Good car on a budget!?

Chalky87

Hey everyone,

Just passed my first driving test yesterday! So, now it comes down to what sort of car would you advise on a budget....looking to spend no more than £1,000 on the car really and it needs to be relatively cheap to insure! Any ideas or anyone got any experience with cheap but reliable cars?

Thanks

Whitey

beastoid_2

Have you got any friends that know anything about cars, if so take them along to an auction and have them check the cars out for you, you really can get some good bargains, congratulations and good luck. As for the cheapest cars to insure if you phone an insurance firm,
(find a freephone one of course) and question them on the cheapest types of cars.

burbs_2

Plenty of cheap cars which on the whole are realiable. Fiesta, Astra, 106, things along these lines. Stick to a smaller engine if you want to keep your premiums down.

skdotcom

Although I personally wouldn't buy a Ford or Vauxhall (me a car snob? never....), I reckon they are the safest bet if on a budget as the parts are the cheapest. Avoid Hyundai, Daewoo, Fiat and Rover. If I was after a small car I'd probably go for a Toyota Yaris as they are reliable, but more expensive to buy.
Wouldnt recommend getting a car from auction that has been submitted by a private individual. Most likely got problems and have been unable to sell them any other way. You are far safer going to a larger auction where all the cars are direct from a business, although are likely to be outside your budget.

iwanttosave_2

i am currently helping my friend find a car, she has also just passed.
you are best opting for an engine size of about 1.1l as these are cheap insurance, tax and cheap to run, best we have seen are obviously like mark 2 golfs (which also have the scope to look fab) or corsa's or even the old astra or civic although these sometimes start at a 1.4l overall the golf is proberbly best (as a guide my friend passed last month and got insured on a 04 plate corsa sxi with alloys for £92 month(tesco.com))

braken2000

First thing, well done on passing your test, took me a week to come down after realising i had passed.

Iv got a Pug 106, M reg 1.1. I could not reccomend these more. Very very cheap, insurance is cheap, well cheaper than some, but it is easy to get parts for and easy to drive. I would avoid an auction as it can be a pig in the poke. I would go with a local dealer who only sells second hand. Haggle, look at cars just above your budget, you never know. i managed to get £400 knocked off, a free cd player installed and a 6 month warranty. To find out what dealers are good its hard to say, i just looked at the back of cars in the local area, i went to the dealer with the most stickers on the backs (on the back windscreen to show where the car was bought), this indicated to me which where the most popular.

Dont forget the cost of running your car, petrol being the main thing. I use mine everyday and go to work etc, and it only uses a £5er of petrol a week! I would avoid diesel, the prices are rising and any diesel car that is not new sounds like a tank in a tin can, not good. I also put a £10 a month into an ING account to cover, or part cover the MOT and TAX.

I would go with direct line for your insurance as they appear to be one of the cheapest. However Sainsburys Car insurance and First Quote are cheap.

Are you going to do pass plus? It is very much worth it. I did it, BSM offer it at £100 i think, and i got a cheque back from Direct Line for £200. Worth it, it really does give confidence on motorways.

I hope your driving experience is as enjoyable as mine and if you have any q's jus post 'em 'ere.

chugalug

Can't really recommend a car as when my son passed he then decided he wanted to ride a motorbike (eeeeeeeeeeeeek). Just wanted to say that it might be worth your while investing in a 'passplus' course. My son took this a couple of week after his driving test as his insurance quotes were horrific. After passing passplus he got insurance £600 per year cheaper. Might be more important if you're male as insurance is really hiked for males under 25. Anyway, congratulations, I remember that feeling of freedom when you first pass. You know you're really independent now!

flang

Dont get a peugeot 106 1.4 diesel or 1.5 diesel versions.
They have problems with the piston block and head gasket!
My 1.4 engine block cracked as well as the head gasket blowing. 80,00 miles
My mums 1.5 diesel has had 3 head gaskets! and its only done 60,00 miles!
I currently have a Vauxhall Corsa 1.5 Turbo Diesel ( i hate the look of corsa) but its been a very reliable and has never let me down since purchase at the start of 05 its got 170,000 on the block to!!

flang

chugalug wrote:

Can't really recommend a car as when my son passed he then decided he wanted to ride a motorbike (eeeeeeeeeeeeek). Just wanted to say that it might be worth your while investing in a 'passplus' course. My son took this a couple of week after his driving test as his insurance quotes were horrific. After passing passplus he got insurance £600 per year cheaper. Might be more important if you're male as insurance is really hiked for males under 25. Anyway, congratulations, I remember that feeling of freedom when you first pass. You know you're really independent now!

I think it depends on what car you insure because if I had done a pass plus it would have only saved me about £100 so i didnt bother.
I would suggest buying the car, get a quote without the pass plus then see how much you would save with a pass plus.

Savvy_Sue

Honest John for all things car.

rolpaula

Hope this helps:D


http://www.whatcar.co.uk/advice_uc_howbuy.asp

http://www.whatcar.co.uk/advice_choose_car.asp