Looking for a new car...

[Peerzy]

Your current car has been used for 8 years. A Mini half the age has not neccesarily been used more. Besides, this is not really relevant. If two cars set off in opposite directions and drive for an hour, one at 30mph and one at 70mph which has been 'used more' and which has the covered the most miles..

Point taken, but I'd rather have a 3 year old car with 5k on the clock than a 1 year old car with 40k on the clock personally.

Besides, not using cars can do more damage than using them. We've got a Mitsubishi FTO which has been barely used for a year now. It has covered just 1000 miles in that period and 600 of those were me in one weekend - as a result we've had to spend quite a bit just to replace all the siezed up bits!

My car (whatever I get or have) is always going to be driven, just not very far. I drive 9 miles to uni 4 days a week, 9 miles back. 2 mile to work 2 days a week and 2 miles back. I do between 200 and 300 miles a week depending on how often I see friends, family and my gf.

So get an inspection done or something.

Good point. However things can change, a heart scan might not show any sign of trouble now, but in 12 months time another heart scan might show completly different results.

The piece of mind of getting a brand new car is quite important to me.

Erm hang on, how have you managed to save up £11,000 after tax on a wage of 90 quid a week? If you are on such a crap wage why are you spending 11 grand on a car? Why not spend £6k on a car and put £5k in the bank and use it to double your wages for a year!

If you are earning that then spending 11 grand on a car sounds like an epic screwup in terms of priorities?

Thats what I earn while I'm at Uni. In holidays I can earn far more. A good move on the stock market netted me a few grand. Buying and selling another car earnt me a few quid too. Student grants and a family member paying Uni fee's mean no debts. Staying at home and driving to uni means I don't have to pay for accommadation.

Generic cheap brand new hatchback = bottom rung of the company car ladder. The sort of thing you get lumbered with as a fresh faced sales rep or something

Get it now, ta.

So if even your old Punto doesnt fail MOT's much why are you concerned about a car which will need to be MOT'd?

For piece of mind, I know my Punto has never been treated badly in it's life, but not everyone else drives like me and half my mates who have 2.0 Clio's and Type R's drive like complete idiots, foot to the floor, redlining it everywhere etc.

Thanks for the replies everyone btw.

Please edit your language matey, family forum and all that.

Also, on 90 pounds a week how did you manage to save 11k in a year?

Have done, sorry about that.

As for money, read above.

 

[[TW]Fox]

As i was at pains to make clear I mentioned my old Mondeo to show why MOT is not a reason not to buy something. I was not for one minute suggesting one

This thread gets ever more odd. Has anyone ever heard of a 19 year old on 90 quid a week buying an 11k car to cheer himself up

 

[[TW]Fox]

So you trade the stock market, buy and sell a few used cars yet the 'peace of mind' of a new Fiat appeals? Sorry this does not add up. How does somebody so risk averse make such a large sum in such a short space of time from little capital by two high risk methods

 

[TheVoice]

Thats what I earn while I'm at Uni. In holidays I can earn far more. A good move on the stock market netted me a few grand. Buying and selling another car earnt me a few quid too. Student grants and a family member paying Uni fee's mean no debts. Staying at home and driving to uni means I don't have to pay for accommadation.

Save the money for once uni is finished. It'll come in very handy for when you're wanting to find your own place, pay deposits, buy furniture, pay rent etc. All of that stuff costs a hell of a lot, believe me, and you'll wish you hadn't spent it all on a car.

 

[BigglesPiP]

This really boils down to; "at what point is it acceptable to buy a new car". If you can afford to, there's no reason why not. You seem to think you can afford to. So is £11,000 the right point to go new?
The main argument against here is that you're spending too much money for your age. But a lot alternatives suggested are; "Look what you can do with £11,000 in the 2nd hand market!"

Anyway enough poking holes at everyone else, my opinion:
You seem to be planning to spend all the money you save on this car, this isn't a wise move. The Grande Punto has been around a while now, you can pick up a 120 T-Jet for a lot less than £11,000. And you have a better platform to modify, as it devalues the car, better to start off with less to lose...

Why are you buying a brand new car if you're concerned about the cost of running a car in the first place?

Warranty.

 

[Peerzy]

As i was at pains to make clear I mentioned my old Mondeo to show why MOT is not a reason not to buy something. I was not for one minute suggesting one

Yeah I got that, thanks.

This thread gets ever more odd. Has anyone ever heard of a 19 year old on 90 quid a week buying an 11k car to cheer himself up

£90 a week is term time (6 months a year), outside of term time it is more like £300 a week. Not all of the money has been earnt on a wage. I will not be earning money on shares every year for example.

I know it might sound like a joke or something but I can assure you its not. My dad passed away a year ago (unexpectly) which means I now get the full Uni support from the government (£3k a year, plsu an extra £1k from my Uni).

I also got a bit of money for selling his work van and weekend car (4.8l Mustang ) (I didn't get all the money for selling them, just a small portion.

I was also given £3k by a relative to invest in an ISA, but I would prefer to keep that in there for the future (house deposit or somethng) hence me limiting my spending to £11k.

Cheer myself up because my dad was a massive car fan and since his death I've been depressed with life and things. A nice car would give me something to smile about and yes cheer me up.

 

[Sarduk]

Why not put it away for something which won't haemorrhage cash, and you can enjoy forever? What is a Uni student going to get from an £11k car that they couldn't get from a tip-top 3-4 year old Fiesta?

 

[Peerzy]

So you trade the stock market, buy and sell a few used cars yet the 'peace of mind' of a new Fiat appeals? Sorry this does not add up. How does somebody so risk averse make such a large sum in such a short space of time from little capital by two high risk methods

The shares were not my idea, a rich relative invested some shares for me when I was born and I sold them at the right time last year. I brought an old Megane for cheap and managed to double my money with a few cheap fixes.

Save the money for once uni is finished. It'll come in very handy for when you're wanting to find your own place, pay deposits, buy furniture, pay rent etc. All of that stuff costs a hell of a lot, believe me, and you'll wish you hadn't spent it all on a car.

I do have 'other' money saved away for this. But it is something to consider.

This really boils down to; "at what point is it acceptable to buy a new car". If you can afford to, there's no reason why not. You seem to think you can afford to. So is £11,000 the right point to go new?
The main argument against here is that you're spending too much money for your age. But a lot alternatives suggested are; "Look what you can do with £11,000 in the 2nd hand market!"

You seem to be planning to spend all the money you save on this car, this isn't a wise move. The Grande Punto has been around a while now, you can pick up a 120 T-Jet for a lot less than £11,000. And you have a better platform to modify, as it devalues the car, better to start off with less to lose...

You can get a Tjet for cheaper than £11k but as it's a sporty model nearly everyone is a 3dr

 

[BigglesPiP]

tip-top 3-4 year old Fiesta?

No such thing

 

[triggerthat]

Peerzy,

Spending £11K at your age is a really stupid idea. Buying a new car doesn't imply you'll get trouble free motoring. I've read people buying brand new cars and always having them back at the deals getting it fixed.

There are some fantastic cars to be had for half your budget. It's just a matter of finding a looked after example.

To be honest, do what the hell you like. But you've come here for advice and people who are much wiser than are you are screaming at you not to spend £11K on a car.

 

[Peerzy]

Peerzy,

Spending £11K at your age is a really stupid idea. Buying a new car doesn't imply you'll get trouble free motoring. I've read people buying brand new cars and always having them back at the deals getting it fixed.

Oh I'm well aware of this, cars go wrong all the time. Thing is a new car is fixed for free in the first 3 years. A second hand car is often sold as seen, and the problem I have is that I have not 'seen' how the car has been treated by previous oweners.

There are some fantastic cars to be had for half your budget. It's just a matter of finding a looked after example.

To be honest, do what the hell you like. But you've come here for advice and people who are much wiser than are you are screaming at you not to spend £11K on a car.

Thank you, I can see everyone is screaming it at me and I'm sensible enough to take advice.

However no one has susgested a car to me yet (via AT or PH) that I would consider buying.

EDIT: The above is not 100% true, I am currently reading up on Mondeo's, Leons and Focus'. So thanks to the people who susgested them

My ideal car would be either the Focus or Mondeo but insurance is an issue, so I found the Punto was a reasonable compermise. Good bhp for a small car, good reviews, all the extras I want (alloys I like, a sub, tints) the color I want and 5dr along with it being a new car, latest shape, tuneable and a brand I currently trust due to good experiences with my current Punto.

 

[triggerthat]

I think you'll get sick of the car after a year. Soon you'd want something faster and better.

 

[BigglesPiP]

However no one has susgested a car to me yet (via AT or PH) that I would consider buying.

A cursory glance at AT shows stacks of 2006 and 2007 T-jets under £8,000. I'm not going to do the hard work for you.

Also, AT and PH aren't the only sources, I found my car in the local rag.

 

[Peerzy]

I think you'll get sick of the car after a year. Soon you'd want something faster and better.

The GP or my current car? I test drove the GP and loved it, and ofcourse I cannot say for sure it'll keep it for years but I would like to.

I'm quite content with things and not into impulse buys. Some people I know buy a car and then 3 months later want a new one.

I've had my Punto for coming on 3 years now and if I didn't have the money would keep it for another 3.

 

[Peerzy]

A cursory glance at AT shows stacks of 2006 and 2007 T-jets under £7,000. I'm not going to do the hard work for you.

Also, AT and PH aren't the only sources, I found my car in the local rag.

I check the local papers every week, most of the cars for sale in my area either seem to be ragged WV's or people downsizing.

The 2006 and 2007 Tjets are series 1, which mean a few small differences.

On AT, doing a national search for a GP, manual, 1.4-1.6 and 5dr brings up 55 cars. Using the keyword T-Jet brings that down to 7, in the whole of the UK. Bearing in mind I was after a black one (but I would settle for blue) theres not a massive amount of them to choose from.

The cheapest of the 7 cars that came up was £9699 (£200 more than a brand new one on the net?)

 

[BigglesPiP]

I check the local papers every week, most of the cars for sale in my area either seem to be ragged WV's or people downsizing.

The 2006 and 2007 Tjets are series 1, which mean a few small differences.

On AT, doing a national search for a GP, manual, 1.4-1.6 and 5dr brings up 55 cars. Using the keyword T-Jet brings that down to 7, in the whole of the UK. Bearing in mind I was after a black one (but I would settle for blue) theres not a massive amount of them to choose from.

The cheapest of the 7 cars that came up was £9699 (£200 more than a brand new one on the net?)

You'll find in the current climate you can reduce the figures your seeing.

And the difference is the headlights, that and a few bits of interior trim have a slightly different finish.

 

[Peerzy]

You'll find in the current climate you can reduce the figures your seeing.

And the difference is the headlights, that and a few bits of interior trim have a slightly different finish.

Yeah I was going to say about the Blue&Me but being Sporting means it would have had it anyway.

Sure I could knock a bit off, but it's such a small difference between a second hand one and a new one? I'll save, what £1k max on getting a car with 8k on the clock, but for all I know that 8k could have been spent at 6000RPM.

For £1k difference I'd rather get a brand new one specced how I want it, expecially considering I have the money.

The dealer offered me a 57 plate Tjet with the spec I nearly wanted (didnt have sub, tints or the alloys) but they could have been brought and I spent about an hour talking prices with him and he got it down to £9500. A year old car with iirc 11k on the clock and I'm not gonna really save anything. Plus I've then gotta spend money on the alloys and stuff to get it looking how I want.

Remember the Fiat RRP is lke £13k without extras so a year old one with low mileage they had up for like £11k.

I'm seriously looking at a few of these Mondeo's, new shape ones. Whats peoples opinions of them? Anyone heard much about them? Obviously the Mondeo isn't the coolest car considering it's repuation but some nice examples going cheap.

 

[triggerthat]

Is this you next year? http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/680898.htm

 

[Peerzy]

Is this you next year? http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/680898.htm

It's like you can see into the future

But no, even if I do spend £11k on a car I have enough money else where to cover nearly every situation. Uni fee's paid for me, no need to pay rent as living at home and £4k a year from the government. Plus next year is a placement year so I'll be earning money.

Confused couldn't get me an insurance quote for a Mondeo but it does that sometimes in the middle of the night, bet if I try in the morning I'll get some results.

Insurance group 8 is only 2 more than the GP which cost £650.

Anyone got one, opinions etc... or as always susgestions on other cars?

Only thing with the Mondeo is i'll look like a middle-aged man and I've never driven anything bigger than a Megane for more than 5 miles and they are very big.

 

[BigglesPiP]

Well, if we can't change your mind at least here this, buy it at the end of a month.