Car noob discussion

Cunny-Funt

Hello guys, go easy on me okay, total and utter car noob here.

I've just a few questions and I'd love to hear opinions from people in the know. I'm looking at getting my 1st car, now I'm not talking next week.... I'm just getting closer to the idea of actually finally buying one ,still be a fews months before anything happens I'd say. In the build up to this though I wanna start getting as much info as possible.

So I'm looking to spend about 2k, and thus been browsing some online car sites like carzone etc to see what's out there for that price.

Thing is I'm not sure if I should limit my search to 1.0 ltrs or what? Someone said to me that for a 1st car you pretty much have to get some ****ty 1 ltr car or I'd be screwed insurance wise.

I was hoping that since I'm not some 17 year old (I'm going on 25) that insurance might not be too bad but I'm clueless really. I'm not liking what I'm seeing in the 1 ltr range. I want something cool, there I said it, I want a cool looking car, not cause I care what others think, just cause I wanna like what I buy, I don't want some auld grannys car. I don't want a micra.

Now I'm no boy racer either, I wouldnt mind a 'slow' car as long as it was fun to drive and I liked how it looked.

I'm liking the look of the MG ZR for example. I also love the hyundai coupe but I wouldnt find a 1.0ltr version of these.

But anyway, just wondering what more informed people might recommend as a 1st car for a 25 year old male. With all that said, and what limitations I should put on my self in terms of engine size etc, so I don't have to pay an arm and a leg on insurance.

Any and all opinions welcome , I just want a fun and informative discussion on cars

Yakult

Opel Astra 98-onwards.
You can pick up a nice clean one for well under 2k
Nippy for a first car, insurence friendly and from personal exp. pretty reliable.

psycho-hope

hey cunny, i bought my first car in may, i got a 1.3 00punto for just under 2k, my insurance isnt too bad its just under 900( im 23 btw) full comp on a learners permit, best bet with the insurance is shop around I found bestquote.ie was the best, i had a good look on all the insurance sites first and then decided what size engine i could go up too

Senna

At 25 you should be able to get insurance on a <1.5 for not much more than a 1ltr. It will broaden your range of cars as there's not to many cool looking 1ltrs.:D

Cunny-Funt

Interesting stuff lads cheers. An astra eh? My Dad has one of those and its had all sorts of problems so I never considered one. But he may have just been unlucky.

Keep 'em coming!

msg11

Lad, From my understand of it, its down to age, if your using an online quote machine.

Take a range of cars for carzone.

Start at a one litre then move up threw them to two litre.

Note all the quotes. Say one litre @ 500 . 1.6 @ 750 2.0 @ 1200

Then think about how much your willing to pay on insurance. So say 750. which is a 1.6, then look at cars in and around the 1.6 mark. The actull quote should not go up too much, Age is the biggest factor > male or female > litre of car > license type

That the technical side

In real life, buy some old fiesta or something. And you'll be grand on insurance, save so money get your experiance & license then get a decent car

brendansmith

Get a japanese car ie nissan, toyota, honda. I would have to recommend against the opel.

I think at 25 they put you in a lower risk category so dont mind that 1L business, every 18 year old is after the 1L's so go with a bigger engine and you wont have as much competition.

Also if you have a mate who is a mechanic and isnt afraid to speak up even with an over enthusiastic seller looking over his shoulder bring him to every viewing.

EPM

The MG ZR and Hyundai Coupe were from 1.4 and 1.6 up. You could maybe get an MG ZR for around your budget but they are known to give head gasket problems but if that has been done recently you could be ok. AFAIK there is a modified gasket available now that reduces the risk of it happening again.

If I was you I'd look for either a Fiesta 1.25 or a Focus. 1.4 Focus is very weak but it's grand for around town. 1.6 is very decent and if you can find one you're smiling. A corolla is another good option and there would be plenty around within your budget. If I was you I'd buy something cheap for a year to build up some NCB and then you can change for something a bit nicer

robtri

msg11 wrote: »

Lad, From my understand of it, its down to age, if your using an online quote machine.

Take a range of cars for carzone.

Start at a one litre then move up threw them to two litre.

Note all the quotes. Say one litre @ 500 . 1.6 @ 750 2.0 @ 1200

Then think about how much your willing to pay on insurance. So say 750. which is a 1.6, then look at cars in and around the 1.6 mark. The actull quote should not go up too much, Age is the biggest factor > male or female > litre of car > license type

That the technical side

In real life, buy some old fiesta or something. And you'll be grand on insurance, save so money get your experiance & license then get a decent car

+1

peasant

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200840190224206

Anan1

OP - Whatever you do, don't buy anything without getting a couple of acceptable insurance quotes for it first.

Henry Ford III

peasant wrote: »

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200840190224206

Looks pretty decent for the money.

Cunny-Funt

Thanks for the replys, I do really like the look of coupes. :cool:

So people are saying get a cheap car 1st etc but would it really be that bad an idea to say get a nice coupe for around 2-3kish?
I was in an accident when I was 13 and got a bit of money put away which I always planned on using on my 1st car, so I have the money already. So yeah I kinda want to treat myself maybe, but I'm very ignorant to cars atm, I don't know people who are massively into cars and would thus know the score.

So am I'm being stupid thinking like this for my 1st car? I appreciate bluntness.

Also love to hear more recommendations on particular cars (coupes in particular I really like the puma for example)

That info on the MG ZR is interesting alright, I wouldn't have a clue about reliability and the likes, all I know is what I like the looks of.... to be blunt myself. :rolleyes::P

Anything I should look out for when looking at these cars?

Absurdum

I wouldn't go near an MG ZR tbh, and a Hyundai Coupe is a girls car albeit a reasonably realiable one.

How about this?
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Audi/A3/1.6E/200941195459147/advert?channel=CARS

pburns

Cunny-Funt wrote: »

So am I'm being stupid thinking like this for my 1st car? I appreciate bluntness.

Also love to hear more recommendations on particular cars (coupes in particular I really like the puma for example)

You like bluntness?
Well small coupes are girls cars. Puma, Tigra, Hyudai Coupe all of 'em

Jap would be best but hard to recommend a Corolla, Almera etc. if you want something 'cool'. If you can find a Focus 1.6 for that money it would be a good buy. Fords from the last decade or so are great cars. If you really must have a coupe consider a Puma...

Personally I don't like coupes though. Think they're trying too hard. Old, small, cheap ones especially would be the automotive eqivilant of (fake)-fur-coat-and-no-knickers. Not cool... (IMO)

SEAT Leon is a decent looking car, if you could find a 1.6 might be a better buy:
http://www.carzone.ie/search/SEAT/Leon/1.4-STEL/200940195388771/advert?channel=CARS