First Car

Janesy B · 2 Sep 2009 at 11:30

I bought a 1.3 MK6 Escort for £550 for my first car. It wasn't fast but it fulfilled all the requirements of a cheap first car. It was also a lot less to insure than a Fiesta. Best thing to do is not to get hung up on any particular make/model. Go out and have a look at anything, be it a Mondeo, 306, Micra etc. It's your first car and you have £500, you can't afford to be fussy.

monkey_boy · 2 Sep 2009 at 11:53

There are newer examples for the money but this one looks pretty unmolested as far as it's possible tell from the other side of the internet.

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...icleYearOfManufacture=1994&vehicleRegLetter=M

Janesy B · 2 Sep 2009 at 11:56

For the love of god don't get a MK5b! MK6 wasn't great but it's better.

Patriach · 2 Sep 2009 at 12:35

Just come back from a driving lesson, went very smoothly, instructer is convinced ive driven before. (4th lesson, and im doing a 3point turn

). Ive seen the cars youve suggested, only gripe is i have sworn i will never get a rover or MG, a mate had an MG TF, the headgasket blew, ruined the engine and subsequently ruined the car.

Some-one said a Mondeo being cheaper than a Fiesta?

- 2.0l Mondeo TPFT - £2000

- 1.3l Twincam 16V Suzuki Swift TPFT - £1700

- 1.6l Focus TPFT - £1500

I know all but the Mondeo are out of price range to buy a car, but give around 4 weeks and i should have around a Monkey to splurge.

I will have a good ol' gander at insurance for Fiesta 1.25's and the like.

miniyazz · 2 Sep 2009 at 13:02

Patriach said:
Just come back from a driving lesson, went very smoothly, instructer is convinced ive driven before. (4th lesson, and im doing a 3point turn ). Ive seen the cars youve suggested, only gripe is i have sworn i will never get a rover or MG, a mate had an MG TF, the headgasket blew, ruined the engine and subsequently ruined the car.

Some-one said a Mondeo being cheaper than a Fiesta?

Cheaper to insure, not cheaper to buy. And headgasket/major repairs can happen unexpectedly on any car, don't rule one out just because you happen to know someone who had an expensive problem with theirs..

Janesy B · 2 Sep 2009 at 13:02

The HG will last if you keep an eye on temps and the coolant level. Many die due to lack of mechanical sympathy and care.

Amoeba · 2 Sep 2009 at 13:06

I've owned a Rover with a K series engine in for the past year, my dad owned it before me. Never had any troubles with the headgasket (that's not to say I've not had any trouble elsewhere mind!). Obviously the K series does have an issue with HGF but as said above, if looked after properly you should be fine.

Take a look at and test drive some and compare them to Fords / VXs / whatever at a similar price and then make your choice. I know which I'd choose

.

miniyazz · 2 Sep 2009 at 13:55

Janesy B said:
The HG will last if you keep an eye on temps and the coolant level. Many die due to lack of mechanical sympathy and care.

Presumably a lack of coolant will manifest itself in inappropriately high temps, rather than any actual damage until the radiator fan can no longer compensate? Just curious.

Patriach · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:04

miniyazz said:
Cheaper to insure, not cheaper to buy. And headgasket/major repairs can happen unexpectedly on any car, don't rule one out just because you happen to know someone who had an expensive problem with theirs..

Those were insurance quotes for me. I stated i passed my test last month on the online thing.

[TW]Fox · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:09

Rover fanatics will constantly play down the HG issue but it remains a serious concern. Even the most fastidious of owners is likely to have problems.

miniyazz · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:20

Patriach said:
Those were insurance quotes for me. I stated i passed my test last month on the online thing.

I'm spoiled, having refrained from buying a car for three years after passing!

InvaderGIR · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:21

[TW]Fox;14798768 said:
Rover fanatics will constantly play down the HG issue but it remains a serious concern. Even the most fastidious of owners is likely to have problems.

That being said, BMWs don't get HGF...wait...

BigglesPiP · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:26

You're not going to get a reliable car for £500.

BD10NNF · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:29

thats not true my first car was a 92 1.4 Clio and i got it for £230. Only had 1 problem and that was the sunroof leaked and i sealed that shut. Over than that nothing wrong with it. Lasted me 1 year sold it to a mate and he wrapped it around a tree

BigglesPiP · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:37

BD10NNF said:
thats not true my first car was a 92 1.4 Clio and i got it for £230. Only had 1 problem and that was the sunroof leaked and i sealed that shut. Over than that nothing wrong with it. Lasted me 1 year sold it to a mate and he wrapped it around a tree

You can't gauge reliability in 1 year of ownership, mostly because you can get away with not spending anything on servicing, and you're only going to MOT it once.

Janesy B · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:38

BigglesPiP said:
You can't gauge reliability in 1 year of ownership, mostly because you can get away with not spending anything on servicing, and you're only going to MOT it once.

I owned a £550 Escort for 14 months and apart from some oil and filters it cost me nothing. Well I lie, I had a new exhaust fitted for £120 as it collapsed when I took a speed bump too fast.

BD10NNF · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:39

i had it serviced and MOT'd twice and only thing was wrong was a shocker and replaced that with a 2nd hand 1 for pennies

K1LLSW1TCH · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:42

BigglesPiP said:
You're not going to get a reliable car for £500.

I'd go with that. My first car was a P reg Fiat Punto which I bought off a (not very good) mate for £200. Ahhh. Electrical failures, inability to start on a cold day, inability to start on a hot day, inability to start on a slightly humid day, inability to start when somebody walks past. It was written off by a Land Rover driving into me while I was stationary at lights. The only good thing I could say about it was that it was okay on petrol, tax and insurance were cheap and it had lots of electrical luxuries, when they worked.

BigglesPiP · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:44

Consider the cost of mending essential/MOT'd components which will happily perish on any old car, brake pipes, exhaust systems, suspension components, worst being ball joints. Radiator, fuel pump, timing belt where present and not a safe engine.

There will of course be lucky people who have nothing go wrong...

Kitchster_uk · 2 Sep 2009 at 18:54

I am about to upset myself (and probably many others) by saying you should take a punt on something like this - DIRT cheap to buy, lots of parts available, they were built to last, just like their big brother and the 1.3 in it will be sufficient for you as a new driver. Plus, when you crash it, it will be safer than some of the other tat recommended.