Advice for a small car

Noffles

I've around 3.5k to spend on a runaround, will be required to do a small commute daily (50k roundtrip) and also for the lad to start to learn to drive in.

I was horribly stung with the last small car we had and it cost me a fortune to keep running and I eventually sold it after repairs and sale I lost a couple of grand.

Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin would be the furthest I would want to look..

I've seen a few small cars there but am unsure of what to actually go for.

Thanks in advance

Iano_128

I have a little 1.3 1997 Fiesta. 'tis a great car! Costs me little or nothing on petrol, I live in Clondalkin, work in Clondalkin and travel to Killiney about 3 times a week and I'm spending maybe 35-40 euro a week on it (i also do a fair amount of driving around Clondalkin). I'd recommend it to anyone, it's never given me an ounce of trouble and I have it the last year and a bit.

Iano_128

Sorry, forgot to also add, it's the car I learned to drive in and found it great! Had no problem learning in it. The only thing about the '97 model is that it doesn't have a rev counter so you just have to learn to know when to change gear.

Noffles

Ok so, it's Fiesta I look for then...

colm_mcm

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4927604

Chuck Stone

Mazda 2
2004
1.2
Taxed till August 2013
Low mileage (66,000) with full service history to back up
€2,950

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4776891

colm_mcm

Basically a toyota too

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4917381

colm_mcm

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4916630

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4756994

Noffles

Hey, cheers guys, now we're talking, like the look of that Clio there... bit further than I wanted to travel but it looks good.

kevin65

colm_mcm wrote: »

Basically a toyota too

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4917381

I have the toyota aygo, good little car, but the aygo and it's sisters(citroen C1 and peugeot 107) can suffer from water leaks, so check out any potential buy for signs of this.
The other thing to note about small cars like this is they are not as stable as bigger vehicles in stormy weather, get buffeted more from gusts. It's basically down to them being relatively tall and narrow. This would be more pronounced in the likes of the aygo/C1/107 than in fiesta,yaris,mazda 2, etc.

Noffles

I have a "main" car, this would be for the missus and nipper to use... so far this is proving very helpful.

Thanks all

bazz26

Suzuki Swift:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4848053

As Colm said,

Yaris Yaris yaris,

One of the best small cars ever to hit the road ! I don't know if the newer 3 cylinders will last nearly as long, but the Gen I yaris has certainly proved itself !

road_high

bazz26 wrote: »

Suzuki Swift:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4848053

Not so sure about this one...thye couldn't be arsed even washing it. And at 4 k hardly a bargain either.

bazz26

road_high wrote: »

Not so sure about this one...thye couldn't be arsed even washing it. And at 4 k hardly a bargain either.

Whatever about washing it I cannot find another decent new shape Swift for under €4k unless you know of one.

colm_mcm

I dunno bazz, non original wheel trims and mismatching bumper kinda ruin it for me.

UmmCadburys

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4831379

colm_mcm

UmmCadburys wrote: »

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4831379

You know thats on uk plates right?

bazz26

colm_mcm wrote: »

I dunno bazz, non original wheel trims and mismatching bumper kinda ruin it for me.

Good catch. Didn't notice it the first time to be honest, my eyes obviously aren't as well trained as yours. There is a nicer one on dd for the same money but it appears to be "off the market". €4k new shape Swifts are thin on the ground.

colm_mcm

Dealer surround missing off the front bumper, so its probably seen some action.
Cracking little car but just too new to get a nice one for that money.

bazz26

Small mileage 3dr Fiesta worth considering:


http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4865833

colm_mcm

Thankfully its a 1.25 as well and not a 1.3 like the ad says

Also seems to be 56000km and not 60000 miles ?????


She was asking €4300 for it 10 days ago

UmmCadburys

colm_mcm wrote: »

You know thats on uk plates right?

And ?

CianRyan

UmmCadburys wrote: »

And ?

VRT, buddy.

Noffles

Like the look of that Fiesta...

I'll leave the UK reg ones, the VRT etc would just bump the price.

fryup

mitsubishi colt, bullet proof and easy to drive

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4798449

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4661654

Noffles

Any comments on this one?

http://www.jamesmotors.ie/viewanad.php?ad_id=909868&r=

Have seen it and seems in good nick... not driven though

Noffles

Noffles wrote: »

Any comments on this one?

http://www.jamesmotors.ie/viewanad.php?ad_id=909868&r=

Have seen it and seems in good nick... not driven though

That seems a lot for a 10 year old yaris with 100,000 miles.

But they are a good reliable car.

colm_mcm

That is overpriced, but it is a dealer. They make big money, but paying 50% more for a 10 year old one than a 12 year old one doesn't make sense.

GvidoR

Fiat Punto's are cheap, economical and great to drive.

GvidoR

GvidoR wrote: »

Fiat Punto's are cheap, economical and great to drive.

Yes and they are far more reliable these days too.

colm_mcm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yes and they are far more reliable these days too.

You'd get a grande-punto for that money too.

colm_mcm

colm_mcm wrote: »

You'd get a grande-punto for that money too.

Indeed and I just saw a lot of Grande punto's that look far better than the 00 -06? yaris both inside and out.

I saw a few with a lot less miles.

So, 2006 Punto with well under 100,000 miles for 3000-3500 Euro's much better to look at inside and out V 00 Yaris with 100,000 miles ?

Punto for me !

colm_mcm

Absolutely. But we were in this exact situation a few months back and ended up getting a yaris anyway. Makes no sense on one level but i know if she ever wants to trade up she can sell it in days and lose virtually nothing and i know its gonna be utterly reliable.

colm_mcm

colm_mcm wrote: »

Absolutely. But we were in this exact situation a few months back and ended up getting a yaris anyway. Makes no sense on one level but i know if she ever wants to trade up she can sell it in days and lose virtually nothing and i know its gonna be utterly reliable.

I haven't heard of many problems at all with the grande punto or the new one, what's it calls again evo ?

I think I'd suffer some depreciation for a nicer car.

colm_mcm

Indeed. But when you read the OP again you'll see what i mean!

Noffles

Noffles wrote: »

I've around 3.5k to spend on a runaround, will be required to do a small commute daily (50k roundtrip) and also for the lad to start to learn to drive in.

I was horribly stung with the last small car we had and it cost me a fortune to keep running and I eventually sold it after repairs and sale I lost a couple of grand.

Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin would be the furthest I would want to look..

I've seen a few small cars there but am unsure of what to actually go for.

Thanks in advance

colm_mcm wrote: »

Indeed. But when you read the OP again you'll see what i mean!

He was stung and lost a fortune ?

Noffles

Deleted User wrote: »

He was stung and lost a fortune ?

And it was a Fiat Grande that was the culprit..

Ok guys, can I have comments on this one?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4858366

colm_mcm

Its 3 different shades of silver for a start!

What exactly happened with the last car?

Noffles

Noffles wrote: »

And it was a Fiat Grande that was the culprit..

Ok guys, can I have comments on this one?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4858366

Shame, as Fiat's are far more reliable these days.

My mother has that generation Micra, 03 too and I hate it with a passion.

Steering is ultra light with no feel what so ever, makes prius feel like power steering is gone when I get back into it. Speaking of steering, the steering rack can give a lot of trouble on those micras and I hear it's a ultra expensive repair ? (calling Nissan Doctor )

Suspension is pure rubbish on anything but smooth roads and it rattles everywhere with all that cheap horrible hard plastic.

And it's noisy as hell.

Some of those Micra's have electrical issues but me Ma's has been reliable in the 2 years she's had it.

Replacing headlight bulb on drivers side involves taking out the headlight, only way I could do it. Passenger side ok.

Oh and did I say I really really hate the Micra ?:D

cianmg

I would just like to point out these car's have such low mileage as they are terrible to drive outside town so if you do drive on motorway etc would advice get bigger and safer car

Noffles

What about the price?

Noffles

Noffles wrote: »

What about the price?

If it's below the price you're willing to pay and you're happy with it then go for it but I would be worried about the different shades of grey ?

But seriously these cars are so bad to drive.

cianmg

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4932396

better to drive then any other car posted super reliable and 5 euro ncap starts really can't go wrong

I thought it had to be a 1.0 L ?

But yeah I'd have the focus over either.

Noffles

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Vauxhall/Corsa/Life/201312213859367/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Polo/1.0-BASE/201317214547532/advert?channel=CARS

Anyone comment on these?

Taken a day off today to visit a couple of cars, hopefully get closer to purchasing one.

Noffles

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4788225

And what about this one?

Noffles

Ok so, 03 Corsa, 80,000 on the clock 1.0 engine for 2.5k.... comments.

GvidoR

That Corsa seems a bit too expensive, and the Matiz... no, just no.

Anyway... http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4948756

No for that money and year, you're better off going with a Yaris, check out carzone there are a lot for sale, and around the price of the corsa.

Noffles

Ok so, had a garage check the Corsa out, needs a service and there are question marks about the cooling system. They've recommended I take it out for a long drive and keep an eye on the temperature gauge. And I've got the sale of the Corsa down to 2k... comments?