Buying my first car. Please help

CashelDaRock

So I need to buy my first car for an upcoming work placement, and I am being left desperately frustrated with what to look at. I have a budget of a maximum €7000 to spend on the car, however I would much rather stay closer to 6. I am also looking at cars with under 100k miles (is this being too narrow minded?). I had my heart set on the Opel Astra as it is the most frequent hatchback to come up in my budget and mileage range and i think they're quite a nice car to look at, though have since been advised by two garages that they're not terribly reliable. I will be covering about 40,000 km a year, and preferably want something with a bit of power under it and is sporty yet not too devastating on insurance.
Any advice/ recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

bazz26

There are much better cars out there than the Astra. Do you need a 3 or 5 doors?

CashelDaRock

bazz26 wrote: »

There are much better cars out there than the Astra. Do you need a 3 or 5 doors?

Preferably five doors, but tbh I have no real necessity to have 5, it would just be personal preference, so 3 will also do.

bazz26

I'd have a look at something like the Renault Megane:

https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2259395&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D72%26o%5B%5D%3D619%26f%3D2%26b%3D2%26yn%3D2012%26yx%3D2014%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0
https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2236704&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D72%26o%5B%5D%3D619%26f%3D2%26b%3D2%26yn%3D2012%26yx%3D2014%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0

The older model had a terrible reputation for reliability but the newer models are way better.

CashelDaRock

Thanks, I was also looking at them. Im not in love with the look of them, but I suppose for my first car on this budget I cant be too fussy

Del2005

Don't worry about mileage if the car has been maintained and has a verifiable history. With your annual mileage the car will be worthless if you hold if for 3 years, using your 100k limit. So you may as well get a high mileage well maintained car as it'll be cheaper to buy and you won't lose much when you charge.

CashelDaRock

What would be your opinion about buying privately / from a dealership. Ive been mainly looking at dealerships as I have no experience of buying a car before, and wouldnt know a badly maintained car if it came up and slapped me in the face.

liam7831

Look at an Auris, polo, golf, fabia or Focus, Renault and Opel are buckets of $hite

ednwireland

what about an old model kia ceed ?

https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2266462&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D39%26o%5B%5D%3D1126%26e%3D7000%26i%3D100000%26ot%3Dm%26nn%3D8%26yn%3D2012%26yx%3D2014%26g%3D0

https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2020589&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D39%26o%5B%5D%3D1126%26e%3D7000%26i%3D100000%26ot%3Dm%26nn%3D8%26yn%3D2012%26yx%3D2014%26g%3D0

full list
https://www.carsireland.ie/search-results.php?make_id%5B%5D=39&model_id%5B%5D=1126&min_year=2012&max_year=2014&colour_id=&body_type_id=&doors=&ncap_overall=&min_price=0&max_price=7000&road_tax_cost=&mpg=&min_engine_id=8&max_engine_id=&fuel_type_id=&transmission_type_id=&max_power_bhp=&green_rating=&min_odo=0&max_odo=100000&odo_type=m&added=&seller=&ubf=0&fts=&fts_or=0&submit=Search+used+cars

Dravokivich

Can you not arrange for someone to look at the car?

Squidgy Black

CashelDaRock wrote: »

What would be your opinion about buying privately / from a dealership. Ive been mainly looking at dealerships as I have no experience of buying a car before, and wouldnt know a badly maintained car if it came up and slapped me in the face.

Get a mechanic to go check any prospect cars out. In that budget, you'd likely only get a 3 month engine/gearbox warranty from the dealer, and they'll just be cars they've taken as trade ins or cars they've bought from other garages as trade sales.

You need to look for service history, and receipts for work completed (if they mention timing belts/chains etc).

sonyvision

I,ll back a Renault Megane. I have a 2010 version 3 door coupe bought it with 33,000km in 2012 and currently have 192,000km with timingbelt done after 6 years so another 3 years to go for that.

Fuel economy at motorway speeds is approx 5.5l per 100km because it is the basic spec I have 15inch wheels with front tires lasting over 30k and rear lasting double at least. My last full replacements set was for bridgestones 320 fitted.

I have no problems with the car and plan on keeping it untill it stops. Should get a 2011 or 2012 for 5k with change spare. As long as there is a solid service history I wouldn't be to worried about miles.

bazz26

Laguna is worth a look at too especially for extra comfort driving 40k km per year.

https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2154303&r=s.php%3Fm%3D72%26o%3D618%26r%3D2012%26pp%3D50%26g%3D0

kirving

liam7831 wrote: »

Look at an Auris, polo, golf, fabia or Focus, Renault and Opel are buckets of $hite

I'd much rather do 40k km per year in a €7000 Megane than a €7000 version of any of the above, with the exception of maybe the Focus.

CashelDaRock

What should the maximum mileage be that I look at? I get that it's more how the car is maintained, but what would you guys say I should put my limit at?
Cheers

Squidgy Black

CashelDaRock wrote: »

What should the maximum mileage be that I look at? I get that it's more how the car is maintained, but what would you guys say I should put my limit at?
Cheers

You're looking at diesel cars, so you're probably looking at a car that's done on average 15-20,000km a year roughly (on the low side), or at least someone who's driving a diesel to merit DPF regens and no issues with carbon build up etc.

I wouldn't set a limit on mileage at all, as there's no real maximum. You want to try and keep it around the average mileage per year, so on a 7 year old car for example, anything in between 100k km and 150k km would be around average.

But again, service history and regular maintenace is more important than the mileage, you could have a car that only has 80k km on the clock but wasn't regularly serviced, that will cause you more trouble than a 200k km car that was serviced regularly and taken care of.

CashelDaRock

Appreciate the help guys!

chicorytip

Are you looking for a car with an engine size of 1.6 litres or smaller? The Toyota Auris D4D has proven reliability and longevity. It's a 1.4 litre and very economical to run. The Avensis, of course, is the most reliable of the lot but it has a 2.0 litre engine.

liam7831

sonyvision wrote:

I,ll back a Renault Megane. I have a 2010 version 3 door coupe bought it with 33,000km in 2012 and currently have 192,000km with timingbelt done after 6 years so another 3 years to go for that.

Kevin Irving wrote:

I'd much rather do 40k km per year in a €7000 Megane than a €7000 version of any of the above, with the exception of maybe the Focus.

Doubt a megane would do 40km in its lifetime never mind a yr

CoBo55

liam7831 wrote: »

Doubt a megane would do 40km in its lifetime never mind a yr

They'd do it easily, the 1.5 dci is very reliable.

bazz26

liam7831 wrote: »

Doubt a megane would do 40km in its lifetime never mind a yr

The pub just range, it wants it's bar stool back.

BorneTobyWilde

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2012-1-0-ford-focus/21538624



You should do view some 1.0 ecoboost Fords like this one.
They're great apparently.

CoBo55

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2012-1-0-ford-focus/21538624



You should do view some 1.0 ecoboost Fords like this one.
They're great apparently.

For 40,000 km a year? I don't think so.

liam7831

bazz26 wrote: »

The pub just range, it wants it's bar stool back.

Judging by your spelling I think you may need to lay off the beer, anyway back to the topic.

bazz26

liam7831 wrote: »

Judging by your spelling I think you may need to lay off the beer, anyway back to the topic.

Ah yes, when no real valid counter argument then resort to the old predictable spelling police comment. Well done sir.

chicorytip

BorneTobyWilde wrote:

You should do view some 1.0 ecoboost Fords like this one. They're great apparently.

Thirsty. The diesel versions are far more economical.

Lantus

Get a few cars from small to medium lined up as to what you want and get insurance costs, your first car may well be greatly impacted on real insurance costs.

A diesel would be good for 40k a year.

PsychoPete

Something like this might suit you. Kind of sporty,Reliable engine, it should have had the timing belt done last year though

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2012-renault-megan-gt-line-tomtom-1-5cdi/21404156

CashelDaRock

Had a look and quick drive of a white 2011 white Megane today, and I liked it a lot. It had 91,000 miles on it, was looking for about 5800. Paint was great and spotless inside. It was from a dealership, I'm just wondering is it a small bit pricey? Insurance is €1900, but all the cars I seem to be looking at are there or there abouts in terms of insurance anyway.

CashelDaRock

Also I went to another dealer looking at a focus, I didn't bother driving as my father actually has one and itf what I learned to drive in, however the paint wasn't as good and he was looking for 7300. He said that the timing belt has to be changed much more in the Megane than in the focus. Could anyone confirm to me if this is actually a true statement or he was just trying to talk down the Megane as he didn't have one? Thanks

corks finest

CashelDaRock wrote: »

So I need to buy my first car for an upcoming work placement, and I am being left desperately frustrated with what to look at. I have a budget of a maximum €7000 to spend on the car, however I would much rather stay closer to 6. I am also looking at cars with under 100k miles (is this being too narrow minded?). I had my heart set on the Opel Astra as it is the most frequent hatchback to come up in my budget and mileage range and i think they're quite a nice car to look at, though have since been advised by two garages that they're not terribly reliable. I will be covering about 40,000 km a year, and preferably want something with a bit of power under it and is sporty yet not too devastating on insurance.
Any advice/ recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

go for a 1.2. 2011 honda fit,or a 2010 insight, dependable,frugal