Suggestions for missus' 1st time car.

[Proplus]

Me missus has just passed her theory test, and we're looking to buy a car for her to start practicing whilst having lessons.

Insurance-wise, I'll be covering her, and we are looking for something around £1500 max. Don't want something too cronky.

Pugs are out of the question, as she doesn't like the look of them. Had a look at:

- Renault Clios
- Vauxhall Corsa
- Volkswagen Polo (but the ones in our price bracket tend to be really clapped out)
- Nissan Micra (I want to get her one of these as I've had good experiences with them)
- Mini (quite pricey)

Citreons and Fiats are a no no. Any more suggestions?

[Russ]

Micra, deffo.

[Trash Man]

Fiat Punto? Great cars to learn in, cheap as chips to run. Well worth a look.

Edit: Just noticed you said fiats are out of the question, sorry.

[Howard]

Might I ask why Fiats and Citroens are out of the question?

[floppybootstomp]

Fiats rust, Citroens are weird

Nissan Micra gets my vote too.

[Barakka]

Fiats rust

ROFLMAO !!!
The ones made pre-1985 maybe
(15 Year anti-corrosion and anti-perforation warranty since then)

[Howard]

Fiats are good cars. I'd take one over a Micra. Or possibly a Clio.

[floppybootstomp]

ROFLMAO !!!
The ones made pre-1985 maybe
(15 Year anti-corrosion and anti-perforation warranty since then)

Actually, you're right, although I'd say pre-1990 myself.

tbh, I think the latest Fiat designs are really quite adventurous, they may not be to everybody's taste but at least they're different. I'd certainly consider a Fiat were I in the market for a new car. Not sure about a used Fiat though.

And Citroens are still weird. But I happen to love Citroens, have owned a few of them

[CocoPops]

Micra or Clio.

My sister has a nice tidy R reg Clio 1.2 as her first car.
My other sister had an S reg Micra as her first car.

Both are reliable cars, small, nippy, easy to park. Everything a supermini should be really.

Wouldn't recommend a polo, coz like you say, for your budget they are the nt so nice end of the polo scale.

Hope that helps.

[gobbo]

Had two Micras myself, learnt in a K11, owned a K10 and smashed it up, so got a nice new K12 with the money i'd saved up.

Defo say the micra, amazing little supermini, Corsas and Puntos are normally unreliable from reports i've heard. Clios are very good aswell thought, but i'd still recomend Micra, cheep insurnace too!

[Jiff Lemon]

Citreon wierd?

The only wierd one's were the Hydro-pneumatic suspension ones.

They were generally branded "wierd" as the avergae UK mechanic couldn't grasp the concept, and thus went it developed a minor fault, declared "they all do that...."

Set up and maintained, they have SUPERB ride quality.

The peugeot/citreon diesel engine is also one of the best in the business!

However.....

From your list - Micra

And if you think fiats rust, what he heck are you doing with mini in the list?

[floppybootstomp]

Jiff: I was the one who said Fiats rust, not Proplus

Yep, Citroens with hydro-pneumatic suspension. I've had 2 BX's, a red saloon and a white diesel estate; a Beachcomber 2CV; a DS; an Ami I loved that car and a DX (?) Diesel Van. Haven't had a 'normal' one though It was the older model's weirdness that attracted me, tbh.

[Firelord]

I must say Fiat Punto gets my vote as long as mileage isn't huge their cheap to run and the 1.2 75BHP have plenty of poke for motorway driving.

I have a Rover 214Si now (1996 so bubbly shaped) and fantastic car lovely handling and chomps the miles away! Gotta love the k-series engine as well!

[Mozzer]

Seat Leon or Ibeza?

[Proplus]

Thanx for the reply guys......one of my ex had a Micra, and I used to nick it for a drive every so often, and they are very easy to drive. Plus they are quite nippy.

I find German cars have really stiff clutches, thats also one of the reasons why I don't favour the Polo.

As for Pugs, Fiats and Citreons being no-nos......we both don't like the shape of them at all, the only exception being the 206CC.....but that is unstandably out of our budget.

[gobbo]

Plus if i'm not mistaken the 206CC was voted Gayest car of the year 2003.