1st car recommendations for 23yr old. Something nippy?

I'd pick some cars from Autotrader and do some online insurance quotes. No point in having your heart set on a Mini (or something else) and finding you can't afford the insurance.
 
This may be a bit more than just "nippy" but the Forester 2.5 XT is reasonably low on insurance (only slightly more for me to insure than it cost for me to insure a 1.4L petrol Fiesta) and does 0-60 in < 6 seconds. It seems to slip under the radar when it comes to insurance companies. Fuel economy is pretty terrible (seriously, if you do 8k + a year don't get one) but it is a pretty reliable car.

EDIT: I forgot, looks-wise... it's a bit of an acquired taste.

EDIT2: This is probably a bit of an irresponsible first car recommendation actually.
 
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Just buy a 1.2 Fiesta.

Drive it for a bit.

Then... strip down the inside. Add a roll cage and a fire extinguisher.

It will then feel 'nippier' than when you originally bought it.
 
fiesta or corsa, i had a 16v 1.2 corsa when i first passed and it was very nippy i thought. Easy to drive, pulled well on the motorway . Being my first car i inevitably crashed it.
Insurance wise it still cost me around £1200 to insure fully comp and i was around 21 when i passed.
 
BD10NNF said:
To be honest. your first car should be something that you don't spend a lot on and don't really care about. this is because you will crash it somehow. Either someone will crash into you or you will crash into them. Or maybe you'll reverse into something.
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So everyone will crash their first car? What a silly statement.

5 years on and 5 cars later i still havent crashed. Am i doing it wrong? :confused:

To answer the OP, a 1.4 is plenty enough. Regardless of what you get, it'll be like a missile to you at first.

I wouldn't have a Mini, i had to borrow one between selling and buying cars (for a month when looking for my VXR). The mini is possibly the worst car i have ever driven and i have driven quite a few cars, both the 1.4 and 1.6 are gutless and have no power at all. I have fell off a roof and landed on face before, breaking my nose and a few ribs and i found that to be more comfy than driving a Mini.

The Civic is a good shout, i had a EJ9 Civic Illusion 1.4 and it was a hoot to drive as my first car. Insurance was expensive, mind you...

I recommend a Fiesta or Focus as a first car, especially when it comes down to insurance and learning the costs of maintaining and keeping a car.
 
I'm scared to see everyone's comment about their first car.

"I had so and so...then I crashed it".

3-4 years in and i'm still on my first car which i haven't plowed into next doors wall.
 
Mine was a Saxo VTR, I loved the little thing, nippy, grippy and was the bee's knees at 19, still miss it :(

Only things likely to go wrong are alternator and CV joints(drive shafts).

*Edit* was group 7 back in 2007
 
I was 21 when I passed my test and bought my first car. Decided I didn't really want to start at the bottom rung e.g. a 1.2 Fiesta, so I went with an '02 1.6 Astra instead. Got a lot more car for my money than I would have on the equivalent Fiesta, Clio etc, insurance was horrendous for the first year (just shy of two grand), second year was nearly half but still expensive and it came down significantly after that.

Still got it nearly five years later though so the way I see it, I've saved money in the long run because I haven't really felt the need to change cars. It's still quick enough for me and will go when you want it to (as much as a 1.6 can 'go', that is), and the extra size over a smaller hatchback has been useful when I've moved house etc. Always worth thinking ahead.
 
First car choice should be governed by whatever car comes back with the cheapest quote. Especially if you're looking at spending £3k all in. I'd imagine half the budget will be insurance alone.
 
Spunkey said:
First car choice should be governed by whatever car comes back with the cheapest quote. Especially if you're looking at spending £3k all in. I'd imagine half the budget will be insurance alone.
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I agree, also; I never crashed my first car - but a girl did pull out infront of me in a clio in my second car after about 3.5 years of driving.
 
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