First Car for a 20yr old male

Carroller16

I do not know much about cars so I'm looking for some advice.

I'm thinking about buying a car next year.

I'm willing to spend around the 5k bracket.
I was on auto trader but i can't tell whats good and whats not bein honest.

I was wondering would anyone have any ideas for what I should be looking for for that sort of money.

homer90

Carroller16 wrote: »

I do not know much about cars so I'm looking for some advice.

I'm thinking about buying a car next year.

I'm willing to spend around the 5k bracket.
I was on auto trader but i can't tell whats good and whats not bein honest.

I was wondering would anyone have any ideas for what I should be looking for for that sort of money.

are you limited in engine size ? have you shopped around for quotes ?

*edit*
Just saw "first car"

Alanstrainor

Well what are you looking for specifically ie, size, engine size, age etc? Do you hold a full license or a learner permit?

bazz26

I would not waste €5k on a first car.

If you are new to driving then chances are you will probably bump or scrape it until you get confidence from driving. I would spend around €2k for a first car so that it is no big deal if you damage the car.

Keep the savings towards a decent second car.

junior_apollo

Saxo, Clio, Peugeot 206, Astra...

Saxo are brilliant little cars and very little ever goes wrong with them... Had two in our family for a while - never one prob in 2 and 4yrs respectively...

By that stage you should have them paid off and can move up a car... But since your insurance is gonna be a killer stick small engined... 1-1.4 (MAX)

spree

Id agree with bazz26 dont spend to much on a first car, try keep to a smaller engine, not sure what the nissan Micra s are like these days, I started off in one of the old boxy types so did alot of people I know, found them very easy to drive.

martydunf

+1.

Get a small cheap car, small engine 1.4 max.

Will help to keep insurance to a minimum and tax wiouldn't be too hefty either.

Itd also be easy & small enough to park and drive in traffic etc.

unkel

bazz26 wrote: »

If you are new to driving then chances are you will probably bump or scrape it until you get confidence from driving.

This is an argument I have never quite understood. If you don't have a driving license and are likely to bump or scrape a car, you obviously have no proper control over the car and you shouldn't be on the public road.

Might be a better idea to book some driving lessons first with a reputable driving instructor in a dual control vehicle

Tony Broke

1.3 Lancers are nice.

Peugeot 306 would be my choice.

You'd get a good 98-99 of either for under 2000e

ninty9er

unkel wrote: »

This is an argument I have never quite understood. If you don't have a driving license and are likely to bump or scrape a car, you obviously have no proper control over the car and you shouldn't be on the public road.

Might be a better idea to book some driving lessons first with a reputable driving instructor in a dual control vehicle

+1

I spent €5k on my first car and it had less bumps on it when I traded it than my current car has accumulated since I got it in January. Having said that, only one of them was my fault!!

I'd recommend something like

http://www.carlist.ie/vehicles/view/104466

or

http://www.carlist.ie/52211

bazz26

unkel wrote: »

This is an argument I have never quite understood. If you don't have a driving license and are likely to bump or scrape a car, you obviously have no proper control over the car and you shouldn't be on the public road.

Might be a better idea to book some driving lessons first with a reputable driving instructor in a dual control vehicle

Ideally yes, if this was the case though we would all be perfect drivers and there would be no need for second or third provisionals. Reallity is however that we make mistakes, hopefully we are the better for it and learn from the experience afterwards. To use another example, you can have all the horse riding lessions in the world but at some stage you will still fall off the horse, you just get up, dust yourself off and get back on the horse.