1st car: can't make a choice!

j@utis

Hi there,

Little rant, not nessary to read.
My car driving test is in one month, so I really should to be driving now. but my all my car driving experience is couple times out on the road in my sister's fiat punto. I absolutely hate that car, it's been nothing but trouble since she's got it (inc. engine replacement). Now air flow sensor is gone on it, and my sis is not gonna put more money into the car to get it fixed. Car is cutting out almost everytime you take your foot off the accelerator. I'm not mentioning that heater is not working too and you have to sit in the cold.
So, after adding all these 'mechanical failures' on top of that that I find driving car being very awkward and tricky, I see no chances to pass my driving test in January. And I'm freaked out about to learn driving in Volvo S40 (car size like a boat) which my sis is getting next (p.s. I'm a named driver on her insurance policy).
End of the rant.

So, I'm 27 yo female on my second provisional license. I've always been fond of small cars. It's maybe because that I've been riding a motorbike for two years now and I'm used to my vehicle having a tiny profile (full license on the bike though ).
I'm looking at the cheap micro cars (under 2500eur) such as Nissan micra or Ford Ka. I know you'll start offering ford fiestas and opel corsas, but they're so boring and ugly! I think I have allergy for fiats for now and for ever, so no Fiat sequiblahblah can't even spell it, please.
Are Ford Ka's reliable enough? vs Nissan Micras? or some other tiny cage on wheels you can offer? Thanks!

p.s. the main reason I need a car is to get the full license before they made it more difficult and complicated to get (and more expensive of course). I'll hopp back on my little honda cbr250r next year when good weather is back again and all this car driving nightmare will be forgotten!

Henry Ford III

Ka is fine.

j@utis

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Ka is fine.

do you mean that Ford Ka is better then Micra? From all I've read I think ford's maintenance is cheaper, am I wright?

Henry Ford III

Both are good. Go see a few. Buy the best one you can afford.

L-M

Buy a fiesta, don't buy a ka... The older one's and just, well, black bumpered... The fiesta isn't too bad... I'd normally reccomend a Polo, but no power steering is actually a task in itself...
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=853489
Something like that maybe??

j@utis

why is fiesta better than ka? why to buy only black bumpered ones? and are zetecs better than others?

Henry Ford III

1.25 Zetec Fiesta is a great little car.

craichoe

An S40 isn't a big car .. its a normal sized saloon i'd say, you only need a bit of practise. I drove that fathers Camry, felt massive at first buts its all just about taking your time and using your mirrors.

I did my driving test in an Octavia and did the three point turn no hassle, reversing etc. Its just a matter of getting used to it.

Also, if you buy a second hand car now, you might have a problem shifting later on as people are being put off getting a car to learn to drive in as they will not be able to drive on their own with a provisional/drivers permit anymore.

L-M

j@utis wrote: »

why is fiesta better than ka? why to buy only black bumpered ones? and are zetecs better than others?

Sorry misunderstood... I meant stay away from them, as they are not great looking... Although this one does seem ok. It's more down to ur own taste
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=560848

Also the zetec is a nice car..

zilog_jones

j@utis wrote: »

why is fiesta better than ka? why to buy only black bumpered ones? and are zetecs better than others?

A fiesta is bigger than a Ka, and so is a Micra. The Ka is in a smaller class of cars than those two (Fiesta/Micra/Polo/Corsa/etc. are superminis, Ka/Seicento/Lupo/Atoz/etc. are minis/city cars/whatever).

I have a '98 Fiesta and it's cramped enough in the rear - can't imagine how bad it is in the Ka! You'd be better off with a bigger car if you're frequently going to have passengers, especially considering most superminis are available in 5 door versions.

There's two main petrol engines in the Fiesta - the 1.3 60bhp Endura-E (also the only engine available in the Ka up until 2002) and the 1.25 75bhp Zetec-SE.

The 1.3 isn't the worst engine ever as some seem to think - its torque output is more suited to city driving, it's more powerful than the crappy 1.0 in the Polo, and there's very little to go wrong with it in comparison to other engines. However it can get pretty noisy (it's not too bad if the valve clearances are adjusted properly and regularly though), and fuel economy isn't great. You have no choice but this engine with a pre-2002 Ka.

The 1.25 is a much more refined engine, and is definately a better choice if you're doing any amount of long distance driving. But it has a timing belt, which you'll have to watch out for with a car at this age (1.3 has a chain which doesn't require regular replacement), and more sophisticated = more complicated to work on (for example the thermostat's under the alternator in this IIRC). Later Kas use a simplified 8v version of this engine, but they're prob out of your price range.

Anan1

With a budget of €2,500, you really shouldn't be confining yourself to just one make/model of car. At this end of the market, how the car has been cared for is more important than who built it. Condition and service history come first.

colm_mcm

If I had to choose between a Ka or Micra, I'd go with the Ka.

Get one in the UK (collection model recommended) which will have central locking, electric windows and aircon. Will be bound to be in better condition than the majority of Irish cars on sale.

Better still get a Fiesta 1.25 Ghia.

quickstitch.ie

colm_mcm wrote: »

Better still get a Fiesta 1.25 Ghia.

+1 for that, had a '01 fiesta ghia 1.25, great car, good handling, nippy, and good spec too, my mam got the newer fiesta, like the fusion... thought they made a balls of that one... too high, lots of lurching in corners...

I wouldn't go near a Ka or a micra tbh!

Orange69

Get a Toyota corolla 1.3 linea terra hatchback. You might get a clean 98 for 2500. They are an fantastic car..

I wouldn't touch a Micra or a Fiesta with a barge pole, i would be embarrassed to drive one tbh..

bazz26

My little sister bought a 00 VW Lupo recently for €2,500. Not a fan of VWs but it is a grand little car, looks and feels alot better than the Ka. Pretty nippy aswell for a 1.0 litre and it runs on petrol fumes.