First Car: Mazda 3 or BMW 1 series?
Discussion
Im just about to purchase my first car. At the moment on the list is a 2010 mazda 3 1.6 sports and a BMW 116D. For both the cars insurance is reasonable for me I have been given quotes from £1000-1500. I was looking for a car that is a little nifty but not too big. what are any suggestions?
Insurance on newer cars is pretty cheap, would be cheaper for me (19, 1 yrs ncb) to insure and brand new Golf R than for me to insure my Focus ST170. £1000-1500 sounds about right, my first years insurance was in that range. I'd say Mazda, should be cheaper to run aside from fuel and its a petrol, whilst still being good to drive.
What happened to the A1/Scirocco choices a while back?
In all seriousness, it's a first car, you don't want something tidy as a first car as if/when you hit it, it'll cost you BMW prices to get them repaired, and you're limited to dealers. Whereas an older car, such a Fiesta if you hit a wing you can get one for £50 from a scrappy and get it sprayed to match, much less than a BMW wing.
In all seriousness, it's a first car, you don't want something tidy as a first car as if/when you hit it, it'll cost you BMW prices to get them repaired, and you're limited to dealers. Whereas an older car, such a Fiesta if you hit a wing you can get one for £50 from a scrappy and get it sprayed to match, much less than a BMW wing.
Blanchimont said:
What happened to the A1/Scirocco choices a while back?
In all seriousness, it's a first car, you don't want something tidy as a first car as if/when you hit it, it'll cost you BMW prices to get them repaired, and you're limited to dealers. Whereas an older car, such a Fiesta if you hit a wing you can get one for £50 from a scrappy and get it sprayed to match, much less than a BMW wing.
A1 and scirocco choices where gone for that exact reasonIn all seriousness, it's a first car, you don't want something tidy as a first car as if/when you hit it, it'll cost you BMW prices to get them repaired, and you're limited to dealers. Whereas an older car, such a Fiesta if you hit a wing you can get one for £50 from a scrappy and get it sprayed to match, much less than a BMW wing.
As I've said already, I'd keep the money aside, buy a £1000 snotter and run that for 12/24 months and use the money you've kept to buy a better car, because the insurance has come down to a reasonable price you'll be able to get a quicker version. (Think, instead of a BMW 116, you can get a 125 or even a 130i)
I would get something small and safe, like a Grande Punto, as there are parts a plenty, you can buy stuff from a scrapper for £20 should you prang it. (I did at 18, pulled the face of my first car off)
Then, you can sell it off for not much less than you bought it for, and get a car that you would enjoy more than a lower spec newer car.
You never know, in 2 years, you might me looking at RX8s, rather than a Mazda 3.
I would get something small and safe, like a Grande Punto, as there are parts a plenty, you can buy stuff from a scrapper for £20 should you prang it. (I did at 18, pulled the face of my first car off)
Then, you can sell it off for not much less than you bought it for, and get a car that you would enjoy more than a lower spec newer car.
You never know, in 2 years, you might me looking at RX8s, rather than a Mazda 3.
morgan98 said:
Because if I was to get a Mazda I would get the sport one because the insurance is basically the same, got quoted on a 2010 Mazda 3 sport £1,400
So you're buying a car solely based on how much it is to insure?I know it's a big factor but those cars have two totally different engines and purposes. Why not a petrol 1 series instead?
OP - As much as the desire to flash to your mates in your fancy new beemer is tempting, I have to say if insurance is your main concern you're really going about this the wrong way.
It's your first car. If you want cheap insurance and cheap running get something crap like a Micra for a couple hundred quid and spend the rest on the insurance and nights out.
Save up, buy a better car when you can afford to run it.
It's your first car. If you want cheap insurance and cheap running get something crap like a Micra for a couple hundred quid and spend the rest on the insurance and nights out.
Save up, buy a better car when you can afford to run it.
Life is way too short to limit yourself to crap cars.
If you like cars & driving (I assume you do by your being on here?) why would you not want to drive something you actually like and enjoy? If all you want is A to B transport, then yes buy the cheapest, most frugal P.O S you can find. Otherwise, look for something that you actually want and make the most of your time with it.
If you like cars & driving (I assume you do by your being on here?) why would you not want to drive something you actually like and enjoy? If all you want is A to B transport, then yes buy the cheapest, most frugal P.O S you can find. Otherwise, look for something that you actually want and make the most of your time with it.
I know what I'd of done if I had 7 grand burning a hole in my pocket when I passed my test.
Now I'm older, and ever so slightly wiser, I'd give the advice to buy something cheap and cheerful until you've got experience and no claims.
That wouldn't of stopped my 17 year old self from buying something more expensive and flashy though. The image thing means a lot more to a teenager than it does to most people with more important things to be worrying about, and I'm sure he will feel like the nuts driving a diesel 1 series, unless he crashes it that is.
It's funny what constitutes a 'nice' car to some people though...
Now I'm older, and ever so slightly wiser, I'd give the advice to buy something cheap and cheerful until you've got experience and no claims.
That wouldn't of stopped my 17 year old self from buying something more expensive and flashy though. The image thing means a lot more to a teenager than it does to most people with more important things to be worrying about, and I'm sure he will feel like the nuts driving a diesel 1 series, unless he crashes it that is.
It's funny what constitutes a 'nice' car to some people though...
I have a 2010 Mazda 3 Sport 1.6 petrol and it's a great car, except for the engine which is a tad sluggish. The car handles really nicely, feels light and the steering rack is taken straight from an MX-5.
Having a NA Petrol made by Mazda means that the engine should never ever go wrong (if serviced of course). There's always the risk with Diesels to need new injectors, DPF problems etc.
The Mazda Sport also has a crapton of gadgets and equipment (heated seats, heated front windscreen, Bluetooth, Bose stereo (on some models) etc.)
PS: Make sure you avoid the 1.6 diesel in the Mazda - it's the same crappy PSA engine found in Ford, Citroen, Volvo and it likes to eat turbos.
Having a NA Petrol made by Mazda means that the engine should never ever go wrong (if serviced of course). There's always the risk with Diesels to need new injectors, DPF problems etc.
The Mazda Sport also has a crapton of gadgets and equipment (heated seats, heated front windscreen, Bluetooth, Bose stereo (on some models) etc.)
PS: Make sure you avoid the 1.6 diesel in the Mazda - it's the same crappy PSA engine found in Ford, Citroen, Volvo and it likes to eat turbos.
Ghost91 said:
I know what I'd of done if I had 7 grand burning a hole in my pocket when I passed my test.
Now I'm older, and ever so slightly wiser, I'd give the advice to buy something cheap and cheerful until you've got experience and no claims.
That wouldn't of stopped my 17 year old self from buying something more expensive and flashy though. The image thing means a lot more to a teenager than it does to most people with more important things to be worrying about, and I'm sure he will feel like the nuts driving a diesel 1 series, unless he crashes it that is.
It's funny what constitutes a 'nice' car to some people though...
This is so true lol, I really don't want to be driving a banger but not anything to expesinsive. The thing is I'm looking to have this car for around 3/4 years until I'm about 21 and can get insured 3rd party on my parents cars and get insurance on something bigger. Now I'm older, and ever so slightly wiser, I'd give the advice to buy something cheap and cheerful until you've got experience and no claims.
That wouldn't of stopped my 17 year old self from buying something more expensive and flashy though. The image thing means a lot more to a teenager than it does to most people with more important things to be worrying about, and I'm sure he will feel like the nuts driving a diesel 1 series, unless he crashes it that is.
It's funny what constitutes a 'nice' car to some people though...
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