Thinking of getting a car

zilog_jones

I'm going on co-op for 8 months at the beginning of next year (feb.), i.e. work experience for stinky students. I'll be living at home, as I'll be working in Limerick anyway, but it's the other side of town (BS&B Systems is in Raheen, and I live in Caherdavin) and the prospect of having to get 2 buses to work every morning sounds like a fate worse than death (it's bad enough having to get one bus every day to college!), plus I want to get a car anyway

I plan on getting something cheap (a grand at the most), but I haven't a clue what to get - and I haven't even got a license yet! My main concern will be insurance, as I'll obviously won't get a full license in time I'm 20, and my mother doesn't have a full license either - what kind of prices would I be looking at for a 1.0-1.3 litre?

I'm not sure if I should go for some tiny POS like a Daihatsu Domino or Subaru Vivio, or something (probably older) with some remote power/comfort. All I'm looking for really is something I can rely on, and something in some remotely decent shape so that my mother will actually let me park it in the driveway - basically a banger, but not too much of a banger

Anyway, my vague list so far:
- Toyota Starlet (Mk. 3/4)
- Toyota Corolla (AE90 probably, or some cheap import, don't care if it's a saloon or whatever)
- VW Polo (yeah, I read the Bangernomics site ^_^)
- Peugeot 205 (dunno about reliability though)
- Nissan Micra/March
- Mazda 121 (I don't mind the silly looks - I'm sure it'll make them cheap though!)
- Daihatsu Charade
- Daihatsu Applause (don't really see a lot around though)
- Mitsubishi Colt
- Smaller stuff like Daihatsu Domino, Kia Pride, Subaru Signet/Vivio, etc.

All around early '90s, or late '80s if they're not too crappy looking/knackered. Don't mind 3 doors.

Any have any ideas/recommendations/warnings/experience with first cars? How much would I expect to pay for the above listed? I saw a '91 Starlet in the local paper for a grand - is that too much, even if it is in decent condition?

saobh_ie

Sorry to rain on your parade but your probaly looking at well over a grand for insurance and can you even get cars for less than 3000 these days?

PlayaFlow

i have a colt -great car. had 74k when i bought it and now has 104k and still runnin great ,passed NCT all 3 times on the 1st go. and got it unbelivably cheap too at the time.

was gonna sell it last summer for 1,000E but couldnt bring myself to do it.

mind you insurance will prob kill u on a 1.3 without a full licence.

so if i were u , id go foe the 1ltr starlet. very good reliability, cheap to insure, looks ok, pokey enough and easy to find for in or around 1000.

zilog_jones

Sorry to rain on your parade but your probaly looking at well over a grand for insurance and can you even get cars for less than 3000 these days?

I know I'll be paying a lot for insurance - I meant a grand for the car! And yeah, you can get cars that cheap - I'd probably have to buy privately though. The Buy & Sell seems to be the best source for cars at those kind of prices - or is there anything else I should look at?

PlayaFlow wrote:

mind you insurance will prob kill u on a 1.3 without a full licence.

Yeah I was thinking that. Probably €2,500-3,000 at least - loan city! Anyone know how much people like Quinn direct will charge for someone my age for a 1 litre then?

Big Nelly

Why not buy a micra! can get good value for them on buy&sell and they are a good car and you wont have any problems with them....also one ltr and your insurance will be lower.....Nissan are a good car and lots of themn around so parts cheap......GF had one for her first car......little one that cost her about 900 euro and she never had a days problem with it.....kept it for a year and sold on for a grand so nice profit.....then bought a little Suzuki Swift for a grand......another good car with no probs.......her little sis has one now as well......you want to look for a 1ltr for first car.....Micra is the best in this market!! luck for me the smallest engine I have ever driven was a 1.6........but my first insurance was on a 3.1ltr Turbo jeep so I get away with big engines!!

Wouldnt buy a starlet!!

Insurance depends on alot of things

Age
Location(not on FBD)
Car Make:
Car Engine Type:
Lenght of time driving:
Previous records:

Prob ask Quinn as they seem to be the best for learner drivers.....


Edit...better reword that....teh smallest car I have owned was a 1.6....have driven the micra, Suziki, Colts, Fiesta, Yaris, Peugeot, Punto(once and never again) in the small car market...Micra and Suziki was the best....as mentioned the Colt has 1.3 so will kill you.....I hate the Fiesta with a passion!! cant stand them!!! Peugeot was ok....Yaris is great but very expensive so rules you out.....Punto is a heap of junk....was listened to FM104 and this guy going on about how to sell his Punto....some guy rang it and gave a tip to double the price of your Punto

Fill the tank with Petrol

layke

I've had trouble insuring cars over 10 year in the past despite it making sweet FA diff in safety.

I'd reccomend staying clear of 106's & Micras, you'd want something that doesn't fold up into a little ball when involved in a collision.

Big Nelly

layke wrote:

I've had trouble insuring cars over 10 year in the past despite it making sweet FA diff in safety.

I'd reccomend staying clear of 106's & Micras, you'd want something that doesn't fold up into a little ball when involved in a collision.

Well if you hit a lorry or go head first into a wall all cars will go up into a little ball in his price range!! the idea is not to crash!!! strange as it might sound but it has worked for me so far!!

zilog_jones

Big Nelly wrote:

Why not buy a micra!

Yeah, it was on my list. My friend has a '98 March 1.0 and it's a lot nicer inside than some small cars I've been in. I wouldn't want to get the first generation model (the boxy one) though - they look kinda too death-trappy for my liking. Micras are kinda girly cars though

Forgot about the Swift - should look out for them too.

Wouldnt buy a starlet!!

Why?

I hate the Fiesta with a passion!!

Yeah, I hate them too - those crappy old engines sound like lawn mowers! And learnt from other people's mistakes on how not to buy a Fiat...

I'd reccomend staying clear of 106's & Micras, you'd want something that doesn't fold up into a little ball when involved in a collision.

Don't really have much of a choice getting anything bigger though - most old superminis aren't exactly safe, but at least the old Micra got 2 stars in the Euro NCAP test. The Rover 100 - now that was a real death trap!

Big Nelly

zilog_jones wrote:

Why?

Well I think you will get it hard pushed to find a 1ltr Starlet! maybe wrong! I also think insurance companies hike up prices abit on Starlet!again could be wrong ut I have heard this....also I dont like the look of them

layke

Big Nelly wrote:

Well if you hit a lorry or go head first into a wall all cars will go up into a little ball in his price range!! the idea is not to crash!!! strange as it might sound but it has worked for me so far!!

It might not be you who crashes, you may be hit by a big 5 series beamer or something.

All i'm saying is your safer going for a slightly larger car or one of those bulkier 1L Seats.

zilog_jones

Big Nelly wrote:

Well I think you will get it hard pushed to find a 1ltr Starlet! maybe wrong!

The Mk. 3 & 4 Starlets were available with both 1.0 and 1.3 litre engines - I know someone with two 1 litre ones - unfortunately one of them was driven into a ditch or something...

It might not be you who crashes, you may be hit by a big 5 series beamer or something.

All i'm saying is your safer going for a slightly larger car or one of those bulkier 1L Seats.

Which Seat would that be? I can't see how a bigger car with a 1 litre engine would be remotely fast though...

1st Colt

oh yeah, Layke, a week after buying my Micra and when I was still getting lessons back in 2001, I drove it too fast into my estate and had a run-in with a tree on the corner .. not any old tree - it was a mere sapling; had to get a new bonnet, a new wing - all for 600 punts .. and the tree? a little scratch was all it suffered!! bah! LOL ... not!

unkel

Holy thread resurrection!