Biggish car with smallish engine

[uk_vette]

My wife is looking to buy her first car.
New licence holder, no no-claims.
Aged 31, so insurance isn't going to be so much of a killer.

I will be adding her to my policy, on a Land Cruiser, which bumps up my cost from £380 p.a. to £570 p.a.

Her was wanting a KA, of Fiesta but after loaning one for a week, they felt very tinny, and I am not sure how they would fair in a bump.

I was thinking to up the insurance costs a little, and go for the 1,4L Focus.

We would like to buy a car for £1200 or less.
Her would need to keep it two years, before getting what she wants, which is the Jeep Wrangler.


Please, suggestions?


vette

[chrisw666]

Why a smallish engine?

A 1.6 focus would be a better car than a 1.4 and cheaper to run.

[LukeR94]

they do a old renault megane scenic with a 1.4.

[DervVW]

The old Kia rio? 1.3 Engine, about as big as a focus?

[big_boz]

There is a 1.6 petrol mondeo and a 1.4 petrol octavia

[aj84]

Maybe an Astra?
Solid cars usually - especially given how the police drive them :- )

[Slow]

Mk1 focus tddi?

Had one.

Plenty of space, engine took one hell of a beating, cheap isnurance for me at 17 years old.

[McWigglebum4th]

I'd suggest a jeep wrangler

By the time you have paid for a car she doesn't want and run it for 2 years i guess you won't save much over insuring a jeep wrangler

[uk_vette]

chrisw666 said:

Why a smallish engine?

A 1.6 focus would be a better car than a 1.4 and cheaper to run.

.
Nice to have a 1,6L but the insurance seems to take a hike

vette

[uk_vette]

aj84 said:

Maybe an Astra?
Solid cars usually - especially given how the police drive them :- )

.
good call,

I think there was a 1,4L, (not talking the very old 1,3l stuff)

vette

[scarble]

Some small cars are very good in a collision. If you're really safety concious get a newish Volvo, oddly enough they're one of those cars that actually fit the public perception. In the new small-overlap tests they were the only cars any good. Available with all manner of engines, some rather quick, others not so much.
Look up the old <insert carshow?> Volvo tank vs Renault Modus vid though. The Modus fairs better.

Volvos should be ok on insurance too and they do exist with a 1.6 engine.

[Fizpop]

Vitara? Available for that money, 1.6 and some of the attributes she likes of the Jeep?

[HustleRussell]

uk_vette said:

.
good call,

I think there was a 1,4L, (not talking the very old 1,3l stuff)

vette

The 1.4 16v was brought in to replave the 1.6 8v on the mkV as the base model and as such probably attracts simular premiums.

Mk4 golf has it's problems but very solid and available with 1.4...

[elephantstone]

HustleRussell said:

The 1.4 16v was brought in to replave the 1.6 8v on the mkV as the base model and as such probably attracts simular premiums.

Mk4 golf has it's problems but very solid and available with 1.4...

My brother had a mk4 golf with the 1.4 and it was slow, burnt oil, unreliable and a pudding.

[51mes]

OK its a small car but the panda 4x4 is worth a look.

Cheap to buy insure and run, with some of the characteristics desired?

[HustleRussell]

elephantstone said:

My brother had a mk4 golf with the 1.4 and it was slow, burnt oil, unreliable and a pudding.

My mate had a pre-VW Skoda which was very reliable! Exceptions to every rule and any model can be a lemon. The 1.4 will be slow (by PH standards) but isn't an inherently unreliable car IMO. A pudding? forsure!

[saaby93]

Berlingo?

[otolith]

1.6 litre Passat or Octavia?

[lewisf182]

1.4/1.6 mk4 golf or bora. Nice inside, big enough in all other departments and goes okay enough for the engine size (keeps up with traffic and will cruise ar 70 easily). They arnt the most economical though !

[lightthefuse]

scarble said:

Look up the old <insert carshow?> Volvo tank vs Renault Modus vid though. The Modus fairs better.

Fifth Gear. The Swedes scoffed until I told them to look it up on YouTube.

A lot to be said for the 740 though. One managed to write off an S80 of mine!