First car recommendations

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First car recommendations

Post by Dunners »

I can't think of a better place to ask this kind of question than the Os board.

My daughter will probably pass her driving test around this summer. I was thinking of getting her a Panda, as it's Group 1, and fitting it with cameras and a. Lack box.

As it's her first car, and the one she's most likely to end up crashing, I thought it best to keep the budget low. So thinking of £2-£3K.

Does that sound about right? I know f*** all about cars, but am not someone who's ever been impressed by high-spec/performance and prefer to go for value.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Long slender neck »

Seeing as they've been around for a while, how about a BMW mini or fiat 500? Would be more stylish.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Stamford O »

Ford ka
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by tuffers#1 »

Get the car that #savedurhamdom has got.

Its a miracle of a car .
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Top of the JES »

Dunners wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 7:05 pm I can't think of a better place to ask this kind of question than the Os board.

My daughter will probably pass her driving test around this summer. I was thinking of getting her a Panda, as it's Group 1, and fitting it with cameras and a. Lack box.

As it's her first car, and the one she's most likely to end up crashing, I thought it best to keep the budget low. So thinking of £2-£3K.

Does that sound about right? I know f*** all about cars, but am not someone who's ever been impressed by high-spec/performance and prefer to go for value.
We bought our daughter a Skoda Citigo, which is the same as a VW up and Seat Mii. It's a brilliant little car low insurance, £20 to tax and around 60 mpg, I drive it quite a bit going into town. Unfortunately she mucked her test pulling into the test centre by clipping the kerb not able to rebook at the moment.

£2000 to £3000 should get you a 66 or 67 plate with about 30,000 on the clock. ATB
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by marcho »

Seat Ibiza same underpinnings and build as VW and Skoda opted for one as a company car,I usually travel on my own and occasionally with a passenger did 60,000 plus miles in 3 years no dramas. (petrol of course)
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Dunners »

Prestige Worldwide wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 7:15 pm Seeing as they've been around for a while, how about a BMW mini or fiat 500? Would be more stylish.
Not Group 1. Also heard that the 500s engines don't age well. No idea how true that is.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by i8ubutler »

Doesn't really matter what type as long as it has fully reclining seats.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Long slender neck »

How much is insurance for the youths now? I paid a premium of about 1700 roughly fifteen years ago.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Orient Punxx »

Would start by avoiding a Panda or Fiat 500 / worst cars I have ever driven.

The Skoda and the Seat are sound choices.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by RientO »

Dunners wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 7:05 pm
My daughter will probably pass her driving test around this summer. I was thinking of getting her a Panda, as it's Group 1, and fitting it with cameras and a. Lack box.

As it's her first car, and the one she's most likely to end up crashing, I thought it best to keep the budget low. So thinking of £2-£3K.

Does that sound about right? I know f*** all about cars, but am not someone who's ever been impressed by high-spec/performance and prefer to go for value.
Fiat Pandas are superb. I got one in 2004 and still going. You can park it anywhere and it has 4 doors so you can even get kids in the back. Unfortunately the kids got too big so we upgraded to a Ford B-Max, but I love driving the Panda around town.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Dunners »

RientO wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 8:35 pm
Dunners wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 7:05 pm
My daughter will probably pass her driving test around this summer. I was thinking of getting her a Panda, as it's Group 1, and fitting it with cameras and a. Lack box.

As it's her first car, and the one she's most likely to end up crashing, I thought it best to keep the budget low. So thinking of £2-£3K.

Does that sound about right? I know f*** all about cars, but am not someone who's ever been impressed by high-spec/performance and prefer to go for value.
Fiat Pandas are superb. I got one in 2004 and still going. You can park it anywhere and it has 4 doors so you can even get kids in the back. Unfortunately the kids got too big so we upgraded to a Ford B-Max, but I love driving the Panda around town.
Everyone I know who has a panda (which is 2) all love them. Even James May declared them his favourite car.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Max B Gold »

If you live in London I'm not totally convinced she needs a car.

Don't go for the tiny cars.

My daughter got a brand new Skoda Fabia on a PCP deal
For something like £125pm. Mileage is restricted to 8,000pa but that should be enough. If not, then by a couple of thousand more miles.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Dunners »

She doesn't need a car. But for some reason my attempt to inject logic and reasoning into any conversation around this topic isn't working. Hence why I'm spending so much time on here with all of you.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Real Al »

Pandas are pretty common. In fact they're everywhere.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Max B Gold »

Dunners wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 9:14 pm She doesn't need a car. But for some reason my attempt to inject logic and reasoning into any conversation around this topic isn't working. Hence why I'm spending so much time on here with all of you.
Both my daughter's have moved out but still send a picture of their dinner every night. It's something to look forward to in an otherwise dull life.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by DonaldRocks »

I would recommend any of the following. Suzuki Swift, Nissan Micra or Ford Fiesta. I owned 2 of them in my early days. In fact, I still own a Sporty 125 BHP Petrol EcoBoost Ford Fiesta.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Long slender neck »

Don't you all remember the freedom and laughs a first car brings?
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by DonaldRocks »

Prestige Worldwide wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 10:51 pm Don't you all remember the freedom and laughs a first car brings?
I certainly do. Possibly the most important exam you'll ever pass. We had some wild days at football, beaches, discos, pubs, Debs, camping, women, music blaring on Tape, Windows down, fancy hubcaps, basically acting the bollox. I wrote off my first car, well it was wrote of for me as I skidded and ended up sideways on a narrow road in winter time and 2 ladies must not have been paying attention and drove straight into the side of me. My insurance had to pay as apparently my car was technically on the wrong side of the road. An expensive lesson in life.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by LittleMate »

Dunners wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 7:05 pm I can't think of a better place to ask this kind of question than the Os board.

My daughter will probably pass her driving test around this summer. I was thinking of getting her a Panda, as it's Group 1, and fitting it with cameras and a. Lack box.

As it's her first car, and the one she's most likely to end up crashing, I thought it best to keep the budget low. So thinking of £2-£3K.

Does that sound about right? I know f*** all about cars, but am not someone who's ever been impressed by high-spec/performance and prefer to go for value.
Unless you are doing it for her safety, do not get her a black box. Its the same sort of price with or without one. The amount of disputes you can have about whether she's triggered something somewhere can be very time consuming.

I've got a VW Up, a Ford Fiesta and a Ford KA. The fiesta is the newest (67 plate) and as a 30k a year driver I'm really impressed with it - although its out of your range. Am looking to replace the KA and Vauxhall have some great PCP's for £200 pcm right now. For what you are looking to spend, I think you might be buying a bit of trouble if you are seeking to keep it for more than a year.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by NuneatonO's »

The first question is how much you want to spend, I suppose.

It's difficult with sons and daughters; as they generally want something small and sporty looking; in the case of lads, to impress their mates and pull birds. The problem is that with these cars, they'll generally have smaller engines; and could have already been thrashed. Bear in mind that any second hand car could turn out to be a bock. With a private sale, in most cases, you'll pay less - but you've often got no redress whatsoever if something major goes wrong. At least with a dealer, you can check their feedback from previous customers.

You probably know this anyway but even if a car has a new ticket, it's always a good idea to look at the previous advisories. This link will provide you with a good overview of what's potentially going to cost you money in the future putting things right (all that you need is the registration):

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

Not a car that a girl would necessarily like but in my honest opinion, the best value second-hand car currently for anyone with limited money, is an X-type Jag. Although on a Mondeo Chassis (and sharing some parts with a Ford Mondeo) these cars were built by Jaguar; and many versions have a Jaguar-designed and built V6 engine (much better quality than some of the junk that Ford put into them). They sell for peanuts; but you get one hell of a lot of car for your money. They've also, more often than not, belonged to older folk; so have been driven carefully, have low mileage for their age and have been regularly serviced.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search ... -from=1000

Insurance could be higher for younger people; but that's a balancing act with what you are paying for the car. From experience, I can honestly say that these Jags ars built like tanks and are an absolute dream to drive. You get the Jag build and drive quality but at Ford prices. However, despite their age, they drive like new.

Best of luck.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Dunners »

:D

I'm just picturing the look on her face when I reveal that I've bought her an old Jag for her first car.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Long slender neck »

Should be cheap to insure and run too.
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by NuneatonO's »

Dunners wrote: Tue May 26, 2020 9:19 am :D

I'm just picturing the look on her face when I reveal that I've bought her an old Jag for her first car.
Sitting on plush leather seats; walnut dash, just wafting along like a silent cloud listening to Classic FM?

My God man.......what's not to like! :D
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Re: First car recommendations

Post by Dunners »

Might even leave her a packet of Hamlet cigars in the glove box.
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