One for the Road: A 'grand' tourer for commuting in a rural area

Buying Japanese is the safest route to take and a Nissan Almera is best

Katherine Maybank has only £1,000 to spend on a car to use for shopping and commuting in her rural area.

A car for the head

Katherine needs to practise Bangernomics, which is the theory and practice of buying and running a car on a budget. The only downside is that the car in question may be dull, possibly with some iffy paintwork, but I guarantee that it will be cheap to buy and look after. Buying Japanese is the safest route to take and, in my experience, a Nissan Almera is best. They last for ever and as a family sized hatchback have plenty of room. Just £750 will buy a 2001 1.5S, including road tax and MOT.

A car for the heart

A £1,000 car with character? Well, there are plenty of those, with some very exotic and exciting choices including BMWs, Mercedes and Jaguars although I doubt Katherine needs the hassle if something expensive goes wrong. I would be inclined to recommend a Saab, but I have a soft spot for another deceased car brand, Rover. The 45 was a staid hatchback which now looks quite classy and respectable. If looked after, it is reliable and quite tough and right now good value. A 2001 45S with 60K miles is just £650.

Looking to buy?

Email James Ruppert at onefortheroad@independent. co.uk, giving your age, address and phone number, details of the type of vehicle in which you are interested, and your budget