Best car on student budget?

jimgoose · 06-09-2013 02:25PM

RayRay123 wrote: »

I know...it sucks! especially since Im a girl and before the EU went and said thats unfair for boys, it was gonna be okay! I know theres gender equality and all the stuff but you cant argue with statistics!...better stop before I rant!

I agree. That blasted gender directive thing is one of the most ridiculous fiascos I've ever heard of.

djimi · 06-09-2013 02:30PM

Just out of curiosity, can you explain your insurance situation? What do you mean by "Im covered under my mams name for any car under 1.2L." when you say she already has a 1.3 car?

RayRay123 · 06-09-2013 02:39PM

I dont know...she got a deal made up...i think its like a lesser version of me being covered on a third party car. I kinda zoned out if Im honest when my dad tired to explain

RayRay123 · 06-09-2013 02:42PM

jimgoose wrote: »

I agree. That blasted gender directive thing is one of the most ridiculous fiascos I've ever heard of.

I say some irish guy in the EU went to insure his son and nearly feinted, then a drinking buddy boasted how cheap his daughter's insurance is, one thing lead to another, and BAM! girls cant be cheap to insure...

jimgoose · 06-09-2013 02:42PM

RayRay123 wrote: »

I dont know...she got a deal made up...i think its like a lesser version of me being covered on a third party car. I kinda zoned out if Im honest when my dad tired to explain

Let me have a go - nearly every comprehensive, and many TPFT, policy has the standard "driving other cars" extension, which allowed the policyholder to drive any other car that they don't own as long as it's engine is no bigger than 2.5l.

Your mam has negotiated a "tailored" instance of this standard extension, which includes cover for you as long as the car is no bigger than 1.2l. Right?

RayRay123 · 06-09-2013 02:46PM

jimgoose wrote: »

Let me have a go - nearly every comprehensive, and many TPFT, policy has the standard "driving other cars" extension, which allowed the policyholder to drive any other car that they don't own as long as it's engine is no bigger than 2.5l.

Your mam has negotiated a "tailored" instance of this standard extension, which includes cover for you as long as the car is no bigger than 1.2l. Right?

Id assume thats whats she's done...thanks for the explanation!!

toastedpickles · 06-09-2013 02:48PM

Corollas here corollas there, wall to wall corollas

Screw that! Op get yourself an Opel Astra 99/03 model, you can pick them up for peanuts, maintain them for half the peanuts and once you look after it it will look after you, they're rather comfy too, and even though it's a hatchback it's a grand size, very nippy too!

They're a 1.4 engine and probably the most fuel efficient thing from that era, (just my opinion maaaaan :pac:) insurance is handy enough on them and tax for the year is around 300, or 108 for three months, it's a car that just keeps going

Trust me I should know!

power pants · 06-09-2013 03:00PM

1.4 is a bigger number than a 1.2

mgbgt1978 · 06-09-2013 03:01PM

Toasted pickles......1.4 is €385 per annum. closer to €400 than €300.
Op has already stated a few times that she doesn't want, or can't, exceed a 1.2 litre car.
Really it's an older starlet (pre '96 to stay below 1.2l)), a micra or a rough Yaris for this budget.

ps. OP, if you know anybody mechanical then there's a whole world of Fiat seicento's, Peugeot 106's/ Citroen saxo's, Renault clio's, etc out there......otherwise probably safer to stick with something Japanese.

djimi · 06-09-2013 03:01PM

jimgoose wrote: »

Let me have a go - nearly every comprehensive, and many TPFT, policy has the standard "driving other cars" extension, which allowed the policyholder to drive any other car that they don't own as long as it's engine is no bigger than 2.5l.

Your mam has negotiated a "tailored" instance of this standard extension, which includes cover for you as long as the car is no bigger than 1.2l. Right?

Would be a very strange level of cover for an insure to offer third party extension to a (presumably) named driver on a policy to cover a car that is registered in their name?

jimgoose · 06-09-2013 03:02PM

djimi wrote: »

Would be a very strange level of cover for an insure to offer third party extension to a (presumably) named driver on a policy to cover a car that is registered in their name?

Certainly would. I'm only trying to guess what the set-up is based on rather limited data!

RayRay123 · 06-09-2013 03:08PM

I honestly dont know the extent of the cover! Im relaying second hand info to you here....f#####g cars, theyre so complicated to buy!

Thanks for all the advise here though! I really appreciate it! I think its down to myself now to go shopping...:)

granturismo · 06-09-2013 03:13PM

I had a quick look through the thread and couldnt find any mention of parking.

Have you checked out the cost of parking at the campus?
Is there parking available on campus or will you have to use a private carpark.

Most campus car parks are full at 11am - some at 8am depending on the college.

Parking costs also vary between colleges.

The advantage of using a decent bus service bus that you wont have to be in every morning before 10am or whatever to get a parking space if only have 1 lecture in the afternoon.

Sobanek · 06-09-2013 03:16PM

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

lets face is, your own car is infinitely cooler than getting the bus.

sorry to sound biased buy if you want a half decent car for under a grand with NCT it has to be an old corolla or starlet imo.

for example my starlet costs around €55-60 to brim its very small tank when its nearly empty. and i get around 600km's to a tank which is good going. tax is €385 for the year and insurance despite the odds is cheap.

60 quid to fill up a starlet? :O A 40 litre tank? Wow, it's 50 litres in the Volvo S40/V50! But we do get approximately 800kms to the tank on 46 litres of diesel, now that it's been serviced

Ded_Zebra · 06-09-2013 03:17PM

You could do a lot worse than this provided that the misfire isn't due to bad compression.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/punto/5631140

RayRay123 · 06-09-2013 03:20PM

granturismo wrote: »

I had a quick look through the thread and couldnt find any mention of parking.

Have you checked out the cost of parking at the campus?
Is there parking available on campus or will you have to use a private carpark.

Most campus car parks are full at 11am - some at 8am depending on the college.

Parking costs also vary between colleges.

The advantage of using a decent bus service bus that you wont have to be in every morning before 10am or whatever to get a parking space if only have 1 lecture in the afternoon.

Yeah I have:) when I said earlier that its 2700 per academic year to run a car, I incl. parking in that. In the college Im goin to its €400 per academic year(24 weeks) and you rent a space, so hours are not important.
Its something so easily over looked though! thanks:)
Anyway Id be there all day! Im doing Engineering which is 9-6pm most days!

RayRay123 · 06-09-2013 03:22PM

Ded_Zebra wrote: »

You could do a lot worse than this provided that the misfire isn't due to bad compression.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/punto/5631140

To many FIAT horror stories! theres a reason the unofficial moto is "Fix It Again Tomorrow"...

Ded_Zebra · 06-09-2013 03:24PM

RayRay123 wrote: »

To many FIAT horror stories! theres a reason the unofficial moto is "Fix It Again Tomorrow"...

Don't believe the sh*te your granddads friends tell you down the local :rolleyes:

They are very reliable and excellent driving little cars.

Toyotafanboi · 06-09-2013 03:24PM

Ded_Zebra wrote: »

You could do a lot worse than this provided that the misfire isn't due to bad compression.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/punto/5631140

mk2 cunto would be a good option allright. so many available though i wouldn't bother looking at one advertised with problems.

Ded_Zebra · 06-09-2013 03:27PM

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

mk2 cunto would be a good option allright. so many available though i wouldn't bother looking at one advertised with problems.

But with very low miles and 4 name brad tyres would you believe!:eek: I would suspect that that one has been fairly well looked after. Only going to see it can tell though.

RayRay123 · 06-09-2013 03:30PM

Ded_Zebra wrote: »

Don't believe the sh*te your granddads friends tell you down the local :rolleyes:

They are very reliable and excellent driving little cars.

2006 Fiat Uno dead in 6weeks, after one long trip and little city driving...NCT 3weeks before purchase!

1998 Fiat Cinquecento one year, learner driver, new gear box, tires and extras, then falls apart for no reason!

2001 Fiat Punto, driven around Cork city for 3months before it started to give up. Engine would suddenly cut or time belt would break, and then the driver door started to fall off. It was NCT-ed before purchase with flying colours and it had new tires and suspension!

These are my cousins cars.

Ill never get one! My grandad has only ever driven a Corolla and my other grandad has only ever driven Nissan. :P

dgt · 06-09-2013 03:37PM

RayRay123 wrote: »

Too many FIAT's to choose from, a brilliant little car! theres a reason the unofficial moto is "Ferrari In Affordable Trim"...

That's what you meant

Sure, go and believe that other load of crap. Your choice to rule out a potentially cracking motor.

I bet those cars were poorly minded. Actually, I'm pretty sure they wern't minded just out of pig ignorance and meanness. Just to say "oh that ball of crap didn't make it to the pub, don't buy one" People like that deserve every breakdown they get

Ded_Zebra · 06-09-2013 03:38PM

It's a pity that you have that view as they are probably the best car in your budget. Excellent handling, nice little engine that are very reliable once they are maintained.

dgt · 06-09-2013 03:43PM

Ded_Zebra wrote: »

It's a pity that you have that view as they are probably the best car in your budget. Excellent handling, nice little engine that are very reliable once they are maintained.

I find with people with this attitude, they're fed a load of bollox from a group of miserable folk who never bothered their arses to maintain the car properly. Thus this vicious circle continues today. Tbh, I can't be arsed saying otherwise, I know what they can and can't do.

Most with this stupid view never owned one in the first place and get thick when I point this out because lets face it, what would they know without even owning one :rolleyes:

Ded_Zebra · 06-09-2013 03:47PM

dgt wrote: »

I find with people with this attitude, they're fed a load of bollox from a group of miserable folk who never bothered their arses to maintain the car properly. Thus this vicious circle continues today. Tbh, I can't be arsed saying otherwise, I know what they can and can't do.

Most with this stupid view never owned one in the first place and get thick when I point this out because lets face it, what would they know without even owning one :rolleyes:

Well at least it means cheaper little gems for us

n1ck · 06-09-2013 03:47PM

I had a FIAT... will never ever buy one again. Things broke on it that the mechanics in the garage had never even heard of. "Phonic wheel" great fun altogether.

RayRay123 · 06-09-2013 03:51PM

Its the same family and they are mad about cars! They spend a fortune on maintenance! (to much if you ask me) but they keep goin back to FIAT coz theyre a peppy and great drive...for as long as they last...But I think that third one was the last draw...i doubt theyll ever get one again!

I know theyre well within my price range...but for a reason! they dont last...

Every brand has their pros and cons. Nissan for example; Great engine but crap clutch and gear box and all almeras I know have a leaky boot! oh and the exterior finishings on some models are to soft...but other than having to double pump goin to and from 3, avoiding ditches and drying out the boot now and again, theyre a nifty car!

Ded_Zebra · 06-09-2013 03:51PM

n1ck wrote: »

I had a FIAT... will never ever buy one again. Things broke on it that the mechanics in the garage had never even heard of. "Phonic wheel" great fun altogether.

A Phonic wheel is just a device to measure rotational speed. They are used in ABS wheel sensors among other things. Any mechanic that does't know that certainly wouldn't be working on my car.

dgt · 06-09-2013 03:58PM

n1ck wrote: »

I had a FIAT... will never ever buy one again. Things broke on it that the mechanics in the garage had never even heard of. "Phonic wheel" great fun altogether.

An ABS ring. They couldn't figure that. How thick can you get :rolleyes:

dgt · 06-09-2013 04:00PM

RayRay123 wrote: »

Its the same family and they are mad about cars! They spend a fortune on maintenance! (to much if you ask me) but they keep goin back to FIAT coz theyre a peppy and great drive...for as long as they last...But I think that third one was the last draw...i doubt theyll ever get one again!

I know theyre well within my price range...but for a reason! they dont last...

Every brand has their pros and cons. Nissan for example; Great engine but crap clutch and gear box and all almeras I know have a leaky boot! oh and the exterior finishings on some models are to soft...but other than having to double pump goin to and from 3, avoiding ditches and drying out the boot now and again, theyre a nifty car!

Define maintenance by their standards. I'm all ears

Best car on student budget?

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