Best car for a 18 year old 'just passed' driver,£15k budget
Discussion
I have bought first driver cars for each of my 3 kids. If I were doing it again (barring the fact that for one of them I got a huge discount on a new Corsa 1.0 plus free insurance that covered a 17 year old) I would but another Polo. We had a 2002 Polo 1.4 Match and it was well built, reliable and economical. Also I seem to remember that it was not horrendous to insure. Paid about £2200 for it privately and got £1800 2 years later having added 15k. I liked driving it as it felt quite nippy for a 70BHP engine.
vtecyo said:
If someone else is paying, why not?
I would.
I wouldn't go for an Evo. I would.
Great capable cars, but have little to no desire to own one. I will admit though, an Evo X with no front bumper looks menacing.
I'd be looking at a Monaro/VXR8 if I wanted a saloon, or a S15 with a heap of performance mods.
OP, hope some of the holier than though replies haven't put you off.
In your position you have a certain criteria so spend all of the money if you can on a car you will be happy with for the next 3-4 years until you graduate which I think is the plan.
So you want a car which is less than 5 years old
Can do lots of miles with ease whils loaded with ski/snow board/mates for a weekend in Scotland.
DEcent equipment
REliable and well made to last that 3-4 years of abuse that only an 18 year old can give a car.
Not too hefty on the insurance.
What about:
Tiguan
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
ix35
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
RAV4
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
In your position you have a certain criteria so spend all of the money if you can on a car you will be happy with for the next 3-4 years until you graduate which I think is the plan.
So you want a car which is less than 5 years old
Can do lots of miles with ease whils loaded with ski/snow board/mates for a weekend in Scotland.
DEcent equipment
REliable and well made to last that 3-4 years of abuse that only an 18 year old can give a car.
Not too hefty on the insurance.
What about:
Tiguan
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
ix35
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
RAV4
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
R2T2 said:
I wouldn't go for an Evo.
Great capable cars, but have little to no desire to own one. I will admit though, an Evo X with no front bumper looks menacing.
I'd be looking at a Monaro/VXR8 if I wanted a saloon, or a S15 with a heap of performance mods.
An Evo is much harder to crash than those suggestions. You have to be sensible about this.Great capable cars, but have little to no desire to own one. I will admit though, an Evo X with no front bumper looks menacing.
I'd be looking at a Monaro/VXR8 if I wanted a saloon, or a S15 with a heap of performance mods.
vtecyo said:
An Evo is much harder to crash than those suggestions. You have to be sensible about this.
An Evo being harder to crash is like treading on a land mine is a better death than being shot. Both easily able to kill you. Even a Polo can kill you, but that takes a little more dedication.
R2T2 said:
vtecyo said:
An Evo is much harder to crash than those suggestions. You have to be sensible about this.
An Evo being harder to crash is like treading on a land mine is a better death than being shot. Both easily able to kill you. Even a Polo can kill you, but that takes a little more dedication.
Calza said:
R2T2 said:
vtecyo said:
An Evo is much harder to crash than those suggestions. You have to be sensible about this.
An Evo being harder to crash is like treading on a land mine is a better death than being shot. Both easily able to kill you. Even a Polo can kill you, but that takes a little more dedication.
Many good suggestions thanks a lot everyone 
I've definitely expanded my horizons a bit in terms of choice which is exactly what I wanted! For all those saying save the money and invest... I've already said that any 'saved' money by buying a cheaper car will stay with my parents, not go in my bank account. Also for those saying that I'm a horrible person and or implying the like because I want to spent as much of my parents money as possible, my parents have properties and are both retired so they really do not need the money.
I've definitely expanded my horizons a bit in terms of choice which is exactly what I wanted! For all those saying save the money and invest... I've already said that any 'saved' money by buying a cheaper car will stay with my parents, not go in my bank account. Also for those saying that I'm a horrible person and or implying the like because I want to spent as much of my parents money as possible, my parents have properties and are both retired so they really do not need the money. 
Pick one
There's nothing like the cost of fibreglass repair in the back of your mind to help you concentrate when manoeuvring/parking!
Honestly though, perhaps look at a S1, the older shape? You could easily purchase one and insure it for £15K. Maybe even a S2 Racetech? It's not the fastest or the most practical car, but they're hugely fun to drive! You have so many options available to you. However I'd certainly recommend buying 1-3 years old, so you get the most car/spec for your cash
Quite a situation
If you want a car that will be reliable, good for college, women and hold its value for the next 10 years or so if you treat it well then a good Defender 110/90 td5 will be a great bet. Powerfull enough on the motorway and great for snow etc if you go skiing + taking your mates out in.
i learned to drive in a 1987 td90 and it was very slow but brilliant for learning to drive a car within the limits of body roll and to learn how to carry speed around corners rather than the jerky motion most first time drivers adopt when 'pushing on'
also when you do spin it off the road as did a couple of times! you can drop it into low box and reverse back onto the road with minimal pride damage!
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
AG
If you want a car that will be reliable, good for college, women and hold its value for the next 10 years or so if you treat it well then a good Defender 110/90 td5 will be a great bet. Powerfull enough on the motorway and great for snow etc if you go skiing + taking your mates out in.
i learned to drive in a 1987 td90 and it was very slow but brilliant for learning to drive a car within the limits of body roll and to learn how to carry speed around corners rather than the jerky motion most first time drivers adopt when 'pushing on'
also when you do spin it off the road as did a couple of times! you can drop it into low box and reverse back onto the road with minimal pride damage!
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
AG
k it....go nuts....f*ck it....get a 2nd hand LR defender....doubt the insurance will be ruinous if you stick it with the NFU.
It's retro cool, if you dink it you can hammer out the problem, you have loads of lugging potential plus you can head off road for a play. Doubt any of your pals will have one either.
Might attract some fairly decent 'countryside' dorris' too.
Plus, providing you look after it and keep watch for tinworm, it will go ad infinitum!
Job jobbed.
It's retro cool, if you dink it you can hammer out the problem, you have loads of lugging potential plus you can head off road for a play. Doubt any of your pals will have one either.
Might attract some fairly decent 'countryside' dorris' too.
Plus, providing you look after it and keep watch for tinworm, it will go ad infinitum!
Job jobbed.
Edited by crispyshark on Tuesday 24th March 17:54
A Fiesta is the obvious choice for you, but a Focus is probably little dearer and the insurance might not be too outrageous either. If you want something that looks off-roadish then the Nissan Juke might be worth a look
- health warning - I am the antidote to fashion, style and coolness so everything that I have said is probably complete b******s.
Edited by Justin Case on Wednesday 25th March 11:59
15k buys you anything. Taking aside the fact that simply going to the Bank of Mummy and Daddy takes away the fun of life, just buy an old crock. Just because you can spend 15k, doesn't mean you should.
Despite what you think in your mind (we all did), you're not the next Lewis Hamilton. You're going to smash up your first car, probably not long after buying it. Given this, as others have said, spend a couple of grand on a small but relatively nice something and save the rest for something else. Hell, start a business doing something and see where it takes you. Your folks have money to burn (well done to them), you might as well do something useful with it as just waste it on sky high insurance premiums.
Despite what you think in your mind (we all did), you're not the next Lewis Hamilton. You're going to smash up your first car, probably not long after buying it. Given this, as others have said, spend a couple of grand on a small but relatively nice something and save the rest for something else. Hell, start a business doing something and see where it takes you. Your folks have money to burn (well done to them), you might as well do something useful with it as just waste it on sky high insurance premiums.
I'm 17, passed my test like 2 months ago, and I WISH my parents could afford to give me £15k for a first car!
But even then, I'd buy something like a small warm-hatch, that's not horrendous on insurance, but is pretty nice to drive.
But then, I want a Ford Ka Luxury as a first car, so I'm not the coolest person to be asking for advice.
If you want something 4x4ish, why not a Skoda Yeti? You can buy pretty nice examples with 4WD and the 1.2 TSI which is supposedly a nice engine.
My parents have the 1.6 TDi Greenline, and I think it's pretty nice to drive!
But of course, I'd just say buy something cheap but reliable and well maintained, and look after it properly, and it'll last you all the way through Uni.
But even then, I'd buy something like a small warm-hatch, that's not horrendous on insurance, but is pretty nice to drive.
But then, I want a Ford Ka Luxury as a first car, so I'm not the coolest person to be asking for advice.
If you want something 4x4ish, why not a Skoda Yeti? You can buy pretty nice examples with 4WD and the 1.2 TSI which is supposedly a nice engine.
My parents have the 1.6 TDi Greenline, and I think it's pretty nice to drive!
But of course, I'd just say buy something cheap but reliable and well maintained, and look after it properly, and it'll last you all the way through Uni.
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