Buying my first car... help!

vertica

vertica

vertica

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Evening all, noob car buying advice is sought!

TLDR: 23yo seeking sensible run-around/commuting car, £1.5k flexible.


Long version:
23yo, 5yrs NCB (with Direct Line only), spent the last 5 years named on my parent’s ’04 Citroen C3 1.4HDi XTR (exciting! :-p) amongst several other cars (in addition) for a few months at a time.

Anyway, starting on decent grad scheme in July, moving out etc and hence need a car of my own! Now my mates and parents are next to useless for car-buying advice and whilst I have an idea of what constitutes a dodgy/stupid buy, I’m not really sure what I’m looking for; so where better to get a raft of conflicting opinions than OCUK motors? :-p

Been searching and reading thread here and elsewhere but I’m looking for advice regarding my options (new/used make/model dealer/private + general buying advice etc), I did say noob advice!

Annual millage will be ~8k I’m guessing, so petrol engine. Mix of short-ish (<10mile) work commutes, and longer (400mile or so round) trips every few weeks, if it makes a difference to suggestions.

Looking for a sensible run around (nothing too exciting just yet) with capacity for adults in the back, Ford Focus seems to pop up well recommended, but by no means set on that.

If i were to buy tomorrow then I have about £1500 ‘cash’ and can go up to £2k if from a dealer (using 0% CC), insurance is accounted for separately. Not against finance for the right car (not a 12k for an old Clio thread though!) and on that note I’m not yet decided if i’d buy new or used if it went on to finance. I consider myself financially secure enough to take on that commitment for the next few years. If it were a new car then I’d probably end up keeping it for ~10years or until I get a company car.

So motors, excusing my rambling wall of text, throw your thoughts (however obvious) this way!

TIA
 
didnt realise you could gain some NCB by second named driver on insurance policy?

or were you main named driver on your parent's car....fronting.....tut tut :p;)
 
wesley said:
didnt realise you could gain some NCB by second named driver on insurance policy?

or were you main named driver on your parent's car....fronting.....tut tut :p;)
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No, I was a named driver not the poilcy holder/main driver. Directline let you accumulate your own NCB, but it can only be used with them. This obviously has good and bad points. Good: It gets my potential insurance on a used 1.6 focus down to just over £300 (~£780 with others). Bad: I can only go with direct line at a reasonable price until I accrue policy holder NCB.


[TW]Fox;21508935 said:
OP: Buy a Focus 1.6 or similar.
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Thanks, that is what i thought may be suggested!
 
Congrats on getting the grad scheme placement first off. I guess this means quite a few outgoings and costs for the first few months with accommodation, possibly furniture etc... I wouldn't add to that pile with a new car honestly at the start of your career, a runabout for a while will be fine.
 
Focus 1.6, if you want a reliable, cheap to maintain car with a sporty feel. The handling on the mk1 focus was second to none in its class. Lovely car. Engines are smooth as silk (petrol) in low revs but can put a smile on your face when you put your foot down.

Could you tell I used to drive one :)

oh and Myshra is right, you don't want the burden of monthly payments on a new car when you've got furniture and things to pay for, me and my fiance have just about recovered from the spending spree from when we moved in back in July!
 
Brookert said:
Focus 1.6, if you want a reliable, cheap to maintain car with a sporty feel. The handling on the mk1 focus was second to none in its class. Lovely car. Engines are smooth as silk (petrol) in low revs but can put a smile on your face when you put your foot down.

Could you tell I used to drive one :)

oh and Myshra is right, you don't want the burden of monthly payments on a new car when you've got furniture and things to pay for, me and my fiance have just about recovered from the spending spree from when we moved in back in July!
Click to expand...

The Focus is nice and reliable, but it's not exactly a sporty car and certainly not 'second to none in it's class' handling wise. :p
 
The mk1 focus suffers a few problems, rust being one of them, check round the rear window, real nightmare for that :( plus the 1.6/1.8/2ltr zetec engines can become a little tapperty (goes across the zetec range on all of the fords, just look out for it), otherwise not a bad car, though look at the fiesta, you will probably get more car for your money, and petrol is your best bet for the mileage you will be doing, but look at a few other cars in that price bracket, Peugeot did the 306 which was a class leader, great handlng, just a little dated and watch for electrics, mainly door related, not too expensive to sort (loom between the door and body get brittle and are £75 quid each to replace, then you need a good auto electrician to fit it so double that), but in that size and around the 1999/2000 era, those were probably the 2 best hatches to go for (mind the 1.6 as it can suffer from HG issues).

Tony
 
Can't say I would touch a 306 over the focus (which I don't even like) - too many silly issues with the pugs and the smaller engined variants (i.e not the gti/xsi/dturbo) are very, very slow. Your list will come down to what you can afford to buy locally I guess - Stick to ford or japanese brands and you're laughing (though parts for jap cars are not cheap)

Focus (the most modern and "fresh" looking car you're likely to find)
Mondeo
Civic
Accord
Mazda 323 (very dull, very reliable)
Fabia
Fiesta
Corolla (even more dull than a 323)
Micra / Almera

As a starter list, obviously insurance may inhibit that too
 
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