Time for a new car!

[West]

i vote mini one/cooper for about 6k

Seconded. Over a Fiat 500 any day

 

[Sammy13]

A Focus is a 3 door hatchback, it is not 'big' by any stretch of the imagination. It is a small car.

So what is a Ka?

my commiserations

Thank you...

On a more serious note, the Fiat 500 is a great little car. I'd have a nearly new one to avoid loosing too much on depreciation though

Would you prefer to spend the money on the 500 or do you think its better to buy something a bit older for half the money??
I don't really want to go older than 06 or higher than 50000 miles.

 

[Sammy13]

i vote mini one/cooper for about 6k

what would you get spec wise for 6k on a mini as aren't they even worse value than the 500??

 

[[TW]Fox]

So what is a Ka?

It's also a small hatchback. For example, a 1 bedroom flat isn't suddenly a mansion just because a bedsit is smaller

 

[dthebuk]

i vote cheap 106/saxo

if your going to be spending in excess 5000 id at least buy something nice. 5k could get you an alright bmw, 8.5k can get you some pretty sorted e30's

 

[dthebuk]

what would you get spec wise for 6k on a mini as aren't they even worse value than the 500??

if you're looking for value don't buy new

 

[Trifid]

Don't really want to go as big as a focus. I understand you get a lot more for your money buying a car like that but it just doesn't do anything for me.

They really are small, and boringly easy to drive.

But I wanted to get something big e39ish sized from the start.

 

[Peerzy]

Is a 58/5k Fiat 500 really worth £4000 more than a 3 year old Fiesta/Jazz/Punto?

I'd spend £3k-£4k on a 3 year old car, how long are you planning to keep this car for?

No point dropping £8k on a new car if you're only going to keep it for 3 years till you can afford a better car as you'll be taking a massive hit on depreication.

£4k on a Jazz/Fiesta/Punto/Civic/Focus.

 

[Thomas. PLease.]

i vote cheap 106/saxo

if your going to be spending in excess 5000 id at least buy something nice. 5k could get you an alright bmw, 8.5k can get you some pretty sorted e30's

I don't think he would want an e30. he obviously wants a car he can just drive and not have to worry about anything maintenance wise.

I know where your coming from though, that sort of money can buy some tasty metal. I'd be going for an e36 m3 evo myself probably. But thats clearly not the sort of car the OP is after.

I think its more sensible to spend a few grand on a reasonable car now. ala focus, or fiesta, and save most of the money for a nicer car after university.

 

[Peerzy]

i vote cheap 106/saxo

if your going to be spending in excess 5000 id at least buy something nice. 5k could get you an alright bmw, 8.5k can get you some pretty sorted e30's

19 year old Uni student doing an NHS course doesn't scream old BMW to me, especially as she wants something cheap to run.

106/Saxo doesn't seem much of a step up from a KA, it's just another old small car which I wouldn't want to take on a motorway.

 

[[TW]Fox]

8.5k can get you some pretty sorted e30's

Good idea, a 19 year old female wants a cheap nearly new hatchback - I think an £8,500 20 year old scene tax riddled 3 Series is just the car!

 

[West]

what would you get spec wise for 6k on a mini as aren't they even worse value than the 500??

No. 8.5k would get you a decent 05/06 Reg. So it will be the Facelift model.. with the newer gearbox and the better looking style..

Mini's are at the top end of the spectrum when it comes to holding their value.. so if you go in with £8,500.. you'll come out at the end of it with a decent chunk of your cash back in your hand..

Although spec wise they aren't gonna be brilliant unless you go for a slightly older model.. you'll get one easily with the Pepper pack.. I think I saw a couple with Chilli too on AT.

 

[TheVoice]

Would you prefer to spend the money on the 500 or do you think its better to buy something a bit older for half the money??
I don't really want to go older than 06 or higher than 50000 miles.

If £5,000 is the actual amount you've got available to you, stick to cars within that budget. There's really no need to be financing a car at 19 while you're at uni. You can still get some damn nice cars for under 5 grand and they'll be much better than your Ka anyway, so it'll still be a huge upgrade.

 

[Peerzy]

Fiesta (Stolen but recovered with no damage so should be okay...?)
Fiesta
Grande Punto
Grande Punto
Jazz
Jazz
Civic
Focus

 

[Defcon5]

Ill buy your Ka for a tenner

 

[Gaygle]

TBH i'd be looking at a Suzuki Swift in this budget:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/970244.htm
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1003286.htm
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/999184.htm

Autotrader has tonnes of them too - for about £5k it seems you can get with about 40k miles, 05-ish plate, 1.5 GLX

 

[Peerzy]

TBH i'd be looking at a Suzuki Swift in this budget:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/970244.htm
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1003286.htm
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/999184.htm

Autotrader has tonnes of them too - for about £5k it seems you can get with about 40k miles, 05-ish plate, 1.5 GLX

Can get a better spec'd Fiesta for that money with that age and mileage, plus the interior is shocked on the ones I've seen.

 

[iaind]

Good call on the swift, I quite like that idea

I really dont think the OP is going to be interested in anything "sorted" though

 

[Sammy13]

I looked at the swift and wasn't really a fan of it but I guess it's worth going back and having another look.
I quite like the idea of a fiesta or Grande punto but don't really like the Jazz's.

 

[Solari]

Azab tbh.

Don't forget to factor pink, fluffy dice into the equation

Shocked that the car hasn't been serviced though, even my crappy old 306 got regular servicing until it blew up I think a mini is a good shout unless she is extraordinarily tall!