starter car recommendations

boxermad

the sister in law is starting to drive now but her parents wont insure her on there car so she has to do it alone, her car budget would be around the 600-700 because she will have fork out money for insurance and tax. she is only 17 and only after passing her theory test. anyone got suggestions on what car would be good. (nothing over a 1,3)

andyseadog

a k11 micra or a ford ka. its getting too hard to find unabused starlets.

lots available to chose from, parts and spares cheap, maintenance costs should be small, easy on fuel and not the end of the world if it gets scratched dented.

El Guapo!

Fiesta. Would be hard to find a decent one with that budget but a good trawl through donedeal should find a reasonable one.

boxermad

she doesnt like micras atal alto i have told her its only to start off shes still quite fussy. i must show her a ka i totally forgot bout them

-Corkie-

1.0 Polo are always good.

andyseadog

i bought my girlfriend a 98 ka for her 17th birthday (ah the good old boom times :rolleyes:), she loved the girlyness of the interior, since then its needed nothing, aside from serviceable items.

her sister bought a 98 1.0 polo around the same time, its needed a new dizzy, fuel pump, boot handle, throttle body, wheel bearings, interior window crank and its fairly fond of oil...
:pac:

colm_mcm

-Corkie- wrote: »

1.0 Polo are always good.

Please explain that. The low tax is about the only good bit I can think of.

-Corkie-

colm_mcm wrote: »

Please explain that. The low tax is about the only good bit I can think of.

They are economical aswell plus not a bad car to drive either for a learner..

colm_mcm

I've driven a good few:
Usually no power steering
Clutch springy
Gears not that easy
Rust quite easily
Not that reliable
Slow as a wet week.

-Corkie-

colm_mcm wrote: »

I've driven a good few:
Usually no power steering
Clutch springy
Gears not that easy
Rust quite easily
Not that reliable
Slow as a wet week.

True but with P/S and a well looked after car you get over the rest. Any 1.0l will be slow enough.

mawk

colm_mcm wrote: »

Please explain that. The low tax is about the only good bit I can think of.

i had a loan of one for a little while with 300k on the clock, petrol, 1997.
Still ran like a charm.

Id search an ibiza over a polo, identical car lower cost

andyseadog

the polos are a bit of a lottery.

i can appreciate how they could be a good first time car, some are, but just as many aren't.

as said, they are definitely the rustiest 'modern' car still on the roads.

bazz26

1.25 litre Fiesta, can be bought for small money these days.

David09

+ 1 for the fiesta.

David09

colm_mcm wrote: »

I've driven a good few:
Usually no power steering
Clutch springy
Gears not that easy
Rust quite easily
Not that reliable
Slow as a wet week.

Later '00 models were much improved, but yes I can relate exactly to what you're saying.

boxermad

she has decided on a 97 ford ka wit a 2 years test. goin to see it later on but just wondering any idea if there is a common fault eg peugot/citreoin have rear axle faults.

colm_mcm

the door sills can rust quite a bit, although anything structural should have been picked up on the NCT. anti roll bars can be noisy, again NCT should find that, radios can be troublesome as can the heater, steering racks can leak fluid.