What would a good car be to move to after driving a starlet

mrsuperclear

Hi all,

Just looking for a bit of advice as my motoring knowledge is limited.

Bought a 98 starlet and learned how to drive in it. Brilliant car, reliable, never broken down, 1.33l engine, everything I really wanted.

It's just getting a little old now and i know I should probably upgrade in the near future.

Don't want a big car, hatchback or smaller. Also really impressed with toyota after 4 years of the starlet. I would also like to stick with roughly the same engine size. Reliability would also be a big factor, as a 26 year old girl who knows very little about cars, i don't want to be stranded in a broken down vehicle.

Willing to spending roughly 10k and would hope for it to last me for a few years.

All advice greatly appreciated thanks!

bazz26

One of the last Toyota Corolla hatchbacks before it was replaced by the Auris seems an obvious choice. That model Corolla is superior to the Auris that replaced it. They also added a good bit of extra equipment on the run out Luna model and should be as trouble free as your Starlet:

Here is an example well within budget:
http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Toyota/Corolla/corolla-1.4/143314237578890090/

colm_mcm

If you don't want to go much bigger than the starlet, a Honda Jazz or Yaris 1.33 would be my picks

alan partridge aha

Toyota Yaris every time, try get a MKIII Luna model 2011 onwards. I have a 1.0 and while it wont set your heart racing it is well capable if you are not doing a lot of motorway driving.

Quite roomy, very frugal and brilliant resale. The 1.3 is I think in the same tax brkt so it will be livelier but not as many for sale. Honda Jazz is very good but not great looking IMHO.

mhackett102

What kind of mileage do you reckon you do in a year? Are you doing a lot of motorway driving, or rural, or mixed?

Toyota Corolla as mentioned above is a good choice, but is much bigger and heavier than the Starlet.

I'd recommend a Ford Fiesta. Can be got in either diesel or petrol, with the 1.25 petrol engine being the most popular. Nice to drive and not too bad looking either. You could easily get a 2010 within your budget (not sure of how much they go for, but did see a 2009 one for sale for €8500 not too long ago).
My sister had one before and it never gave a bit of trouble.

alan partridge aha

mhackett102 wrote: »

What kind of mileage do you reckon you do in a year? Are you doing a lot of motorway driving, or rural, or mixed?

Toyota Corolla as mentioned above is a good choice, but is much bigger and heavier than the Starlet.

I'd recommend a Ford Fiesta. Can be got in either diesel or petrol, with the 1.25 petrol engine being the most popular. Nice to drive and not too bad looking either. You could easily get a 2010 within your budget (not sure of how much they go for, but did see a 2009 one for sale for €8500 not too long ago).
My sister had one before and it never gave a bit of trouble.

That Toyota Corolla is way overpriced and that shape is now 13 years old.

colm_mcm

alan partridge aha wrote: »

Toyota Yaris every time, try get a MKIII Luna model 2011 onwards. I have a 1.0 and while it wont set your heart racing it is well capable if you are not doing a lot of motorway driving.

Quite roomy, very frugal and brilliant resale. The 1.3 is I think in the same tax brkt so it will be livelier but not as many for sale. Honda Jazz is very good but not great looking IMHO.

The 1.0 would be a bit of a shock coming from a 1.3 Starlet.
I'd definitely seek out a dual vvti 1.33 6 speed.

mrsuperclear

Thanks a million for all the advice!

Mileage wise i drive to Louth from Dublin City Centre about once every two weeks for the weekend - so about an hour on the m1, and then maybe popping to the shops etc but thats it.

However moving jobs so will have to be driving from the city centre to Swords and back again every day.

Would like to avoid going to a one litre purely for on the motorway, the starlet despite it's appearance can accelerate quite well for overtaking etc with the 1.33.

Thanks again - all advice appreciated!

flazio

Perhaps the Volkswagen group cars might be worth a look. I hopped over from a Starlet to a 2001 1.4 Skoda Fabia and loved it. Really nice car on the road and well able to hold its own on the motorway, can't say it was 100% reliable but it was never expensive to repair and maintain.
Polos usually have a decent rep as well.

Toyotafanboi

flazio wrote: »

Perhaps the Volkswagen group cars might be worth a look. I hopped over from a Starlet to a 2001 1.4 Skoda Fabia and loved it. Really nice car on the road and well able to hold its own on the motorway, can't say it was 100% reliable but it was never expensive to repair and maintain.
Polos usually have a decent rep as well.

shocking advice imo.

people slag 90's Toyotas for having boring interiors, but those people have never been inside a mk1 Fabia.

9n ad 9n2 Polos are really fairly **** too.

i'd much rather an e12 Corolla, yes, it's not a pulse racer either but they are every bit as well finished as a 9n polo, but better spec'd (as a general rule) and infinitely more reliable and economical. they hold good money for a reason.

alan partridge aha

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

shocking advice imo.

people slag 90's Toyotas for having boring interiors, but those people have never been inside a mk1 Fabia.

9n ad 9n2 Polos are really fairly **** too.

i'd much rather an e12 Corolla, yes, it's not a pulse racer either but they are every bit as well finished as a 9n polo, but better spec'd (as a general rule) and infinitely more reliable and economical. they hold good money for a reason.

Corolla is very reliable no doubt, however at this stage is very dated and a 1.3 Yaris is a better option. If I had to buy a Corolla 06 or 07, I wouldn't pay anything above 5k for it irrespective of condition or extras.