New driver needing a car - don't know where to start!

bigjl

To be honest sb I think the photo is decieving.

The bumper lines up well with the bootlid and the panel.below the rear light.

I have seen several Polos of that age with similar gaps behind the wheelarch.

That colour is also a nightmare to match and in that photo there does't appear to be any difference in colour.

Was there different photos that it was more obvious?

I am at a small disadvantage as I am looking at it on a phone.


On the subject of a cheap VW. I have never bought into the VW are bulletproof stuff.

DSG mechatronic units going bang.

Late model Passats with the PD injection system having all kinds of fragility issues, probably solved by the later CR.

The motoring press has always been biased towards VW products.

The same issue on a Ford is mentioned to death.

But VW's have injection system issues and DMF issues but very few people mention these, but everybody says these faulst affect Mondeos.

I am in agreement with the suggestion of a Fiesta or a very carefully selected Punto. Don't forget the unfashionable Koreans, Hyundai Accent, ugly but dependable.

I am also a fan of the older 1.3 engine, cheap to work on and a venerable if slightly wheezy lump.

The 1.25 is a better engine but they are also more expensive to buy and in day to day use they give few advantages. A mate bought a 1.3 Fiesta for his daughter a couple of years ago and he said insurance was cheaper on the 1.3, but I can't confirm only going by his findings.

The Skoda Felcia(spelling?) is also a venerable old slugger, and the older Nissan Micra, in the old bubble pre Renault days, the budget will get the OP into a very nice late model old shape one. And plenty about in the papers.

rodenal

I would pick up a Fabia as suggested above for your kind of budget, pretty much bomb proof and shouldn't be too expensive to insure either.

bigjl

Just looked at the other pictures in the link.

Very overpriced OP.

You can get much better than a vehicle of such an old design.

Put £1500 in autotrader and just seatch for hatchbacks, that way you can see what is around, rather than listening
to opinions that are more to do with a finely created brand indentity rather than any real superiority.

Jap and Korean small hatchbacks really give good value and due to not being fashionable they don't have the inflated price tags.

vax2002

Avoid anything French and out of that lot Renault are the worst

scheming_gypsy

bigjl wrote: »

On the subject of a cheap VW. I have never bought into the VW are bulletproof stuff.

me neither. i bought a 1996 VR6 in about 2005 and it had endless problems in the 3 years i had it.
Fan belt tensioner
coil pack
starter motor
wheel bearings constantly needed replacing
leaking water bottle
etc
etc

Almost every time i set the clock to the right time i needed to have something else fixed.

rodenal

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

me neither. i bought a 1996 VR6 in about 2005 and it had endless problems in the 3 years i had it.
Fan belt tensioner
coil pack
starter motor
wheel bearings constantly needed replacing
leaking water bottle
etc
etc

Almost every time i set the clock to the right time i needed to have something else fixed.

Worth it for the noise though, I still miss the sound of my VR6 with its supersprint exhaust, ridiculously made from mild steel. Mine never really went wrong in a year but with any car it's the chance you take

funkycoldribena

I dont think VWs are good as they're made out to be,but you'd probably get that Polo for 1300 which if it lasted a year isnt bad going,certainly doesnt look to me like the arch has been done.Fabia is a good car as previously mentioned but is basically a polo.
Punto would have to be inspected very carefully,Accent is just too ugly,Micras ok.

southoftheriver

I learnt in a fiesta so aren't adverse to them, had considered Skoda's too so will keep looking. Thanks once again. It's scary being out of your comfort zone when choosing something so important!

s_b

fabiosies at your money have power steering issues choose wisely
punto at this money should be 52 plate+ and dont have issues if you keep to my guidline mileage:)
fiesta on my guidline are bombproof