Can you recommend me a car?

ajjmk

Hi guys, sorry for starting another one of these threads but I'm a bit stumped at the moment!

I'm 22 years old and am looking to buy my first car. I currently have a Learner Permit, but will be sitting my driving test soon so the car will be for use after I have passed my test. I have less than a years insurance as a named driver, but have had no claims over this time.

I'll be finished college in a few months, and when I start employment it will involve a fair bit of driving. Because of this, I have been looking at diesel cars rather than petrol, but if ye think otherwise please let me know!

I have an overall budget of around €6k, but this has to include purchase of the car and insurance, so realistically this probably means around €4k for the car.

As it'll be first time insurance in my name I suppose the smaller the engine the better, but I don't know how reliable small engine diesel cars are. Perhaps naively, I've been looking at cars up to 1.9l in size. I don't know how much insurance on an engine of such a size would be, but I'm willing to pay up to about €2k for insurance for the year.

I had initially been looking at MINIs, as they're one of the few "small cars" I find visually appealing, however I've found that diesel MINIs are hard to come by, and are very expensive!

I moved on to looking at 1.6l diesel ford focus's but I've been told that problems are common with these engines. (I don't know how true this is?)

Clearly I need a bit of guidance here, so if anyone can offer any advice or recommendations, please do!

colm_mcm

Mini and focus have the same 1.6 Diesel engine.

ajjmk

colm_mcm wrote: »

Mini and focus have the same 1.6 Diesel engine.

Haha, as I said, I clearly need some guidance!!:o

I know embarrassingly little about cars, and have been relying on advice from by boyfriend and dad - both of whom have a strong love for high powered diesel cars!

colm_mcm

A yaris or corolla 1.4 D-4D might be an option for you?

bazz26

What will a fair bit of driving equate to in annual mileage? With a budget of €4k for a diesel car and trying to keep engine size low your choices will be very limited and most will have a fair amount of mileage on them at this stage.

bazz26

Something like a Seat Cordoba 1.4 TDi:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2007-seat-crdoba-1-4-tdi-sport/8550749?offset=15

Or maybe a Kia Rio:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/kia-rio-diesel/8746903?offset=1

ajjmk

colm_mcm wrote: »

A yaris or corolla 1.4 D-4D might be an option for you?

I actually really not a fan on Yaris's (no offence to anybody!), but a Corolla looks like a good option, thanks!

bazz26 wrote: »

What will a fair bit of driving equate to in annual mileage? With a budget of €4k for a diesel car and trying to keep engine size low your choices will be very limited and most will have a fair amount of mileage on them at this stage.

That is the question.... You see despite applying to loads I haven't actually got a job lined up yet, but I am a Civil Engineer so any work I get in that sector will likely involve a fair bit of site visits - and being based in rural Ireland, these sites could be located anywhere! I'd imagine it would be a minimum of 20,000km a year though. Do you think it would be worth my while paying a bit more for insurance, and moving up to a bigger engined car?

bazz26 wrote: »

Something like a Seat Cordoba 1.4 TDi:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2007-seat-crdoba-1-4-tdi-sport/8550749?offset=15

Or maybe a Kia Rio:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/kia-rio-diesel/8746903?offset=1

Either of those cars looks very good, thanks! I had completely disregarded Kia from my search for some reason...


Back to a 1.6l, what would ye're opinion be on a car like this? http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/focus-zetec-1-6-diesel-nct-01-17-tax-03-15-clean/8698906?offset=2

bazz26

I wouldn't. It's had a new turbo and injectors fitted recently so why would the current owner be selling it so soon after spending that sort of money on it unless they wanted rid of a money pit? First impression would be that the painted red brake calipers and aftermarket exhaust tail pipes would not inspire me with confidence either.

ajjmk

bazz26 wrote: »

I wouldn't. It's had a new turbo and injectors fitted recently so why would the current owner be selling it so soon after spending that sort of money on it unless they wanted rid of a money pit? First impression would be that the painted red brake calipers and aftermarket exhaust tail pipes would not inspire me with confidence either.

Thank you so much for pointing that out, hadn't crossed my mind at all! I really need to read into ads more..:o