First Car Advise?

SlaveToTheSkids

Hi All,

Just looking for a bit of advise on a few different makes & models. I've decided on a 5dr Hatchback up to 1.2l willng to pay up to €3k for a decent car. So far I've found the following are in my price range insurance wise (still on provisional licence):

1999 1.1 Peugeot 206

2000 0.9 Seat Ibiza

98/99/00 up to 1.2 Corsa

2001 1.2 Punto

2002 Clio

Oddly enough Micra's & Fiesta's seem to be 300-400 more expensive to insure!

It'll be mostly used for city use, relatively short journeys but I want it to be reliable & last me a good few years, don't mind paying a bit extra for a better car. Also safety is important as I have a toddler to drive around. A decent size boot would be handy too, big enough to fit a large buggy & large dog! My sister's Corsa's boot is a grand size & does the job! Cheap to run would be a bonus!

Outta the cars listed which would be my better option for a few hassle free years of driving? Or which are the better makes/models to go for longevity wise?

Any advise/opinions welcome!

andyseadog

is there a 'none of the above' option?






go 300 more for the micra

SlaveToTheSkids

The Micra's actually €500 more to insure which I just can't afford.

Do any of those models get better with age?

A Yaris was an option at the highest end of my budget but the boot is practically none exsistant!

SlaveToTheSkids

Actually just got a much better quote on an 00 1.25 Fiesta Zetec so Fiesta's are back in the running! Although it's the same cost to insure as a 2006 1.4 Peugeot 207!

Alanstrainor

Can I ask what age you are? If you're under 25 it's much better to actually ring around to brokers/insurance companies instead of using the online quoting systems.


I can't imagine any of the cars above would give years of hassle free driving to be honest.

EDIT: The fiesta would be my choice, the 1.25 engine is great.

Funfair

02 Clio has twin airbags and is a solid little car you can't go wrong...

Plug

SlaveToTheSkids wrote: »

Actually just got a much better quote on an 00 1.25 Fiesta Zetec so Fiesta's are back in the running! Although it's the same cost to insure as a 2006 1.4 Peugeot 207!

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Fiesta/1.25-GHI/201035199413126/advert?channel=CARS

Air conditioning, Central locking, Electric mirrors, Electric windows, alloys and front fogs. Grand little car but they are cheaper ones out there.

Funfair

SlaveToTheSkids wrote: »

Hi All,

Just looking for a bit of advise on a few different makes & models. I've decided on a 5dr Hatchback up to 1.2l willng to pay up to €3k for a decent car. So far I've found the following are in my price range insurance wise (still on provisional licence):

1999 1.1 Peugeot 206

2000 0.9 Seat Ibiza

98/99/00 up to 1.2 Corsa

2001 1.2 Punto

2002 Clio

Oddly enough Micra's & Fiesta's seem to be 300-400 more expensive to insure!

It'll be mostly used for city use, relatively short journeys but I want it to be reliable & last me a good few years, don't mind paying a bit extra for a better car. Also safety is important as I have a toddler to drive around. A decent size boot would be handy too, big enough to fit a large buggy & large dog! My sister's Corsa's boot is a grand size & does the job! Cheap to run would be a bonus!

Outta the cars listed which would be my better option for a few hassle free years of driving? Or which are the better makes/models to go for longevity wise?

Any advise/opinions welcome!

If you don't mind me asking what kind of quotes are you getting for insurance?

SlaveToTheSkids

@Alanstrainor I'm 31, a bit long in the tooth to be starting out but I've never really needed a car in the past so didn't wanna get wrapped up the expense of owning & running one.

My main priority was to find a few cars cheap enough to insure then choose the most reliable/sturdy make or model. I don't want a tin can as I plan on keeping it a few years.

Should I be avoiding cars over 10/11yrs old altogether?

@Funfair - Thanx! I'd a feeling the newer car might've been the better choice!

SlaveToTheSkids

Funfair wrote: »

If you don't mind me asking what kind of quotes are you getting for insurance?

At the moment I'm just using those price comparison sites, for the listed cars I was getting €835-845, for a 00 Fiesta I got €916, for an 04 Peugot 206 I got €945 but for a 97 Fiesta I got €1350!
That's all based on a 31yr old female with no NCB or named insurance.

Alanstrainor

SlaveToTheSkids wrote: »

At the moment I'm just using those price comparison sites, for the listed cars I was getting €835-845, for a 00 Fiesta I got €916, for an 04 Peugot 206 I got €945 but for a 97 Fiesta I got €1350!
That's all based on a 31yr old female with no NCB or named insurance.

Some insurance companies will load cars over a certain age. I presume it's 10 years going on the above.

Funfair

You could get an 03 Clio for around 3 grand..get the sport model if you can and you'll get..Air conditioning, Central locking, Electric mirrors, Electric windows, alloys and front fogs etc...

list of 03 Clio's under €3000 http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Renault/Clio/2003?searchsource=browse&cacheBuster=129538036965656#nParam=4294961634%2B4294911055%2B200590&sortby=p_VehiclePriceEUR|0&channel=CARS&currency=EUROS&searchResultsView=THUMBNAIL&maxrows=10&year=2003

zilog_jones

SlaveToTheSkids wrote: »

A Yaris was an option at the highest end of my budget but the boot is practically none exsistant!

The rear seats in the Yaris slide forward, might want to check one out again if you didn't know about this.

Raskolnikov

The Peugeot 206 will break your heart, reliability is likely to be awful especially considering the age.

The older Fiat Punto's don't tend to age well - I wouldn't to be honest.

Renault Clio would be a possiblity as it's packed with features and is fairly reliable. You also get a newer car for cheaper.

If you want pure reliablity though, the Micra/Yaris would be the best options.

SlaveToTheSkids

Thanx Zilog but I'll have a child in a carseat in the rear the majority of the time so pushing the seats forward is not really an option, need a decent sized hatchback boot at all times.

Plug

SlaveToTheSkids wrote: »

Thanx Zilog but I'll have a child in a carseat in the rear the majority of the time so pushing the seats forward is not really an option, need a decent sized hatchback boot at all times.

Try a 1.4 focus. i got the same quote for a 1.6 focus as a 1.25 fiesta, €2365...

SlaveToTheSkids

Raskolnikov wrote: »

The Peugeot 206 will break your heart, reliability is likely to be awful especially considering the age.

The older Fiat Punto's don't tend to age well - I wouldn't to be honest.

Renault Clio would be a possiblity as it's packed with features and is fairly reliable. You also get a newer car for cheaper.

If you want pure reliablity though, the Micra/Yaris would be the best options.

Thanx for that! Think I've vittoed the Punto tbh, have heard way too many bad stories. And the 206 I've always loved the look but know they're not the best.
The front runners at the moment are the Fiesta & Clio.....I think I'll go back & get a few quotes on some newer Micra's, maybe the quote I got was so hight cause it was over 10yrs old?

zilog_jones

SlaveToTheSkids wrote: »

Thanx Zilog but I'll have a child in a carseat in the rear the majority of the time so pushing the seats forward is not really an option...

Why not? Legroom isn't going to be much of a concern for small children. I don't think it goes all the way forward, but when the seats are fully back it leaves very little room in the boot. At reasonable positions it may be more comparable to the Fiesta and Clio, which don't have particularly large boots either.

Honda Jazz would be worth checking out too, much better space in the rear than all of the above, but they aren't that common around here nor very cheap.

SlaveToTheSkids

I think the newer Yaris are a bit more roomy in the back, must look into that a bit more. Was looking at the Jazz too but you're right there isn't many around & the one's that are are out of my budget.