First car (I know sorry)

TheMilkyPirate

Sorry as in this has probably been done to death but everyone is different and has different requirements. I'm 21 this will be my first car so something small cheap and decent looking (modern), Looking to spend up to 1-2k.

Have looked at a few as in volkswagen polo (2001 and up) Cheap enough insurance and nice and clean looking too. Opel corsa (2001 and up) too..

Any other ideas people? And what about the two i've mentioned? Two reliable makes i take it??

Is their any cars that would generally cost less to insure or is all driver specific.

ottostreet

3 door Fiat Stilo? Questions over its reliability, but they're a nice car.
Merc A140? A bit odd looking but I think they're....funky!
1.4 Ford Puma?

Anan1

At that kind of money, it's much more about the actual car than the make/model. You're looking for something that's been well cared-for, so if you don't know much about cars then stay away from dealers and buy privately. Follow your instincts, if the person selling has owned the car for several years then you should be able to tell a lot by talking to them about how the car's been treated. If you can find a friend/relative who knows a bit about cars to look with you then so much the better. Above all, take your time - good sub-€1000 cars do exist, but it might take a month or more of looking to find one.

TheMilkyPirate

ottostreet wrote: »

3 door Fiat Stilo? Questions over its reliability, but they're a nice car.
Merc A140? A bit odd looking but I think they're....funky!
1.4 Ford Puma?

Out of all them the fiat stilo is the only that i like but i do really like them this one is nice and the only 3 door i found at a workable price:
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Fiat/Stilo/1.2-Nct-/201127203178862/advert?channel=CARS
Wouldn't be the most reliable but it's definitely a goer?

Thanks for the suggestions, Ford puma? C'mon man! :pac:

Anan1 wrote: »

At that kind of money, it's much more about the actual car than the make/model. You're looking for something that's been well cared-for, so if you don't know much about cars then stay away from dealers and buy privately. Follow your instincts, if the person selling has owned the car for several years then you should be able to tell a lot by talking to them about how the car's been treated. If you can find a friend/relative who knows a bit about cars to look with you then so much the better. Above all, take your time - good sub-€1000 cars do exist, but it might take a month or more of looking to find one.

I have my wits about me don't worry, I know a fair bit about cars (mechanic for a year) and i know what to look for when buying, Thanks for the help

TheMilkyPirate

Shame the stilo is coming in at €2000 for insurance from the same place that quoted me €1200 for a 2001 polo, So that's a no go unfortunately.

muckwarrior

Purely anecdotal, but my girlfriend has a 2001 1.2 corsa and never had a minute's bother with it. Her sister had a 2003 polo and had constant electronic problems with it, which she was told were common with that model. Although, I think a 2001 would have been the previous model and may not have had the same problems.

Mister Jingles

baraca wrote: »

Shame the stilo is coming in at €2000 for insurance from the same place that quoted me €1200 for a 2001 polo, So that's a no go unfortunately.

Whats the Polo a 1.0L ?

bazz26

Maybe a Ford Puma?

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201118202279777

Cionád

A Panda?

Economical & cheap to insure/tax.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2056505

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2302402

TheMilkyPirate

Mister Jingles wrote: »

Whats the Polo a 1.0L ?

990cc, By far the cheapest to insure so far, Even a 1.0l corsa was €500 dearer!
Does anybody know if the 2001 model polos have electrical problems like the 2003 model that muckwarrior mentioned?

Cionád wrote: »

A Panda?

Economical & cheap to insure/tax.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2056505

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2302402

Not a big fan of those type of cars that and the merc a series that was mentioned, But thanks for the help. Something a little more hatchback looking in the region of the golf or fiat stil that was mentioned or the likes of a seat leon etc..

Might be worth mentioning that i have a son to so will be having a car seat in the car.

2k? reliable? cheap to insure?

Yaris [/thread]

Littlehorny

My missus had a 2000 corsa a few years ago, she only held onto it for a year because it broke down 4 times! Fiats, opels and all the french makes are not great imo. fords, volkswagon or jap cars are the ones to look at. best of luck with your first car anyway, wish i wsa that age again1:)

vectra

Anyone with Mechanical knowledge will swear by a civic
Especially this model as it does not have the wrong "Image"
Great car
1.4 . > Cheap tax.>> Cheap insurance
Check it out

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2250579

_Conrad_

vectra wrote: »

Anyone with Mechanical knowledge will swear by a civic
Especially this model as it does not have the wrong "Image"
Great car
1.4 . > Cheap tax.>> Cheap insurance
Check it out

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2250579

However, any civic, if that shape is still not the greatest idea to try get insurance on for a young first time driver. yes they are very reliable but even though that's a boring spec, the name civic now sets off little euro shaped light bulbs in the minds of insurance people.


@OP did you ever try get a quote for a VW Lupo/ seat arosa 1.0?

stevenmu

Ford Fiesta 1.25 > everything else.

Cheap to buy, cheap to run, tax, insure etc. Nice to drive as well.

Raskolnikov

vectra wrote: »

Anyone with Mechanical knowledge will swear by a civic
Especially this model as it does not have the wrong "Image"
Great car
1.4 . > Cheap tax.>> Cheap insurance
Check it out

Unless money is no object, I would not touch a Civic as a first car. Your insurance will be thousands more than the likes of your bog-standard Polo or Yaris.

cadaliac

Filter a search on Donedeal for a max of €2k.
You would be surprised what would show up. :cool:
Call your insurance company tomorrow with a range of different cars for quotes.
You can narrow it down a good bit like that.

vectra

_Conrad_ wrote: »

However, any civic, if that shape is still not the greatest idea to try get insurance on for a young first time driver. yes they are very reliable but even though that's a boring spec, the name civic now sets off little euro shaped light bulbs in the minds of insurance people.


@OP did you ever try get a quote for a VW Lupo/ seat arosa 1.0?

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Unless money is no object, I would not touch a Civic as a first car. Your insurance will be thousands more than the likes of your bog-standard Polo or Yaris.

Civic 1.4 is easy on insurance.
As long as it is not a vtec or type r then you should be fine.

Check out the insurance.. You just might be surprised