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

southoftheriver

I passed my test recently and am now looking to buy a car. I've just finished uni so will be buying in/around London but will be working and living in Kent. Car will be used to come back to London to visit people and for local shopping etc.

The main problem is I know nothing about cars. I'm pretty savvy when it comes to most things and love a bargain, but you have to know what you are doing with cars! I am the first person in my family to pass my test and I don't have anyone who can come with me to look at cars so am very nervous.

I know that the RAC/AA do car checks but a friend said that they had one and then things went wrong with the car soon after purchase and the RAC washed their hands of it?

I'm thinking of a small hatchback like a VW Polo. My budget is £1500 tops, as my insurance will cost around that. I'm 26 and female so not as expensive as it could be but my occupation drives it up, not much I can do about that.

I've looked on autotrader and know I can get something for the price I want, how is the best way to make sure I buy something safe and good value?

Sorry for the long post am really nervous about this!

P.S. Have seen this amongst others...worth looking at?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201126395484772/sort/priceasc/usedcars/dealer/27561/page/1/postcode/se114je/advert-type/dealer-stock?logcode=dsp

s_b

i wouldnt recommend a polo at £1500
i would recommend a punto under 60,000 mile
or a fiesta mk5 minter
both these cars should prove durable reliable assets rather than money pits like a clogged vw

funkycoldribena

Think you're doing alright on your own,polo doesnt look to bad.

KierNet

s_b wrote: »

i wouldnt recommend a polo at £1500
i would recommend a punto under 60,000 mile
or a fiesta mk5 minter
both these cars should prove durable reliable assets rather than money pits like a clogged vw

Puntos can be expensive to insure, and if they go wrong they are expensive to fix! Fiat isn't known for being reliable either.

thegirlintheattic

For what you say you need the car for I wouldn't say it was worth getting one. Save your money for a better car later on.

Avoid small hatchbacks that most new drivers have, they have higher insurance payments. Consider something like a Skoda Fabia or Yaris.

Look for cars with a full/detailed service history, if private where you can see the car at the owners address, look for a mileage that roughly matches the age of the car (10,000 per year ish), if you get a car with more than 60,000 miles on it you want to see proof of a timing belt change, if you are a member of the AA or RAC they often do a 100 point check on a car if your looking to buy.

southoftheriver

s_b wrote: »

i wouldnt recommend a polo at £1500
i would recommend a punto under 60,000 mile
or a fiesta mk5 minter
both these cars should prove durable reliable assets rather than money pits like a clogged vw

Thank you for your advice. Can you say why polo's are a bad choice? What do you mean by clogged? I don't know enough to filter out what is good and what isn't simply based on opinion!

funkycoldribena wrote: »

Think you're doing alright on your own,polo doesnt look to bad.

Thank you

southoftheriver

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

For what you say you need the car for I wouldn't say it was worth getting one. Save your money for a better car later on.

Avoid small hatchbacks that most new drivers have, they have higher insurance payments. Consider something like a Skoda Fabia or Yaris.

Look for cars with a full/detailed service history, if private where you can see the car at the owners address, look for a mileage that roughly matches the age of the car (10,000 per year ish), if you get a car with more than 60,000 miles on it you want to see proof of a timing belt change, if you are a member of the AA or RAC they often do a 100 point check on a car if your looking to buy.

Yes i've wrestled with that myself. I didn't mention this initially but I act as a carer for my grandmother when i'm home and it would be useful for taking her out and about, not essential but nice. A car probably isn't essential in my life right now but I won't have the time to look once I start working and i'll be in a place that isn't very accessible when it comes to viewing cars.

Thank you for your advice

s_b

southoftheriver wrote: »

Thank you for your advice. Can you say why polo's are a bad choice? What do you mean by clogged? I don't know enough to filter out what is good and what isn't simply based on opinion!



Thank you

a polo at this age v reg isnt good,ok the one you posted does look nice but looking at the rear offside wheel arch it looks like its been all done up with a nice paint job
vw polos rust badly on this model
the engines and gearboxes have issues
and its 13 years old
find a under 60,000 52 plate punto and if it looks right then they are right
low insurance too better than a polo and cheaper to maintain
a fiesta mk5 with a good body and the old 1300 engine under 60,000 will give you no worries whatsover

these were proper cars 3 years ago and still hold muster after the great scrappage blunder of the labour govt in todays market

southoftheriver

s_b wrote: »

a polo at this age v reg isnt good,ok the one you posted does look nice but looking at the rear offside wheel arch it looks like its been all done up with a nice paint job
vw polos rust badly on this model
the engines and gearboxes have issues
and its 13 years old
find a under 60,000 52 plate punto and if it looks right then they are right
low insurance too better than a polo and cheaper to maintain
a fiesta mk5 with a good body and the old 1300 engine under 60,000 will give you no worries whatsover

these were proper cars 3 years ago and still hold muster after the great scrappage blunder of the labour govt in todays market

Thank you for a more detailed answer, i'll bear what you said in mind. I'm not adverse to looking at other cars so will broaden my search a bit.

funkycoldribena

s_b wrote: »

a polo at this age v reg isnt good,ok the one you posted does look nice but looking at the rear offside wheel arch it looks like its been all done up with a nice paint job
vw polos rust badly on this model
the engines and gearboxes have issues
and its 13 years old
find a under 60,000 52 plate punto and if it looks right then they are right
low insurance too better than a polo and cheaper to maintain
a fiesta mk5 with a good body and the old 1300 engine under 60,000 will give you no worries whatsover

these were proper cars 3 years ago and still hold muster after the great scrappage blunder of the labour govt in todays market

How is a 2000 model 13 years old?? Unless we've skipped to 2013 without me knowing.
Personally wouldnt touch the Punto,Fiestas ok but looks very dated and much better with the 1.25 engine and how you can see the arch has been done by that photo is beyond me.

s_b

funkycoldribena wrote: »

How is a 2000 model 13 years old?? Unless we've skipped to 2013 without me knowing.
Personally wouldnt touch the Punto,Fiestas ok but looks very dated and much better with the 1.25 engine and how you can see the arch has been done by that photo is beyond me.

i do it for a living:)