Good car for beginner driver?

siobhaanx · 10-08-2013 09:15PM #1

So, I'm about to start driving and think I'm going to get a car, rather than learning on my parents, seeing that I'll have to pay for insurance on that anyway.

So what's the best car for a beginner, for under €1000? (obviously used :P) As low as possible really.

Thanks for any help

visual · 11-08-2013 11:52AM

Rover 25 1.1

siobhaanx wrote: »

So, I'm about to start driving and think I'm going to get a car, rather than learning on my parents, seeing that I'll have to pay for insurance on that anyway.

So what's the best car for a beginner, for under €1000? (obviously used :P) As low as possible really.

Thanks for any help

A micra is a good car if you can find one in good condition.

colm_mcm · 11-08-2013 12:07PM

Lamborghini Aventador

visual wrote: »

A micra is a good car if you can find one in good condition.

+1. Plenty rattly rustbucket micras out there though so choose carefully

dgt · 11-08-2013 12:11PM

How many miles? What type of driving (rural commuting, town driving etc)?

d1234 · 11-08-2013 12:13PM

Fiat Cinquecento/Seicento

I started to learn to drive in a diesel car and in my opinion it was much easier than trying to drive a petrol car as I found that petrol can sometimes 'cut out'. However, diesel cars are generally more expensive than petrol and their engines are larger e.g. a new petrol polo is 1.2l whereas a diesel polo is 1.6. For a starter car, a micra is a good choice as well as corsas, clios, fiestas and 206's (choose the 1.1 - insurance will be cheaper!)

topcatcbr · 11-08-2013 12:16PM

siobhaanx wrote: »

So, I'm about to start driving and think I'm going to get a car, rather than learning on my parents, seeing that I'll have to pay for insurance on that anyway.

So what's the best car for a beginner, for under €1000? (obviously used :P) As low as possible really.

Thanks for any help

Get the best cheap car you can find with a small engine.

I have seen a good few fiat seciento with low mileage. Practically new cars for under your budget.

Personally I'd go with something like that than an old moves that has been screwed by boy racer types. Any decent moves will be over budget.

Sobanek · 11-08-2013 12:19PM

Nissan Micra

Fiesta?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-fiesta/5427002

jacksie66 · 11-08-2013 12:26PM

This post has been deleted.

Sobanek · 11-08-2013 12:28PM

Nissan Micra

^ I like how you've put the Aventador there

Mister Jingles · 11-08-2013 01:29PM

Toyota Yaris

My first car was a K11 Micra and would rate them highly for a sub 1200 budget compared to its equivalents. When I got mine I was lucky that the only bit of rust was on the front cross member and the rest of the car was rust free but there are many rust buckets out there so watch out. Economy wise its okay but once your on the motorway and doing speeds of 90 km/h or more fuel consumption isn't great.

ba_barabus · 11-08-2013 01:32PM

For the budget I'd consider a Dahatsiu Sirion

ironclaw · 11-08-2013 01:36PM

Toyota Yaris is worth considering. Comes in a 1.0L and is pretty forgiving and easy to drive. You do pay a premium however. A 1999/2000 would probably set you back €1200 or so.

colm_mcm · 11-08-2013 03:16PM

Lamborghini Aventador

ironclaw wrote: »

Toyota Yaris is worth considering. Comes in a 1.0L and is pretty forgiving and easy to drive. You do pay a premium however. A 1999/2000 would probably set you back €1200 or so.

The worst 99s will go for that. Well minded ones will be closer to 2k. There obviously are exceptions, but if i had a grand and needed something like that i would save myself a lot of looking at wrecked ones and just buy something else instead

colm_mcm · 11-08-2013 05:25PM

Lamborghini Aventador

latinogar wrote: »

please beware of who you talk to on this tread, ba_barabus is trying to get this tread closed down, I have gone trough all of his older treads and this is what he always does, he starts trouble until the tread is closed down, just ignore him and anything he says, he is more than likely friends with these guys, you have being warned.

Wrong thread i think.

ba_barabus · 11-08-2013 05:27PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

Wrong thread i think.

He is posting it in all threads I've posted in.

It's nice to be popular :pac:

Renegade Mechanic · 11-08-2013 05:36PM

ba_barabus wrote: »

He is posting it in all threads I've posted in.

It's nice to be popular :pac:

Hes got his work cut out!

JohnBoy26 · 11-08-2013 06:44PM

ba_barabus wrote: »

He is posting it in all threads I've posted in.

It's nice to be popular :pac:

Imo you probably gave the best advice of the lot in this thread when you suggested a Sirion. Thread closed:pac:

siobhaanx · 11-08-2013 08:38PM

Thanks everyone, loads of good suggestions, especially the Lamborghini, haha

Think I might go for a micra, polo or fiesta, like the fiesta Sobanek gave in the link. Would rather a diesel engine, but that probably won't happen. Don't think I'm gonna push my budget over €1000 either.

Shouldn't be doing more than 10,000 km a year and mostly driving on country roads and occasionally motorways.

ironclaw · 12-08-2013 02:17PM

siobhaanx wrote: »

Thanks everyone, loads of good suggestions, especially the Lamborghini, haha

Think I might go for a micra, polo or fiesta, like the fiesta Sobanek gave in the link. Would rather a diesel engine, but that probably won't happen. Don't think I'm gonna push my budget over €1000 either.

Shouldn't be doing more than 10,000 km a year and mostly driving on country roads and occasionally motorways.

All of those make a diesel an absolute no-no.

JohnBoy26 · 12-08-2013 02:56PM

ironclaw wrote: »

All of those make a diesel an absolute no-no.

The budget probably does because diesel cars at that price are usually rough heaps.

However the mileage of 10,000km a year with occasional motorway driving doesn't necessarily make diesel a no no.

It's more to do with where the mileage is put up rather than the amount of miles put up imo. Say for instance if the op had a modern diesel and was clocking up 10k/km on the motorway and on open roads, then there should be no issues related to small mileage occurring. However if that same modern diesel done the same amount of miles in stop/start town driving, then issues are more likely to occur.

Leaving condition aside, a diesel car for 1k will more than likely be an older far less complex diesel car that won't give the issues modern diesels give from stop/start driving.

buttercups88 · 12-08-2013 02:58PM

I started to drive in a fiesta, best car I ever had

Max Power1 · 12-08-2013 03:21PM

buttercups88 wrote: »

I started to drive in a fiesta, best car I ever had

Same here, theres a lot to be said for the auld 1.3 kent engine!

7ofBrian · 12-08-2013 03:22PM

The world does not need more Micra drivers!!!
Get a Yaris / Fiesta / Corsa etc

JohnBoy26 · 12-08-2013 03:40PM

7ofBrian wrote: »

The world does not need more Micra drivers!!!
Get a Yaris / Fiesta / Corsa etc

A 1k budget rules out a Yaris. Fiestas are good but most are rusty at this stage. As for the Corsa forget it!! They are not good at all.

visual · 12-08-2013 04:41PM

Rover 25 1.1

Corsa b can be had for small money cheap to maintain and run. The last of the corsa b have same engine as the corsa c

1.0 liter little 3 pot is a reliable engine with biggest criticism being its a little noisy

Killinator · 12-08-2013 05:19PM

Started out with a 98 1.0 Polo, rock solid learner.

JohnBoy26 · 12-08-2013 05:26PM

visual wrote: »

Corsa b can be had for small money cheap to maintain and run. The last of the corsa b have same engine as the corsa c

1.0 liter little 3 pot is a reliable engine with biggest criticism being its a little noisy

The whole car is poorly built and flimsy and that 3cylinder engine in them is one of the most unrefined 3cylinder units out there.

Max Power1 · 12-08-2013 06:48PM

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

The whole car is poorly built and flimsy and that 3cylinder engine in them is one of the most unrefined 3cylinder units out there.

I've heard countless stories at this stage of them being defeated by not-so-steep hills.

Wouldnt consider them a good starter car as you don't have enough acceleration to get out of trouble.

visual · 12-08-2013 07:32PM

Rover 25 1.1

Ah the corsa haters out in force

Its as fast as a micra / polo makes no difference holds the road good handling for cheap little car has immobiliser so won't be found like a micra with the drivers door bend down and steering lock broken.

Actuality thats something the op should consider that many old toyotas didnt have immobilisers and are targeted by joy riders

Max Power1 · 12-08-2013 07:59PM

visual wrote: »

Ah the corsa haters out in force

Its as fast as a micra / polo makes no difference holds the road good handling for cheap little car has immobiliser so won't be found like a micra with the drivers door bend down and steering lock broken.

Actuality thats something the op should consider that many old toyotas didnt have immobilisers and are targeted by joy riders

Joy riders in a Yaris? Haha yeah right!

Corsa haters? No. Just "factual experience sharers"

Big Davey · 12-08-2013 08:07PM

siobhaanx wrote: »

So, I'm about to start driving and think I'm going to get a car, rather than learning on my parents, seeing that I'll have to pay for insurance on that anyway.

So what's the best car for a beginner, for under €1000? (obviously used :P) As low as possible really.

Thanks for any help

Go for the newest car you can in your budget something plain like a dawoo matiz, or a little Mazda something that does not appeal to the boy racer types. Micras are good but very hard to find a good one. 1k should get you something ok try to get something with a full dealer history, maybe off an old couple etc don't jump on the first thing you see it's a buyers market. Good luck.

Good car for beginner driver?

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