Choosing my first car

[ZrByte]

ok as some of you know from my previous thread a couple of months back I am currently learning to drive, my test is booked for 2 months from now (Yay!! I mean Gulp!! :Eek: ). This will be one month before my 21st Birthday if I pass so I am going to wait until my 21st birthday before I buy a car as I have been told this will lower my insurance payments.
Now im looking into choosing a new car (Not literally new, just new to me ofcourse ) and I really can't decide what to get.
Some people have reccomended buying a new car since many of them come with a years free insurance. I don't think I will do this as it is likley to halve in value as soon as I buy it and also I dont think I will be able to afford the payments on car once my second year comes in and I have to pay for my own insurance , Ive also had some people reccomend Auctions to me though im not 100% sure if thats a good idea either.

Basicly these are my special requirements ....
Preferably under 1.3 Engine to keep me in the lower insurance bracket (Correct me if Im worng about that).
Either under £500 for the car (wich I will buy in one go) or...
Less than £150 combined per month for the car & the insurance (Insurance is likely to cost me around £80~ per month).

Also any personal reccomendations or horror stories are welcome, I need to build up a sort of knowledge pool of cars to keep away from and cars wich are good buys, this will greatly assist me when I come to choose one, especially if I go to an auction.
I was thinking of buying a K reg Escort (Mk 3 I think) though have since been warned away from these due to the engines beeing shodily built or something.
A friend has reccomended I buy a Punto, though I think she is a little Biased since she currently drives one herself. Puntos also seem a little pricey compared to equivelants from other makes of cars such as Vauxhall (Wich I live over the road from) and Ford.
I was looking at a place local to me and apparently I could get a V reg corsa for around £14 per week (£56 per month + £80 for insurance = £136) thinking that might be worth looking into though im gonna shop around a little first, this place also sells Puntos (as mentioned above) for a similar price per week.

So any help, reccomendations & personal experiences would be greatly appreciated, thanks

[Russ]

I wouldn't go anywhere near an Escort built circa 1993 - there were so many product recalls it was almost embarrassing.

How about something like a Pug 106 or a Saxo? Both easily maintained and can be run from your local scrappies if you need parts on the cheap as well as having loads of street cred

The only thing going against you here is your age - any insurance premium is likely to be heavy.

[ZrByte]

Originally Posted by Russ D

I wouldn't go anywhere near an Escort built circa 1993 - there were so many product recalls it was almost embarrassing.

How about something like a Pug 106 or a Saxo? Both easily maintained and can be run from your local scrappies if you need parts on the cheap as well as having loads of street cred

The only thing going against you here is your age - any insurance premium is likely to be heavy.

I know too many people who have had bad experiences with the Pug 105, 205 & 106 so I dont think I will go with them, im sure they are fine cars really and my friends where probably just unlucky but I think I might be tempting fate if I buy one
I have been considdering the saxo, or an AX, both seem to be pretty reliable cars though im a big fella and im rather weary about head room in some of the smaller cars, the AX doesnt look much higher than a rover metro and when I sit in a rover metro my head touches the roof (Not the most comfortable way to ride in a car I can tell ya )

I know what you meant about insurance, Ive been looking around for quotes and if its likeley that my insurance will be upto twice the cost of the car unless I buy a newish one and pay weekly.

[Russ]

The AX was ok I suppose but now looks seriously dated, although if that doesn't bother you, the limited edition Gti was a corker - but that'll kick you in the spuds when it comes to insurance. Have you thought about a Ka? My mate used to have one but he referred to it as Ka-ka....

[Charlie_Bubble]

I had a punto a few years ago. Had several electrical problems with the rear lights. Don't like the ride/handling in them particularly either.

I think that the pug 106 or saxo as already said would be a good first car. Also the newer Clios ('94 onwards) are pretty good.

[ZrByte]

Originally Posted by Russ D

The AX was ok I suppose but now looks seriously dated, although if that doesn't bother you, the limited edition Gti was a corker - but that'll kick you in the spuds when it comes to insurance. Have you thought about a Ka? My mate used to have one but he referred to it as Ka-ka....

Seriously considdered a Ka for a little while, even though they are reffered to as hairdressers cars (for gays and ladies) never let things like that bother me, though they also seem to have quite low tops, so it may be like in the rover my head will be scraping across the roof
Dated cars really dont bother me, I would gladly drive a morris minor if it would get me from A to B

Thanks for your help BTW Russ, this is just the sort of information Im after.

[Steve H]

Well I had a Fiesta 1.1 Ghia last October, G red and got it for £400. Apparantly they aren't exactly low insurance groups, it cost me £1300 to insure (102 a month, and 250 first month)

However, it's now broke... it supposadly had a new gearbox when I brought it.. and thats now gone, cant be bothered to replace it, and the cars in a state now anyway as I've drove it too hard on the country roads and had numourous crashes

So im the same boat, looking for a car too, got around 500 to spend. Apparantly Astras are good, and contary to what Russ said, a few people have reccomended Escorts, and Orions... Saxo's are OK if you want a Boy racer image ... Just trying to get a quote on a astra and a escort now... be interested to see other peoples reccomendations

don't laugh, but have you thought about a Fiat Seicento? Small car, cheapish insurance - but the main reason for the suggestion is that a colleague had one - and he is 6' 5", but had no problem with headroom, surprisingly.

[scrotnig]

Originally Posted by homealone

don't laugh, but have you thought about a Fiat Seicento? Small car, cheapish insurance - but the main reason for the suggestion is that a colleague had one - and he is 6' 5", but had no problem with headroom, surprisingly.

I had one of these once as a courtesy car. Sadly it was pink, but I was quite amzed at how nippy it was considering how small the engine is. Good on fuel too, and I'd happily have one 9just not pink).

[ZrByte]

Originally Posted by Steve H

Well I had a Fiesta 1.1 Ghia last October, G red and got it for £400. Apparantly they aren't exactly low insurance groups, it cost me £1300 to insure (102 a month, and 250 first month)

However, it's now broke... it supposadly had a new gearbox when I brought it.. and thats now gone, cant be bothered to replace it, and the cars in a state now anyway as I've drove it too hard on the country roads and had numourous crashes

So im the same boat, looking for a car too, got around 500 to spend. Apparantly Astras are good, and contary to what Russ said, a few people have reccomended Escorts, and Orions... Saxo's are OK if you want a Boy racer image ... Just trying to get a quote on a astra and a escort now... be interested to see other peoples reccomendations

I think it depends on the age of the escort, the XR3 series was meant to be fantastic, though very boy racery.
I wanted to get an Astra but you cant get any lower than 1.4 unless you go for one of the old MK2 (OR possible MK3, I can't remember properly) I would really like to keep engine size below 1.3 otherwise I would be getting an Astra myself

I was also looking to get a Fiesta, similar reg to the one you had, and may reconsidder now after what happened with yours, have heard similar things and just assumed they where isolated occorances though looks like it may be a common thing witht that model of car.

Originally Posted by homealone

don't laugh, but have you thought about a Fiat Seicento? Small car, cheapish insurance - but the main reason for the suggestion is that a colleague had one - and he is 6' 5", but had no problem with headroom, surprisingly.

They look quite nice, size has never bothered me, and I currently ride a scooter, so that shows you how much I care about street cred
They just look really small, good to hear about the headroom, its deffinatley worth noting, how about legroom aswel? Ive also got a bit of a belly on me these days so cockpit space is important aswel

[Avrils_knickers]

i would get a nissan sunny or bluebird

Originally Posted by ZrByte

They look quite nice, size has never bothered me, and I currently ride a scooter, so that shows you how much I care about street cred
They just look really small, good to hear about the headroom, its deffinatley worth noting, how about legroom aswel? Ive also got a bit of a belly on me these days so cockpit space is important aswel

legroom wasn't a problem, apparently. I never heard him complain about it, although with size 14 feet he had to be careful about footwear, with a pair of Caterpillars he was pressing two pedals at once

Once he had to use a Ford Puma & he said that was awful for legroom & he was nearly crippled after a 4 hour drive, so I'm sure he would have mentioned any problem with the Fiat.

I'm not sure about 'abdominal clearance' and the steering wheel though, he is pretty skinny

[Chimaera]

Well if you narrow down your choice, look on www.honestjohn.co.uk - car by car breakdown (!) on the left hand side - just put in the make and model of the car you are condisidering and it will tell you the good and bad points. I've found it quite useful!
(Considering I drive a hairdressers car - and I'm more than happy with it! )

[ZrByte]

Originally Posted by Chimaera

Well if you narrow down your choice, look on www.honestjohn.co.uk - car by car breakdown (!) on the left hand side - just put in the make and model of the car you are condisidering and it will tell you the good and bad points. I've found it quite useful!
(Considering I drive a hairdressers car - and I'm more than happy with it! )

Excelent Link, Green rep for you Chimaera Found out a lot of insteresting stuff allready, Really don't think I'll be going for a Punto now after reading what that site has to say about them

Your allowed to drive a hairdressers car though, your a lady as I said though ive never let distinctions like ladies and mens stop me buying anything (Except maybe clothes ) If I want a Ka I'll get one gonna look them up on that site now and see what they have to say about them

[Russ]

Hmmm, cars like Clios are pretty good but it's the sort of thing I'd expect to see someone like BB's Marco driving......