'I'm a mechanic - this 20-year-old used car is the most reliable in the world'

An experienced mechanic has recommended a 20-year-old used car as one of the most reliable vehicles one can buy.

Paul Lucas, a renowned mechanic, said that the Mk1 Ford Focus is a sound used car buy due to its simplicity and reliability.

An owner of a Mk1, Paul said he had bought one of the vehicles for £500 15 years ago and it hadn't put a foot wrong thanks to his careful care.

He told the Daily Mail: "For me a 20-year-old 1.6 litre Mk1 Ford Focus is top for reliability.

"It was designed before all the unnecessary bells and whistles came in and even lets you start the car with a real key rather than press a button. I bought mine 15 years ago for £500 and have no regrets."

Paul isn't the only mechanic and car expert to have weighed on used vehicles in recent months.

As the cost of living worsens, more and more people are heading to the used car market for their latest automotive purchase rather than buying new. Some people have event taken the decision to buy a second hand electric car too, but many are still hesitant.

Jeff Wong, a used car controller at Porsche Centre Bristol, explained to the Express that customers were still wary because of questions over battery health.

He said: "People are now starting to ask the question. But now we have devices in all our Porsche centres where we can actually test the battery life of an electric vehicle. Our cars are around the five-year mark, 2020 is when they were first launched, so they are about five years old.

"We are getting more and more people asking the questions, and we can quite simply plug in the batteries and tell the customers exactly what kind of life is left on these cars. Hopefully, with that we can give them good news and give them more confidence buying these cars."

Meanwhile, experts have also been on hand to answer questions about when the best time to sell a used car is as well as buy one.

A spokesperson for the used car buying service BigWantsYourCar.com also told the Express that the best time to sell a used car may have passed.

They told the publication that April was the best month because of the need for dealers to refill their forecourts in the Spring.

They said: "April is the sweet spot for selling a used car. Dealers need stock to replenish their forecourts after the surge in new car sales in March, and many buyers are looking for a more affordable alternative to a brand-new model."