Starting to drive, looking for a car

dubambman

Hi

I'm just starting to drive and have about 3 grand to buy a car. Can only get quoted on a 1 litre. Was thinking of getting a corsa around 2000/99. Just wondering if anyone has had one and can tell me what they're like. As regards performance if it can get to 10mph in an hour im happy cause its faster than I can walk. Also do you think i'd better getting an older polo for the same money

Thanks

alias no.9

Get a micra. Once you get over the styling, you've got an extremely reliable and cheap to run car.

phoenix_nights

alias no.9 wrote:

Get a micra. Once you get over the styling, you've got an extremely reliable and cheap to run car.

Would have to agree. Buy a micra, cheap to run , cheap to maintain and then after a year sell it to something with a bigger engine(1.3). You wont have lost much on the micra.

dubambman

I did a few driving lessons in a micra and absolutely hated them, and the corsa is a bit more stylish for a lad. Also i need a bit of boot space for golf clubs and stuff.

Bluehair

dubambman wrote:

I did a few driving lessons in a micra and absolutely hated them, and the corsa is a bit more stylish for a lad. Also i need a bit of boot space for golf clubs and stuff.

Surprising amount of space in the boot especially when the back seats are down and easy access too.

Funnily enough my better half is considering selling her 2001 Corsa, black 1.0 litre three door hers since new and serviced on time every time. 53k on the clock but to be honest i've no idea what she'd sell it for. I'll ask her later and see if shes still thinking of selling.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

dubambman wrote:

I did a few driving lessons in a micra and absolutely hated them, and the corsa is a bit more stylish for a lad. Also i need a bit of boot space for golf clubs and stuff.

I did a few lessons in a micra aswell over the last month or 2 and it's just a horrible car to drive i think! Drove my mate's 1.4 astra around an industrial estate and it was a lot nicer to drive. I'm getting either a 1.4 golf or civic as my first car within the next 2 months

peasant

On the very first car, personally, I wouldn't be too ambitious pricewise and stylingwise.
Why? Because you are bound to damage it ...not necessarily in a "real" accident (at least I hope not) but scrapes, scratches and "dings" will happen.

Buy a good, cheap (older, possibly unfashionable car) that has some of the above already and the few more that you will put into it won't matter so much.

Try and get something (anything...) with new NCT, hone your driving skills in it and exchange for something nicer after a year when there still is a year's NCT left on it. This way you will only lose a few hundred in depreciation and have more money left once you can risk looking for something "decent".

A good few "old reliables" are whiling away in dealers backyards ...with new NCT they should be around the 1500 Euro mark

is_that_so

Agree with peasant here. Even with a modest budget you'll know when you sit into a car whether you like it or not. Sounds like you're looking at the right kind of car. Just make a list of possible car types and check them out. Stick with the smaller cars.

badbidbod

Hey dubambman, agree with last two posters. Finally gave in to the inevitable and bought me a motor. Initially was looking at a similiar budget as yourself but upon advice went looking for something cheaper. The regular "prangs" that will inevitably occur helped me to aim at the bottom of the market. Look in buy and sell for under a 1000. I got a fiesta 94 with 62000 miles on it. NCT up to Jan. Perfect for my needs for the next few months. Then will sell it on for something similar and upgrade.

JohnCleary

I'll prob get flamed for this but... Rover

You can pick up a mint 1.1 or 1.4 for about 1.5 - 2k. This will leave you with change for insurance.

Fair enough, Rover have a bad rep for head gasket failure, however, if the engines are maintained properly (5 min inspection every week - check coolant and oil) the head gasket will not blow. They are a lovely car, come with a high spec as standard (AC, remote central locking, elecs all round) for the price.

If you want, I would be willing to give a Rover the 'once over' for you, if you paid my transport costs (5euro per 30 miles for petrol), I know exactly what to look out for with the K-Series engine, apart from the usual things

dubambman

THanks for the advice

I hear what your saying about the cheaper car, but I just ran a few qoutes through quinn direct and much to my surprise its cheaper to insure a newer more expensive car than a cheaper older one.

1.0 litre corsa 1997 €2000 insurance = €2798

1.0 litre corsa 2000 €3500 insurance = €2198

Now before you say i made a mistake, i ran it 3 times and kept the same details just ammended the car part.

Maybe they think that a person in a cheap disposable car is more of a liability on the road.
It also turns out i can actually get insured on a bigger engine (bloody brokers) so I'll probably move up to a 1.2 corsa 5dr, have to lug the gang around and the gear, and probably have to do several 50 mile trips a month.
Would like to hear your opinions

THanks again
Dubambman

JohnCleary

*IF* you can afford the running costs of a 1.4, go for it because I guarantee you'll be bored of a 1l in a month

Head The Wall

I had a 1.1L peugeot 106 ran like a dream even though I travelled a lot for work often with the back seats down and it loaded up to the roof. Surprised with the power and pulled better than some 1.3 and 1.4 Ltr small cars. I upgraded to the GTI after this. So thats my recommendation

omb0wyn5ehpij9

There is only €100 difference in the quotes for me between a 1.2 punto and a 1.4 golf, so look into mate. It might be worth your while getting a 1.4 so you wont feel the need to change it so soon!

JohnCleary

Head The Wall wrote:

I had a 1.1L peugeot 106 ran like a dream even though I travelled a lot for work often with the back seats down and it loaded up to the roof. Surprised with the power and pulled better than some 1.3 and 1.4 Ltr small cars. I upgraded to the GTI after this. So thats my recommendation

Small engine size cars amaze me when it comes to pulling power (No, not ladies). My dads 1l micra pulled a 1t boat (on a trailer obviously) up a steep slip way no problems at all. I thought the car was gonna go into the water!

Andy_R

How about something like this:
http://www.carzone.com/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=363832
Its my sister's car, overpriced by about €1,000 but a nice car for €6k, best spec I've ever seen on a Yaris and good to go for a 1.0 litre.

colm_mcm

nice spec on that yaris alright. bit pricey for a 6 year old car though!

dubambman

Andy_R wrote:

How about something like this:
http://www.carzone.com/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=363832
Its my sister's car, overpriced by about €1,000 but a nice car for €6k, best spec I've ever seen on a Yaris and good to go for a 1.0 litre.

I'll give you €3K for it.

ninty9er

I bought a 1.0 Corsa last week, 00 €5k with electrics, sunroof, cd etc... The father has a 97 1.2 Corsa he's gottin rid of and the 1.0 is a pokier drive. The golf clubs will definately fit, (you'll have to take out the drivers). I drove a Yaris 99 sol and the dealer wanted €6k for it, that's the going rate for a high spec yaris such as the link above, he'd come down to 5,400 but thats for a 99. The Fiesta 1.25 was a horrible driver.

The clutch "bite" on the corsa is much more controllable for learners than a Starlet or Yaris

BeardyGit

JohnCleary wrote:

Small engine size cars amaze me when it comes to pulling power (No, not ladies). My dads 1l micra pulled a 1t boat (on a trailer obviously) up a steep slip way no problems at all. I thought the car was gonna go into the water!

I bought an old (1992) Pug 106 1.1 for work at a cost of €700 with 70k on the clock and no NCT. A full set (5) new tyres cost me €150 and a service (did it myself) cost €45. New front shocks set me back a whopping €240 but it sailed through its NCT the week after I bought it.

It's still only worth €650 on the book but I'll be keeping it for another year anyway. It's a smashing little car, does 75 on the motorway, no problem (takes a while to get there in fairness) and has gone much faster than that. This little french run-about costs next to nothing to run and I honestly can't fault it.

I used to drive 2.5l V6 Vectra as a company car and really only bought this because I was strapped for cash and needed my own car for the new job. If I wrote it off in the morning, I'd go out and buy another in a flash. The seats are comfortable as hell for such a dinky little car and I can drive 400 miles in a day without feeling too hammered when I get home. Can't say enough good things about it. Yeah, it's a bit of a girls car but I've done 12k since last August in it - at 72c per mile on mileage allowance so it's made me a fortune too!

With the money you're talking about spending, look into a late 90's 106 1.1 or maybe even a 1.4 and you simply can't go wrong. Parts in every breakers yard and lots to play with if you're so inclined.

Gil

Package

your 1st car your better off getting the cheapest best quality car you can,,, so heres an offer,,, 96 opel astra 1.4 . same quote im sure as a 1 litre,,, good nic, no nct,, cant be more reasonable that 400e ,,, as your probably gonna smack it about a bit,, better spend cheap on a practise car

jd

dubambman wrote:

I did a few driving lessons in a micra and absolutely hated them, and the corsa is a bit more stylish for a lad. Also i need a bit of boot space for golf clubs and stuff.

Mayube an almera then, if it is your first car. I have one (mainly because I'd hate to ruin a better car where I bring it.. )
jd

JohnCleary

Rover 214... Nippy 1.4 litre engine (aso available in 1.1) ... You'll get a mint one for less than a grand, and if you take care of it, it will take care of you