Cheap car for the mother!

Soldato
Joined
28 Oct 2002
Posts
9,227
Location
Stockport / Manchester
Hey,

My mum is getting bored of her car. Not surprising as it is a ~12 year old Fiat Punto 55 S (ie the cheapest, crappiest model). On the plus side it's only done 25k miles and is in almost perfect condition. Good job really because its mine when she finally gets a new one! I wouldn't buy one, but I'm not saying no to a free car, especially as it would be my first!

Anyway, as I said, she is bored of it really. She is after a new car, something that is a little more fun to drive, ie something with an engine bigger than our washing machine! She doesn't have much money to spend, a few thousand at most, give or take. So she needs a car which is extremely reliable and in good enough condition to avoid any major maintenance over the next ~5 years which she will have it for.

Ideally she would prefer an automatic as she is getting lazy, and if possible something with power steering too. Decent fuel economy is also something she is keen to keep, as the Punto does like a billion MPG. Though any size car is game, I think a smaller car would be better, although she hasn't really commented I know she wouldn't want anything huge anyway. Everything else doesn't matter.

Her father used to own a garage where she used to work, so she knows her stuff generally. The car before the Punto was a BMW 318 (Not sure if E21 or E30). It had done ~150k miles and the engine practically died when we pulled into the dealers to pick up the Punto. Luckily they didn't notice :p

A lot to ask I know! Any ideas? :D
 
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if you want economy and power steering but more fun your washing machine I would go for smething like:

corsa 1.2 16v mk2
micra mk2 1.3 16v or 1.4 16v - i have the 1 litre version has power steering and as its 16v its much nipper than other 1litres ive driven
saxo 1.4
106 1.4
fiesta 1.25 16v

Theres a few cars that are good, but from friends experience stay away from french cars if you want maintenence free. Personally I would say a 1.25 fiesta (2003 ish) model would be best they are very good cars. Generally most cars after 2000ish have power steering. When I looked at cars for my 1st car was looking at Rreg (1998) to 51 (2001) age cars and they all had power steering.

Even if you went for a 1 litre engine it would be much much quicker than the current car as its a newer engine and a newer better design. i know a friend who has a 45ish hp 12yr old polo thats 1 litre and another than has a 2002 1litre corsa thats over 60hp, just shows how they are coming on.
Maintenance free and auto gearbox dont go together im afraid, and repairs on auto gearboxes VERY expensive.
hope this helps :p
 
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Tricky one, only cheap, reliable, small, automatic cars I can think of are later K11 1.3 Micras.
Just had a quick look on the trader and they seem expensive for what they are though really, most 97-99 models are up to and above £2k!
 
To be honest the automatic thing is not going to bother her that much, she is just getting lazy! She would prefer a manual if it was a generally better car, or not a rip off.

As for 1 liters mglover070588. Well, the Punto is a 1.1 and gives out an eye watering 55bhp, hence its name. Obviously doesn't do that after 12 years though!

I know repairs on auto boxes are not cheap. The only reason she got the BMW was because it was in to Grandads garage and needed a new gearbox. The guy didn't want to pay the extortionate cost so sold her the car dirt cheap. She then got the box repaired for free :p However, I thought they would have improved to the point where they don't die after ~5 years though!

Thanks for the replies, gives us some ideas!
 
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