Suggestions for simple / basic car. Easy to work on etc

Bronco Bullfrog

Hello,

I would be interested in people's recommendation / suggestions for a basic non complex car to learn basic car maintenance and servicing on. I'm interested in buying a project car just as like a hobby and my young lad is car mad and keen on learning about cars.

I've heard Hyundai Accent or Kia Rio from around 2004 - 05 are fairly basic? Anyone agree?

Should be able to pick up something cheap (as possible) etc to fettle with and keep on the road as a runabout.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions / advice.

colm_mcm

Get something that’s easy to get parts for. A cheap golf or something would have plenty stuff wrong with it.

punisher5112

Yaris or Punto

Pops_20

My recommendation would be a 1995-1999 Toyota Starlet, with the 1.3 litre 4E-FE engine. Dead easy to work on and parts are readily available.
These are starting to hold their value now, so it could be something to work on and move it on in a few years.

JCN12

Early to Mid 00's Fiesta's, Clio's and Corsa's could be a good place to start.

There's a channel on YouTube that I've followed for sometime. It's a guy who at the beginning, was in a similar place to you, but has developed quite a bit.

Some of his content can be interesting if you fancy a look:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCAPPwmy6TfvzEOskLK5bGxw

Hellrazer

Hyundai accent 2000 - 2004
You can literally fix anything on them with a Lidl tool kit!!!

Bronco Bullfrog

JCN12 wrote: »

Early to Mid 00's Fiesta's, Clio's and Corsa's could be a good place to start.

There's a channel on YouTube that I've followed for sometime. It's a guy who at the beginning, was in a similar place to you, but has developed quite a bit.

Some of his content can be interesting if you fancy a look:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCAPPwmy6TfvzEOskLK5bGxw

Brilliant! Thanks for that, much appreciated.

Mad_Mike

punisher5112 wrote: »

Yaris or Punto

I second Fiat Punto also. My own young lad had a few and learned some basic bits working on them. Cheap to pick up, easy to work on and tons of them around every scrap yard in the country, so bits are available no problem and cheap.

Also, the Fiat forum is a very good online resource with a very helpful crowd using it. Its broken down into each car model, and the common issues, loads of How To's etc

As @JCN12 says, James on The Savage Garage is actually very good for bits and bobs on small cars, although over the last year or so, he has kinda lost interest in the channel and it shows, but the earlier stuff is very hands on and great to watch for Fiesta/Corsa content

kirving

Something traditionlly more popular in the UK like a Fiesta or Corsa will likely have lots English language videos for the majority of tasks.

European or Japanese I think would be easier than Korean in terms of availability of info.

Bronco Bullfrog

Mad_Mike wrote: »

I second Fiat Punto also. My own young lad had a few and learned some basic bits working on them. Cheap to pick up, easy to work on and tons of them around every scrap yard in the country, so bits are available no problem and cheap.

Also, the Fiat forum is a very good online resource with a very helpful crowd using it. Its broken down into each car model, and the common issues, loads of How To's etc

As @JCN12 says, James on The Savage Garage is actually very good for bits and bobs on small cars, although over the last year or so, he has kinda lost interest in the channel and it shows, but the earlier stuff is very hands on and great to watch for Fiesta/Corsa content

Thanks for your reply and info on the Punto, much appreciated, Cheers.

CoBo55

Pops_20 wrote: »

My recommendation would be a 1995-1999 Toyota Starlet, with the 1.3 litre 4E-FE engine. Dead easy to work on and parts are readily available.
These are starting to hold their value now, so it could be something to work on and move it on in a few years.

I don't know where this stuff comes from but Starlets are not easy to work on.
Access to many components is extremely difficult without a ramp or pit.
Hyundai/Kia parts are expensive enough with many parts being dealer only.
I'd recommend a Punto, very easy to work on and parts are readily and cheaply available.

Bronco Bullfrog

CoBo55 wrote: »

I don't know where this stuff comes from but Starlets are not easy to work on.
Access to many components is extremely difficult without a ramp or pit.
Hyundai/Kia parts are expensive enough with many parts being dealer only.
I'd recommend a Punto, very easy to work on and parts are readily and cheaply available.

Thanks for your reply, appreciate it.

bazz26

I'd look at a early 2000s Ford Fiesta or Ka with the older 1.3 litre 8v engine. That push rod derived engine originates back to the 1960s so mechanically it's as simple as you could probably get these days. The cars themselves are rotters at this stage so you might be able to find one going going for next to nothing that failed the NCT for rust.