Small automatic car for £2k, e.g. Nissan Micra ?

[Fatboy40]

My wife needs to learn to drive pretty sharpish, and due to the fact that she has problems with her left foot she's limited to a car with an automatic transmission. Where we live only the big national driving schools can provide an automatic to learn in and we'd rather go with a local trusted intructor, so we've decided to buy a car for her as soon as her provisonal has turned up.

We've a budget of £2,000 for the car itself and want something with an auto box, which is small, reliable, and four doors. So far the front runner would be a Nissan Micra from 2000 to 2002, probably a 1.3 or 1.4 lump, but I'm having trouble thinking of any alternatives ?.

A Fiesta is too expensive for what it is, we don't like Corsa's, worried about the reliability of older French or Italian cars, and other cars we like such as the Honda Jazz are to expensive (although I'd rather she had the Jazz over the Micra).

It's never going to do massive mileage, or go on anyting other than A and B roads, so comfort and performance aren't high on the list, long term reliability is.

Any opinions ? (stupid question for a place like this ).

Also I've only ever driven auto's as hire cars, so wouldn't know what to watch out for when buying one ? (you get CVT's and other types of auto boxes ?).

[Rave]

Micras are fine cars. I drove a latest generation auto 1.2 as a courtesy car when my mum's polo was nicked and liked it....apart from the auto gearbox, but then you don't have a choice. The previous gen Micra is widely regarded as one of the most reliable cars ever.

Maybe you could bag an early Toyota Yaris for £2k? A bit newer and funkier, still a very well built car.

[circuitmonkey]

micro autos are o.k.
the girlfriend has one (which I have had to drive on occasions ) which has proved quite reliable over the years. It's a 1 litre auto last generation model with the CVT (continuous variable transmission). not the worlds fastest car, but gets to motorway speeds (in its own sweet time). I've heard horror stories about the micras CVT so make sure if your looking at a model with one you have it checked properly. We've never had a problem (knock on wood), but def something to check up on

[mmh]

my friend picked up a nice mk4 astra auto for about £1400 in decent nick.. took him some shopping around, but its a great car, with enough power to make the auto box not feel too shabby... not quite ur tiny car, but nice enough if she doesnt mind havign a bit more room for shopping

[tiggerai]

I had a micra for 7 years (manual) and loved it as a learner car - they're not too big as to put off learners from parking manouvres etc but reliable enough (only had to change the battery on mine in 7 years...) - as Rave says... one of the most reliable little cars - surprisingly spacious boot too for the weekly shop etc

I would always recommend them as learner / starter cars...

[Fatboy40]

We've not bought anything yet as my wife's provisional still hasn't turned up, don't know if this is down to the DVLA or the Royal Mail, so I've noticed that we could also get a 2000/2001 Volkswagen Polo for the cash we have with around 50 to 60k on the clock.

So now it's Micra vs Polo...

[kalniel]

See if she is comfy with the polo - it's a great car, but women with shorter thighs might have problems with the anti-submarining seats cutting into them.

[Fatboy40]

An update...

We've found a nice 2001 1.4 Micra SE with 44k on the clock for a very good price, it's about a 70 mile drive to look at it but it appears to be worth it.

Now, apart from hire cars on holiday I've allways owned a manual transmission car, so I'm not sure what to look out for when road testing a car that has a CVT automatic transmission, any advice ? (do you feel a clutch slipping as you would with a manual ?).

[kalniel]

An update...

We've found a nice 2001 1.4 Micra SE with 44k on the clock for a very good price, it's about a 70 mile drive to look at it but it appears to be worth it.

Now, apart from hire cars on holiday I've allways owned a manual transmission car, so I'm not sure what to look out for when road testing a car that has a CVT automatic transmission, any advice ? (do you feel a clutch slipping as you would with a manual ?).

A CVT will feel like the clutch is slipping all the time - that's normal

Check for smoothness - it shouldn't judder when you slow down to a halt or set off.

Otherwise all the usual - no mayonaise on oil cap, starts when cold, no blue smoke etc.

[Fatboy40]

A CVT will feel like the clutch is slipping all the time - that's normal

Check for smoothness - it shouldn't judder when you slow down to a halt or set off.

Thanks, that's just the sort of info I needed

[Vimeous]

Be aware CVT's are noisy if you accelerate anything other than sedately.

Also auto Micra's are commonly found with those who know little about car care or maintenance - usually trusting their local garage to do everything (yes it's a steriotype but I'm ignoring the Hexite exceptions here).
As a result are the tyres perished? In fact check all the rubbery bits. For example are all the suspension bushes perished from lack-of-use?

TBH though I suspect it'll be fine because, as everyone has said, they're pretty robust little machines.

Oh and as for alternatives?
Skoda Fabia 1.4 16v Comfort.

[Fatboy40]

Oh and as for alternatives?
Skoda Fabia 1.4 16v Comfort.

Had trouble finding one of these for what I would consider a reasonable price.

Bought the Micra in the end, a good car for the money. An elderly gents car being sold by his daughter as he's now ill in hospital, which looks like it was his pride and joy. It should last us for donkeys years. I had to chuckle about a 1.4 auto box having a 'sport' mode though

Good advice about the CVT feeling like a slipping manual, if I hadn't known that I'd have though that something was wrong as the autos I've driven must have been hydraulic ?.

[kalniel]

Good advice about the CVT feeling like a slipping manual, if I hadn't known that I'd have though that something was wrong as the autos I've driven must have been hydraulic ?.

The autos you've driven before still have discrete gearing (with fluid torque converter or new mechanised clutch ones like VW DSG). A CVT doesn't have discrete gearing.