First ever car

vinny_vimto

I recently passed my driving test :jand am now looking for a car.

I have approximately £400 a month (obviously cheaper the better) to put towards a car and insurance per month or less if a large deposit is required. Now having looked at second hand cars the insurance seems to be higher the cheaper the car. Also I could do without constant repairs.

Both me and wife would drive and we have a little one too so 5 door would be better.

I am open to any make and model, I have looked at hyundai i10, vw polo and ford fiestas and I dont mind HP, PCP whatever really I just need a car for commuting and a run around really.

Also having never shopped around how easy is it to negotiate with show rooms etc and what is best way to approach it?

Any suggestions/ good deals ?

Thanks in advance.

hgotsparkle

Look at cars that aren't very popular or are stigmatised as being something that elderly drive.
Insurance doesn't factor in cost of car, it tends to be towards how many people have claimed against a model of car and how experienced you are. As you will have no NCD, second hand is best and there are plenty out there that have years left in them. Its always best to build up your experience in a cheap run around.

LandyAndy

If you are going to be doing low to average miles and mostly short(ish) journeys you will almost certainly be better off with a petrol rather than a diesel.

Tilt

Fiat Panda is worth looking at. Small but big enough to hide a grown man in the boot apparently.

ilikewatch

Late model (2003 - 2004) Mk1 Volvo S40/V40 with reasonably low mileage (say 100 - 130K) and comprehensive dealer/specialist service history. Get a diesel if your useage would justify it (12K+ mainly on fast roads), get a petrol otherwise (but not a 1.6).
Great cars - cheap to buy, cheap to ensure, excellent reputation for safety and reliability. Expect to pay £800 - £1600 depending on spec and condition - maybe a little more for super desirable condition/spec/colour.

cherryblossomzel

I'll second the "buy what older people tend to buy" model. I recently bought a Honda Jazz. My friends mock me for buying an OAP car, but the insurance is very reasonable and MPG and boot space is great. Definitely a family car. They are considered to be very reliable.

I was under the impression that VW Golf is quite expensive to insure because they are often bought by boy-racers. The VW Polo is likely to be better. I had one for years and was very happy with it.

Do you need finance for the car? If so, have you considered all options? I got a pretty cheap personal loan from my bank, which is not secured against the car, or anything else for that matter.

In terms of practicalities: I found the car I wanted to buy on Autotrader and didn't trawl around showrooms. This is easier if you know exactly what you want. There's also a website where you can input your criteria (cost, mpg, # seats etc) and then it shows cars on sale that match. Of course I can't now for the life of me remember the site, and I don't know if it's any good, but maybe someone else on here will know better? I've seen it advertised on TV.

vinny_vimto

I have £1k anything over that would need finance of some sort or could be used as deposit

OddballJamie

2003 onwards Micra 1.2, fairly cheap to insure and reliable. SiL has one as her first car for last 4 years and apart from minor issues it's faultless.

Idiophreak

Maybe look at the nissan note?

You could use your cash as a deposit on a lease, probably get the thing for < £150/month. Not as nice as the Jazz, but a fair bit cheaper.

verityboo

The Royal Mail personnel round our way are certainly 'real men'. They wear shorts when there's a foot of snow
Not seen one in a BMW

hgotsparkle

OddballJamie wrote: »

2003 onwards Micra 1.2, fairly cheap to insure and reliable. SiL has one as her first car for last 4 years and apart from minor issues it's faultless.

I had a 1.4 Micra (the rounder shape, 56 plate) as my first car. It was really cheap to insure, still cheap to insure when I'd accidently gone into the back of someone :embarasse, cheap on fuel, cheap to repair and compared to my current car, cheap to tax!

Less popular cars are the way to go for a first car.