£3k for newly qualified 33 year old

this_is_gav

this_is_gav

this_is_gav

Soldato
Joined
17 Oct 2005
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6,243
Location
North of Watford Gap
Hey guys, first post in the motors section, so go easy please. :)

Having passed my test last week (I've had bikes years ago) I'm now on the lookout for some wheels.

I've got a budget of £4000. Fully comp insurance is around £900 (TP fire&theft ~£800) for a 1.2-1.4L petrol, so basically £3000 for the car.

As above I'm looking at a 1.4L or lower petrol (could probably stretch to 1.6L petrol) or roughly equivalent diesel, somewhere between Polo and Focus size.

Currently I'm looking at a 2006 1.25L Fiesta (60,000 miles), 2005 1.2L Ibiza (40,000 miles) and a 2002 1.2L Polo (40,000 miles). I'm leaning towards the Fiesta, but would the miles put you off?

Any thoughts or suggestions?
 
The fiesta would be my pick. The miles are fine - under average.

What sort of driving distance and type will you be doing?
 
Duke said:
The fiesta would be my pick. The miles are fine - under average.

What sort of driving distance and type will you be doing?
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Around 40 miles daily to and from work (20 miles each way) will be the main use. I can't see myself driving all that much other than the usual shopping, trips to town, etc.
 
Are you looking for a ~1.2 just because your a new driver or something else? Reason I ask is you might find insurance is just as cheap if not cheaper in a larger engined non "typical" 1st car. E.g. Mondeo, Octavia, Volvo.

Probably be a damn sight more comfortable and more practical than smaller vehicles you're looking at.

Worth a look :-)
 
paddy said:
Are you looking for a ~1.2 just because your a new driver or something else? Reason I ask is you might find insurance is just as cheap if not cheaper in a larger engined non "typical" 1st car. E.g. Mondeo, Octavia, Volvo.
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Yeah, primarily insurance reasons. Being a first car I'd not want something as large as a Mondeo (as good as I think they are) or Octavia, hence me being quite happy with a smaller, lighter car.

Given my age insurance isn't too bad and doesn't scale horribly as the engine size goes up, but being a first car I'm happy to keep the costs down on insurance and fuel.

Thanks for looking at it from a different perspective though. :)
 
I would seriously consider the larger engine. I was in a similar position to yourself; late getting my test (29), chose a smaller engine (1.6 in a Volvo S40), thinking it would allow me to gain some experience without running into trouble, but I found the lack of power and economy very quickly bothered me. I wanted the option to accelerate reasonably quickly, giving me better chances for pulling away and overtaking. I also objected to the 260ish miles to a tank. I accept a 1.6 in a heavily equipped Ovlov doesn't compare to the same size engine in a Fiesta, but the point remains the same.

I'm now in a 2.0l diesel, automatic, fertility wagon (61 plate Galaxy Titanium X) with all the gadgets, power and economy I could ask for and so much more relaxed in my driving.
 
Another vote for 1.6 Focus. It is going to be a bit more comfortable to drive than a smaller car.
 
this_is_gav said:
Being a first car I'd not want something as large as a Mondeo (as good as I think they are) or Octavia, hence me being quite happy with a smaller, lighter car.
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I'm always wary of this perception from new drivers. Don't get scared by the size of a car, it has next to nothing to do with how easy they are to drive. Humour the posters in this thread, just take something in that category for a test drive and see how you find it.
 
if you've had a provisional licence for a few years before you passed your test, try a insurance quote from aviva. They ask for the langth of time you've held your licence including the time you've had a provisional.

They were much cheaper for me on my mx5, with other insurers wanting about double the amount.
 
Nursie said:
if you've had a provisional licence for a few years before you passed your test, try a insurance quote from aviva. They ask for the langth of time you've held your licence including the time you've had a provisional.

They were much cheaper for me on my mx5, with other insurers wanting about double the amount.
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Great advice. Held a provisional for 9 years 11 months and the quote went from £950 down to £860.
 
My sister passed her test at the same age and there was no real considerable difference in insurance cost for a fiesta over a mondeo maybe 50, we ended up finding a mazda 626 which she is now paying 300 a year f/c, first year was 1200.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. but in the end I ignored all of it! Let me explain.

I went down to the local garage (not a dealership, but he has the odd car on sale), a guy I really trust who worked on my bike years back, and he'd just bought a 2007 (newer shape) 1.2 5dr Corsa with 36,000 on the clock. It was immaculate (apart from a few scuffs that has Turtlewaxxed right out). On Autotrader the going rate for such a car within 100 miles was £4000. I got it for £2,900. I'd have been nuts not to bite his arm off.

Added to that the quoted fuel figures (which I'll take with a pinch of salt) are far better than all of the cars I was looking at and it's got plenty of squirt for a 1.2L. Very happy with the purchase so far. :)

corsa.jpg
 
When I first saw the title I thought the £3000 was the insurance quote! :eek:

My first car, back in the Dark Ages was a MK4 Zodiac V6! TPF&T back then for this monster for a 20 year old was about the equivalent of a week or twos wages IIRC!

How things have changed! :(:mad:
 
I'm surprised you think it has 'plenty of squirt' coming from a bike! What trim level is it?
 
get Suziki Swift AWESOME CARS.
Dont buy Ford it will brake... 5 mates at work got focus and each of them brakes EACH YEAR .....

Get Japanese toy they dont brake :D
 
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