Good car for beginner driver?

siobhaanx

So, I'm about to start driving and think I'm going to get a car, rather than learning on my parents, seeing that I'll have to pay for insurance on that anyway.

So what's the best car for a beginner, for under €1000? (obviously used :P) As low as possible really.

Thanks for any help

visual

Rover 25 1.1

siobhaanx wrote: »

So, I'm about to start driving and think I'm going to get a car, rather than learning on my parents, seeing that I'll have to pay for insurance on that anyway.

So what's the best car for a beginner, for under €1000? (obviously used :P) As low as possible really.

Thanks for any help

A micra is a good car if you can find one in good condition.

colm_mcm

Lamborghini Aventador

visual wrote: »

A micra is a good car if you can find one in good condition.

+1. Plenty rattly rustbucket micras out there though so choose carefully

dgt

How many miles? What type of driving (rural commuting, town driving etc)?

d1234

Fiat Cinquecento/Seicento

I started to learn to drive in a diesel car and in my opinion it was much easier than trying to drive a petrol car as I found that petrol can sometimes 'cut out'. However, diesel cars are generally more expensive than petrol and their engines are larger e.g. a new petrol polo is 1.2l whereas a diesel polo is 1.6. For a starter car, a micra is a good choice as well as corsas, clios, fiestas and 206's (choose the 1.1 - insurance will be cheaper!)

topcatcbr

siobhaanx wrote: »

So, I'm about to start driving and think I'm going to get a car, rather than learning on my parents, seeing that I'll have to pay for insurance on that anyway.

So what's the best car for a beginner, for under €1000? (obviously used :P) As low as possible really.

Thanks for any help

Get the best cheap car you can find with a small engine.

I have seen a good few fiat seciento with low mileage. Practically new cars for under your budget.

Personally I'd go with something like that than an old moves that has been screwed by boy racer types. Any decent moves will be over budget.

Sobanek

Nissan Micra

Fiesta?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-fiesta/5427002

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

Sobanek

Nissan Micra

^ I like how you've put the Aventador there

Mister Jingles

Toyota Yaris

My first car was a K11 Micra and would rate them highly for a sub 1200 budget compared to its equivalents. When I got mine I was lucky that the only bit of rust was on the front cross member and the rest of the car was rust free but there are many rust buckets out there so watch out. Economy wise its okay but once your on the motorway and doing speeds of 90 km/h or more fuel consumption isn't great.

ba_barabus

For the budget I'd consider a Dahatsiu Sirion

ironclaw

Toyota Yaris is worth considering. Comes in a 1.0L and is pretty forgiving and easy to drive. You do pay a premium however. A 1999/2000 would probably set you back €1200 or so.

colm_mcm

Lamborghini Aventador

ironclaw wrote: »

Toyota Yaris is worth considering. Comes in a 1.0L and is pretty forgiving and easy to drive. You do pay a premium however. A 1999/2000 would probably set you back €1200 or so.

The worst 99s will go for that. Well minded ones will be closer to 2k. There obviously are exceptions, but if i had a grand and needed something like that i would save myself a lot of looking at wrecked ones and just buy something else instead

colm_mcm

Lamborghini Aventador

latinogar wrote: »

please beware of who you talk to on this tread, ba_barabus is trying to get this tread closed down, I have gone trough all of his older treads and this is what he always does, he starts trouble until the tread is closed down, just ignore him and anything he says, he is more than likely friends with these guys, you have being warned.

Wrong thread i think.

ba_barabus

colm_mcm wrote: »

Wrong thread i think.

He is posting it in all threads I've posted in.

It's nice to be popular :pac:

Renegade Mechanic

ba_barabus wrote: »

He is posting it in all threads I've posted in.

It's nice to be popular :pac:

Hes got his work cut out!

JohnBoy26

ba_barabus wrote: »

He is posting it in all threads I've posted in.

It's nice to be popular :pac:

Imo you probably gave the best advice of the lot in this thread when you suggested a Sirion. Thread closed:pac:

siobhaanx

Thanks everyone, loads of good suggestions, especially the Lamborghini, haha

Think I might go for a micra, polo or fiesta, like the fiesta Sobanek gave in the link. Would rather a diesel engine, but that probably won't happen. Don't think I'm gonna push my budget over €1000 either.

Shouldn't be doing more than 10,000 km a year and mostly driving on country roads and occasionally motorways.

ironclaw

siobhaanx wrote: »

Thanks everyone, loads of good suggestions, especially the Lamborghini, haha

Think I might go for a micra, polo or fiesta, like the fiesta Sobanek gave in the link. Would rather a diesel engine, but that probably won't happen. Don't think I'm gonna push my budget over €1000 either.

Shouldn't be doing more than 10,000 km a year and mostly driving on country roads and occasionally motorways.

All of those make a diesel an absolute no-no.

JohnBoy26

ironclaw wrote: »

All of those make a diesel an absolute no-no.

The budget probably does because diesel cars at that price are usually rough heaps.

However the mileage of 10,000km a year with occasional motorway driving doesn't necessarily make diesel a no no.

It's more to do with where the mileage is put up rather than the amount of miles put up imo. Say for instance if the op had a modern diesel and was clocking up 10k/km on the motorway and on open roads, then there should be no issues related to small mileage occurring. However if that same modern diesel done the same amount of miles in stop/start town driving, then issues are more likely to occur.

Leaving condition aside, a diesel car for 1k will more than likely be an older far less complex diesel car that won't give the issues modern diesels give from stop/start driving.

buttercups88

I started to drive in a fiesta, best car I ever had

Max Power1

buttercups88 wrote: »

I started to drive in a fiesta, best car I ever had

Same here, theres a lot to be said for the auld 1.3 kent engine!

7ofBrian

The world does not need more Micra drivers!!!
Get a Yaris / Fiesta / Corsa etc

JohnBoy26

7ofBrian wrote: »

The world does not need more Micra drivers!!!
Get a Yaris / Fiesta / Corsa etc

A 1k budget rules out a Yaris. Fiestas are good but most are rusty at this stage. As for the Corsa forget it!! They are not good at all.

visual

Rover 25 1.1

Corsa b can be had for small money cheap to maintain and run. The last of the corsa b have same engine as the corsa c

1.0 liter little 3 pot is a reliable engine with biggest criticism being its a little noisy

Killinator

Started out with a 98 1.0 Polo, rock solid learner.

JohnBoy26

visual wrote: »

Corsa b can be had for small money cheap to maintain and run. The last of the corsa b have same engine as the corsa c

1.0 liter little 3 pot is a reliable engine with biggest criticism being its a little noisy

The whole car is poorly built and flimsy and that 3cylinder engine in them is one of the most unrefined 3cylinder units out there.

Max Power1

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

The whole car is poorly built and flimsy and that 3cylinder engine in them is one of the most unrefined 3cylinder units out there.

I've heard countless stories at this stage of them being defeated by not-so-steep hills.

Wouldnt consider them a good starter car as you don't have enough acceleration to get out of trouble.

visual

Rover 25 1.1

Ah the corsa haters out in force

Its as fast as a micra / polo makes no difference holds the road good handling for cheap little car has immobiliser so won't be found like a micra with the drivers door bend down and steering lock broken.

Actuality thats something the op should consider that many old toyotas didnt have immobilisers and are targeted by joy riders

Max Power1

visual wrote: »

Ah the corsa haters out in force

Its as fast as a micra / polo makes no difference holds the road good handling for cheap little car has immobiliser so won't be found like a micra with the drivers door bend down and steering lock broken.

Actuality thats something the op should consider that many old toyotas didnt have immobilisers and are targeted by joy riders

Joy riders in a Yaris? Haha yeah right!

Corsa haters? No. Just "factual experience sharers"

Big Davey

siobhaanx wrote: »

So, I'm about to start driving and think I'm going to get a car, rather than learning on my parents, seeing that I'll have to pay for insurance on that anyway.

So what's the best car for a beginner, for under €1000? (obviously used :P) As low as possible really.

Thanks for any help

Go for the newest car you can in your budget something plain like a dawoo matiz, or a little Mazda something that does not appeal to the boy racer types. Micras are good but very hard to find a good one. 1k should get you something ok try to get something with a full dealer history, maybe off an old couple etc don't jump on the first thing you see it's a buyers market. Good luck.

dh0011

A skoda fabia might also be an option

colm_mcm

Lamborghini Aventador

dh0011 wrote: »

A skoda fabia might also be an option

The oldest ones will be 1.4 though, 1.2 didn't come till later.

visual

Rover 25 1.1

Max Power1 wrote: »

Joy riders in a Yaris? Haha yeah right!

Corsa haters? No. Just "factual experience sharers"

Your only contribution was a 1.3 festa
Might as well do a comparison with like for like
1.3 festa was a rusty heap compared to other cars of same size engine like mazda 1.3 or corrolla 1.3

But the discussion was about 1.0 liter for a person starting out.

Yet you ignore offical 0-60 of the 1.0 liter cars.
Claiming they cant drive up a hill. I say that says more about the driver than the car.

Max Power1

visual wrote: »

Your only contribution was a 1.3 festa
Might as well do a comparison with like for like
1.3 festa was a rusty heap compared to other cars of same size engine like mazda 1.3 or corrolla 1.3

But the discussion was about 1.0 liter for a person starting out.

Yet you ignore offical 0-60 of the 1.0 liter cars.
Claiming they cant drive up a hill. I say that says more about the driver than the car.

Rotfl

And I'm not claiming, it happened. A corsa cut out going up a hill beside the post office in the curragh. It says nothing about the driver. To say it does just makes nonsense of the rest of what you said.

My only contribution was the festy, aye, but sure your only contribution was the corsa. Your point?

JohnBoy26

visual wrote: »

Ah the corsa haters out in force

Its as fast as a micra / polo makes no difference holds the road good handling for cheap little car has immobiliser so won't be found like a micra with the drivers door bend down and steering lock broken.

Actuality thats something the op should consider that many old toyotas didnt have immobilisers and are targeted by joy riders

No one cares about how fast a car is when they are looking for a 1liter. All they want is something that gets them from a-b as hassle free and maintenance free as possible. Nearly all other super mini do this much better than a corsa.

As for your immobiliser argument it's pretty much null and void as most Irish Toyota's and Nissan had factory immobilisers fitted from around 1997 on.

colm_mcm

Lamborghini Aventador

Both my missuss 97 micras had an immobiliser. Think it was mostly the Nissan March imports that didn't have them.

greenflash

Toyota Starlet

Am I getting this right? This girl is just on a provisional and planning to learn as she drives around country roads and motorways unaccompanied?

Hanging's too good.

kirving

Atari Jaguar

How did you manage to come to that conclusion? She never said that she'd be driving alone.

visual

Rover 25 1.1

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

No one cares about how fast a car is when they are looking for a 1liter. All they want is something that gets them from a-b as hassle free and maintenance free as possible. Nearly all other super mini do this much better than a corsa.

As for your immobiliser argument it's pretty much null and void as most Irish Toyota's and Nissan had factory immobilisers fitted from around 1997 on.

That was my point on 0 to 60 on 1 liters they are similar as someone else said they where so slow they wouldn't go up a hill.


It may have been true immobilser was introduced in irish and uk toyotas in 97.
There was a glut of 2nd hand micras imported to fill the demand here from Japan without immobiliser as it wasn't a requirement in other markets. Plenty of micras with march badges

greenflash

Toyota Starlet

Kevin Irving wrote: »

How did you manage to come to that conclusion? She never said that she'd be driving alone.

Just the impression I get from her wanting her own car rather than learning in her parents' car. Anyway, learners are not allowed to drive on motorways under any circumstances (though I think they should be as part of a structured lesson with a qualified instructor).

visual

Rover 25 1.1

greenflash wrote: »

Just the impression I get from her wanting her own car rather than learning in her parents' car. Anyway, learners are not allowed to drive on motorways under any circumstances (though I think they should be as part of a structured lesson with a qualified instructor).

It seems silly that motorways arent included in test or training but on day they pass test they can venture out and joint all the other middle lane drivers on motorway.

HurtLocker

Atari Jaguar

greenflash wrote: »

Am I getting this right? This girl is just on a provisional and planning to learn as she drives around country roads and motorways unaccompanied?

Hanging's too good.

Do you have a full licence for that high horse sir?

greenflash

Toyota Starlet

HurtLocker wrote: »

Do you have a full licence for that high horse sir?

I certainly do, plus safety stirrups and a suitable ladder. Since 1988. Mr will suffice thanks.

The fact that people think it's ok just to jump into a car and start driving without any form if training is insane.

The fact that the Gardai, by and large, let them is even more insane.

kirving

Atari Jaguar

greenflash wrote: »

The fact that people think it's ok just to jump into a car and start driving without any form if training is insane.

Or, you could take what she asked on face value instead of guesswork and give advice rather than trying to skew the debate toward unaccompanied learners.

For all you know, the OP passed her theory test last year, and has her test in a month.

siobhaanx

greenflash wrote: »

Am I getting this right? This girl is just on a provisional and planning to learn as she drives around country roads and motorways unaccompanied?

Hanging's too good.

Obviously I don't plan to be driving on motorways until I get my full licence and even if I wanted to drive unaccompanied my parents would never let me so you don't need to jump to conclusions.

greenflash

Toyota Starlet

Fair play. I do think you're in a minority and even many parents I know think nothing of handing over the keys to their kids after a couple of spins around the block with dad.

I was going to suggest this



But now I know, I'd recommend a Yaris

colm_mcm

Lamborghini Aventador

I've added a poll to this, multiple choices allowed.

siobhaanx

colm_mcm wrote: »

I've added a poll to this, multiple choices allowed.

Thanks, didn't even think of doing that