First Car: 1k budget, no idea about cars

Tiexen

As other have said condition is the most important, if you have a reg number you can check all the past MOT history:


https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

Hoof_Hearted

Go for a good make and unpopular model. like the Almera above. The bug-eyed Micra is difficult to sell now with the previous model better looking and newer ones more refined but they are pretty reliable.

Arklight

AdrianC wrote: »

Corsa and Fiestas are beloved of yoof, sure, but they're also nice sensible small cars from "British" manufacturers your grandad's heard of and has been buying cars from since he started driving.

Yep, turns out you are quite right. Corsas and Fiestas. It seems these girzzled greybeards of the highway like nothing better than a small hatchback with modding potential.

silverwhistle

k6chris wrote: »

Your £1,000 will go a lot further if you buy something ugly and in a terrible colour. .

Yep! My first car was a brownish Marina coupe for £100, from a friend who then helped me service it: new alternator brushes for example. Not much electrical to go wrong in those days although had to get the steering wheel off once and gave myself a bloody nose! Sold it after 10 months for £70.



So the principle does work.



I later had a Nova (from my dad) which was the antecedent of the Corsa. Sold it at a good price to a local lass who was chuffed to bits with it. A**ehole drunken boyfriend grabbed the keys and wrote it off, along with a bus shelter. Check the insurance costs of whatever you buy: boring is good!