1st car dilemma ...

Vikings

Well not so much of a dilemma but more I cant make my mind up.

Never driven before and the car I would like is something like a Mitsubishi Pajero Jnr, a good example of what I would want in one here:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=349311

Though im thinking €6k+ is probably not so wise for a first car.

One of my mates just bought a newer car so his 94 Nissan Sunny (1.4l) is there for me today if I want it for €600 (bear in mind I have to still sit - and pass my theory test).

So should I get a loan and go for the car I want or put up a few months of experience in the cheaper option?

Insurance on the Pajero would probably be cheaper because its only 1.1l/1l. Though this alone isnt enough to sway me that direction. I know the Sunny has been reliable for the past year and a half for my mate and is in good running order so for that price im thinking of grabbing it and getting on the road as soon as possible.

And for yet another question, what are peoples thoughts on the Pajero Jnr, would manual be better than automatic for a learner or vice versa.

Thanks for your opinions/thoughts in advance.

seamus

What age are you?
I wouldn't recommend any kind of SUV for a learner, even if it is a Pajero Jnr. If you're a younger driver, the insurance company will rape you on 1.4l engine. Stick with 1.1l or less.

pontovic

I wouldnt go for the pajero jnr, especially if it costs about 6k. Some learners may put a few dints in the car. I dont know about you, but someone I know who was a learner driver was backing their car out their driveway and they hit a pillar on the way out and ripped the mirror clean off ! go for the 600 sunny. get it checked by a mechanic tho

alias no.9

Don't count on the insurance being cheaper on the pajero jr. It may only be a 1.1 but it's an 'japanese import only' meaning expensive parts and poor security. As long as you're >21, there won't be much difference between a runof the mill 1.1 or 1.4.

prospect

pontovic wrote:

I wouldnt go for the pajero jnr, especially if it costs about 6k. Some learners may put a few dints in the car. I dont know about you, but someone I know who was a learner driver was backing their car out their driveway and they hit a pillar on the way out and ripped the mirror clean off ! go for the 600 sunny. get it checked by a mechanic tho

As pontovic said, buy the €600 car and you won't be worried about a few tips & scratches.
Also, next year, (hopefully you will have your test & 1 year NCB) you'll probably get about €300 for the sunny, and be able to move up in years to a niceer car.

Vikings

Thanks for the advice so far.

I should have mentioned I was 18, quotes online gave me bang on €2k for the Sunny's 1.4l engine which isnt too bad for my age I suppose. Though bestquote.ie might not be the most reliable source for a quote. I'll be ringing around a couple of places in the next week to see what they can do for me. Leaning towards the sunny at this stage.

Henry Ford III

Buy a Yaris. Excellent little cars and a 1 litre engine is available too.

A jeep, automatic or 1.4 anything is silly at 18 tbh.

Henry Ford III

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=339789

Nice 1 litre 3 door Corsa here. Worth a look. €2950. Looks tidy with low mileage.

fletch

OMG is that thing seriously a 1.0ltr automatic & air-con.....that is going to be dangerously slow I'd say!

bazz26

IncredibleBulk wrote:

Thanks for the advice so far.

I should have mentioned I was 18, quotes online gave me bang on €2k for the Sunny's 1.4l engine which isnt too bad for my age I suppose. Though bestquote.ie might not be the most reliable source for a quote. I'll be ringing around a couple of places in the next week to see what they can do for me. Leaning towards the sunny at this stage.

I know you are only 18 with no license or experience and first time insurance is not cheap but it really is sad when a car worth no more than €600 would cost over 3 times that value to insure. They are basically valuing your premium on what you hit rather than what you drive.

My advice would be to choose something like a Corsa, Fiesta, Polo or Punto, etc which all have 1.0/1.1 litre engines from the mid 1990s and get a quote on them. Also don't depend too much on online quotes, ringing the insurance companies themselves may get you a better quote.

Clock up a year or two NCB, pass your driving test and then you can look at better cars.

Very few people start out driving in the car that they want.

alias no.9

Working out how many multiples of the cost of the car that the insurance will cost is pointless. Your first years (first few years) insurance premium is dead money and not necessarily related to the car in any way. €2000 insurance on a first car with a provisional license at 18 is probably as good as you'll get. Going down to a 1.0l probably won't save you any more than €50 - €100. You've got a cheap motor on offer, you know the history of it (at least some of the recent history anyway), my advice is go for it. Getting another car for €600, that you can have the same confidence in, will be next to impossible unless another of your friends is selling one. You don't have to worry about a few bumps and scrapes as long as you don't damage anybody elses property. If anything goes wrong with the car, the absolute most you'll stand to loose is €600 but there's a good chance that in a years time, you'll be able to sell it on for close on €600 or possibly even more. Think about it, a 12 year old sunny for €600 or an 8 year old corsa (Henry fords link) for €2,950. Next year you'd have a 13 year old sunny worth ~ €600 or a 9 year old corsa worth ~ €2,000 (given that the current selling price is from a dealer as well as depreciation). What are you getting for the extra money? A smaller car, with a 3 month warranty that's probably be of little or no value, which will loose you the bones of €1000 in the next year. The corsa has a 3 cylinder engine that's best described as asthematic and is not the most robust unit opel have ever used, despite being japanese in origin (suzuki) though probably built in hungary.

Supercell

Corsa is nice and small though which is exactly whats needed when getting to grips with turning, reversing etc..less likely to hit things than on a bigger car like the Pajero!
As to astmatec..yep definately!!, than again..thats probably not a bad thing for a learner driver either, perfect city/suburbia car imho. Also insurance should be as low as its going to go for a learner male driver.

fletch

Longfield wrote:

As to astmatec..yep definately!!, than again..thats probably not a bad thing for a learner driver either, perfect city/suburbia car imho. Also insurance should be as low as its going to go for a learner male driver.

I don't know if I'd necessarily agree....young fellas tend to over estimate their ability and the ability of the car and attempt silly over taking manouvres...if you try something like that in that Pajero, you could end up in a lot of bother & no power to get your out.

Supercell

fletch wrote:

I don't know if I'd necessarily agree....young fellas tend to over estimate their ability and the ability of the car and attempt silly over taking manouvres...if you try something like that in that Pajero, you could end up in a lot of bother & no power to get your out.

Well I didn't recommend the Pajero either, and silly overtaking at the entry leval is just silly unless you have a death wish ..probably flooring it on any 1-1.2 L car is not going to give spectacular acceleration!!, as a learner driver overtaking should only really be a case of passing out the granny in front thats doing about 20mph on the road..as thats the only car you are likely to pass fast!!

Eoin

IncredibleBulk wrote:

Thanks for the advice so far.

I should have mentioned I was 18, quotes online gave me bang on €2k for the Sunny's 1.4l engine which isnt too bad for my age I suppose. Though bestquote.ie might not be the most reliable source for a quote. I'll be ringing around a couple of places in the next week to see what they can do for me. Leaning towards the sunny at this stage.

:eek: 2K is a very good price for given your age. As I have said on other threads I was paying 2,700 punts 3rd party on a 1.1 litre when I was 23. Is that 2K on your own policy? If it is, you don't know how easy you have it.

Have you gotten a quote on a 1litre engine? Normally there is a big jump from 1.1 or so upwards. I would forget about the pajero jnr altogether. At the risk of possibly offending other posters, it is one of the most pointless looking cars I have ever seen. The fact it is an SUV and a Japanese import won't help the quote much either.

Is the Nissan Sunny something like this one? Seems like a big enough car to be driving at 18. My advice would be to do your time in a more practical, and get some experience behind you.

Vikings

Its exactly like that one eoin. The reason im going for it is because its cheap, I know its reliable and ... im not too fond of hatchbacks. The paintwork on it leaves a bit to be desired but its in perfect running order which is what I need. Its lasted a over a year without a problem and passed the nct no bother for my mate so im expecting the same from it.

I would have expected to pay €2k on a 1l for insurance so to have to only pay that on a 1.4l is pretty good, dont think I would get much cheaper than that on any car at my age.