New Car Advise - Audi A3

chrisnic0

chrisnic0

chrisnic0

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Joined
29 Jan 2007
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121
Hi, im new to these forums.
I was looking for a little advise on my 1st car purchase.
I have roughly £3500 to spend on a car and about £800 for the insurance.
Im 23 and have 0 NCB, but i have been a named driver for 2 years.

Im really looking for peoples opinions on the following choices.
Do i get a bigger litre engine say 1.6/1.8 and have a big premium or get a 1.2 and save my NCB?

I was looking at the following cars -

1.6 Audi A3 99'
1.6 Saxo VTR 98
1.6 VW Golf Mk 5
1.2 Corsa SXI (c)

I really like the look of the audis and had my heart set on a 1.6 and doing a few simple clean looking mods (S3 wheels etc) but the more i think about it the more i want the 1.8 T.

If anyone could comment on the car choices that would be wicked.

Thanks very much

Chris
 
First car - Cheap !!!!!!

Get anything, drive it for 12 months, get rid/trade and use the 1 year NCB and get a bigger car.

Anything over 1.4 will cost loads in insurance, get a polo or something.
 
Raymond Lin said:
First car - Cheap !!!!!!

Get anything, drive it for 12 months, get rid/trade and use the 1 year NCB and get a bigger car.

Anything over 1.4 will cost loads in insurance, get a polo or something.
Click to expand...

Exatally my plan, had a Rover 200 (bought for £1500 when I was 18 and insurance is £1000 a year 3rd Party Fire And Theft own policy) since about September. I plan on trading or selling on and getting something for around £3500 in October but then ill of had 1 years driving experiance on the parents insureance and 1 years NCB on the Rover, I will also be 20 which should also help. Plan on getting a Scoobie...Accutally this leads me onto another topic, is there any 4WD cars other than the Impreza? The reason I ask is the place I park for Uni (FREE PARKING) is slightly off road and requires something with more pulling power to get me up a slope in reverse. So I thought 4WD gives more grip and I wont look like a dick just spinning and reving aimlessly...Ive looked at the Honda HR-V aswell. I cant seem to find any others than the Imprezas and the HR-V (other than the obvious 4x4's)
 
urmm the jump from 1.6 a3 to 1.8T will be a HUGE one, they 1.8T is significantly faster. Id say a 1.6 in an a3 will be a tad on the slow side, my first car really was a 2L mondeo which is a fair bit quicker and i've moved onto a 2.5 v6 version of that within 8 months :)

The a3 is the best car there, but the vtr the most fun by a mile.

Tom.
 
the Audi is a nice motor, saxos are great fun, the golf is to fat and heavy and the 1.6 is well under powerd, mate has one, looks nice but far to slow, but all them cars wont be cheep to insure, try them all check out the insurace for them then go with the one that makes sence.
 
The Audi and the Golf are decent cars - Forget the Saxo (it's French!)

However, as you're a new driver - Maybe go for the Corsa and build up some No Claims Bonus.
 
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I always find it funny when someones first post on a mainly computer orientated website is in motors asking for car recommendations!

How about a focus? Not sure on the insurance aspect though!
 
It's his first car PURCHASE not the first car he's ever driven, he's been driving for at least 2 years, there really is no need to be suffering in a 1.2 litre Corsa.

Focus is a good suggestion, though.
 
...agree

Focus is a good car to go for.

I recommended the Corsa - Just so that his Insurance would be cheaper with a 1.2.

But you're right - a 1.2 would be horrible to drive.
 
Sirrel Squirrel said:
I'd go with the vtr out of that list, then get the a3 1.8t next year
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I'd suggest the VTR too, incredibly fun to drive. Sure they don't have the creature comforts, but they are just brilliant to chuck around (if that is your thing).

However I wouldn't suggest moving on to an A3 1.8T, i'd save another £1K over the year and get a Leon Cupra (180BHP rather than 150BHP, and the same car to boot).
 
paradigm said:
I'd suggest the VTR too, incredibly fun to drive. Sure they don't have the creature comforts, but they are just brilliant to chuck around (if that is your thing).

However I wouldn't suggest moving on to an A3 1.8T, i'd save another £1K over the year and get a Leon Cupra (180BHP rather than 150BHP, and the same car to boot).
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good idea :D
 
Thanks for your replies.
I posted a car question here btw because you guys seem pretty clued up.
Im a long time reader first time poster.

Im regards to the cars, i have been driving for roughly 4 years and i usually borrow my mums 1.0L Corsa :( which for use of a better word is GASH.

Ive got a few quotes from confused - got 3rd party F&T from quinns on the A3 1.6 for £750? i think this is pretty good?

And 3rd party £987 on the 1.8T?

I really dont know if i can handle a 1.2 for a year. Also its funny that you should recommend the focus as my sisters bf is getting rid of his in the next couple of months, think that is a 1.6 ghia but with 80000 how much is a good offer? think its 5 years old, was crash damaged but his dads a mechanic?
Looking in very good nick, new alloys etc.

Thanks again
Chris
 
Sorry for the double post,
Whats the reliablity like on the cars i posted? I read parkers and im pretty clued up myself i just cant really afford the car off the road.

With that in mind could anyone suggest a cheap runaround for a 1 year preferably under £1000?

Thanks
Chris
 
Do you know what the insurance is like on a Toledo V5?

Crap arse, but nice engine, and if you're thinking of swapping the wheels, that takes the other ugly thing out the equation. I might be wrong, but given the amount of bad boy croozers I see, it's be interesting to see if a car that hasn't been adopted by ****** was cheaper on insurance, despite the more powerful engine.
 
Kingy said:
Do you know what the insurance is like on a Toledo V5?

Crap arse, but nice engine, and if you're thinking of swapping the wheels, that takes the other ugly thing out the equation. I might be wrong, but given the amount of bad boy croozers I see, it's be interesting to see if a car that hasn't been adopted by ****** was cheaper on insurance, despite the more powerful engine.
Click to expand...

For me, insurance on a V5 was surprisingly low, circa £500, but then although the same age as the OP, i have 4yrs NCB.
 
chrisnic0 said:
Sorry for the double post,
Whats the reliablity like on the cars i posted? I read parkers and im pretty clued up myself i just cant really afford the car off the road.

With that in mind could anyone suggest a cheap runaround for a 1 year preferably under £1000?

Thanks
Chris
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Reliabilty wise - The Audi, Golf and Focus would all come out on top.

2nd place - Corsa
3rd place - Saxo.
 
Virdi said:
Reliabilty wise - The Audi, Golf and Focus would all come out on top.

2nd place - Corsa
3rd place - Saxo.
Click to expand...

Interesting you place the corsa over the saxo. Sure the saxo may rattle a little, but I had more problems with 3 "courtesy" corsas than I had in 3 years of ownership of my VTR.

The saxo is a far better car to drive too, you can actually feel what its doing, and point it where you want it to go, unlike the corsa.
 
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