The Perfect First Car?

paradigm · 14 Mar 2006 at 17:09

Is that "£2000 all in" including your insurance budget as well?

Enfield · 14 Mar 2006 at 17:10

Citroen Xsara VTS? Not a small engine but you're old enough to insure it i'd imagine.

Scottland · 14 Mar 2006 at 17:14

I don't see why he would need the VTS. I would say the Xsara 1.6 or 1.8 SX would be just as good choice.

penski · 14 Mar 2006 at 17:15

pug 205 1.1?

*n

NickXX · 14 Mar 2006 at 17:17

Scottland said:
I don't see why he would need the VTS. I would say the Xsara 1.6 or 1.8 SX would be just as good choice.

The VTR is quite pokey too and easy on the insurance.

Scottland · 14 Mar 2006 at 17:22

NickXX said:
The VTR is quite pokey too and easy on the insurance.

Depending on whether it's MK1 or MK2 I *think* you get more kit in the SX than the VTR. Not too sure on the VTS though. Plus it's 5 door, rather than 3 - which might be of benefit to the OP (or equally, they might prefer a 3 door).

cdcopyman · 14 Mar 2006 at 17:30

ford fiesta 1.1 pop , H reg onwards...

Oakesy2001uk · 14 Mar 2006 at 18:00

judging by your post guessing your not trying to set the tarmac on fire here, I dont think it realy metters as long as its well looked after FSH etc.. etc.. Certainly something of the xsara ilk...

Scottland · 14 Mar 2006 at 18:21

rollins said:
Thats exactly my thinking - I'm just looking for a decent car that can get me from A to B comfortably. Nothing too fast, as I'm a bit too old for driving around Inverness at 2am (although it happens around here an awful lot).

Its really a matter of convenience - at the moment Karen lives a good 6 miles from me, and commuting back and forth is expensive for both of us, so I fugure this will help both short term and long term, for when we get our own place.

Well the Xsara would appear to fit the bill, so long as you get along with the looks of it (some don't).

At a push you could get a Focus, but it'd be an early and tired one for your money maybe. Pug 306 - it's the same as a Xsara underneath, but holds its value better - so for your money it'd be older with less kit.

If you wanted to move up a size, then you'd also get a nice Mondeo or Pug 406 for 2 grand aswell. Expect to pay maybe 100 or so extra on insurance but it'd arguably be a better car (not necassarily better for you though).

Enfield · 14 Mar 2006 at 18:24

He said the 2 grand figure includes insurance.

So are we looking at £1500?

A 306 DTurbo (Phase 1, doubt you'd get a good phase 2 for 1.5k). Solid engines quite spacious too, economical, not particulary slow, group 5 for insurance.

TerryWogan · 14 Mar 2006 at 18:25

I would actually say a Mondeo Ghia X.

Come on! It's ideal for this situation!

Jez · 14 Mar 2006 at 18:32

I will probably get slated but i'd be looking at Mondeo's, either 1.8 or 2.0.

You will get a nice one for about £1000 leaving loads for insurance. They are extremely reliable, quite economical (not too heavy) and parts if something were to go wrong are plentiful and loads are available for pittance second hand. They are also well equipped.

I am not a huge mondeo fan, ive never owned one etc, but they do represent pretty much the ultimate all round buy for lower budgets. I cant think of anything that betters them as an overall package.

djbenjo · 14 Mar 2006 at 23:14

I think for a budget this low the Modeos would be quite poor, or mk1 examples.

Firestar_3x · 14 Mar 2006 at 23:16

Fiesta or VTR

PeterNem · 14 Mar 2006 at 23:22

djbenjo said:
I think for a budget this low the Modeos would be quite poor, or mk1 examples.

Not at all. Early Mk2s are now also at rock bottom values.

paradigm · 14 Mar 2006 at 23:23

djbenjo said:
I think for a budget this low the Modeos would be quite poor, or mk1 examples.

Not really. You can get a decent MK2 for under £2000.

Firestar_3x · 14 Mar 2006 at 23:23

Long as you don't mind 100k plus its not a problem.

Chris1712 · 14 Mar 2006 at 23:33

i would say for £2000 all in you have around a grand on a car, if not less. So xsaras/that otehr weird citreon fox had, errrm xantia! Old rovers (ala agw_01) maybe even old sierras and the like.

Get insurance quotes first, not sure how much it will be because of your age but i'll be very annoyed if its less than 1000

(im a disgruntled 17 year old so)

djbenjo · 14 Mar 2006 at 23:57

paradigm said:
Not really. You can get a decent MK2 for under £2000.

Not decent spec under £1,500

Scottland · 15 Mar 2006 at 08:41

djbenjo said:
Not decent spec under £1,500

I've seen Ghia X's in decent condition go for this budget. Mileage will be the other side of 80k, but that's to be said for the majority of Mondeo's for sale.