What to look out for when buying a first car?

Sone said:
nothing wrong with newer Corsas. Fabia isn't great at all.

All small cars are cheap and nasty built, yes some are cheaper and nastier than others but just about all are crap (Mini and Jazz are the only real exceptions imho)
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I'm making the assumption that the OP isn't going to be buying the latest generation of Corsa since this will be his first car (I could be wrong - maybe he has a largish budget). So I stand by my comments on the Corsa - the Fiesta and Fabia are far better. (The new Corsa is the only model I haven't driven - so I can't give a fair assessment - but it will have to be one hell of a car to be better than the latest fiesta)
What's not good about the Fabia? It's not an exciting car sure, and carries a Skoda badge - but they're solidly built, cheap to run and decent to drive. I'd say it's a decent choice for a new driver until he can build up some no claims.

Mini's build quality isn't great - (I used to build them!) - and although overall they aren't bad, save for a few flaws, the price tag and insurance probably eliminates them.
 
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Corsas not really recommended then? I have heard lots of good things about them, unless it is a particular model, which models should I be looking at with Corsas? - Lots of people recommend Fiestas too, but I am not a fan of them to be honest.
 
Maybe look at a Diesel car? I get at least 52mpg out of mine and on a long run, I have had over 60mpg out of it.

I reckon you can get one with a years mot and tax for under £1000, the mileage may be high, it will probably have no turbo and it will be slow and boring, but you just want something with 4 wheels on it, long MoT and tax.

If the bodywork, engine and gearbox are good then it's unlikely anything major will go wrong as long as it has had a recent service.

A 1L Nissan Micra can be had quite cheaply and although petrol is quite expensive, you will get fairly good economy and it will be cheap to insure and tax, they're reliable too.

You don't need anything fancy, so that means you can have pretty much anything practical and within reason!
 
Nitrojan said:
- Engine (dirty engine = car hasnt been looked after well)
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Dirty engine = Engine has not needed a steam clean to hide evidence of a leak, or, alternatively recieved a steam clean prior to going onto a sales plot that if done incorrectly could end up waterlogging countless electrical connections....

I am probably in the minority of 1 but to my mind a dirty engine is no bad thing at all.
 
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I've never felt the urge to jetwash the inside of my engine bay, I dunno why some people do it, lol. If I want to clean under the bonnet I use clothes, and the appropriate cleaning products. I don't fancy blasting 80 bar worth of water into every crevice of my engine personally.
 
Gamefreak501 said:
Maybe look at a Diesel car? I get at least 52mpg out of mine and on a long run, I have had over 60mpg out of it.

I reckon you can get one with a years mot and tax for under £1000, the mileage may be high, it will probably have no turbo and it will be slow and boring, but you just want something with 4 wheels on it, long MoT and tax.

If the bodywork, engine and gearbox are good then it's unlikely anything major will go wrong as long as it has had a recent service.

A 1L Nissan Micra can be had quite cheaply and although petrol is quite expensive, you will get fairly good economy and it will be cheap to insure and tax, they're reliable too.

You don't need anything fancy, so that means you can have pretty much anything practical and within reason!
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Diesel is certainly an option, the 306 d-turbo would do the trick. It's not particularly fast but is not any slower than your average 1.2 petrol, and the associated power band may make it feel nippier than it really is.
 
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