How much did you pay for your first car?

richiepoorman

In 1995 I paid £150 for a '84 Ford Fiesta (Diamond White with extra rust for free) Mk2 and was seen coming by my gf's brother! LOL. Did ok until it broke down on A13 in East London and then sadly died. At the time it got us about and did the job - proper first car.

12k on a first car is chavvy - I hope everyone she is trying to impress will give her a lift when she wrecks her motor.

Saab Ed

£300 for an Alfa Arna 1.5 twin carb. Looked like sh1te, went like stink

Zube

Anan1 wrote: »

In general i'd agree, but I think we can safely assume this one is going to be wrecked anyway.;)

I bought my very first car new: a 1988 Peugeot 205 XS. Great little car, it was, too. Like PaddyFagan, I'd already learned to drive in family cars before buying anything for myself.

djvext

I paid 13,500 for my first car, a Peugeot 307.....wrote it off after 6 months (nasty accident where the car flipped over)...Anyway, I learnt my lesson the hard way and now have a better understanding and respect for the roads and other drivers.

I bought a BMW 3 series 2 years after.. I still think about the accident everytime i get into the car. I'm aware of what can wrong and how unpleasant it is. These TV ads are not sufficient, IMO, people need real life experience (maybe to actually see a crash site....as opposed to putting people purposely in harms way!!! LOL)

Anan1

Zube wrote: »

I bought my very first car new: a 1988 Peugeot 205 XS. Great little car, it was, too. Like PaddyFagan, I'd already learned to drive in family cars before buying anything for myself.

They were a great little car. As you say though, I think the key is driving experience. I well remember taking left turn in the car I learned to drive in, an elderly Carina. There was a lamp post right on the corner, when I (as in my body, not the back of the car car) drew level with it I turned left. BANG went the rear arch off the lamp post. It's a big transition, from bicycle to car...

Eoin

I paid IR£500 for mine - an 89 mini. Spent multiples of that on life support equipment for it, but it only kept it going for 6-7 months

JackieChan

I bought my first car in 1997,it was a 1988 Renault 5 and cost £1300. First year insurance was £1450-I was 22 at the time!

Caused me nothing but heartache towards the end,head gasket went,clutch,wheel bearings,both driveshafts,exhaust,alternator,...- Got to know a mechanic up the road from me quite well in the end-handily his name was Mike!
I used the scappage scheme(got 1000 quid off new punto) that was running in 1999 to finally get rid of it

Saab Ed

JackieChan wrote: »

I bought my first car in 1997,it was a 1988 Renault 5 and cost £1300. First year insurance was £1450-I was 22 at the time!

Caused me nothing but heartache towards the end,head gasket went,clutch,wheel bearings,both driveshafts,exhaust,alternator,...- Got to know a mechanic up the road from me quite well in the end-handily his name was Mike!
I used the scappage scheme(got 1000 quid off new punto) that was running in 1999 to finally get rid of it

A friend of mine has a 1988 R5 in good condition , free to a good home if you fancy re-living your youth

ztoical

Paid around 900 euro for a 97 Micra two years ago [bang on two years as it was xmas 2006] planned to get newer car after I passed my test the following year but car is still going strong so haven't bother to change yet.

JackFrosty

i paid £100 pounds for my first car, a hillman hunter in 1989!

it was built like a tank which was just as well at the time, cos it met many a ditch and a few walls until i got the hang of it!!!

I used to call it a hillman grunter, have to say it was a good car to learn in, cos it wasnt easy to drive and i learnt alot from it

Got a mark 2 escort after that which was great fun!!!

Wish i still had them now, they are both collectors cars these days

Dont think anyone should spend more than 1000euro on a first car

JackieChan

Saab Ed wrote: »

A friend of mine has a 1988 R5 in good condition , free to a good home if you fancy re-living your youth

Thanks, but it might not be a good idea.It's only in recent years that I have recovered from the mental trauma it caused!

Saab Ed

JackieChan wrote: »

Thanks, but it might not be a good idea.It's only in recent years that I have recovered from the mental trauma it caused!

I feel your pain. I still own a 1982 one for my troubles

biko

My first car was a free hand-me-down. But there's no way I'd pay more that 1000-15000 for a first car.

The Real B-man

€4k 01 Seat Ibiza

boredatwork82

My first car was a 1.6 opel vectra 1998. Bought it in 2006 for €1850 sold it a year later for €1200. Fine car, big spacious and alright to drive.
Couldn't be arsed dealing with people so priced to sell. it did straight away. Only changed it because I got a bargain on a 00 octavia diesel, which i took because I do loads of mileage.

My recommendation is buy an ugly car. Then she will not be trying to impress her mates in a flash sporty looking car, and she will drive learn to properly and safely.

Also 12k on a car is ridiculous in this market. There are many fantastic cars that can be picked up for 4-5 grand.

Flesh Gorden

97'Ford Escort Cabaret - €1000

State Blue Pearlescent Every with extra available ( except ABS and Traction control )

great deal - love it - parts are dirt cheap even when new

I had one big advantage starting off though - driving forklifts, scissorlifts and a few other machines for 2 years prior - gives great spacial awareness, judgement and calmness; especially when things come close to going b*llox up

and apart from a 15 year old k****er in a Hiace scraping the paint off the right corner of the back bumper have had no issues or accidents

and 12K!! - tell her get an Opel Tigra and a money management course!

BTW what age is she?

murphym7

€1,600 on a 1998 Renault Meganne in 2004. Even signed a waiver waiving my right to a warranty (dope) You live and learn!

12k on a first car sounds a bit mad unless she ha sbeen driving your car for the last few years and has a full license and isn't 18.

Holsten

Too much.

The tax man

Mid 80's less then £500 on 2 minis.
1st mini upon further inspection after purchase was a lost cause to rust.
Went and bought another one and between both created one good car.
Great little car that lasted me a few years.:D

HashSlinging

I paid 16,000 punts for my first car, it was the best thing ever. In hindsight it was one of the stupidest things ever also, I crashed into a shopping centre bin the first week I bought it put a little mark on the front that stayed with the car till I sold it 6 years later....just an example of the stuff that can happen...

Do yourself a favour and get a car for her, as a christmas pressie and that it'll be it, you can pickup some bargains right now.. the worst condition the better. Also say to her there will be a nicer Hyundai Coupe out there for less this time next year.

billyhead

Exactly Harsh slinging. Thats why I suggested a car like the one I am selling.

unionman

£4k in 1997 for a '91 VW Polo Fox. 1 litre engine, and absolutely bomb proof. Wish I still had it as a runabout.

€7k in 2001 for a '98 VW Polo Classic (the saloon model). 1.4 ltr, great car, low running costs.

€3k in 2006 for an '01 Renault Laguna, 1.6 ltr petrol. Great car, zero problems. Trading it in to pick up new car in January (Nissan Q+2)

€12k for a Hyundai Coupe as a first car? Madness, but if she goes for it she will learn the hard way. I'm thinking massive insurance and a couple of prangs in the first month.

HashSlinging

Something like this springs to mind

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=81689&cat=all

kuro_man

she should get a very good 1.25 fiesta for around 3k (avoid the 1.3L)

If she insists on a coupe, then get a 6 year+ 1.4 ford puma which will be cheaper to buy, insure and repair and probably handle better than the hyundai. Looks better too in my opinion. Rear visbility not great, but car is small and nimble.

Eoin

kuro_man wrote: »

If she insists on a coupe, then get a 6 year+ 1.4 ford puma which will be cheaper to buy, insure and repair and probably handle better than the hyundai. Looks better too in my opinion. Rear visbility not great, but car is small and nimble.

That's exactly what I was going to suggest as well. If she has her heart set on an pricey and sporty looking car, then pointing her towards an old starlet probably won't sway her much. For all the abuse the puma gets, I've heard it's not a bad car to drive at all.

Anan1

eoin wrote: »

For all the abuse the puma gets, I've heard it's not a bad car to drive at all.

The Puma's a great little car to drive. Perhaps not ideal for learning to reverse around corners in, though.

rebel.ranter

I'm 6ft 4' & my first car was a Mini, in 1992 I paid £150 for a 1974 Mini. It had 5 different engines during my ownership!

Berty

£3500 for a 97 Seat Ibiza in 2001. 3 door, Racing Red, Spoiler, Alloys and seat covers. I was the coolest dude in the world.

6 months later. £2100 of damage caused by numpty in another car. He paid. LOL

L-M

99 Polo, hand me down.

Ah that was a little challenge to drive. Had muscle's for 4 months:P

Sleepy

97 Civic for 3700 in 2006.

Had been driving since 97 and had the license before buying.

Crazy spending anything more on a car when you're going to destroy the clutch (and multiple body panels).