Discussion
Advice required my nephew 21yr old has just passed his test,my brother has him earmarked for an 08 fiat punto dealers doing them for around £5k-£5.5k.My bro going down this route becauase apparently puntos are quite cheap to insure for a young new driver.What i want to find out is what kind of small cars are cheap to insure want to give the lad more of a selection than a punto also any advice where to insure or is it just shop around on the comparison websites.My nephew is not a petrolhead and for sure my bro will want the newest plate poss for his money so that rules out older souped up saxos etc.Advice most welcome.
Brave move buying him £5k car as his first. Personally I'd get a £1k Peugeot 306 D-Turbo.
Cheap to insure, quick enough for someone who has just passed and doesn't matter so much if he bumps it. If he can get a Phase 3 they don't look too dated.
Edited for Speeling and Grandma
Cheap to insure, quick enough for someone who has just passed and doesn't matter so much if he bumps it. If he can get a Phase 3 they don't look too dated.
Edited for Speeling and Grandma
Edited by Ricky_M on Sunday 15th August 00:18
Ricky_M said:
His money, his choice I suppose. Plenty of choice out there. I think the Aygo/C1/107 are group 1 insurance.
I'd personally have a previous shape Fiesta if it were my money, the 1.25 Zetec should be fairly cheap to insure, maybe even a TDCI.
aygo etc forgot to mention the lad is well over 6ft tall.Is the 1.2 corsa group 1?I'd personally have a previous shape Fiesta if it were my money, the 1.25 Zetec should be fairly cheap to insure, maybe even a TDCI.
C1 are not a bad car can pick a brand new one up for little over 6k
I am 6 foot two and fit in my mates quite easily. They are actually a fun drive to be honest very reliable and up to 40/50 a lot quicker than you would think for a 1.0 litre a bit gutless then mind but an ideal first car imo.
If not a fiesta 1.25 is also a fine choice
Would not bother with a grande punto at that price it will loose a lot of money and to be honest the build quality seems pretty awful from what I have seen of them...
I am 6 foot two and fit in my mates quite easily. They are actually a fun drive to be honest very reliable and up to 40/50 a lot quicker than you would think for a 1.0 litre a bit gutless then mind but an ideal first car imo.
If not a fiesta 1.25 is also a fine choice
Would not bother with a grande punto at that price it will loose a lot of money and to be honest the build quality seems pretty awful from what I have seen of them...
An old Tax free Beetle, cheapish to run,repair and probably insure for a new driver.
Not into cars.....soon will be.
Maybe something like this.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1775530.htm
Not into cars.....soon will be.
Maybe something like this.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1775530.htm
Ricky_M said:
Brave move buying him £5k car as his first. Personally I'd get a £1k Peugeot 306 D-Turbo.
Cheap to insure, quick enough for someone who has just passed and doesn't matter so much if he bumps it. If he can get a Phase 3 they don't look too dated.
Edited for Speeling and Grandma
Worst first car idea.Cheap to insure, quick enough for someone who has just passed and doesn't matter so much if he bumps it. If he can get a Phase 3 they don't look too dated.
Edited for Speeling and Grandma
Edited by Ricky_M on Sunday 15th August 00:18
Great car and I really love them but the big mistake you make as a new driver is leaving the braking too late for corners and then braking on entry. Doing this in a 306 leads to lovely oversteer, or if you're 17 a massive firey crash. Late P3 D turbos have GTI-6 suspension with more weight at the front and and less power to try and correct with. Really a bad idea in a first car.
10 years ago my mum had a 306 diesel. I did the above and was really, really lucky to only mildly hurt myself. Dad replaced it with a Merc A-class. Horrible vile car but you'd have to be an absolute idiot to stack it and it was pretty safe. Ideal first car.
Don't spend £5k on the the first car. Get a shed for 1k something like a little 106 or 306 for the first 6-12months, at that price it won't depreciate much as there is always a demand for such cars.
I'm 22 so not been driving that long myself, I started off in a £1400 rover 200 (bubble), was perfect as after 1yr I had knocked the odd gate post etc.
(how much would this hurt in your 5k pride n joy)
It's also surprising how many people have prangs in their first cars, when I was in sixth form it was every other week a kid was writing their 'ax' or something off. (even a kid who had a 6k fiesta zetec s)
It wasn't till after 1yr I decided to Splash out on a new car, spent £4400 and I really appreciated the upgrade.
I'm 22 so not been driving that long myself, I started off in a £1400 rover 200 (bubble), was perfect as after 1yr I had knocked the odd gate post etc.
(how much would this hurt in your 5k pride n joy)
It's also surprising how many people have prangs in their first cars, when I was in sixth form it was every other week a kid was writing their 'ax' or something off. (even a kid who had a 6k fiesta zetec s)
It wasn't till after 1yr I decided to Splash out on a new car, spent £4400 and I really appreciated the upgrade.
CampDavid said:
Ricky_M said:
Brave move buying him £5k car as his first. Personally I'd get a £1k Peugeot 306 D-Turbo.
Cheap to insure, quick enough for someone who has just passed and doesn't matter so much if he bumps it. If he can get a Phase 3 they don't look too dated.
Edited for Speeling and Grandma
Worst first car idea.Cheap to insure, quick enough for someone who has just passed and doesn't matter so much if he bumps it. If he can get a Phase 3 they don't look too dated.
Edited for Speeling and Grandma
Edited by Ricky_M on Sunday 15th August 00:18
Great car and I really love them but the big mistake you make as a new driver is leaving the braking too late for corners and then braking on entry. Doing this in a 306 leads to lovely oversteer, or if you're 17 a massive firey crash. Late P3 D turbos have GTI-6 suspension with more weight at the front and and less power to try and correct with. Really a bad idea in a first car.
10 years ago my mum had a 306 diesel. I did the above and was really, really lucky to only mildly hurt myself. Dad replaced it with a Merc A-class. Horrible vile car but you'd have to be an absolute idiot to stack it and it was pretty safe. Ideal first car.
t. Not everyone young driver does!Dont get a punto, its will be worth bugger all in a few years time.
I would suggest looking at a slightly older mk5 golf 1.4 or diesel, it will hold its value far better than a punto and will be a far better drive.
I would suggest looking at a slightly older mk5 golf 1.4 or diesel, it will hold its value far better than a punto and will be a far better drive.
catman said:
A friend of the family has just bought a Ka 1.3. She's 17. Most of the quotes were coming out at £5.5k to insure her!
After a lot of shopping around, she's got it down to £3700. Bargain..
Tim
She must live in a horrifically dodgy area. Most girls I know paid £500-£1000 for their first years insurance.After a lot of shopping around, she's got it down to £3700. Bargain..
Tim
busta said:
CampDavid said:
Ricky_M said:
Brave move buying him £5k car as his first. Personally I'd get a £1k Peugeot 306 D-Turbo.
Cheap to insure, quick enough for someone who has just passed and doesn't matter so much if he bumps it. If he can get a Phase 3 they don't look too dated.
Edited for Speeling and Grandma
Worst first car idea.Cheap to insure, quick enough for someone who has just passed and doesn't matter so much if he bumps it. If he can get a Phase 3 they don't look too dated.
Edited for Speeling and Grandma
Edited by Ricky_M on Sunday 15th August 00:18
Great car and I really love them but the big mistake you make as a new driver is leaving the braking too late for corners and then braking on entry. Doing this in a 306 leads to lovely oversteer, or if you're 17 a massive firey crash. Late P3 D turbos have GTI-6 suspension with more weight at the front and and less power to try and correct with. Really a bad idea in a first car.
10 years ago my mum had a 306 diesel. I did the above and was really, really lucky to only mildly hurt myself. Dad replaced it with a Merc A-class. Horrible vile car but you'd have to be an absolute idiot to stack it and it was pretty safe. Ideal first car.
t. Not everyone young driver does!My focus for my first born son would be a car with lots of safety and forgiving handling, also one that doesn't encourage fast paced driving (306s come into their element on a twisty lane!)
Plus one on this or any classic if the insurance works out cheaper.
"Ol skool cool" is the way.
"Ol skool cool" is the way.
Westy Pre-Lit said:
An old Tax free Beetle, cheapish to run,repair and probably insure for a new driver.
Not into cars.....soon will be.
Maybe something like this.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1775530.htm
Not into cars.....soon will be.
Maybe something like this.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1775530.htm
CampDavid said:
Ricky_M said:
Brave move buying him £5k car as his first. Personally I'd get a £1k Peugeot 306 D-Turbo.
Cheap to insure, quick enough for someone who has just passed and doesn't matter so much if he bumps it. If he can get a Phase 3 they don't look too dated.
Edited for Speeling and Grandma
Worst first car idea.Cheap to insure, quick enough for someone who has just passed and doesn't matter so much if he bumps it. If he can get a Phase 3 they don't look too dated.
Edited for Speeling and Grandma
Edited by Ricky_M on Sunday 15th August 00:18
Great car and I really love them but the big mistake you make as a new driver is leaving the braking too late for corners and then braking on entry. Doing this in a 306 leads to lovely oversteer, or if you're 17 a massive firey crash. Late P3 D turbos have GTI-6 suspension with more weight at the front and and less power to try and correct with. Really a bad idea in a first car.
10 years ago my mum had a 306 diesel. I did the above and was really, really lucky to only mildly hurt myself. Dad replaced it with a Merc A-class. Horrible vile car but you'd have to be an absolute idiot to stack it and it was pretty safe. Ideal first car.
t, learn to drive properly. You drive to a cars personal characteristics, every car is different. I spent a lot of time driving a 1.9d 306 and don't get me wrong it did handle like a like a piece of crap, but I didn't crash it and nor did loads of my friends who had them. I would happily say that these terrible experiences you have had and heard of in the 306 were down to driver error, and you can't blame inexperience because me and a lot of other first time drivers didn't crash, it was only the people who thought they were schuey or were driving stupidly on roads they'd never been/driven.greggy50 said:
C1 are not a bad car can pick a brand new one up for little over 6k
I am 6 foot two and fit in my mates quite easily. They are actually a fun drive to be honest very reliable and up to 40/50 a lot quicker than you would think for a 1.0 litre a bit gutless then mind but an ideal first car imo.
If not a fiesta 1.25 is also a fine choice
Would not bother with a grande punto at that price it will loose a lot of money and to be honest the build quality seems pretty awful from what I have seen of them...
The C1 is no use as an everyday car unless you never venture onto a motorway or dual carriageway - it's extremely vulnerable to crosswinds which can be quite scary at times! Oh, and the pedals sit at a stupid angle and changing gears reminded me of stirring a tin of paint with an old stick.I am 6 foot two and fit in my mates quite easily. They are actually a fun drive to be honest very reliable and up to 40/50 a lot quicker than you would think for a 1.0 litre a bit gutless then mind but an ideal first car imo.
If not a fiesta 1.25 is also a fine choice
Would not bother with a grande punto at that price it will loose a lot of money and to be honest the build quality seems pretty awful from what I have seen of them...
Agree about the Punto though, poor quality and they understeer like nothing you've ever seen.
What you really should have as a first car is something quite heavy and slow (think Polo/Fiesta/Fabia etc) as this sort of a car will teach a new driver all they need to know about road positioning/safe overtaking etc without ever being quick enough to make them show off.
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff