Advice on Buying my Daughters First Car.

Deregos.

She hasn't passed test yet so for insurance we're keeping the engine size to around a 1.2. She's interested in buying a VW Polo. She sent me a link from Marketplace for a 2012 with + 192000 miles for €6000.

I've since found slightly older ones that are cheaper but with half that milage like this one on Adverts.

http://www.adverts.ie/31391941

Is it better to buy an older car with less mileage or a newer one to save a bit more on insurance?

Charles Babbage

I presume that you mean Volkswagen Polo, as in the ad, In my opinion this more suitable than the bigger Golf and likely cheaper to insure.

Deregos.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225667#Comment_121225667

Sorry, you're correct, I meant VW Polo.

Would you go for the newer Polo with high mileage or the older one with lower mileage?

endacl

Depends. Will her insurance company insure a 10 year old plus car on her first policy? If not, that’s your decision made. Resale value on shouldn’t be a consideration on 2012 or older after a few years. I’d be looking at lower mileage and servicing records as a priority over age.

0ph0rce0

I bet she wants a white one 😂 mine was adamant on one.

I just picked up a 2014 ford fiesta 1.25 with 40k km on the clock, had a service history and is mint inside and out for not much more than that.

Much bigger than i remember them back in the day.

Insurance for learner permit, no driving history from axa for 1400. No trackers or any of that shite, everyone else was 2500 - 3000 so thought that was alright.

Don't limit to the polo I would say, I looked at tons of them and every one of them had mad mileage for the price, no history, imports or were previous write offs in the UK.

Once I started looking at other brands life became much easier.

Deregos.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225731#Comment_121225731

Good point, I'll get insurance quotes for both scenarios tomorrow.

Deregos.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225798#Comment_121225798

😄 yeah, funny that, white seems to be the flavour of the month with young ones and their cars.

We've looked at Fiestas, Astras and Honda Jazz's but she's fairly adamant on a Polo now. One car dealer had told us that getting parts for some models is difficult so to keep it to Ford's or Opels/Vauxhalls but she won't listen to sense.

You done well with the Fiesta you found. If you see another similar one, do let me know . . I'm sure she'd be happy out once she's just driving at this stage.

road_high

Quite an overrated car- they’re not well built, can get rattly and may need regular repairs. They are fairly safe though. If it was me I’d probably be looking to the Japanese makes as you’ll likely get better value. Also the Renault Clio gets good reviews for reliability

road_high

Also €6k private for a high mileage basic car that age seems a lot. Not sure that engine is the greatest ever but people that know more than me can comment.

Mazda 2 is a great little car and should be cheaper as not many people know about them

billyhead

As mentioned look at Japanese made cars for reliability i.e. the Yaris.

tabby aspreme

Do your research on the polo as some of the petrol engines give a lot of trouble, fiesta or honda jazz probably the best of the smaller cars,

road_high

Fiesta are good as if something goes they’re relatively affordable and cheap to repair. Generally fairly reliable just watch for rust on older ones. I think the non eco boost engines are fairly bulletproof older simpler technology

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121226013#Comment_121226013

That’s what I thought too, the 1.2 3 cyl can give trouble

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225980#Comment_121225980

I'd much rather a Fiesta than a Mazda 2, but each to their own. Ford repairs are relatively inexpensive. Check the cost of a regular service with different models and when major work might be needed at what cost. Tell the daughter that you'll only pay the servicing costs of a fiesta and if she would like something different then she can cover the extra.

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058317773/advice-on-buying-my-daughters-first-car

From the advert description:

"Car running, timing chain will need to be fixed at some stage"

Also the NCT expired last month on it. Seller is a dreamer looking for 5k for that car.

As other have said, a Fiesta is a good car.

Here is a tidy looking 2012 with reasonable mileage and nearly 12 months NCT for 5.5k:

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-fiesta-2012/34973715

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225874#Comment_121225874

i dont mean to be rude but if shes getting a car bought for her she'd want to listen to sense and be happy with whatever she gets

and go japanese ideally

tabby aspreme

I see in the add it mentions the timing chain will need repairs, its a known issue with that engine so don't think about buying it, the car is probably worth 1500 to a garage to repair and sell on

road_high

I didn’t read that far into the ad. Run

Deregos.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121226289#Comment_121226289

I completely missed that bit about the timing chain on the Polo . . Thanks, That Fiesta is exactly the type of car that I had in mind for her, great find👍

User1998

What about a white Volkswagen Up?

goochy

the white ones are supposed to be good

Fallout2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121228535#Comment_121228535

Does that work the same with a respray?

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121228535#Comment_121228535

😂😂 She said she wanted white

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121226630#Comment_121226630

Really good car, but I wouldnt put a novice in one, they are not wonderful in a big accident and a bit skittish in high winds, on motorways etc. If building confidence for a young driver is important here, then the Fiesta/Polo class is the right one to be thinking about.

The Hyundai i20 and Kia Rio models of the last 10 years are excellent little cars too. Do not overlook.

Water John

Second the Yaris, daughter's first car, brilliant. Never gave trouble, unless she ran out of fuel.😊

road_high

Vw up is a good city car and more reliable and more modern than the older polo but for anymore demanding motoring I’d agree with others- you’d prefer Fiesta class supermini rather than city car class

goochy

Yaris for reliability , Fiesta if she wants a small car with a bit of pep

mondeoman72

I bought my 18 year old a 1l corsa. First provisional. AIG with a tracker box 1800 euro. Year 2, 900 euro, year 3 renewal just come in at 900 euro. Once she gets her full licence it will drop more.

Fantastic car. Bit mundane, but superbly forgiving while learning. Bought in on sight off adverts. 1200 euro. For that price, you cannot go wrong as a starter car. Passed the NCT without issue, not even an advisory.

Stephenc66

Something like this

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/131-ford-ka-very-low-mileage-nct-tax/34998177

First car here 2011 Ford KA, our young lady started out by getting quotes on insurance for various cars in her price range and went from there. The car has been very reliable, cheap to run on petrol service parts are cheap. She commutes about 50km a day on country roads to Limerick city owned 3 or 4 years now.

Along with regular servicing we have replaced rear drop links and two rear shocks not mad money but we can fit the parts ourselves.

Niece has a 2012 VW polo petrol over 300K Km on it now. She does big mileage all over the country. Problems with over heating and the a/c turned out to be a severely corroded and damaged wiring loom that had rubbed on the body. We also replaced the power steering unit at a cost of €500 service, exchange. also replaced a rear wheel bearing and a front brake calliper refurb. But again we are fortunate to be able to do this work ourselves including programming the new power steering unit to the car, so no labour cost.

Not quite a like for like comparison because of usage but the VW is more expensive on parts and in this case the VW has a harder life. Would the KA have faired as well if my Niece were using it I don't know.

djan

How about something a little bigger with longevity of car in mind and its in fashionable white too 😅 low mileage and looks to have some warranty left.

Hyundai i30 for sale in Co. Dublin for €6,800 on DoneDeal

Hyundai/Kia are good bang for buck and as a first car going for a VW or Ford is just paying extra for the badge. Insurance should also be lower on an i30 as its not a typically high claiming starter car.

kuro2k

If I was buying a small car it would be a Yaris