Corsa

[clv101]

I have a friend who drives a 4 year old Corsa 1.0. Owned from new. She’s now thinking of changing it (because it needs new break pads, tires and rattles a bit). She also wants something a little more powerful. She’s got her heart set on buying a brand new Corsa with a slightly larger engine but open to other options. She doesn’t know much about cars except she likes her Corsa, likes the look of the new one and her 1.0 engine is a bit slow.

Presumably she has in mind spending around £8k on some sort of finance deal. I know the new Corsa is a lot better than the old one but surely this isn’t the best thing to do with £8k.

I’m thinking along the lines of 2 year old cars, the Alfa 147, Toyota Yaris, SEAT Ibiza or Skoda Fabia.

She was also thinking about an MG TF.

Any recommendations?

 

[paradigm]

I know the new Corsa is a lot better than the old one but surely this isn’t the best thing to do with £8k.

Dropping £8k of finance on a brand new corsa is never going to be the best thing to do with £8k, infact dropping £1000 intentionally down the toilet is probably going to lose her less money.

I’m thinking along the lines of 2 year old cars, the Alfa 147, Toyota Yaris, SEAT Ibiza or Skoda Fabia.

Fabia VRS (prett sure you'll know about these ) and Ibiza Cupra (1.8T petrol) are both options for this price bracket, both little, quick, well built cars.

I wouldn't get her to think about the 147 if she is the kind of person who new brake pads, tyres and interior rattles are enough to put her off her current car

 

[Shimmy]

Yaris T-Sport

She'll probably like the looks, will be a lot better than a 1.0 corsa. Group 7 insurance.

They're very reliable and should be plenty around from £3k-5/6k.

Talk her out of stretching to a new car on finance.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Fabia VRS (prett sure you'll know about these ) and Ibiza Cupra (1.8T petrol) are both options for this price bracket, both little, quick, well built cars.

No, they are both very silly options. Don't mistake the fact she wants something quicker for the fact she wants something quick. She does absolutely not sound like the sort of person who can justify the additional insurance, running and tyre costs etc for something like an Ibiza Cupra. It would be entirely pointless.

The regular 1.4 litre variant would be more than sufficient and I would imagine exactly what she means by 'a bit quicker'.

A performance variant will be older for the same money and cost more to upkeep. Great for us but not for her.

 

[clv101]

I think Fox is probably right and an a 1.4 would be perfect... However she does like her motorsport (F1, Goodwood) and last year did the Silverstone Rally Experience in a Fiesta ST. I think she'd appreciate something a little quicker. She doesn’t do very many miles <10k for sure so 35 or 50mpg isn’t a huge consideration.