What car to buy?

geo88

Yet another what car to buy thread .

Here are the relevant details:

• Early 30s new driver, only gotten my full license recently, no insurance history -> I guess I should go for a lower spec'ed engine. Max 1.4 L? Less than 10 years old?
• Will do about 30 km a day in total, so I'm thinking petrol is probably the best choice here (not enough mileage for the hybrid/electric premium I'd need to pay). Will be doing maybe another 400 km on the odd weekend every couple of months, I'd expect I will be doing around ~10,000 km a year in total.
• I'd like to buy a car that I can keep and drive for the next 3-5 years without too much hassle.
• Budget - I'm thinking around 5-7k for the car (excluding insurance). Given I don't know much about cars - is it better to buy from a dealer with some warranty included?

Thoughts? What is the best value in the market for the given situation in that price range?
Does going up North for a car make sense in this price range?

From other threads, the makes & models I've seen recommended would be:

• Toyota Aygo, Yaris
• Renault Clio
• Suzuki Swift
• Ford Fiesta
• Skoda Fabia?
• Fiat Panda, Punto
• VW Polo

What max year and max mileage should I target when looking for cars?

Lantus

Engine size has a big effect. So by way of example get a few insurance quotes on the same model and different engine sizes. But you may well be looking at 1 to 2k initially regardless.

Car choice for first car at that budget best driven by insurance. Get 2 to 3 years no claims then you can go for something a little nicer.

Belfast

some thing like this?

2011 Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI CLASSIC 105BHP
€6,900
https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2138302&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D80%26o%5B%5D%3D682%26nx%3D4%26nn%3D2%26g%3D0

colm_mcm

Belfast wrote: »

some thing like this?

2011 Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI CLASSIC 105BHP
€6,900
https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2138302&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D80%26o%5B%5D%3D682%26nx%3D4%26nn%3D2%26g%3D0

Something about that car giving me bad vibes! Maybe it’s the stripe down the side, or the towbar, or the wood trim on what looks like an otherwise base model. I can’t put my finger on it.

I think this engine had timing chain issues too?

Philb76

That looks like it was owned by a local authority or something the white and the towbar the tsi engines from that era had the dreaded chain problems

geo88

It's in Limerick as well, I'm currently only considering cars in the Dublin area.

Wildly Boaring

Fiesta?

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-fiesta-2013-low-km-high-spec-stunning-car/20429863

Wildly Boaring

Also to answer some of the queries in the OP.

You're doing small mileage so what will catch you out is actually the 10 year thing with insurance companies.

So say you plan on holding for 4 years for your 7k, then look at a 2013 or newer.

Mileage. The lower the better. But realistically on a small petrol and with your low planned mileage you could easily get something with 100k km and see no real issues over the few years.

But there could easily be a nice low mileage say under 50k km for your money.

Look for a long NCT. Nothing stopping a seller doing the NCT today and selling with 2 full years.

Bigus

Seat Mii,skoda Citigo ,Vw up! Some good value in ex rentals.

Belfast

geo88 wrote: »

It's in Limerick as well, I'm currently only considering cars in the Dublin area.

A little over the budget.

2010 Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI ELEGANCE 105BHP **NCT 05/20**
€7,994
Odometer: 42,578 miles /
68,521 km


https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2005033&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D80%26o%5B%5D%3D682%26l%5B%5D%3Dp2%26nx%3D4%26nn%3D2%26g%3D0


Frank Harte Motors Dublin
Portmanna
Clonee
Dublin 15
D15 N628

www.frankhartemotors.com

Henry Ford III

3 door Fiesta with a 1.0T Ecoboost engine might be the answer.

I'd probably import one if I were you.

colm_mcm

Is be reluctant to recommend any old-ish small capacity turbo engined cars to someone looking for the least amount of hassle.

geo88

@Wildly Boaring - that Fiesta looks great, travel is a bit of an issue given that I don't have a car currently..
Thanks for the advice provided!

One thing I'm not clear on is: the "10 year thing" with insurance companies. Does that mean after the car is 10 years old, I'm going to find it very hard to switch insurance companies (which makes the current company free to increase the premium as they see fit) or even to renew with an existing insurer? Reading some threads on that on boards, I thought the limit was 15 years - though that information might be a bit old.
Is it really 10 years now? Shocking if so...


@colm_mcm - what's wrong with small capacity turbo engine cars in general? Do they break down more or are they a lot more expensive to fix? Or is that the old ones (e.g.: 2010-2013) are know to have problems?


@Henry Ford III - would you say that's worth doing in the listed price range as well (5-7k)?

Wildly Boaring

Insurance companies can be slow insure a 10 year old or older car.

Check for a quote before purchase.

colm_mcm

geo88 wrote: »

@colm_mcm - what's wrong with small capacity turbo engine cars in general? Do they break down more or are they a lot more expensive to fix? Or is that the old ones (e.g.: 2010-2013) are know to have problems?

They’re inherently more complicated than a regular non turbo engine, less forgiving of less than perfect servicing, more likely to go wrong - and if they do, they’ll be likely to cost you more to put right.

Wildly Boaring

geo88 wrote: »

@Wildly Boaring - that Fiesta looks great, travel is a bit of an issue given that I don't have a car currently..

Not hawking the fiesta and have nothing to do with the garage.....
But that car is in newbridge. Hardly out Mongolia. There's a load of trains and buses. The whole place commutes to Dublin.

You one of these dubs considers lucan the sticks? 😂

Belfast

colm_mcm wrote: »

Is be reluctant to recommend any old-ish small capacity turbo engined cars to someone looking for the least amount of hassle.

Are the newer small capacity turbo engined cars any better and if so from what year?

finalfurlong

Cansay that the 1.2 tsi in golf from 2013 on -mk 7 -has the belt rather than chain and is a better unit .we have a 2014 one trouble free but had myriad of problems-fuel pump,timing chain,water pump-with the 2011 mk 6 model.octavias.fabias.audi a1 s ,leons would be using same engine.