What starter cars for first time driver?

Cal04

Looking for a starter car my my 18 year old daughter. Would love a Toyota or fiesta but they are like hens teeth. Can't be more than a 1.2 engine and budget is 5,500. Any recommendations please.

Princess Calla

I loved my fiesta. I was going to suggest that. I have a focus hatchback now, it doesn't feel that much bigger. The only thing is it's 1.6 diesel and I don't really do enough driving for diesel but couldn't get a petrol one at the time. However it's a grand car.

A friend of mine has a micra for years and plans on keeping it until the wheels fall off.

Wossack

Suzuki swift

alfa_aficionado

Is there a such a thing as a list showing which vehicles are in which insurance groups?

harmless

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120597144#Comment_120597144

Insurance group is a UK thing. I don't think it's done like that here.

Any 1.0 - 1.4 petrol that is not more than 12 years old should be a good starter. Pay a mechanic a few quid to look it over. A 12 year old car from any manufactuer will be reliable if it has been looked after.

chicorytip

Renault Clio.

Opel Corsa.

db

Have a look at the VW Up. I never would have considered it until one came up on donedeal when my daughter was looking. She has been very happy with it, reliable, way to drive, insurance not too bad.

Cal04

Any opinion on Clio, local garage has one.

Kimbot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120597470#Comment_120597470

Insurance groups is a thing in ireland, my car falls into group 30. Heres a little guide that may help....

https://mannioninsurance.ie/car-insurance-groups-how-to-find-the-cheapest-cars-to-insure/

Zverklez

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120598805#Comment_120598805

The link might be .ie, but the article mentions the groups being set by "members of the Association of British Insurers" and mentions Vauxhall instead of Opel

put_the_kettle_on

@Cal04 hi there, we bought our daughter a Renault Clio to learn in. She didn't drive it much before her test ( my nerves couldn't cope ) but she eventually passed her test on the 7th attempt and I don't think I'm doing her any great disservice by saying she's not the most mechanically sympathetic driver on the road. So the Clio, which she has now driven regularly for 3 years has not fared well. It's almost impossible to find 1st gear. When the car is in traffic 2nd gear vanishes, and if you do find 2nd it won't allow you to change up to 3rd gear. The two top gears are fine though.

Brakes and suspension have also been troublesome as have wheel bearings.

If I had my choice over again, I'd have picked something simpler to maintain like an old mini.

niallpatrick

Vauxhall Agila 1.2, suzuki make the exact same model under their own name the suzuki splash. The only thing I don't like about them is the power steering is mechanically assisted not full hydraulic. Good town car but not so good on the b roads and twisties but it handles them well enough

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120599671#Comment_120599671

When I was getting my fiesta serviced years ago I mentioned to the mechanic that I had my eye on a Peugeot 207 convertible (cos why not) he said with the amount of neglect he was seeing on my lil fiesta (I too was not a mechanically sympathetic driver) I would be absolutely crazy to touch a french made car.

My fiesta lasted me 15 years, I gave it to my brother for his girls if he still has it she'd be 23 now. It caused me no problems. I only got rid of it as I couldn't get isofix installed into it for the baby carseat plus wasn't too keen on the lack of safety features in comparison to modern cars. Especially doing M50 driving with a baby.

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120599757#Comment_120599757

Ah Jesus, you much really dislike the OP's daughter to recommend one of those. 🤣

Couldn’t go wrong with a fiesta tbh that was my first car and I loved it til it started falling apart cos I drove the divil out of it 😎

picked up recently a Qashqai and I’m loving life since but definitely wouldn’t have managed it previously. 😂

Yaris or Auras would be another good shout or a hatchback Corolla they’d nearly outlast ye

Kimbot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120599495#Comment_120599495

Still holds weight here, as I said my car is in category 30 here in Ireland as told to me by my insurer when I changed the insurance to it.

bazz26

I wouldn't get too hung up on insurance classification of cars. When it comes to premiums it's not always the defining factor. The person being insured, their driving experience (or lack of), their age group, their profession and where they live are just as much factors. Insurance companies have statistics to support the risks within those cohorts on how they calculate premiums.

niallpatrick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120599816#Comment_120599816

Just an option within the paramaters not a solid recommendation, 1.2 town car under 5000 euro used cheap to tax in the 6 it's £30 a year don't know about the 26 road taxes and mechanics don't dread working on them and it also doubles as a mini van and it's 4 door. As long as you don't try hammer the crap out of it it'll do and useful for weekends away or a holiday

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120598695#Comment_120598695

Most reliable car I've ever had. Brilliant for learning in and they usually look good.

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120599889#Comment_120599889

when looking for a starter car its all that matters

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600085#Comment_120600085

Under 1.4L and not too old or too new is what I’d say is more important than the “class”

I was insured for less than €1k with Axa on an 03 fiesta 1.4 diesel last year, I’d highly recommend getting a quote with them

I also got contents insurance for €100 year that knocked a few pound off with their multi policy discount. If you or anyone else in the house is with Axa you can get that discount also 😎 took the sting out of first time insurance (other quotes were 2-3k+). Without discount was around €1300

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600085#Comment_120600085

It's not though. Insurance for an 18 year old on a learner permit is going to cost more than for a 40 year old with a full licence for 20 years even if both were insuring the very same car. The type of car is important but not the only importance.

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600314#Comment_120600314

can the 18 year old mentioned above make themselves 40?

no

thats why they are looking for a starter car

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600264#Comment_120600264

an under 1.4l fiesta is putting you in a low insurance group, you wont even get a quote on a high insurance group car, for insurance they love a new car

djan

I'd look into cars that are at least a class above the likes of VW UP. Something closer to golf sized like a fiat bravo, Citroen c4 or the newer Peugeot 308. These will have better longevity and won't be such a shock to move to standard sized cars down the line. Sometimes the stereotypical starter cars like micra can be more to insure than the bigger ones as the former tend to have more claims. Also bigger cars usually tend to be higher base spec and in the current pricing climate much better value.

Found a 1.4 Turbo Fiat Bravo with 150bhp less to insure than a 1.2 90hp Polo with a new driver on it. Definitely shop around with quotes before buying!

kirving

Insurance groups may not be published, but my insurer commented that my car being Group 41 was what prevented an N driver being insured on it. A quick chat to the underwriter at they were happy enough and insured the N driver.

Anesthetize

If you can get a Fiesta Mk7 with your budget you'll be doing well. I've been driving one for the past 7 years. It's as solid as a rock, no problems whatsoever.

a clanger

VW Up! (Skoda citgo / SEAT Mii) are all the same car. 1L cheap to insure and run. I'm on my second UP! a GTI version most fun car I've ever had.

bazz26

As mentioned above, the Up!, Citigo or Mii are good options.

A clean looking example with 4 doors and low mileage:

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/seat-mii-2014-5door/33701351

Or if she doesn't need rear doors then the Fiat 500 is also worth a look:

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/fiat-500-pop-2012/34087051

dinorebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120596567#Comment_120596567

Way out of budget.

Cal04

On a different note, my second daughter will be 17 end of the year. I had always hoped to Insure her on the car daughter one is getting. Would she be able to get insured as a named driver with older daughter? My car is a newer 7 seater and I'd prefer for her not to learn in it.

chicorytip

A MK1 Nissan Note 1.4. Not pretty looking but very reliable and durable. Should be cheap enough to run.

Gorteen

I was in your position last year. Got a very nice Hyundai i20 for about €6000. One owner, nice spec, Irish car. My daughter loves it and the 1.2 petrol engine was mentioned by a number of car sales guys as a very reliable engine. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat!

db

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120606326#Comment_120606326

I was in this position when my first daughter started driving. I had a newer 7 seater and a smaller older car. I started her off on the older car and she was finding it a bit difficult to manage.

We changed to the newer bigger car and she found it much easier with better clutch and gearbox, electronic parking brake, reversing camera etc. The size of the car doesn't make it that much more difficult to learn on and they will be a better driver because of it.

djan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120615289#Comment_120615289

Agreed, first time drivers have no point of reference for what a "big" car is so might as well start with something decent sized like a focus/golf. Theno a potential transition to something bigger isn't as challenging.

The minis don't fare as well in a crash either so I'd stay away unless city driving only.