| Author |
Need a cheap car! |
mrmilo69
Joined: Oct 03, 2006
Posts: 197
PM |
Need a reliable cheap car £1500 maximum with high fuel economy. I know absolutely NOTHING about cars so i'm hoping some wiser esatonians can give me a push in the right direction |
|
|
dizzybee
Joined: Apr 13, 2009
Posts: 234
PM |
Does that include insurance? Are you over 25?
Citroen Saxo/Peugeot 106 1.1 petrol/1.5diesel
Can be picked up for around 1000 or under. Depending on age and miles. Got mine for 775.  |
hihihans
Joined: Mar 15, 2009
Posts: > 500
From: Netherlands
PM |
VW polo or golf. Cheap economic and reliable. Even spare parts are cheap. Bought my polo 3 years ago for €300 it was 17 years old then. And has run 200.000 km
|
Sammy_boy
Joined: Mar 31, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Staffordshire, United Kingdom
PM, WWW
|
How about a Ford Ka? I had one till recently, was very reliable, good on fuel, cheap to buy a non-too-ancient example too! Just watch for rot on the sills, round the fuel filler cap, and on the bodywork where the door bottom corner shuts onto it. Also try to find one with a service history - mine had none, and developed a lot of issues and niggles though it never let me down despite being 12 years old!
Or maybe my current car - a Seat Ibiza? I've got an 11 year old 1.4, good on fuel, nice to drive, quite nippy and VW reliability, your budget should get you a newer one than mine (£800 last month). Just avoid any thrashed, neglected or chavvy examples
"All it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke
|
mriley
Joined: Oct 03, 2009
Posts: > 500
From: UK
PM |
The Ford Ka cant get up any slight incline though. ive been in one, such a small car buy looks like a tank for the inside everything juts out toward you 
Esato's Newbie of the year and Most Helpful Member 2010!  ------------------- Life is just a ride, enjoy it while you can |
mrmilo69
Joined: Oct 03, 2006
Posts: 197
PM |
Thanks for the advice people, i'm 22 at the moment and that doesn't include insurance (thats obvious now!). I was looking at a punto perhaps but i hear fiat stands for Fix It Again Tomorrow, so i don't know how to take that. I'd ideally be looking at a car made 2000+ but with my budget i don't know if that is an unrealistic request.
[ This Message was edited by: mrmilo69 on 2010-02-06 22:59 ] |
blerk
Joined: Jun 12, 2008
Posts: > 500
From: London, UK
PM |
Nissan Micra. Very cheap to run, newer models can be had for around 1000 with factory warranty left. Very economic, cheap to insure, cheap road tax. Perfect first car. If you can find them cheap 2nd hand Toyota Aigo/Citroen C1/Peugeot 107 (they're all the same car) is also a very good option.
[ This Message was edited by: blerk on 2010-02-07 15:26 ] |
fatreg
Joined: Jul 26, 2003
Posts: > 500
PM |
Ibiza...
VW quality in a nicer car...
I'm looking at getting an Mk3 Ibiza Cupra R.. 1.8T 
|
dizzybee
Joined: Apr 13, 2009
Posts: 234
PM |
Have you got any no claims? If so how much?
And yes a VW Polo/Golf or an Ibiza is a great car to get as well. I wouldn't recommend a Ka however I would recommend a fiesta, epecially the mk4, 96-03 |
mrmilo69
Joined: Oct 03, 2006
Posts: 197
PM |
No no claims, got my licence about 3 weeks ago so that won't help me at all. I'm going to look up all these cars and see what takes my fancy, keep the suggestions coming please. My girlfriend seems to really want a Micra, so it looks like that is taking pole position, how long is the warranty from nissan for me to find ones that still have manufacturers warranty?
[ This Message was edited by: mrmilo69 on 2010-02-07 18:10 ] |
blerk
Joined: Jun 12, 2008
Posts: > 500
From: London, UK
PM |
It's 10 years on most Micra's that I've looked into. Depending on your location the prices can differ quite a lot. Here in the London area it's all more expensive but I can still find nice year 2000+ for around 1k in good condition. One thing to look for in the older (the non-bubble design) Micras is that they dont all have power steering, something your girlfriend (if she drives) may appreciate. Beware of gumtree though, I found most sellers make things look nicer than they are. Do not buy anything that doesn't have MOT. Buying from a dealer may be a little bit more expensive but you will have more rights and of course warranty even if the Nissan warranty has expired. Citroen C1/C2 is also a very nice option, but quite more expensive.
|
masseur
Joined: Jan 03, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Sydney, London
PM |
be careful with small cars like Micra as they don't offer alot of protection from impacts and remember, you are inexperienced so the impact could be from your own doing, or someone else's doing.
I did alot of research in this area mid last year when my son passed his test and we ended up getting him a 1.6L Escort for £650 with full service history and which offers good pretty good protection, but then came the insurance...
Its an Si model (sports injection) and we got quotes from £2300-£7000!... in the end we found one which merely had the restriction that he could NOT drive between 11pm and 6am and they fitted a tracker for free to monitor that usage which then also offered theft tracking.
Initially, when he passed his test that insurance was £130/month (1560/year) but as soon as he got his licence I paid for him to do his pass plus (6 hours @ £18/hr), which was a doddle, and that brought the insurance down to just a tad over £80/month (£960/year) which is incredible for a new driver these days, especially in a 1.6L car. ok he's restricted in his driving times but he's not finding that a problem and for the money I'm saving on his insurance as a new driver its well worth it!
so my points are:-
1. be carefull from a safety point of view what small car you get
2. research your insurance well as you can save ALOT of money if you restrict your mileage and/or driving times
|
mrmilo69
Joined: Oct 03, 2006
Posts: 197
PM |
Thanks everyone, especially Blerk and masseur. It's given me a lot to think about, especially safety wise as my girlfriend and i are looking to start a family very soon and would prefer to keep the car we get now if we do. The insurance that restricts your driving hours sounds interesting as it is highly unlikely i will be driving between those times so i may look into that. If we get set on a Micra i will have to dig up information about the warranty as it would make me more confident about buying a car knowing it has some sort of guarantee. Thanks for the info people, keep any advice or info coming. |
masseur
Joined: Jan 03, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Sydney, London
PM |
remember also that guarantees/warranties don't cover normal wear and tear items so, especially on used cars, they're not really worth much
|
dizzybee
Joined: Apr 13, 2009
Posts: 234
PM |
As your a young driver and don't have any no claims then be sure to check out insurance quotes using number plates from cars before you buy.
A Vauxhall Astra is another one to consider. I know someone who has one 1.6 fully comp 800 quid |
|
|
Posted: 2010-02-06 03:48
