First Time Car

Samba

I am going to be investing in my 1st car very soon, i have a budge of about 1500-2000 (I know very little, but I don't really see the point in speding more on a first timer).

I just wanted to get a bit of advice on a good reliable car for that price and what type of car I might expect to find, year, mileage etc?

Also on the off chance if anyone here is selling somthing that may be of interest to me, preferably i would like to find a lady owner, I am not interested in how fast the car goes, A - B and reliable.

Any suggestions, comments help, greatly apreciated.

Thanks,

Samba

alias no.9

Two words: Nissan Micra. The 1993 to 2003 generation. You should find something between 1995 and 1997 for your budget. As long as it's been looked after it will never let you down. On the down side, it's a nissan micra! By the way, lady owners count for nothing, general condition of the car and service history are much more important. In general (and I mean in general, there are always exceptions) women tend to have less 'mechanical sympathy' for their cars and this can lead to things like not allowing the engine to warm up before revving it, and in extreme cases, neglecting servicing. Granted, there are many boy racers who just drive the **** out of their micras and these should be avoided too. The general rule of thumb would be that if there is anything non-standard about the car (especially cheap tacky bodykits), walk away. Back to my original point, general condition and service history are much more important than 'lady driver'.

koneko

Second that. Micras are really easy to drive, easy to maintain, and very reliable. I only kept mine for a year before getting a better car, but I never had a single problem with it (well, except replacing the fan belt but wasn't really a problem).

If you have any mates that are into cars, get one of them to come along as they'll recognise any odd noises, changes to the car/engine, and might know more about what kind of price you should pay.

Interceptor

It doesn't really matter what you buy, find something you like the look and colour of in the Clio/Starlet/Micra/Polo/Fiesta mixed bag in the Buy and Sell, get someone who knows about cars to check it out for you and haggle hard on the price. I just sold a '94 Citroen AX for €200 with six months tax and NCT and it will go forever with a little TLC - they don't look pretty but go for a week on the smell of an oily rag.

Personally I think you should buy a Ford Scorpio Ghia - you can get a good one with leather and aircon for about thirty quid and spend the rest of you budget on insurance and petrol.....


'ceptr

mike65

interceptor wrote:

Personally I think you should buy a Ford Scorpio Ghia - you can get a good one with leather and aircon for about thirty quid and spend the rest of you budget on insurance and petrol.....

'ceptr

Dont temp the young man! I third the Micra.

Mike.

John R

interceptor wrote:

Personally I think you should buy a Ford Scorpio Ghia - you can get a good one with leather and aircon for about thirty quid and spend the rest of you budget on insurance and petrol.....

Should do for the first week.

klaus23

The old Volkswagen Polo and that Mark III Fiesta are very unreliable - my brother has a 1996 Fiesta and the things that have gone wrong with it are fascinating. And not little things - all mechanical.

I had a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting as my first car, bought in 2001, first registered in 1998. It's a great car, fun to drive and very reliable. In two years of ownership all that went were two clutch pins (oh and I replaced the cambelt at 72,000 miles - cost 600 euro). Insurance is minimal. They go for around 2,200 - 2,800 now.

smokey2

klaus23 wrote:

I had a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting as my first car, bought in 2001, first registered in 1998. It's a great car, fun to drive and very reliable. In two years of ownership all that went were two clutch pins (oh and I replaced the cambelt at 72,000 miles - cost 600 euro). Insurance is minimal. They go for around 2,200 - 2,800 now.

would sooner recommend interceptors idea sooner than one of them li'l coffins!!

get a decent sized car as you're ony goin to be ridden for insurance anyway!!

Clio/Starlet/Micra/Polo/Fiesta and all them are good cars but very small!! go privately (ie buy and sell) with a small budget like yours and you could get yourself a decent golf, astra, sunny etc!!

Samba

Thanks for the advice folks(esp on the Ford), the Micra has been echoed on and off this board to me, even by Mechanics, missed one in the b&s bargain, twas a 00 for 1200....(really need to be waiting for them to come of the print line to pick up the bargains )

As much as I hate the Micra, it does seem to be a good buy for a 1st timer :eek:although I may well just go with a 1.3 Starlet, as insurance is not that much of an issue, will post back and let you know how i get on, another quick question, what year, mileage can I expect to get for 2k on a Micra?

roundcrisis

hi there: I m on the same road at the mo, I m just about to see a Fiat and in the pictures the car looks pretty clean, what should I check to see if the car is good?
its just NCTed and Taxed
I reckon that if the car have just passed the nct should be good is it?
Also, I got a quote from the insurance company but how do I actually make the operation? I mean, lets suppose I buy the car today, shhould I call the insurance company ? how can I drive the car from the place I buy the car up to my house? please help on this one
any extra advice would be very welcome


thanks and sorry if i m invading your thread but I reckon some of this info will be useful to you too.

Paulmee

Toyota starlet is a reliable car, it was the car i learned to drive with.
Try and get a car with power steering though if price permits.
It makes a big difference in the diving test as I found out.

unkel

1.0 Micra. Cheap and cheerful. Should be extremely reliable. Although 12 years old, the model is technologically more advanced than a brand spanking new similar Renault is now. Not at all a bad car to drive and pretty nippy for a one liter. Also grand if you are tall and fine on long spins. Drive it safely and build up your NCB cheaply. I presume you have a full license? If not, don't get a car / insurance until you do

Happy motoring

Samba

Heh, I actually don't as of yet Unkel, I failed 3 months ago for, snigger lack of progression, yes driving like a Granny, all i want is A-B in one piece and I am a happy man, a mechanic is sorting out cheap insurance for me, thats the only reason I am getting it without the full, have the test coming up in 1 months time ;

Sherifu

Good luck with the test, I have to apply for mine soon.
Got a quote for insurance with provisional licence.
Lets just say it wasnt favourable and wouldnt be covered by your
budget so now i have to wait an eternity to get tested.

John R

rmulryan wrote:

Good luck with the test, I have to apply for mine soon.
Got a quote for insurance with provisional licence.
Lets just say it wasnt favourable and wouldnt be covered by your
budget so now i have to wait an eternity to get tested.

http://www.drivingtest.ie/drivingtest/HTMLContent/passrates.html
Apply in Ennis, a high pass rate and 12 week wait.

Tommy Vercetti

roundcrisis wrote:

hi there: I m on the same road at the mo, I m just about to see a Fiat and in the pictures the car looks pretty clean, what should I check to see if the car is good?
its just NCTed and Taxed
I reckon that if the car have just passed the nct should be good is it?
Also, I got a quote from the insurance company but how do I actually make the operation? I mean, lets suppose I buy the car today, shhould I call the insurance company ? how can I drive the car from the place I buy the car up to my house? please help on this one
any extra advice would be very welcome


thanks and sorry if i m invading your thread but I reckon some of this info will be useful to you too.

You will need to be insured before you drive away, you could put a deposit on the car, then go sort out the insurance details before you finalise the deal.

Oh and Fiats are ****e, and Micras are ugly granny cars. Go for an early 1990's Lexus LS400, at least you will be comfortable when you're being shafted by the ins. co's.

unkel

Good luck with the test, Samba

IanluvsKathleen

just a quick question men/women. is it possible for a person to have two seperate insurance policies on two different cars by two different companies?cant afford my own policy and the aul boy drives a civic vti so not a chance in gods balls of me getting insured on that. if he was to get another more reasonable automobile, get insured on that and throw me on as a named driver would that work?
cheers