New car suggestions? Budget up to £10k + scrappage

zoggs

For my 20 yr old son so trying to keep insurance as low as possible. I am mindful that VAT increases in Jan but that is not a deal breaker if it means waiting to get the right car. However, I think his present N reg Corsa is on its last legs.

At the moment the front runner is a 1.2 VW Polo. Dealer is offering scrappage but no other discount off list price. What do you think?

Dave101t

polo's are for girls, get him a golf.
tho at 20 its a little 'boy racerish' and he could wreck it.
why not get a new corsa, cheaper and less of a target for thieves (depending on your area)

Mini_Bear

Does your son have 3 yrs no claims (assuming he passed at 17) or will this be his first year of own insurance? that will make a bit of a difference!!
i personally wouldnt entertain a brand new car until you are 25+ (for insurance purposes etc). going from an n-reg corsa to a 10k brand new motor is a big leap!
also i found vw's insurance is pretty high as they hold their prices and people want to steal them. vw's also come with minimal kit as standard.
your sons situation will determine wat car to get ie - if hes at uni, whether he works full time - what he earns, does he live at home, does he want a mortgage etc.
i would consider getting a better spec car 3 years old, let someone else pay the depreciation and sell your old car privately, it will prob be worth £400-500 easily. your son should be able to pick something very decent up for 6-7k. saving himself a few thousand and gettin a better spec car. if he wants BRAND new, get him a cheapo private plate. job done.

zoggs

Thanks both for replying. My son is at uni where he has secure (gated) parking. I understand what you're saying about depreciation but surely he should take advantage of the scrappage? His N reg Corsa is not going to last much longer - he doesn't think it will make the 100 mile journey home for Xmas!

The insurance is a killer. He is in his 2nd year of paying for his own insurance; passed his test September 2008. He has had a quote for £300-400 on top of what he is already paying for this year.

However, he is in a position to pay cash for the car as he has a small inheritance.

chieffy72

Being a Ford salesman I'm obviously a bit biased but look no further than Fiesta,great looks,great to drive,economical,low insurance group (4) just read the reviews on any independent website. Should be able to get a grand off list price from your local dealer,less your scrappage and a £450 deposit paid by Ford should get you a decent spec Zetec, (Alloys,Fogs,Air Con,Heated Front Screen,MP3 connection and you may even get one with Bluetooth)for just under your budget,good luck,

K.

PS £400-£500 for a 14 year old Corsa!!!??? It's worth £50-£100 on a good day!

zoggs

Thanks Chieffy. The Fiesta is another contender, just a bit put off by the depreciation whereas the Polo holds its value a bit better. I think his heart is set on a VW. A Golf would be great but the insurance is prohibitive at age 20.

And I agree about the value of his old Corsa - I wouldn't pay 50p for it let alone £50.

tomstickland

Mindful of the insurance situation I'd save your money and buy another Corsa/106/Polo/Micra/smallish car 2nd hand.
What's wrong with the Corsa anyway?

You could quite easily turn a small inheritance into an even smaller one.

surely he should take advantage of the scrappage?

Before scrappage there were good deals out there and they'll come back when scrappage is over.

Gordon861

If you want cheap to run you might also want to take a look at a Toyota Aygo.