthly finance from £116*
The best city cars manage to offer space, comfort, nimbleness, as well as making some effort to look stylish. The Hyundai i10 ticks every one of those boxes, so being able to get one for just £100 per month makes it a bargain.
There are some decent models within budget too: SE specification includes air-conditioning and alloy wheels, while the small 1.0-litre engine is smooth and efficient. All i10 models have five doors too, so getting into the back is simple.
Examples at the very top end of this budget will just about squeeze you into a more recent model, which have a five-year warranty, meaning you could still have years of manufacturer warranty remaining.
HYUNDAI I10 BUYERS' GUIDE
7. Renault Twingo
Best used car under £100 per month for manoeuvrability
Used deals from £5,699
Monthly finance from £115*
If you're after something truly distinctive, one of your your best sub-£100 per month options is the Renault Twingo. For one thing, its engine is fitted in the back, rather than the front, which offers notable benefits.
Having the engine under the boot floor creates more interior space than in rivals, meaning you can actually fit four people inside with relative comfort, while allowing the steering system more space to work, giving the car a very tight turning circle. This is perfect for those who hate three-point turns, as the Twingo can often simply do a u-turn where many alternatives would have to go backwards and forwards to turn around.
You'll feel this in the way the little Twingo is able to get out of tight spots that would leave other cars floundering. Some Twingos in this price range are entry-level 'Expression' versions, but we'd recommend looking for a 'Play' model where possible, as these come with air-conditioning and height adjustment for the driver's seat.
RENAULT TWINGO BUYERS' GUIDE
8. Peugeot 208
Best used car under £100 per month for equipment
Used deals from £5,748
Monthly finance from £113*
With a design that flows together more smoothly than many other superminis, a fairly spacious interior and economical engines, the Peugeot 208 is a sophisticated choice for less than £100 per month.
At this price, you can pick up a petrol-powered car in Active trim, with a touchscreen media system, a digital radio, Bluetooth for connecting your phone wirelessly and alloy wheels. Diesel versions are often cheaper, meaning higher-specification Allure models are also within budget, offering climate control, sports seats, plus automatic headlights and windscreen wipers.
This is a substantial amount of tech for the price-point, which blows almost everything else out of the water. We see this as one of the better value deals on this list - it's not bad to drive either.
There's a new Peugeot 208 on sale now, which should drag the prices of these ones down further still, making it even better value for money.
PEUGEOT 208 BUYERS' GUIDE
9. Suzuki Swift
Best used car under £100 per month for headroom
Used deals from £6,400
Monthly finance from £125*
The Suzuki Swift is not the most obvious supermini choice but, like many underdogs, it deserves a closer look. If you're on the tall side you'll certainly appreciate its generous headroom, front and rear.
If you like driving, you'll enjoy its quick and accurate steering, and stability in corners. If all that matters less to you, you'll be more likely to appreciate its smooth ride and comfortable interior.
SZ2 trim packs a few creature comforts including a USB connection, steering wheel controls and a split-fold rear seat. You'll need to be keen eyed to spot a Swift within this budget, as it will definitely be pushing the upper limits in terms of price. However, find one for this price and it's a very appealing car for the money.
SUZUKI SWIFT BUYERS' GUIDE
10. Kia Picanto
Best used car under £100 per month for value
Used deals from £5,250
Monthly finance from £118*
Best known for its seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty, the build quality of the Picanto is a far cry from Kias of old. Both the 1.0-litre and 1.25-litre petrol engines promise upwards of 50mpg, and some models are even free to tax with CO2 emissions of 99g/km.
The 200-litre boot in the 2011-onwards model is an improvement on the previous model's 157-litre offering, but the high lip makes loading heavier items more difficult.
Whichever model you go for, you'll get air-conditioning and Bluetooth. More expensive models will include desirable alloy wheels, rear electric windows, cruise control and even a touchscreen with sat-nav.
2011-2017 KIA PICANTO BUYERS' GUIDE
*Representative PCP finance - Ford Fiesta:
48 monthly payments of £192
Deposit: £0
Mileage limit: 8,000 per year
Optional final payment to buy car: £2,923
Total amount payable to buy car: £11,926
Total cost of credit: £2,426
Amount borrowed: £9,500
APR: 9.9%
BuyaCar is a credit broker, not a lender. Our rates start from 6.9% APR. The rate you are offered will depend on your individual circumstances.
Buy a Used Cars for 85 a Month
Source: https://www.buyacar.co.uk/cars/cheap-cars/410/best-used-cars-for-under-100-per-month