First new car questions

Burly · 12 Mar 2009 at 21:24

I have had a license for nearly 2 years and im 21. I dont want to go for something thats going to be a pain to drive and look after. Id rather spend a little more now and have some good driving years. Im a sensible driver and have had lots of practice.

How much would you spend on a first car? Most look a bit crap for~1k

Ive looked at a few quotes, its about what I expect to pay for 21 male.

Liquidfox · 12 Mar 2009 at 21:30

I was 18 and spent £2K on what was a stupid idea at the time Fiat Punto.
Cost me the same to insure the damn thing. Just had the head gasket blow so the car's getting it's new bits and onto the market. Want something that doesn't cost me so much in repairs :/

fonzee · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:31

Burly said:
I have had a license for nearly 2 years and im 21. I dont want to go for something thats going to be a pain to drive and look after. Id rather spend a little more now and have some good driving years. Im a sensible driver and have had lots of practice.

How much would you spend on a first car? Most look a bit crap for~1k

Ive looked at a few quotes, its about what I expect to pay for 21 male.

spend 1.5-2k on a 1.6 Ford Focus, and use the rest for insurance.

will do you dandy for a few years.

Defcon5 · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:50

Liquidfox said:
I was 18 and spent £2K on what was a stupid idea at the time Fiat Punto.
Cost me the same to insure the damn thing. Just had the head gasket blow so the car's getting it's new bits and onto the market. Want something that doesn't cost me so much in repairs :/

That is EXACTLY what happened to me!

ash_scotland88 · 12 Mar 2009 at 23:37

freind of dvdbunny are we?

Coxyis · 13 Mar 2009 at 00:19

I spent £2200 on a 1.0 corsa B - 3 cylinder, 12 valve....

Anything a little charper than this and you'll love as a first car. Don't spend a fortune on something you'll probably have some 'bad luck' with as a first car

Janesy B · 13 Mar 2009 at 02:10

Coxyis said:
I spent £2200 on a 1.0 corsa B - 3 cylinder, 12 valve....

Anything a little charper than this and you'll love as a first car. Don't spend a fortune on something you'll probably have some 'bad luck' with as a first car

I would have taken the car back after I realised it had a cylinder missing...

Bennah · 13 Mar 2009 at 07:26

£2500 on a Focus and the rest on insurance. Dont go crazy with your first car as insurance is going to hit you hard.

-Ad- · 13 Mar 2009 at 09:34

fonzee said:
spend 1.5-2k on a 1.6 Ford Focus, and use the rest for insurance.

will do you dandy for a few years.

Agree with the focus recommendation. Great idea for a first proper car, and will do you fine for a few years. Build up your no claims, get more experience with age, then when you upgrade in a few years to something more fun and powerful your insurance should have gone down nicely.

Janesy B said:
I would have taken the car back after I realised it had a cylinder missing...

I would have crashed into a ditch (purposfully) when it hit me that I had just spent thousands on a damn corsa

Dogbreath · 13 Mar 2009 at 09:54

Burly said:
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/MINI/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-20-240-4294966594/advert.action?R=200910330095752&distance=57&postcode=BA2+3HP&channel=CARS&make=MINI&model=&min_pr=&max_pr=6000&max_mileage=&vehicleYearOfManufacture=2001&vehicleRegLetter=51

Think I can get 4k together.

What you think?

I think that buying from the bottom end of a market if you want a reliable and trouble free car is a bad idea. Front wheel drive BMWs aren't the most reliable of cars anyway, buying one of the cheapest ones isn't going to help.

Burly · 13 Mar 2009 at 10:06

Auto or manual Focus? I do like auto sometimes for town driving (esp. in bath with congestion and hills). But it does sound crap (well did do on the corsa I tried) and not quite right at times.

fonzee · 13 Mar 2009 at 10:20

if its your first car, go for the manual.

Burly · 15 Mar 2009 at 23:40

Ok I what about 3k on a manual diesal Ford Fiesta 1.4 2003 LX or Zetec trim. My dad will buy this so it leaves me with.

Road tax £35 + insurance 1k to fork out.

Comments?

GreenMint · 15 Mar 2009 at 23:52

if you only do 8000 a year, why the deisel?

Thought about a 1.25 Fiesta Zetec/Zetec S?

or something like:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/911670.htm

Janesy B · 15 Mar 2009 at 23:59

That 1.4 diesel engine is hateful, do yourself a favour and get a petrol engined one

Skeeter · 16 Mar 2009 at 00:14

Mon

Day

Oh.

Manual, Petrol, Cheap, Solid, and not as expensive to insure as you think.

Burly · 18 Mar 2009 at 16:41

Hmm ok I now realise petrol is the way to go.

After road tax and insurance what costs are there? (except petrol)

I mean on average how much am I looking to spend on MOT, servicing etc in a 5 year period?

Ford Fiesta 1.25 (any year I should look for?)