Good first cars?

[Drew_The_Fox]

Can't go wrong with an old VW Golf, I had a 1.4 K reg, it was always a good runner it cost me 1.5k when it was 8 years old lasted for 6 years! Quality car!

[FoxesAreBlue]

My first car when I was 17/18 was a K reg Fiat Cinquecento (yes, the Inbetweeners car) in white and the last three letters on the plate was KUM. It was handed down to me from my mum.

My mates thought that this was hilarious - however, looking back - every one of us, including myself, miss that car. It was a beast.

[MooseBreath]

I've noticed nowadays that younger folks are driving much nicer cars than what me and my mates did when we were 18. Is it cos of more readily available finance deals or are young chaps purely living outside their means and overspending on a flash car / insurance?

My first car was a white Saxo 1.1. Corsa c are decent as are fiestas. Focus / megane may also be an option? Astra maybe?

I'd be interested to know what kind of percentage of cars on the road are paid for by finance. It's a terrible investment so I don't know why anyone would do it. But the amount of people I see driving cars which cost lots more than you'd expect them to be able to afford suggests they must be financed with gay abandon. I'm talking people on £25k salaries with cars costing £15k+. Seems like a hugely disproportionate luxury to me.

[FoxesAreBlue]

I'd be interested to know what kind of percentage of cars on the road are paid for by finance. It's a terrible investment so I don't know why anyone would do it. But the amount of people I see driving cars which cost lots more than you'd expect them to be able to afford suggests they must be financed with gay abandon. I'm talking people on £25k salaries with cars costing £15k+. Seems like a hugely disproportionate luxury to me.

I've wondered this, I would much rather drive a shit (read: cheap) car that I actually own and can treat like a two bob horse and cart than some expensive drain on my wallet just to stroke my ego that has to be washed and cleaned every 5 minutes. Made that mistake with the chav-mobile I used to own (Cliosport Cup 182).

I was filling it up once, well that's all I ever did with it and some boy racer turned up and asked me to race them at Fosse Park or something like that. I declined.

[purpleronnie]

I'd be interested to know what kind of percentage of cars on the road are paid for by finance. It's a terrible investment so I don't know why anyone would do it. But the amount of people I see driving cars which cost lots more than you'd expect them to be able to afford suggests they must be financed with gay abandon. I'm talking people on £25k salaries with cars costing £15k+. Seems like a hugely disproportionate luxury to me.

Completely agree, unless I guess they have the car for a very long time.

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

Looking at Corsas and Clios.

Go on, tell me I'm a fool.

I've never seen anything divide opinion so much like cars do.

Steer clear of Renault, absolutely shocking build quality.

Perfect first car - VW Lupo. Doesn't matter which engine - immense reliability, dirt cheap running costs, looks quirky, surprisingly spacious, easy to park, good around town, and the insurance on the 1 litre model is about as cheap as you'll find (big plus for new drivers). Also due to their short wheelbase, low centre of gravity and lack of weight you can chuck it around like a go-kart

Honestly, I can't recommend the Lupo enough. You can get a fairly high mileage one from under £1,000 but they're built to last. I had one for 4 years until it was written off in an accident and the only thing that ever went wrong with it was I had to replace the starter motor that died after I drove through a flood. £90 repair. The Seat Arosa is basically the same car and slightly cheaper, but uglier.

The car I got afterwards was a 2005 Renault Megane 1.5 turbo diesel. In the 1 year I owned it - the EGR valve blew. £500 repair. Turbo died. £950 to refurbish. Electric window broke, electric sunroof became rattley, one of the speakers broke, wiper blade hinge snapped, wheel bearing went - all this over the course of 12 months and 4,000 miles of driving. Halfords were unable to fit a universal Sony stereo due to Renault's bizarre own connections. Also Renault's claims of 68mpg (motorway use) and 60mpg (town use) were way off the mark. I would get 40mpg driving carefully, and 30mpg in town.

[SystonFox]

I'd be interested to know what kind of percentage of cars on the road are paid for by finance. It's a terrible investment so I don't know why anyone would do it. But the amount of people I see driving cars which cost lots more than you'd expect them to be able to afford suggests they must be financed with gay abandon. I'm talking people on £25k salaries with cars costing £15k+. Seems like a hugely disproportionate luxury to me.

Maybe I am being a bit pot.kettle.black here as me and my fiancée have just got a 10 reg Astra using a bank loan.

What I was getting at is 18 year old chavvy lads in nearly new civics/golfs even bmws. I don't know where they get the money from but I get the feeling it drains most of their monthly pay packet unless they're big time drug dealers

[Floating Fox]

I've noticed nowadays that younger folks are driving much nicer cars than what me and my mates did when we were 18. Is it cos of more readily available finance deals or are young chaps purely living outside their means and overspending on a flash car / insurance?

My first car was a white Saxo 1.1. Corsa c are decent as are fiestas. Focus / megane may also be an option? Astra maybe?

Theres probably a few reason's more than just finance (Which I agree is a bad deal).Car leasing - If you have a low annual mileage this is a great option to own a relialble, new (and maybe flashy) car.Newer cars look nicer. Compare cars 10 years ago to now. They look better and cost the same as a saxo/corsa would have done then.

[MooseBreath]

Theres probably a few reason's more than just finance (Which I agree is a bad deal).Car leasing - If you have a low annual mileage this is a great option to own a relialble, new (and maybe flashy) car.Newer cars look nicer. Compare cars 10 years ago to now. They look better and cost the same as a saxo/corsa would have done then.

Is leasing such a good deal? From what I've seen you basically pay the depreciation plus costs of finance, which is the same as fully financing a car only you don't own the car by the end of it. Which has its plus points of course but I'm sure youre still always better off buying the car with cash in full up front.

[Trav Le Bleu]

[MrSpaM]

My Mazda 121 (fiesta lookalike) has done great, no major repairs in about 6 years. Great little car if you don't want anything flashy.

[lcfc1994]

Corsa. Probably go for the older shape too. Cheapest i've found on insurance yet.

[Bellend Sebastian]

At the risk of being boring - actually, I am boring, so it doesn't matter - a good first car is one that's been looked after. If you go on Autotrader and search for privately owned, low mileage cars there are loads to choose from and although they're not particularly exciting for the most part.

You could name pretty much any make of mainstream cars and you'd soon find someone who'd had one that thought it was the biggest piece of crap ever, and someone else that never got any bother from theirs. It's a right lottery but you can improve your chances by getting something with a proper service history and relatively low mileage, and that's had as few owners as possible. Sometimes it's about who you're buying it from as well - if you're buying a car from someone that lives in a nice big house, had bought it from nearly new and was just using it to do the shopping in and visit their mum, chances are it will have been looked after and any routine maintenance done when needed, and as importantly, they can actually tell you about the car. Buy a car from someone that changes it every five minutes and they're not necessarily as bothered, won't have looked after it and are unlikely to know if the cambelt was changed when it was supposed to be.

Insurance and budget allowing, I wouldn't get too hung up on the type of car itself, just try and find a nice example. I cannot emphasise enough what a ballache owning a car that gives you grief is, especially if you have to rely on it. If it's a bit shit, just put a better stereo in it, that always makes you feel better

[Saxondale]

Seriously, Nissan Micras are decent cars for young 'ens. My stepdaughter recently bought one. Loads of space inside, low insurance, quite nippy and don't even have a cambelt, so that nightmare can't happen.

They either have a cam belt or cam chain, and I've seen a Micra clap out recently when the timing went.

I'd be interested to know what kind of percentage of cars on the road are paid for by finance. It's a terrible investment so I don't know why anyone would do it. But the amount of people I see driving cars which cost lots more than you'd expect them to be able to afford suggests they must be financed with gay abandon. I'm talking people on £25k salaries with cars costing £15k+. Seems like a hugely disproportionate luxury to me.

Depends how you finance it. PCPs, for example, are an excellent way to drive a car newer than you would otherwise be able to afford by HP or outright purchase.

I do, however, see your point. I think a lot of the people to whom you refer are 24-year-old female HR assistants driving Mini Coopers who are subsidised by their parents, or kids who still live at home and have a vast amount of disposable income.

Is leasing such a good deal? From what I've seen you basically pay the depreciation plus costs of finance, which is the same as fully financing a car only you don't own the car by the end of it. Which has its plus points of course but I'm sure youre still always better off buying the car with cash in full up front.

Leasing effectively makes more expensive cars cheaper, because it's based on the residual value. It's an absolute great way to get a cracking car for relatively little. The downside is that you effectively welded into it for the full term of the agreement - so you've got to be sure your circumstances aren't going to change (and who is?)

People have this strange idea that cash purchase is the most prudent way to buy a car, but think of it like this: Why would you want to wang a load of your hard-earned cash into the most quickly-depreciating thing you'll ever buy?

[Jon the Hat]

I honestly don't think it makes a blind bit of difference how you finance a car. You still pay for the finance, depreciation, repairs and running cost. Do whatever works.

[SystonFox]

it seemed back in my day 8/9 years ago young lads bought clapped out corsas/saxos/fiestas for dirt cheap and made do with it. nowadays i see no end of younger fellas in shiny new fiestas / citroen ds3s. probably just jealousy on my part!

[Alexikokopops]

I really enjoy not having to rely on a car for every day life. I pay through my arse for everything, mind, but I just found car owning in general a massive ball ache.

[Floating Fox]

Maybe you think they look younger than they are? I'm 23 next month and drive a pretty decent car but I look about 17!!

[Floating Fox]

Also, Car leasing is good if you have a low mileage. You can get a decent brand new car for £200 a month on a 24/48 month contract. Even if you Add up the 200 over 2 years that £4800 which is pretty much what you lose off a new car when you drive it out the forecourt! A lot of the leasing deals come with servicing and extras too.

But i fear we may be straying from the topic of first cars! So...oz, you could go as a named driver on a parents policy? Always a good thing to do first year of driving!

[Ford Super Sunday]

it seemed back in my day 8/9 years ago young lads bought clapped out corsas/saxos/fiestas for dirt cheap and made do with it. nowadays i see no end of younger fellas in shiny new fiestas / citroen ds3s. probably just jealousy on my part!

I don't know if dick waving has a lot to do with it or the perceptions that is perpetuated of the types of people who own certain types of car. Must get one to look good and not make me seem like an idiot.

My first car was a Vauxhall Agila, 51 plate. Bought the average age of Agila owners down at least Traded it in in February after eight months for a 60 plate car which I paid for myself, not on finance.

Would never get one on finance unless there was a very specific or special reason to.

[Father Ted]

I'm 19 and have a Daewoo Matiz, 799 CC, gets me to Loughborough and back every day, cracking on petrol and the cheapest on insurance compared to all other cars that I looked at (Corsa's, KA's, Fiesta's etc). You look like a bit of a bell but it gets you from A to B as the cheapest option.

[LanguedocFox]

I'm not really qualified to respond to this, though that's never stopped me before, but I'd avoid like the plague a boy-racer car, especially one with fairly high mileage. Chances are it will have been caned to hell, and you are going to pick up loads of repair bills. My son swears by his Honda Civic, which he picked up very cheaply through Autotrader.

Just out of interest, prices of second-hand cars where I live in France are outrageously high: I saw a six-year-old Renault Megane recently with 150,000km on the clock and dents on both front wings, and it was 6000€.

[isaidno]

I'd avoid anything French as there unreliable . I'd recommend a skoda fabia / vw polo / seat Ibiza.

[FoxesAreBlue]

I'm 19 and have a Daewoo Matiz, 799 CC, gets me to Loughborough and back every day, cracking on petrol and the cheapest on insurance compared to all other cars that I looked at (Corsa's, KA's, Fiesta's etc). You look like a bit of a bell but it gets you from A to B as the cheapest option.

You echo my mentality, I personally couldn't give a flying fubar about my "image" or what I look like. All I know is that if the car park is busy and the guy in his £30k Audi doesn't want to squeeze into a tiny space then I will quite happily park my £300 skip in there instead!! happy days!

EDIT: I would like to say buy the best you can afford but then that would be a bit hypocritical of me seeing as I could afford a better/newer car than I currently roll around in but I quite like the cheapness of mine, and yes, it's as slow as time itself but I don't have to worry about damage or scratches etc. Its relatively safe and gets me about.

If I could afford a Ferrari though I would!

[vandamman]

Get yourself a shite car, i'm 22 and drive a Ford KA, had zero problems with it for 3 years and my insurance has dramatically decreased in the past 2 years. Whereas I know people who have had decent cars at my age and either crashed them or had problems with them. For me as long as I can get to work that's all i'm concerned with atm, that said KAs aren't particularly fuel efficient.

My tip would be to befriend an old person and convince them to sell you their pristine car, legitimately of course...