First car..bit of advice?

[Spud1]

I'm finally getting around to getting myself a car of my own now, thanks to a generous donation from my parents (and my dads new job ). Thing is, i've not actually looked at getting myself a car since I was 17/18 (i'm 22 now), since I didn't really need one while at uni. As a result I really have *no* idea whats good and whats not anymore; hopeing I can get a few reccomendations on here as for what to avoid and what could be a gem.

I have a budget of 7k including first years insurance - and would prefer to buy new, OR a recent (less than 12 months old) second hand car. Insurance seems to be about £600 or so for me for pretty much any hatchback with a 1.0-1.6 litre engine (4 years driving experience, no incidents).

I'm looking for a hatchback really, 3 or 5 door - although i'm open to any other suggestions that people might have. Engine size wise i'm not overly fussed, the car will mainly be used for motorway and inner city driving, so don't need a big 2ltr monster! (not to mention to insurance cost would kill me there..)

I do have a couple of cars I really want to avoid like the plague - that being any of the smart cars, any kias, and daewoos, and the ford KA..but other than that I am pretty much open to suggetions.

I've had a look around at new cars first, which is prefential for the guarentees that offers and the ability to customise to a certain degree - although I realise with a budget as small as this my options there are pretty limited. So some of what I like so far..

Corsa Club - really like the interior here, comfortable to sit in..but a bit expensive as the best i've found is 8495 with 1yr free insurance - so would need to make 1500 magically vanish off that price!

VW Polo - I drove the 2006 model as a hire car and loved it, not had chance to go to a VW dealer yet so not sure of the 'real' pricing of these, but seem around budget (just)

Ford Fiesta Style - list price is almost 10k but I've seen them for 6.5-7k in dealers - seems promising.

I've only just started looking really though so feel free to ignore those suggestions

with respect to buying used - I imagine I could save a few grand there and/or possibly get one with more extras for the same money - any reccomendations there?

This will be my first car that I will own myself, so really want something I can take care of thats going to last me a few years..so its gotta be perfect lol

[SHare]

Unless you have money to burn I would avoid buying brand new, get something with delivery mileage or a year or two old. I think the general recommendation is going to be a focus or fiesta but you could probably pick up something a bit more interesting with that budget. I'd look at getting a small diesel myself, maybe look at a skoda fabia vRS, although it may stretch your budget a little for that particular model.

I have been toying with buying an Alfa 147 jtd so I dont think my advice will carry much weight

[Howard]

Ford Focus.

Decent size that it won't be too small yet they aren't really big, you'll probably "grow out" of a Corsa/Polo after a while. If you get a 1.6 model it'll be fine and give decent economy around town and on the motorway without struggling too much. They're well built, reliable and decent to drive

[MD]

If you go for a fiesta, go for a 3yr old from a dealer with a years warranty. They lose masses in the first three years and plateau off a bit in terms of depeciation after that.

I certainly wouldn't buy a ford unless it was three years old, they have one of the worst depreciations in the country.

Look at a Honda Civic Sport though, should be in your budget from a dealer - cheap to insure, pokey 1.6 vTEC.

Matt.

[kalniel]

For your first car I'd avoid anything pokey - that way each new car can feel like an upgrade

Echo the comments about going second hand, really you can only gain by doing so. Fiesta is a top choice, fiat punto is also good. Corsas are very easy to drive. You've got a generous budget so just go out and test loads of cars and get one that you like the most.

[Fox]

Howard is spot on here - you want a Ford Focus. Even at 2-3 years old it'll be a better car than a brand new Fiesta, you'll lose less money on it, and you'll keep it for longer before getting bored.

[Taz]

I'd get the best car you can get for your budget rather than a car with the most extras/options. In other words, a base model of a quality car rather than a fully-loaded model of a car from the class below.

You should also consider running costs (insurance, service, exhaust, clutch, tyres, fuel, etc). The location of dealerships might also be important to you. Unless you're a real car enthusiast, it's no use buying an unusual car with only five dealerships in the UK.

What level of practicality do you want? How many passengers will you need to carry?

Draw up a shortlist and then go and test drive a few cars. All cars feel different to drive, with respect to the seating position, seat comfort, pedal reach, steering wheel position/adjustability. Many potentially great cars are ruined because they are not comfortable or easy to drive. You build/height will be a significant factor in how much you will enjoy driving a particular car.

Then there's the fuel option: petrol or diesel? Diesel cars drive differently to petrol cars (with diesel you change gears much sooner but you have much more torque). Will you ever need to tow anything? Diesel is the preferred engine option if you will need to.

[Howard]

I'd get the best car you can get for your budget rather than a car with the most extras/options. In other words, a base model of a quality car rather than a fully-loaded model of a car from the class below.

For example? A decent Focus/Civic is what he wants. At the classes he's thinking of (small to medium sized hatchbacks), and amount he's spending, a fully loaded model of the car in the class ABOVE is what he wants (Focus vs Fiesta).

Regarding your comment, I disagree to an extent. I'd rather have a fully loaded Ford Mondeo than a sparsely equipped BMW 318i S (or whatever the base spec BMW is). Most cars are "decent" in that respect nowadays, with the odd exception (Alfas, they'll fall apart and French cars, for their occasional electrical gremlins, although I do like their newer offerings).

Then there's the fuel option: petrol or diesel? Diesel cars drive differently to petrol cars (with diesel you change gears much sooner but you have much more torque). Will you ever need to tow anything? Diesel is the preferred engine option if you will need to.

Rubbish, a decent petrol engine will tow more than you think. It's the drivetrain that helps more

[Fox]

I'd get the best car you can get for your budget rather than a car with the most extras/options. In other words, a base model of a quality car rather than a fully-loaded model of a car from the class below.

Personally I would advise the compelte opposite. Basic cars soon get very boring.

I'd quite gladly swap the BMW 116i I am currently driving for, say, a Mondeo Zetec right now!

[Howard]

Fox is hot on my tail today

[headbrace]

You can shoot me down in flames if you like, but just my 2p

You're 22. Live a little. Focus', finance options, strong residuals and all that are all well and good, but 7k is a lot of money, that can either be spent conservatively and sensibly, or you can have a bit of fun.

Don't buy new, that makes no sense for anyone really, certainly not in the 7k range. Buy something stupid. Get something that no one else in your age range has. Buy a two seater (assuming you don't have kids). Buy an E class estate. Buy a Renault 5 Turbo. Buy something, anything, that isn't obvious. Buy a cheap micra or mondeo or something else to get you to work every morning, and buy a Triumph Spitfire for driving at the weekend.

Buy a Saab 9000 Aero and confuse and scare people. Buy a T5. Buy a Land Rover Defender, and enjoy living the stone age.

Please, please don't be boring.

[Bunjiweb]

I'd agree with Headbrace's comments, You should be able to insure something nice very for under £500 a year if you have more than 4 yrs no claims. That leaves you with £6500 to spend, which is a fine wedge. I wouldnt reccomend buying new, Get something 18 months old and you will get a MUCH better deal, say a 53/54 plate or something.

As for what you go for, well only you can decide! I'd go for something that will last longer than a fiesta or corsa will. I guarentee you that if you went for one of these you would be bored in a years time! And totally following the above comments, SOMETHING THAT ISNT OBVIOUS!

Ben

[herulach]

You can shoot me down in flames if you like, but just my 2p

You're 22. Live a little. Focus', finance options, strong residuals and all that are all well and good, but 7k is a lot of money, that can either be spent conservatively and sensibly, or you can have a bit of fun.

Don't buy new, that makes no sense for anyone really, certainly not in the 7k range. Buy something stupid. Get something that no one else in your age range has. Buy a two seater (assuming you don't have kids). Buy an E class estate. Buy a Renault 5 Turbo. Buy something, anything, that isn't obvious. Buy a cheap micra or mondeo or something else to get you to work every morning, and buy a Triumph Spitfire for driving at the weekend.

Buy a Saab 9000 Aero and confuse and scare people. Buy a T5. Buy a Land Rover Defender, and enjoy living the stone age.

Please, please don't be boring.

2nd entirely. £7k will buy a lot of car (even if you take into account its going to be about 6 if you knock insurance off.) If you must have something sendible, at least get something quick and sensible (t4/t5, Leon Cupra R (TDi)). Youd need to be a mug to buy anything less than 3 years old for that money

[Spud1]

wow ok so lots of advice here..it seems the overwhelming opinion though is *not* to buy a new car..and to buy second hand.

I got chance to have a quick look around a couple of garages today which gave me food for thought, and I've set aside a couple of hours tomorrow to go to some more to see whats available. I've also sat and thought a bit more about what my requirements would actually be..and what I really need/want.

The most important things for me are the running costs/fuel economy - as I hinted at in my first post I am not payng for this car myself really, the money is coming from my parents and therefore isnt mine..so I need to think about how I am going to keep the darn thing running. I am smack in the middle of starting my own business and cash is very tight at the moment..so I need to keep the running costs to a minumum. I'll be using it two or three times to travel from manchester to stafford and back (80-100 mile round trip) and it needs to cost me less than £15 for the trip (the equivalent metro+train fare). In the Yaris or VW Caddy i'm driving at the moment its about £10 so if its going to be the same or less than that then thats great - if its more then I can't really justify the car. Anyway to summarise that I really need a good MPG on whichever car I go for


As for how much space I need - transport for 2 or 3 people is what i'm after, and definitely need rear seats (so a 2 seater is out unfortunately), but I dont need that much luggage or boot space really

insurance - just to clear something up here I dont have 4 years of no-claims, I have 4 years of named driver experience..which raises the cost quite a bit on anything boy racer or flashy ;/

On the new/2nd hand point..I understand what you are all saying here, financially it makes sense that because of depreciation I am going to be able to get a higher spec and/or higher class of car 2nd hand than brand new..my only worries here come down to the possible warranty/repair costs and (especially) the fuel efficiency..a lot of the new cars these days have vastly improved fuel consumtions over their previous models because of the current 'save the planet' FAD thats going on. I dont know how true that really is as its only what I've been told by the dealer i've been to see, and whats been hinted at by some of my family..does anyone know how much a cars age can affect its efficiency?

A few of you say not to be sensible and to go and get something really fun..and a big part of me agrees with you, but its not going to happen tbh, I can get a fun car in a couple of years time when my business is making a tonne of money hehe

Anyway with that said, on my list of things I want to see tomorrow are: The 107/aygo - small and (some would say) boring but if the 60mpg claim is true..or anywhere close to that then it sounds perfect.., a ford fiesta and a focus..i'm not keen on the focus' looks tbh but not going to rule it out untill I have driven one , and a Honda Civic - I have a peugot/honda/toyota and a ford garage all within 5 mins from my house. I'll check back here with what I found out.

[J4MES]

Golf GT TDi ftw tbh! Have a look at a Golf, Civic, Corolla, all diesel versions should get minimum 45mpg

[hitman67]

Agree with Golf and Focus suggestions. Also definitely agree with headbrace on the Defender suggestion, £7k will buy you a really nice 300tdi 90/110 and possibly an early TD5.