I need car advice, what to buy?

N9eav

Hi.

I am looking for a car that is powerful enough to tow my boat (750kg max) yet cheap enough to insure so my kids can learn to drive.

I have to sacrifice my nice VW van to help my kids out.... tough choice, so I am hoping to strike a fine balance.

Any thoughts? Budget up to £6000

Rolandtheroadie

Have a good browse through this.

http://www.cuddles.abelgratis.net/kerbweights.htm

Just need to find the cheap insurance cars for young learners then look them up on the site above.

Quick look suggests a 1.0 5 door 2001 Corsa can tow 750kg (probably not cheapest to insure though and just an example and probably a bit under your 6k budget).

Strider590

scotsman4th wrote: »

Quick look suggests a 1.0 5 door 2001 Corsa can tow 750kg (probably not cheapest to insure though and just an example and probably a bit under your 6k budget).

Having driven a 1.0 Corsa, it struggles to get up a hill with 2 passenger on board, let alone tow a trailer with 750kg.
I know several hills locally that im certain it would not be able to climb.
I reckon even the 1.2(?) would struggle too.

Unfortunately, what a car can legally tow and what a car is able to tow, are often two different things

I think OP has to realistically consider two vehicles. It's not as costly as one might think.

Either a cheap towing motor and more expensive small car OR (and the best option considering "kids learning to drive") would be a nice large motor and a small/cheap old banger.

Weird_Nev

Yes, I'd go for two vehicles - A £1000 hatchback for the kids and a £4k ish towing vehicle, such as a Skoda Octavia or the like.

The requirements otherwise are pretty much mutually exclusive, and you may well save the running costs on the second car in not having to insure a heavier car with a decent engine for learners.

Rolandtheroadie

Strider590 wrote: »

Having driven a 1.0 Corsa, it struggles to get up a hill with 2 passenger on board, let alone tow a trailer with 750kg.
I know several hills locally that im certain it would not be able to climb.
I reckon even the 1.2(?) would struggle too.

Unfortunately, what a car can legally tow and what a car is able to tow, are often two different things

I think OP has to realistically consider two vehicles. It's not as costly as one might think.

Either a cheap towing motor and more expensive small car OR (and the best option considering "kids learning to drive") would be a nice large motor and a small/cheap old banger.

I've no doubt the Corsa would struggle (I've been in a 1.6 Zafira that struggled up hills with 2 adults in it) but it was more to show that a very large number of cars can legally tow 750kg and to get a shortlist of learner cars first then look at towing capabilities.

I had an 80's caravan a few years ago (probably about 1300kg laden), used a 2 litre vectra to tow it and also a 3500 sd1. They both struggled to a certain extent on hills, but once your experience builds, it gets better. (still not saying experience would help with a 1.0 Corsa towing 750kg tho;))

Strider590

scotsman4th wrote: »

(still not saying experience would help with a 1.0 Corsa towing 750kg tho;))

lol, I reckon it'd be the trailer doing to towing.... Highly amusing as long as im not behind it :rotfl:

King_Nothing

Can your kids just not learn with a driving instructor instead? Saving you having to swap vehicles? :S

N9eav

King_Nothing wrote: »

Can your kids just not learn with a driving instructor instead? Saving you having to swap vehicles? :S

I guess so, but 2 x 2 hour lessons a week = £88, soon adds up.

I don't have far to tow and there are only a few hills.

I guess I will start with the insurance and work up. 2 cars would not be practicable.

Minted247

Skoda Fabia?

Not a typical young persons car so may be cheaper to insure due to lower statistical accidents. Get a diesel tuning box on it and it'll have even more torque! Unfortunately it's not the best looking car... but hey ho.

N9eav

Minted247 wrote: »

Skoda Fabia?

Not a typical young persons car so may be cheaper to insure due to lower statistical accidents. Get a diesel tuning box on it and it'll have even more torque! Unfortunately it's not the best looking car... but hey ho.

Diesel tuning box?

Hintza

King_Nothing wrote: »

Can your kids just not learn with a driving instructor instead? Saving you having to swap vehicles? :S

Doh!

The one point of teaching children to drive is so that you can recoup all the driving you have done to the childrens activities through the years.

You now have a chaffeur to drive you back from dinner parties and ceilidhs etc.