Which first car? Advise needed :confused:

Dodger

Dodger

Dodger

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Hi,

I passed my driving test in January and have been looking at various cars but only just got serious about buying one in the last couple of weeks.

I am currently 24 years old, 25 half way through in May and I have been quoted in the region of £1300 - £1600 (insurance) for the following vehicles:

Ford Fiesta
Ford Focus
VW Golf
VW Polo
Vauxhall Corsa

I went for a test drive yesterday in a Ford Fiesta (2007, ~£4000) which was very good. I could go for a slightly older model (2003) but that does not have the correct ipod functionality that I would like. I could just replace the whole music stereo but didn't really want to be changing the interior of the car. Any ideas here?

I also don't mind going for a VW Golf 2003 model or something in that range which is much cheaper than the Ford Fiesta albeit it an older model (~£2500-£3000). Would this be the better option to be going for the Golf instead of the Fiesta?

Maximum car budget is £4000 but I feel this is too much for a first car?
Car will be used for town driving in the evenings and weekend commuting to shops etc.
Motorway driving is likely e.g. once every 3 months or so.

Opinions/recommendations would be really appreciated :-)
 
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Assuming you have no real driving experience then for a first car I would just pick something around a grand so that you can have the inevitable little dings and scrapes but not worry too much about it. Sell it after a year and buy something that you'll want to keep in good nick.

The only car you've listed that I personally would not buy is a corsa, I have a real dislike for the corsa - in any of the revisions. I assume these are all cheap to insure for you?
 
All of the above vehicles are cheap to insure for me...I know ~£1500 is not cheap but when first time drivers are getting quoted at ~£3000 then I think it is cheap :-)

I wanted to get a vehicle that was half decent to be honest, something that I could keep for the second year as I will only be doing around ~5000 miles a year.

I guess that is one reason why I have been looking at cars which are slightly better than your average £1000 car.
 
It doesn't need to be a rubbish car - Just accept that you're fairly likely to mark it and you'll be fine. Scraping and denting a £1k car feels a lot better than doing the same thing to a car you've just spent 4000 of your hard earned pounds on. £1k will get you a very decent fiesta or focus in any case. Add £500 and you'll have your pick from a massive selection.

You will have to pay quite a premium for the equivalent golf or polo in terms of the age of car you'll get for your money, accept that and they're fine too.
 
Evoss said:
VW gets my vote :)
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There are various decent ones on a well known trading website for a VW Golf e.g. a 2003 model at around ~£2000-3000.

However, I have checked the MPG and it is really bad for a VW Golf 2003 model, not ideal, unless I am missing something? Because it's a golf?
 
rodenal said:
It doesn't need to be a rubbish car - Just accept that you're fairly likely to mark it and you'll be fine. Scraping and denting a £1k car feels a lot better than doing the same thing to a car you've just spent 4000 of your hard earned pounds on. £1k will get you a very decent fiesta or focus in any case. Add £500 and you'll have your pick from a massive selection.

You will have to pay quite a premium for the equivalent golf or polo in terms of the age of car you'll get for your money, accept that and they're fine too.
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I will have a look at the car available for around £1500.

Is it okay to be insuring a £1500 car fully comp providing it is lets say cheaper or only a few quid more expensive than TPTF?

In terms of Policy Excess, what would you recommend? I have been setting mine to £150 compulsory and £350 voluntary, so a total of £500 excess. My view was that any damage less than £500 I would fix myself, do these figures look appropriate?
 
You can insure the car to whatever level you are happy with, there's nothing wrong with tpft or fully comp - a lot of the time for younger drivers fully comp is cheaper anyway.

With regards to excess you have a choice. If you decide that you want to buy a £1k-£1500 car and basically would not claim for any damage to your own car then set the excess as high as you like. If (like most people) you would not be happy to either bin or repair the car for an amount over say £500 like you've set so far then keep the excess set to that kind of level.

Mpg will be much of a muchness for any 1.4-1.8 motor the size of a golf.

Anyone looking to get £3k for a 1.6 (for example, it applies equally to the rest of the n/a models) 2003 golf needs their head checked. I'm guessing that's at a trader of some sort? The reality is you'd be looking at something like £1500 in a private sale.
 
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rodenal said:
You can insure the car to whatever level you are happy with, there's nothing wrong with tpft or fully comp - a lot of the time for younger drivers fully comp is cheaper anyway.

With regards to excess you have a choice. If you decide that you want to buy a £1k-£1500 car and basically would not claim for any damage to your own car then set the excess as high as you like. If (like most people) you would not be happy to either bin or repair the car for an amount over say £500 like you've set so far then keep the excess set to that kind of level.

Mpg will be much of a muchness for any 1.4-1.8 motor the size of a golf.

Anyone looking to get £3k for a 1.6 (for example, it applies equally to the rest of the n/a models) 2003 golf needs their head checked. I'm guessing that's at a trader of some sort? The reality is you'd be looking at something like £1500 in a private sale.
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Yes, it was at a trader, a rough estimate, albeit it with a bit of haggling to get it down to £2500 or something along those lines but I agree, still too high!

I've always been a bit sceptical with a private buy which is why I am currently looking at traders but trying not to get ripped off, can't get both so far it seems!
 
rodenal said:
Anyone looking to get £3k for a 1.6 (for example, it applies equally to the rest of the n/a models) 2003 golf needs their head checked. I'm guessing that's at a trader of some sort? The reality is you'd be looking at something like £1500 in a private sale.
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Agreed - people seem to think that the Mk4's are worth stupid amounts.
Unless it's low mileage, full history, very good paint work etc and or 1.8T or R32 you dont want to be paying over the 1500 mark.
Dodger said:
Yes, it was at a trader, a rough estimate, albeit it with a bit of haggling to get it down to £2500 or something along those lines but I agree, still too high!
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Depends what condition it is in ;)
I've always been a bit sceptical with a private buy which is why I am currently looking at traders but trying not to get ripped off, can't get both so far it seems![/quote]
Cant you take a relative with you who is a bit more clued up on these things? Or a mate?

The VW Polo gets my vote... it's small and reliable. a good start car. Give that a year or two and move up to the Golf. It's what I did. :)
 
rhysduck said:
Agreed - people seem to think that the Mk4's are worth stupid amounts.
Unless it's low mileage, full history, very good paint work etc and or 1.8T or R32 you dont want to be paying over the 1500 mark.

Depends what condition it is in ;)
I've always been a bit sceptical with a private buy which is why I am currently looking at traders but trying not to get ripped off, can't get both so far it seems!
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Cant you take a relative with you who is a bit more clued up on these things? Or a mate?

The VW Polo gets my vote... it's small and reliable. a good start car. Give that a year or two and move up to the Golf. It's what I did. :)[/QUOTE]

I agree, that is what I am planning to do but based on what i've been reading on the Internet, Fiesta is the much more fun car to drive compared to the Polo. I have not driven a Polo yet so I cannot personally back this up. Maybe others agree/disagree?

How much did you pay for your first car?
 
I have been looking at used prices for Ford Fiesta/VW Golf within a budget of £3000.

The prices are just too expensive so I have looked at a Honda Civic VTEC 1.6. A 2003 model, is there anything wrong with buying a car nearly 10 years old?

Would anyone recommend this car?

I've cut down my budget from £4000 to about £2000-£3000 for a used car for a first time buyer now.
 
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People seem to like the 1.6 civic, a friend has one and its a very competent car. Would be a very good first car imo provided the insurance is ok.

I think £2k is the most I'd spend on one but that seems to fit your new budget fine.
 
rodenal said:
People seem to like the 1.6 civic, a friend has one and its a very competent car. Would be a very good first car imo provided the insurance is ok.

I think £2k is the most I'd spend on one but that seems to fit your new budget fine.
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I ran a quote through and got a figure of £1527 for a 1.6 Honda Civic VTEC, 2003 model, 45k on the clock, good mpg, very decent in my opinion.

I drove the Fiesta and it was fun. I don't know if I will be able to say the same for the Honda, has anyone had any experiences with the two cars?
 
Dodger said:
I agree, that is what I am planning to do but based on what i've been reading on the Internet, Fiesta is the much more fun car to drive compared to the Polo. I have not driven a Polo yet so I cannot personally back this up. Maybe others agree/disagree?
How much did you pay for your first car?
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After having driven a Fiesta (both Mk4 (facelift) and a MK5) and a Polo Mk4 I prefer the Polo. It's a much more sturdier car for me... The Fiesta felt a little bit too "plasticy" and fragile (Mk5) than the Polo did... Gotta love the Germans for something ;) Saying that the Mk4 FL Fiesta is a very nice car indeed. Zetec S is popular with the younger drivers.

I paid a little over £2k for my "first" car (Golf)... It was the first car I bought, but now my FIRST car.. geddit? :)
 
rhysduck said:
After having driven a Fiesta (both Mk4 (facelift) and a MK5) and a Polo Mk4 I prefer the Polo. It's a much more sturdier car for me... The Fiesta felt a little bit too "plasticy" and fragile (Mk5) than the Polo did... Gotta love the Germans for something ;) Saying that the Mk4 FL Fiesta is a very nice car indeed. Zetec S is popular with the younger drivers.

I paid a little over £2k for my "first" car (Golf)... It was the first car I bought, but now my FIRST car.. geddit? :)
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I geddit it :p

How many miles did your car have when you bought it?
 
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