First Timer Seeks First Car Advice

mrsmagoo

I have just learned to drive and now need my first car. Problem is that I know practically nothing about cars and all I know Ive learned in the past week on the internet.

I am looking to buy a small car, '97 up, good engine, Dublin area with a budget of 2,000 to 3000. I can't find anything suitable. :eek:

Any advice on types of cars or even specific buying tips would be much appreciated.

Easily_Irritated

Get a rotary - rx 2, 7 or 8

To hell with cost and the price of insurance and the rarity of em here, get one anyway

mad m

Most first time buyers go for the good auld reliable Micra....I had one myself and it would just keep going. Oh and dont be like a mate of mine,he was in same situation as you and went and got himself a new one after going to look at a few second hand ones.I told him to get a second hand car plus an in-expensive one as he might get a tip in it etc.

But no low and behold he bought a new one and I cant remember how many times he hit something with it...

Goodluck

Guy:Incognito

http://www.cbg.ie/Car.asp?VTypeID=1&DealerID=&Make=&Model=&brsMod=&modID=&ColourID=-1&Colour=&MinEngine=-1&MaxEngine=1400&MinPrice=1&MaxPrice=3400&MinMileage=-1&MaxMileage=-1&MinYear=-1&MaxYear=-1&Dealer=&SortDir=Asc&Keywords=&CountyID=&County=&frmFilter=All&Doors=&Seats=&FuelType=&Distance=-1&Vendor=&Gearbox=&Body=&SubCat=&CompareIDList=&CompareDescList=&TownX=0&TownY=0&Town=&Sort=2&RecsPerPage=13999

bazz26

As you are not driving that long your insurance is probably going to be expensive for a couple of years so best to start with something small and economical.

Here are a few suggestions:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=253381

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=223298

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=257473

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=237535

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=225357

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=255642

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=252016

The Nissan Micra is the only one that has power steering as standard which will make parking a whole lot easier.

DubTony

The Aston Martin DB 9 Volante on cbg looks good. And a geat price as well.

http://www.cbg.ie/Car_detail.asp?CBGID=305614&ID=534209&Make=Aston%20Martin&Model=DB%209%20Volante&frmFilter=All

Insurance could be a problem though....

ibanez

Ford Fiesta. Dont waste your time with Peugot,Fiat,Renault,or Citroen.

Esel

DubTony, meet Easily_Irritate.

You two should get on well together. Now please go back to your Matchbox collections.

Doctor D-Man

Friend of Mine got one of those Mini Motorbike things. I can't see the point in them. Unless you want to be part of a circus act or something or you want to get yourself killed, why get one. Why?!? When I saw it, I thought it was a childs toy. Then he tore off down the road on it at 30mph. Strange yokes really but a damn good way of getting yourself killed if you ask me, taking them things on the road...

Guy:Incognito

Doctor D-Man wrote:

Friend of Mine got one of those Mini Motorbike things. I can't see the point in them. Unless you want to be part of a circus act or something or you want to get yourself killed, why get one. Why?!? When I saw it, I thought it was a childs toy. Then he tore off down the road on it at 30mph. Strange yokes really but a damn good way of getting yourself killed if you ask me, taking them things on the road...

So your saying mrsmagoo should'nt get a mini motorbike? is that what your saying, cos I recon thats what your saying. That is, if it is in fact that I get the jist of what your saying.

Either way, I don't think thats quite the area ahe was looking at anyway,

Duckjob

Definately either a Micra or else a Fiesta like this one:

http://www.cbg.ie/Car_detail.asp?CBGID=301253&ID=529864&Make=Ford&Model=Fiesta%20LX&frmFilter=All

The Micra probably can't be topped for sheer reliability, also it's possibly a bit dull to drive. I'd tend to go more for a Fiesta - nice drive, reliable, dirt cheap to fix if something does go wrong, and I'm told the 1.25 Zetec engine is an exceptionally sweet and punchy motor.

When buying, my advice would be - being somebody along the first time who is a little 'car-savvy', in other words, that they could pick up any warning signs. If they don't notice anything major, then arrange a second visit with a mechanic to do a full inspection, or else arrange for the car to be brought to the mechanics garage. Nobody genuine should have a problem with this, if they do WALK AWAY!

Ask the mechanic for cost estimates for fixing anything he lists as a problem. If the costs are anyway substantial, you can use them to negotiate a lower price.

Good luck.

HashSlinging

mad m wrote:

Most first time buyers go for the good auld reliable Micra....I had one myself and it would just keep going. Oh and dont be like a mate of mine,he was in same situation as you and went and got himself a new one after going to look at a few second hand ones.I told him to get a second hand car plus an in-expensive one as he might get a tip in it etc.

But no low and behold he bought a new one and I cant remember how many times he hit something with it...

Goodluck

^^ what he said.. I bought a brand new car as my first car, as soon as i left the dealer, i drove into a shopping centre and straight into one of those pebble dashed bins. Not much damage but..... :rolleyes:

pontovic

why not a polo ?

theyre reliable, cheap to run, and a nice drive. i picked myself up a nice 1997 polo recently for about 2.5k and it runs sweet. Go for the 5 door models. Theyre cheap for insurance too because they have a 1l engine in them. you would be amazed at the difference in price for insurance between a 1l anda 1.2l engine car, its huuge !!

as for cars to avoid, stay away from punto's and daewoo's as I have been reliably informed that they can give trouble alot of the time.

Con9903

Aye polos are nice

ds20prefecture

Seat Ibiza 1.0

Great car, very robust and nicer looking than a polo, micra or feshty.

If you do get a Fiesta, make sure you get the 1.25 Zetec model. The others are pigs.

mrsmagoo

That was my first time visiting this Forum and I'm really impressed with the amount of replies I got

Thanks to all for the advice. It will definitely be taken into account. Thanks especially to Bazz26 who went to all the effort of handpicking specific cars and pasting the links for me! Mucho respec.

I will continue to frequent the board and will let you know if I have any success.

Doctor D-Man

Stekelly wrote:

So your saying mrsmagoo should'nt get a mini motorbike? is that what your saying, cos I recon thats what your saying. That is, if it is in fact that I get the jist of what your saying.

Either way, I don't think thats quite the area ahe was looking at anyway,

Heh heh, kinda funny. Seems like my post just kinda came from nowhere don't it. I was actually responding to Dubtony who provided a link to a Aston Martin DB9 Mini Motorbike. Sorry if I seemed to be going off topic there

commited

Have you passed your test?

If not dont bother buying a car yet.

DubTony

Doctor D-Man wrote:

Heh heh, kinda funny. Seems like my post just kinda came from nowhere don't it. I was actually responding to Dubtony who provided a link to a Aston Martin DB9 Mini Motorbike. Sorry if I seemed to be going off topic there

and ya see, what I was doing was simply pointing out a silly mistake on cbg. Cos as we all know a DB9 looks like this and the search I did pulled it up. But I can't remember the search. But if you try Aston Martin you'll get it. It was a sort of a jokey thing.