Nice <1.4L Car For Aprox. 2,000e?

Irish Pitbull

Going to be starting off driving soon, 17y.o. guy.

What's a good car to start off in? I'm not stupid and I know nothing is going to be cheap to insure for my social group, and I have money for that so the 2,000 is just for the car?

I'd prefer something Jap or at least a bit respectable, for people my age, I don't really care about what you sensible adults think of it lol.

Thanks

Alanstrainor

Focus 1.4

Faith+1

Fiesta 1.25

Irish Pitbull

Thanks, both good suggestions, anymore?

RidleyRider

Corolla hatchback?
Colt?
Lancer 1.3?
The focus as above
Festy
I suppose at 17, a Glanza has to be thrown in.

Alanstrainor

Lets be honest though, the car choice comes down to the cost of insurance for the car.


OP, I'm going to guess that you don't have a bottomless pit of money to insure this thing.

ek motor

older model Civic 1.4 (1996 - 2000)

cheap and reliable!

alternatively maybe a Colt or Starlet if your looking for something Jap

RidleyRider

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Lets be honest though, the car choice comes down to the cost of insurance for the car.


OP, I'm going to guess that you don't have a bottomless pit of money to insure this thing.

1Litre Corsa in that case:pac:

Mister Jingles

Faith+1 wrote: »

Fiesta 1.25

+1 But you'll do well finding a pre 2002 that isn't suffering bad with rust and a post 2002 with a 2 grand budget.

RidleyRider wrote: »

Corolla hatchback?
Colt?
Lancer 1.3?
The focus as above
Festy
I suppose at 17, a Glanza has to be thrown in.

Wouldn't bother with the Colt, insurance companies do consider them a high risk car compared to other.

Irish Pitbull

RidleyRider wrote: »

I suppose at 17, a Glanza has to be thrown in.

Hell yes!

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Lets be honest though, the car choice comes down to the cost of insurance for the car.


OP, I'm going to guess that you don't have a bottomless pit of money to insure this thing.

I'm going to be insured under a parent and I can spend max another 2,000 on insurance. But I've got quotes of around 1,600 on the fiesta and similar so I should be alright

Just looking for what the general consensus is on what's good to get

challengemaster

Irish Pitbull wrote: »

I'm going to be insured under a parent and I can spend max another 2,000 on insurance.

You can't legally be insured under a parent (as a named driver) on a car you own. You're the main driver of the vehicle, you have to be the policyholder. So if you own the car, get your own insurance.

Irish Pitbull

challengemaster wrote: »

You can't legally be insured under a parent (as a named driver) on a car you own. You're the main driver of the vehicle, you have to be the policyholder. So if you own the car, get your own insurance.

Yes, yes of course. I would obviously be buying this car as a present for my mother and only driving it very occasionally, to the shops and back etc.

RidleyRider

Irish Pitbull wrote: »

Hell yes!



I'm going to be insured under a parent and I can spend max another 2,000 on insurance. But I've got quotes of around 1,600 on the fiesta and similar so I should be alright

Just looking for what the general consensus is on what's good to get

Get yourself some NCB and a full licence then worry about what you're driving.

I'm driving a Citroen C3 since last June as my first car. At first, I was like you and thought I needed a nice car but soon I realised I was lucky to be on the road!

A civic is a good suggestion. Cheap and reliable. Room to do what you're probably going to do (by that I mean a stupid baaaaaaaaw exhaust). I say that because of your reaction to the glanza.

After nearly a year of driving, now i'm looking at getting a nicer car because I'll soon have my full licence and a years NCB.

Then again, this is all just advice. You can do whatever you want.

Irish Pitbull

RidleyRider wrote: »

Get yourself some NCB and a full licence then worry about what you're driving.

I'm driving a Citroen C3 since last June as my first car. At first, I was like you and thought I needed a nice car but soon I realised I was lucky to be on the road!

A civic is a good suggestion. Cheap and reliable. Room to do what you're probably going to do (by that I mean a stupid baaaaaaaaw exhaust). I say that because of your reaction to the glanza.

After nearly a year of driving, now i'm looking at getting a nicer car because I'll soon have my full licence and a years NCB.

Then again, this is all just advice. You can do whatever you want.

I appreciate the reply, thanks Ridley

I don't want to give off the wrong idea about myself though, I do like cars and modified cars especially. But I'm not some lad who's going to sit in the carpark with it all day doing laps of the town haha.

RidleyRider

Irish Pitbull wrote: »

I appreciate the reply, thanks Ridley

I don't want to give off the wrong idea about myself though, I do like cars and modified cars especially. But I'm not some lad who's going to sit in the carpark with it all day doing laps of the town haha.

Realistically, will you keep your first car?

Irish Pitbull

RidleyRider wrote: »

Realistically, will you keep your first car?

I know what you're saying and no, I know that realistically I won't. But as far as I can work out, starting off driving is going to be an expensive venture. If the difference between starting off in something I don't like (I.e. a Micra or Punto etc.) and something I do like (Civic/Non-turbo Glanza) is going to be only a few hundred euro out of probably around 4,000 I'll be spending all in, I might as well get what I prefer and will really like?

What do you think?

Alanstrainor

Being perfectly honest, the price difference will not be a couple of hundred euro, it'll most likely be a lot more than that when comparing a Micra to a Glanza.

Build up 2 years NCB, then upgrade to something worth modifying and enjoying.

challengemaster

It's much easier to find a nice clean cheap punto/micra/fiesta rather than a civic/glanza, every scrote in the country has/had one of the latter. And they also have a bit of extra insurance loading.

In the end it is up to yourself, you are the one driving it. I think the point overall is don't invest too much in it really.

RidleyRider

Irish Pitbull wrote: »

I know what you're saying and no, I know that realistically I won't. But as far as I can work out, starting off driving is going to be an expensive venture. If the difference between starting off in something I don't like (I.e. a Micra or Punto etc.) and something I do like (Civic/Non-turbo Glanza) is going to be only a few hundred euro out of probably around 4,000 I'll be spending all in, I might as well get what I prefer and will really like?

What do you think?

Oh no I'd agree. If it's a few hundred quid I'd be all for the latter. Well maybe not because I hate Civics and Glanza's, mainly for the name they have, but that's for another thread.

If you want to get the Civic/Glanza, by all means go ahead. But, I know at 17 you're gonna be tempted to start modifying the car, which will increase your insurance again and any modifications you don't tell the insurance company about may make your insurance redundant if, god forbid, you were in a crash. I'm open to correction there but I'm nearly sure.

If you begin modifying a car that you're not going to keep then where's the point in modifying it in the first place when you could save that money to treat yourself to something much, much nicer when you get your full licence?

The suggestions you'll get here are going to be ones that you're not going to like, e.g the micras, the puntos etc.. but they are the sensible cars for first time driving.

A mate of mine started in a ****ty festy, now a year later is driving a BMW 318. Basically, suffer out a ****ty car for a year and then get something respectable.

Irish Pitbull

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Being perfectly honest, the price difference will not be a couple of hundred euro, it'll most likely be a lot more than that when comparing a Micra to a Glanza.

Build up 2 years NCB, then upgrade to something worth modifying and enjoying.

challengemaster wrote: »

It's much easier to find a nice clean cheap punto/micra/fiesta rather than a civic/glanza, every scrote in the country has/had one of the latter. And they also have a bit of extra insurance loading.

In the end it is up to yourself, you are the one driving it. I think the point overall is don't invest too much in it really.

I see what you're both saying and it does make sense. Hmm, I might have to rethink again..

Thanks for all your opinions

Irish Pitbull

RidleyRider wrote: »

Oh no I'd agree. If it's a few hundred quid I'd be all for the latter. Well maybe not because I hate Civics and Glanza's, mainly for the name they have, but that's for another thread.

If you want to get the Civic/Glanza, by all means go ahead. But, I know at 17 you're gonna be tempted to start modifying the car, which will increase your insurance again and any modifications you don't tell the insurance company about may make your insurance redundant if, god forbid, you were in a crash. I'm open to correction there but I'm nearly sure.

If you begin modifying a car that you're not going to keep then where's the point in modifying it in the first place when you could save that money to treat yourself to something much, much nicer when you get your full licence?

The suggestions you'll get here are going to be ones that you're not going to like, e.g the micras, the puntos etc.. but they are the sensible cars for first time driving.

A mate of mine started in a ****ty festy, now a year later is driving a BMW 318. Basically, suffer out a ****ty car for a year and then get something respectable.

Again, you're making a lot of sense, unfortunately not exactly what I wanted to hear! haha.

RidleyRider

Irish Pitbull wrote: »

Again, you're making a lot of sense, unfortunately not exactly what I wanted to hear! haha.

:pac:

It's something no first time driver wants to hear but it is the harsh reality.

ManMade

I was in your position this time last year. Surfin done deal, dreaming of buying my own wheels. Working my ass off at a summer job and saving every penny. Got to a month before my bday when my dad pulled me aside and said " Do you seriously think you could afford to run a sh:t box" of course I argued. But now as I think about it; NCT, tax, inevitable repairs, fuel, insurance, 12 driving lessons at €30 each. Not worth it. Got insured on one of the family cars. No worries about any of the above. My parents basically gave it to me as I'm the only one using it now. So I'd ask you to consider building up a ncb. And if you want to have all your money tied down in a car, because €100 won't take you far. And I still have most of my hard earned cash.. Have you learned to drive?

Irish Pitbull

ManMade wrote: »

I was in your position this time last year. Surfin done deal, dreaming of buying my own wheels. Working my ass off at a summer job and saving every penny. Got to a month before my bday when my dad pulled me aside and said " Do you seriously think you could afford to run a sh:t box" of course I argued. But now as I think about it; NCT, tax, inevitable repairs, fuel, insurance, 12 driving lessons at €30 each. Not worth it. Got insured on one of the family cars. No worries about any of the above. My parents basically gave it to me as I'm the only one using it now. So I'd ask you to consider building up a ncb. And if you want to have all your money tied down in a car, because €100 won't take you far. And I still have most of my hard earned cash.. Have you learned to drive?

I've had a job after school all through TY after school a few evenings and still doing it now in 5th year, doing more hours than ever actually. Tomorrow is my only actual day off in the whole mid-term! I've saved up over 5 grand at this stage, I just don't want to blow it all in one go. I've done all this work and it's all been to get my own car so I'm not planning on going on Mam's car. Yes, I can drive, passed the Theory last Summer and I've been doing bits of driving since I was a tiny kid haha.

Alanstrainor

Irish Pitbull wrote: »

I've had a job after school all through TY after school a few evenings and still doing it now in 5th year, doing more hours than ever actually. Tomorrow is my only actual day off in the whole mid-term! I've saved up over 5 grand at this stage, I just don't want to blow it all in one go. I've done all this work and it's all been to get my own car so I'm not planning on going on Mam's car. Yes, I can drive, passed the Theory last Summer and I've been doing bits of driving since I was a tiny kid haha.

Sounds good, you should be set to pass as soon as possible.

2 thousand for car, 2000 for insurance, 400~ for tax, + petrol/maintenance.

No matter what you buy, I wouldn't expect change from your 5000.

Driving is expensive, just so you know that.

I bought my 325ci about a year ago, and it really does all add up! Doing maintenance yourself will help, but petrol/tyres etc will all add up.

Not trying to scare you away from it, I wouldn't give up my car too quick! I love it too much!

P_1

Spend a year as a named driver on your folks policy and save for that year to give yourself a bit more spending power next year.

Realistically how often will you get to use the new car if you're only 17?

Irish Pitbull

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Sounds good, you should be set to pass as soon as possible.

2 thousand for car, 2000 for insurance, 400~ for tax, + petrol/maintenance.

No matter what you buy, I wouldn't expect change from your 5000.

Driving is expensive, just so you know that.

I bought my 325ci about a year ago, and it really does all add up! Doing maintenance yourself will help, but petrol/tyres etc will all add up.

Not trying to scare you away from it, I wouldn't give up my car too quick! I love it too much!

Bit of a jump from talking about small, fwd hatchbacks to a 2.5L BMW Coupe hahaha.

Thanks for all your help tho!

challengemaster

Irish Pitbull wrote: »

Bit of a jump from talking about small, fwd hatchbacks to a 2.5L BMW Coupe hahaha.

Thanks for all your help tho!

There is a jump, but before that he was driving around in a shítty little automatic polo (Sorry Alan!). The point is, that's the kind of jump you can make when you have some NCB behind you to lower insurance costs.

€5k sounds like a lot until you realise that after the car, insurance, NCT and tax, and basic maintenance you'll be lucky to have a tank of petrol left in change.

tdonegan1990

My first car was a 1.2 corsa. Was in da same position as yourself, had my theory and was dying to get on da road!
Id go 4 a corsa for a first time car. Great wee go'er!
Now driving a 1.7 cdti astra