cheap, GOOD looking, car suggestions please

[.lokii]

Hopefully this isn't asking too muchbut I really don't know too much about cars sadly.
I Live in London and What I need is :
Cheap insurance (i've always read to keep it 1.2-1.6l)
A Good Looking car
4 doors (not a fan of 2 door cars)

I plan to use the vehicle a lot going to and from College and if I go out to different areas (not central london) than I'll use my vehicle as well.
I've been looking at a Honda Civic Hatchback for a while but I don't know.

 

[.lokii]

Budget?

I'd most likley get a second hand and budget 3-4k, is that reasonable budget or no?

 

[.lokii]

Not a bad motor, for that sort of money you wont really get much better looking with your requirements.

alright yeah I was thinking the same, it looks pretty good and it's pretty afordable for me as well

A good looking car is, by and large, subjective. Although there are a lot of cars that are objectively ugly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I like the new Renault Clio model but not sure they've dipped into your budget yet.

2 door cars are generally better looking, is there a practical reason you're "not a fan of 2 door cars"?

A good looking car is something that someone young and in an urban enviroment will drive, not something you'd picture a grown person in.

I'm 18 and go to a big college my friend who's now left to uni had 2 doors and getting in and out was a bit slow.
like i'll mostly be going homewith 2-3 people so I'd rather not have to fold seats and so,

 

[.lokii]

Your in london and your 18

Somehow i get the impression this is the wrong time to be putting aescetics as your top priority in a vehicle.

Pretty much this. Reassess your priorities. You've got them wrong. Can safely say if I lived in London I'd really have no need for a car. The public transport systems are more than adequate.

true but it's a goal I've had for a while and isn't really gonna break my bank, makes things easier, i'm often really late because of Public transport (PT) and living where I live, travelling on pubic tansport makes the journey much longer than it could be, example a 15-20min drive on a PT is actually 45min to an hour depending on traffic

Focus Zetec S 1.6 is a good reliable car op. Looks better than the standard models due to the larger wheels and bigger bumpers.
Here is a example
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201708017925693?keywords=Zetec S&postcode=ll302lp&model=FOCUS&transmission=Manual&make=FORD&sort=sponsored&fuel-type=Petrol&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&advertising-location=at_cars&year-from=2009&radius=200&maximum-mileage=90000&page=2
They look better in white or black with 3 doors I think
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201708278727947?keywords=Zetec S&postcode=ll302lp&model=FOCUS&transmission=Manual&make=FORD&sort=sponsored&fuel-type=Petrol&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&advertising-location=at_cars&year-from=2009&radius=200&maximum-mileage=90000&page=2

yeah i agree the second one does look better I might have to look into 3 doors a little more but isn't 1.8L a little to much for insurance?

 

[.lokii]

You didn't mention reliable. So, Alfa 159.

Not sure I'd actually want a car living in London, it's a hellhole. Get a bike.

if reliable what you recommend? and i was also looking at that Alfa 159 a few days ago

 

[.lokii]

Something Japanese. Even 90s Japanese is still pretty solid if looked after.

Don't do what a lot of new drivers do and go and finance some crappy Corsa. Get something you can afford to lose, learn about how cars work and maintain it yourself. Then buy something nice when you have a few years experience.

Clio Sport 197 If insurance allows
Honda Civic Type-S
Focus Zetec-S

thanks for the list, i'll look into each of them

 

[.lokii]

That's a good shout that is if Op can get over his 5 door only fetish.
If he swaps the badges to Toyota and puts GT86 on the back it will look like a 10k plus car as I really can't tell them apart on the road

I really can't get over my 5doors

 

[.lokii]

I don't want to sound dumb but why are they called 3doors and 5doors? where's the 3rd and 5th door.
i know i probably sound really dumb.

 

[.lokii]

Yes 5 door is more practical but most hatchback cars look better in 3 door like the Focus i linked to earlier. If you have friends etc in the car all the time though going to college etc then it will get tiresome having to get out to let them out of the back.
One car that is also worth looking at and looks ok in 5 door is a Fiesta Titanium.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201709199458965?fuel-type=Petrol&advertising-location=at_cars&transmission=Manual&make=FORD&postcode=ll302lp&minimum-badge-engine-size=1.4&year-from=2008&maximum-mileage=80000&keywords=Titanium &radius=200&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&model=FIESTA&sort=sponsored&page=3

thanks for the vehicle, I've added it to cars i'll look into and very true I agree
"If you have friends etc in the car all the time though going to college etc then it will get tiresome having to get out to let them out of the back. "
i've been a passenger of a 2 door its tiresome espically for short journeys

 

[.lokii]

Three off the top of my head would be Mazda 3, Honda civic or a focus. Mazda or Honda would probably be more reliable but the Focus will be cheaper to repair.

thanks, im not into cars as i said so i don't have your type of knowlege, i've listed those vehicles down