Looking to Buy My First Car This Week

Kintarō Hattori

Hey Chaps,

Some of you may know me around these parts, long time lurker- occasional contributor. Late last year I upgraded the misses from a K11 Micra to a 320i E90 and she's loving that- as am I. For varying reasons I never learned to drive until I started taking lessons this year and it's going great. However I'm not getting enough practice in and I'm not enjoying learning with herself in the 3 series. A it's too powerful for me as a complete novice and B I get grief each time we head out in it not to damage it etc.
I had planned to look for a car closer to the summer, closer to when I'd sit the actual exam and hopefully pass it but I need to put more time in with herself so am bringing that forward.

We already have a decent enough car in the E90 and I'll be buying a car mainly to learn in and use for the occasional journey around the town I live in and for the odd trip down to Kildare (when I've passed). I had planned in the summer to buy something I'd hold onto for a while but I'll get something now that I might keep for a year or so and then move on. I can't buy a K11 Micra as I gave her old one to my sister who's a single mother- can you imagine the nagging I'd get if I bought another! Ideally 1 litre, petrol and somewhere around €1000-1200. I know larger Renaults have a bad name but what about the Clio? Haven't I read on here that it's a pretty decent car? Models around 2001/2002 start to come into my meagre budget.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/renault-clio-2001-tax-and-test/6632106

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/02-renault-clio-nct-till-04-15-tax-3-m/6646308

djimi

I was actually going to suggest another K11 Micra! I wouldnt be put off by the slagging you might get; for that money they are as good a car as you will get, and they are a decent little car to learn in. Plus you know them and know what they are like. Id certainly have one over a Clio anyway.

Kintarō Hattori

Ideally I'd have one but as I thought it'd be months before I needed a car and as my sister is a single mother I thought the right thing to do would be to give it to her. I pay her tax yearly while the brother pays her insurance. It wasn't something the missus was thrilled about and if I mentioned slagging in the OP then what I really meant was endless endless nagging.

While I agree with you, in this instance a K11 really really wouldn't be worth the ear bashing. :pac:

djimi

Hmmm might be worth looking elsewhere so!

The Yaris would be the other recommended starter car, however finding a decent one in your budget might be an issue.

Kintarō Hattori

I ideally wanted to keep the cost as low as possible but I suppose I should look up as far as a 1.4 litre to give me a few more options.

MetzgerMeister

Let me get this wrong - you got rid of the micra and you paid for the BMW that your misses nags you about any time you drive it. You also gave your sister the micra, you're paying for the tax every year and your misses has a problem with that? I know for damn certain that if I could help my sister out like that I wouldn't think twice. Looks to me as though you don't need a new car, you just need to get rid of your misses :P

Kintarō Hattori

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Let me get this wrong - you got rid of the micra and you paid for the BMW that your misses nags you about any time you drive it. You also gave your sister the micra, you're paying for the tax every year and your misses has a problem with that? I know for damn certain that if I could help my sister out like that I wouldn't think twice. Looks to me as though you don't need a new car, you just need to get rid of your misses :P

Hah, nothing is ever as simple as it appears in black and white. My missus isn't Irish and comes from a culturally different background... so it complicates it a little.

MetzgerMeister

Well she is living in Ireland and you're Irish so she must adapt or not survive :pac:

Bigus

Clios are grand and probably the safest of that era and price range, I'd have one ahead of a micra and dare I say an overpriced yaris, and I have driven them all, the clio being best to drive, have a look at adverts.ie but stick to the cars that have contactable phone numbers, hold out for a genuine one owned for a number of years by current owner ( date of sale be on vlc reg cert). Good luck.
Ps you need to sit on donedeal and react to the best cars within an hour to get the best deals.

Notch000

al i can add is dont get a 1l polo, there hateful pices of SH

pred racer

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

I ideally wanted to keep the cost as low as possible but I suppose I should look up as far as a 1.4 litre to give me a few more options.

Clios of that era are grand little cars and would do the job nicely

Kintarō Hattori

Notch000 wrote: »

al i can add is dont get a 1l polo, there hateful pices of SH

I'd often thought about a 4th gen Polo but having read a thread about maintenance here a while back I'll strike it off the list. Changing a light bulb with one is effectively a dealer job which is madness.