This a good first car?

No, because the second that MOT expires its worth bog all. I was in a bit of a panic this week and thought I might need a cheap car in a hurry, found plenty for £200-£300 with a decent amount of tax and test.
 
Trouble is I need a 1.4 litre engine ideally, i've honestly looked and really found slim pickins, certainly for £200-£300
 
Obviously 1.0 - 1.3 are good too, but 1.4 is more powerful. Although it may not do 0-60 in 3.5secs, more power the better
 
Ive got a 1.4 306 as a first car, and its been nothing but fine. Plenty room for a small car, reasonable boot and is good fun to drive, if maybe a touch on the slow side, but thats expected.

Mines a 199 V reg phase 3, and last MOT it needed £400 worth of work to it (New CV joints on front suspension, lambda sensor and new cat), so if I were you id get one with a fair MOT left, although id imagine I was just a bit unlucky pulling an MOT to that bill size.
 
Fry750 said:
Obviously 1.0 - 1.3 are good too, but 1.4 is more powerful. Although it may not do 0-60 in 3.5secs, more power the better
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They are not as fast as you think mate, sure they do the job, but a new 1.4 Corsa is a lot faster, but not nearly as nice to drive. What you need to bare in mind is that its an old car, so wont be as fast as modern 1.4 cars.


Heres a vid I took earlier this year for this forum, itll give you an idea of how the 1.4 performs. LINK
 
According to Parkers it'll do 0-60 in 14.4 and top out at 102. I'm not a fan of Corsa's to be fair, quite common and chav like not to mention ugly as sin.
 
Also, it failed it's last MOT due to tyre depth and offside front lower suspension arm rubber bush deterioration but they've all been replaced. If that means anything....
 
Fry750 said:
Also, it failed it's last MOT due to tyre depth and offside front lower suspension arm rubber bush deterioration but they've all been replaced. If that means anything....
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No it doesnt really as thats a year ago

People only (normally) sell cars with that amount of mot, as if they put an £30 mot on it it could be worth a few hundred more plus a lot easier to sell

ebay said:
Handbrake a little loose could be as easy as having them tightened or having new handbrake cables.
Passenger door closes as soon as opened, but i am told that this just a clip and will in no way effect the Mot and they are easily replaced you can buy the clips on here for £4
and i have also lost one of the hub caps....
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If it really was that easy then why wouldnt the owner buy it?
 
Yeah, it's a valid point!!!
But that's surely part of the fun of owning a car, looking after it, caring for it etc etc.
I really don't mind spending some £ on it but if it ends up costing more then the car's worth etc then that's where it starts to take the ****.
 
Depends what you can get it for. I dont know how much a pre-MOT costs, but might it be worth to offer to pay for one to see if it can actually pass an MOT, or see what work needs doing?

Dunno whether you will be allowed to do that or not?
 
pointless trivia - but the car the OP is looking at has exactly the same dolphin air freshener i have in my car. :)

mine cost £50 with no tax or MOT though ;)
 
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