Soldato
Also worth checking with insurance companies or the Internet as to the cheapest cars to insure. My niece discovered 4 door cars were cheaper to insure than 2 door cars. .
Andi.
Andi.
First car
- Thread starter MatsyLR
- Start date
It's weird but I guess because people tend to buy them as a first car and crash them but the little 2 door "eco box" type cars are way more expensive for me to insure than most performance cars (and I passed my test around 20 years ago).
Main issue is digital speed dial, if you're looking for the like of digital cockpit. Totally out of your budget.
But if a windscreen projected speed is enough, Mazda offers some models fitted with it, which I found easier to use and more practical than the whole digital speedo of my new A-Class.
Also Mazda's automatics are proper torque converter, so you won't get nasty surprises.
Good cars.
But if a windscreen projected speed is enough, Mazda offers some models fitted with it, which I found easier to use and more practical than the whole digital speedo of my new A-Class.
Also Mazda's automatics are proper torque converter, so you won't get nasty surprises.
Good cars.
I'm not sure a digital speed readout will be as useful as you think - I setup a HUD in my truck with the notion that digital speed might be useful but ended up just turning it off - maybe because I'm used to driving with brief glances at the dash and a reasonable feel for what speed I'm doing.
Was wondering whether the Mazda 3 might be an option here but I don't have a huge amount of experience with the manual version never mind the automatic heh.
Was wondering whether the Mazda 3 might be an option here but I don't have a huge amount of experience with the manual version never mind the automatic heh.
Soldato
If you go the auto route then get a proper auto. Not those silly BMW/Audis with the sticky up toy car like gear stick with buttons on.
Thanks for all the feedback everyone.
I'm 28 for those who asked about young insurance etc.
I've been looking around loads of places, mostly on evanshalshaw as that is what most my the local garages use.
I'm not 100% set on an auto, its just what I would honestly prefer, the price difference though...damm, its massive. So I could be persuaded to go manual, its not like I have an issue with manual, I'm taking my dads car out everyday and its fine. He has some vauxhal, but its a big heavy car while I probably want something that is small and light.
Found a Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 [75] ecoFLEX Energy 3dr [AC] 2017 (66) for £6600, has a nice speed meter that I like and the inside controls etc seem....fine?
But there seems to be allot of these "eco" things, surely that's not a good thing...?
The problem is, I don't know what I should be looking out for.
I know to stay away from 1.0 engines (which seems to be the majority of used cars around) but I'm also aware there are certain models to stay clear away from popular belief, due to...whatever reason. Any car I show my dad and hes just like "no its crap, its just not good"
I also am trying to stay above 2016 for the year as-well and below 20k miles (advise from brother/dad?)
As I'm going to be going to local garages anyway, I'm just on the hunt for what I should be looking for when me and my dad start looking around after the new year.
I'm 28 for those who asked about young insurance etc.
I've been looking around loads of places, mostly on evanshalshaw as that is what most my the local garages use.
I'm not 100% set on an auto, its just what I would honestly prefer, the price difference though...damm, its massive. So I could be persuaded to go manual, its not like I have an issue with manual, I'm taking my dads car out everyday and its fine. He has some vauxhal, but its a big heavy car while I probably want something that is small and light.
Found a Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 [75] ecoFLEX Energy 3dr [AC] 2017 (66) for £6600, has a nice speed meter that I like and the inside controls etc seem....fine?
But there seems to be allot of these "eco" things, surely that's not a good thing...?
The problem is, I don't know what I should be looking out for.
I know to stay away from 1.0 engines (which seems to be the majority of used cars around) but I'm also aware there are certain models to stay clear away from popular belief, due to...whatever reason. Any car I show my dad and hes just like "no its crap, its just not good"
I also am trying to stay above 2016 for the year as-well and below 20k miles (advise from brother/dad?)
As I'm going to be going to local garages anyway, I'm just on the hunt for what I should be looking for when me and my dad start looking around after the new year.
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Our BMW auto is seamless between the gears.
That might be a bit unrealistic at your kind of budget - though for an automatic you don't want something too old or too high mileage.
Associate
- Joined
- 27 Apr 2018
- Posts
- 1,320
A honda civic should fit all your requirements and land comfortably in your budget OP.... Digital speedo read out too, and auto.....
Well budget can go up to £10k if required.
Although people say don't spend that much on your first car.
My brothers first car was only £2k around 10 year ago but it was a right banger and was falling apart lol
You're asking in a forum for petrolheads, so adjust your expectations accordingly. My SIL has an i10 auto and it's perfectly fine, although she bought it brand new and has maintained it properly. As long as you're not expecting DSG speed shifts it'll serve you well as a first car.
I'd recommend a manual too, purely for the lessons it'll teach you, but if you're gonna get an auto then just find a good one and get on with it.
I'd recommend a manual too, purely for the lessons it'll teach you, but if you're gonna get an auto then just find a good one and get on with it.
Soldato
I'd echo the comments here. For your first car you'll be better off getting a manual around £3k ish. As a new driver you'll invariably be having a fair few scrapes and dings, kerbed alloys and what not. Not to mention insurance costs too. After a couple of years move it on and get yourself into something nicer and better.
Soldato
3rd vote on the Civic. Like you I learnt 'late' and only bought my first car last year. I found a 2011 1.8l with 41k on the clock, ES-T trim but w/leather seat and other upgrades for about £5.5k on gumtree from a private seller. Insurance on that was about £800 with Aviva. I didn't plan on getting an auto straight away but it was too good to pass up, and given future cars I'll own will likely be hybrids and electric whether by choice or dictated by those running the country, who knows if I'll ever end up having a car with a clutch? Given I spend a chunk of my commute for work queuing for to go through the Blackwall tunnel or sitting at traffic lights in SE London, it doesn't really bother me anyway.
I could have got a cheaper car but i wasn't a struggling student and it's been faultless bar the odd bulb replacement.
I could have got a cheaper car but i wasn't a struggling student and it's been faultless bar the odd bulb replacement.
Soldato
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201912115244842
Less than £5,000, automatic, digital speedometer. Perfect.
In the real world you should buy a Honda Civic or a Ford Focus.
Less than £5,000, automatic, digital speedometer. Perfect.
In the real world you should buy a Honda Civic or a Ford Focus.
I would buy the cheapest thing you can find that will get you through 12 months. I’d also look a insurance with a 10 month no claims bonus accelerator. I seem to remember someone offering 9 months.
Get a year or two of no claims and then look at spending thousands on cars with LCD clocks.
Get a year or two of no claims and then look at spending thousands on cars with LCD clocks.
Again thanks for all the input everyone.
When I say digital speed I mean just the MPH readout, not the dials themselves. Doesn't seem to be many around though so probably going to forget that.
I'll take all the advice and see what I can find after the new year.
Also looked into insurance for multiple different cars, and jeez £1200-2000 estimated
even for ones valued at £6k and under.
When I say digital speed I mean just the MPH readout, not the dials themselves. Doesn't seem to be many around though so probably going to forget that.
I'll take all the advice and see what I can find after the new year.
Also looked into insurance for multiple different cars, and jeez £1200-2000 estimated
even for ones valued at £6k and under.
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Again thanks for all the input everyone.
When I say digital speed I mean just the MPH readout, not the dials themselves. Doesn't seem to be many around though so probably going to forget that.
I'll take all the advice and see what I can find after the new year.
Also looked into insurance for multiple different cars, and jeez £1200-2000 estimated
My first car, the insurance cost more than the vehicle itself..
Man of Honour
I passed my test 3 months before my 30 birthday to insure the 11 year old Astra worth about £700 that my parents gave me cost £1.2k
The 3 year old £8.5k i20 I bought in september so 18 months after passing is almost half that to insure.
There's little rhyme or reason to insurance unless your privy to their black magic algorithms.
The 3 year old £8.5k i20 I bought in september so 18 months after passing is almost half that to insure.
There's little rhyme or reason to insurance unless your privy to their black magic algorithms.
My first car, the insurance cost more than the vehicle itself..
First year of insurance really bitesI passed my test 3 months before my 30 birthday to insure the 11 year old Astra worth about £700 that my parents gave me cost £1.2k
The 3 year old £8.5k i20 I bought in september so 18 months after passing is almost half that to insure.
My motorbike insurance (ybr 125) was only like £200 for the year when I first got it (thats over 5 year ago now and didn't last long as some idiot decided to smash into the back of me writing of the bike and putting me off being at the mercy of drivers protected in iron cages, probably why I have left learning to drive a car so long)