New Car Help (again)

Snookums

Snookums

Snookums

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Joined
27 Mar 2013
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Nottingham
I've been here before but ended up sticking with what I had, but I'm now taking a year out of uni so I'm gonna start saving for a new car. currently got an old fiesta (99).

And I'm really stumped for choice, I'm looking to spend around the 4k mark and my insurance prices are pretty good for most things I've looked at, just under the 1k mark for a decent hot hatch.


So far I've looked at Clio 182's these are nice a quick but I'd need to test drive one as being 6ft 3 my current little fiesta is way too small for me I'm worried the clio would be the same.

Fiesta ST's bigger than my current fiesta.

Gold GTI nices cars how are they to drive though? I've heard then can feel very heavy and sluggish not sure if the same applies to the GTI

3 Series E46, an E90 is pretty out of the price range (I think), I'm worried about the age an reliability of one these although its the cheapest to insure out of all of them.


I'm looking for something that can be fun when i want it too, reliable, something that i can actually fit in, quickier than my lil 1.3 17 year old fiesta :p

I wouldn't mind something like cruise control as it makes motorway driving a lil easy but not essential.


I do around 8-10k per year nothing too high. so because of this MPG doesn't matter too much as long as its not guzzling like no bodies business.

I haven't really looked at a Focus although I'm open too them. The look of an octavia or mondeo just arent for me so they are off the cards really.


What would you recommend? Any on my list or something else I haven't looked at?

Also as its my first time buying a car (The Fiesta was my brother but he left it here when he moved to Oz so I claimed it as my own ;) ) What are important things to look out for and aim to get etc.
 
1.8 petrol civic (mk 8)

  • Relatively quick (much more than a 1.3 fiesta, although they're not quite hot hatch material)
  • Plenty of space inside
  • Lots of toys Inc. Cruise control (as long as you don't get the base model)
  • Decent fuel economy
  • Reliable
  • Looks infinitely nicer than any of the others you've mentioned (although obviously that's subjective :p)


I recently got an 06 plate with 60k for just over £3k, so for £4k you should be able to get a decent one
 
In before Mondeo

If it helps I am 6'2 and the Fiesta ST didn't feel cramped when I drove one. Not sure for everyday use though
 
Pretty much the exact spec me thread I was planning to make in a couple of months except I'll be doing a bit less mileage. I'm leaning towards Fiesta ST at the moment as the golfs seem to start a bit more expensive and I don't fancy a Clio. Yet to test drive any of them though.
 
I'm starting to lean towards the Fiesta St now too, they are the cheapest car there. I think I'll need to find somewhere that will let me test drive one. Don't even know if I'm allowed at my age we shall see.

If you felt comfy in one at only slightly shorter Im sure I'll be fine.

I'll have a look into the civic now actually, hadn't thought of that yet, i presume a type r at this cost is out of the question.
 
After looking again I'm definitely throwing up between an st, 182 and a 197

I know the clios are much faster but the st draws to me.

Never test driven a car before, is it weird to go to a dealer and ask for a test drive with no intention of buying for 6 months or so?
 
jamiehard1989 said:
Focus 1.8tdci, quick and cheap to run, i pay about £800 a year fully comp 1 year ncb, had my license for 4 years and im 26.
Click to expand...

Since when is 10.6sec 0-60 quick?

Given the low mileage (and other requirements) I don't think a relatively slow diesel is quiet what the OP is after
 
Snookums said:
After looking again I'm definitely throwing up between an st, 182 and a 197

I know the clios are much faster but the st draws to me.

Never test driven a car before, is it weird to go to a dealer and ask for a test drive with no intention of buying for 6 months or so?
Click to expand...

I was browsing the net for weeks looking at cars i "wanted" but then I drove them and it just didn't feel right.

get a short list, and go drive every single one on the list. try each car twice (preferably a different car for each so you know one isn't a lemon)

You might get in a car and hate the seating position etc etc

being 26 I can now rock up say "i like this, i want to test drive it" and away we go no questions asked.

when I was under 25 this was another story, a lot of places wouldn't let me drive the cars. and wanted me to go through all the paperwork side of things first
 
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