Cheal cool car for student

extender_2

Hi,
My son has just left college so has very little money. He needs a cheap car he can run on 3rd party insurance.
Understandably he would PREFER something with a modicum of street cred !! My suggestion of an old Focus is not going down very well.

He discovered a 1999 Megane Coupe: pretty cheap , low insurance , acceptable fuel economy and... it's a sports car isn't it ? ( Hmmm) .
The only thing is that he needs the sunroof open to drive it ( he's pushing 6 ft 3 in ).

Thought of a Chrysler Cruiser, but that's group 12 insurance which is too high even for 3rd party.

Can anyone help with any suggestions ?

Thanks very much.

epz_2

get an older classic, there are some truelly stunning old mercs and beemers kicking about, the reason i got a car licence was my mate picking up a 70s bmw 2002, looks unlike anything on the road though obiously its a deathtrap which guzzels fuel but i was a biker at the time and loved it.

if you aint as daft as me then you could still get an early 90s merc 190e/e class or bmw 5 series which still look well cool, classic insurance and i would definatly prefer to be i one of thouse brutes to a modern super mini in a crash.

extender_2

Thanks epz. I had thought of maybe an old beamer, but as you say they are pretty heavy on fuel. Not sure about insurance. I am going to run it in for him for a little while as he's still a learner, and a 190e would RIGHT up my street. Have to see, I suppose if he spends 1k instead of 2k, that would cover quite a bit of insurance and fuel. Thanks again.

brazilianwax

I never thought I'd see the Chrysler (PT) Cruiser and 'streetcred' in the same dictionary, never mind post! It's an awful car!! :rotfl:

I looked at a megane coupe years ago - they're at least insurance group 8

My advice is to think about what your son would do if the car was written off or stolen (or if involved in an accident with an uninsured driver). Could he afford another car?

If the answer is no, then he can't afford not to have fully comp insurance, and he needs to lower his desires for a little while. I'm a petrolhead (female though) and at 19 it was costing me £700 a year to insure a 1 litre VW Polo fully comp. Each year that got lower (and the NCB helped no end) and at 21 I had a 306 GTI. I'm now in my late 20s and for the last 2 years have been driving a Mitsubishi Evo 9.

Your son needs a little runaround to build his experience and NCB, and be protected if the worst happens, and then get the sports cars later.

Just seen that he's still learning. You should definitely be looking at small engined cars to begin with. And the insurance will be more expensive when he passes his test too.

nickmack

extender wrote: »

Can anyone help with any suggestions ?

Look at an old VW Golf. You can get a decent Mk3 for less than £1k.

They're well built so you shouldn't have any issues there, the 1.4 is insurance group 6/7 and pretty much everyone likes the look.

varybarry

I agree with nickmack. Gulfs are really reliable and make good college cars.

movilogo

Nissan Almera/Primera/Sunny, Hyundai Accent, Suzuki Baleno etc.

All under £1k and very reliable. Insurance group is also not high (except Primera, I think) Will suit tall persons as well.

Good condition Ford Fiesta will also be good. Forget sports car as first car

epz_2

extender wrote: »

Thanks epz. I had thought of maybe an old beamer, but as you say they are pretty heavy on fuel. Not sure about insurance. I am going to run it in for him for a little while as he's still a learner, and a 190e would RIGHT up my street. Have to see, I suppose if he spends 1k instead of 2k, that would cover quite a bit of insurance and fuel. Thanks again.

1k would get a good 190e, ive a pretty mint one with private plate ill probably punt for £800, they start at around £500.

mine gets say 25 mpg around town and 32 odds in the motorway, it was a great 1st car, really reliable and a 6 foot bonnet has got to be good is you rattle it into a tree. oh and they feel really fast cause the low gearing means you can wheelspin in third and lowered position makes it feel like a gocart, its got a shorter turning circle than a 306 !!!!!!.

also forgot to mention audi A6's the 95-96 examples are pretty cheap and its a more design though in my opinion the more modern looks arnt really a good thing.