First car for son

[Spanglepants]

Son just turned 17 so he's after a first car. Has a small budget - £500 - is this likely ?
A long time friend of my sons has offered him his first car which he has replaced.
I had a look at it yesterday, its a Seat Ibiza 1.2 '54 plate, which he's said he can have for £250. Got a decent MOT till next year but the engine is making a loud ticking noise . As you rev higher it goes quieter but as soon as the revs drop again it comes back.
I took the oil filler cap off and the ticking was louder from inside the filler hole. He's been driving it like this for about 6 months with no noticeable effect. Car will be used for driving around Milton Keynes and not any distance driving.
So, is it worth taking a chance or look elsewhere ?
thanks

[Countdown]

Hi

Completely non-PH car but I would strongly recommend a Yaris. They're idiot-proof to drive and very reliable (as long as you don't get one that's been shagged to within an inch of its life by takeaway delivery drivers

Something like this

[Zetec-S]

Countdown said:

Hi

Completely non-PH car but I would strongly recommend a Yaris. They're idiot-proof to drive and very reliable (as long as you don't get one that's been shagged to within an inch of its life by takeaway delivery drivers

Something like this

Good shout.

I was going to suggest a Mk1 Ford KA, but thinking about it would probably go for the Yaris instead. At least to tide him over for the first year or so.

Or dare I say it, a k11 Micra?

[Shaw Tarse]

Saab https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=16...

[Countdown]

Zetec-S said:

Or dare I say it, a k11 Micra?

Not a bad car for its time but the sills rot, the steering is quite heavy if not PAS, Yaris has more space, is more modern, has things like Airbags and ABS as standard, and aren't usually that much more expensive. Micras tend to crumple like wet tissue when in a bump.

However they are f'kin amazing in snow on 155R13s

[Zetec-S]

Countdown said:

Zetec-S said:

Or dare I say it, a k11 Micra?

Not a bad car for its time but the sills rot, the steering is quite heavy if not PAS, Yaris has more space, is more modern, has things like Airbags and ABS as standard, and aren't usually that much more expensive. Micras tend to crumple like wet tissue when in a bump.

However they are f'kin amazing in snow on 155R13s

True, I forget how old they are now. I guess the fkers never die which is why I still see so many of them on the road

[RSTurboPaul]

Spanglepants said:

Son just turned 17 so he's after a first car. Has a small budget - £500 - is this likely ?
A long time friend of my sons has offered him his first car which he has replaced.
I had a look at it yesterday, its a Seat Ibiza 1.2 '54 plate, which he's said he can have for £250. Got a decent MOT till next year but the engine is making a loud ticking noise . As you rev higher it goes quieter but as soon as the revs drop again it comes back.
I took the oil filler cap off and the ticking was louder from inside the filler hole. He's been driving it like this for about 6 months with no noticeable effect. Car will be used for driving around Milton Keynes and not any distance driving.
So, is it worth taking a chance or look elsewhere ?
thanks

Ticking on idle might just be noisy hydraulic lifters. (I'm not sure if this car has them or not, but I'm aware they exist and have this issue in other cars.)

Is the oil level low?
What oil grade has it got in it? (Is it the correct grade?)
What make of oil is it? (e.g. Magnatec does not seem to agree with some engines.)
When was it last serviced?

If it has got HLAs, they can apparently be cleaned seemingly quite easily at home.

[avenger286]

Been running a yaris that I got given for 6 months now and all its cost me is service items and an mot.

[C70R]

Zetec-S said:

Or dare I say it, a k11 Micra?

This. It's a cockroach mechanically, and you've got plenty of choice to avoid a super-rusty example.

[Spanglepants]

Thanks all. Id already suggested the Micra but he won't have it, Im surprised because he's mad on japanese cars. I know the Micra is not the answer to his dreams of a Skyline but as I keep telling him, its just for a year.
Problem is he has friends that parents have got them new A Classes etc. Ive shown him this thread and he seems to want to either take a chance on the Seat or look at a Clio or Polo.

[0a]

Countdown said:

Hi

Completely non-PH car but I would strongly recommend a Yaris. They're idiot-proof to drive and very reliable (as long as you don't get one that's been shagged to within an inch of its life by takeaway delivery drivers

Something like this

I was about to post the same suggestion. The number of Yarises on Autotrader with mega miles suggests they are very robust indeed.

[rog007]

Citroen C1
Peugeot 108
Toyota Yaris

In that order (despite them all being the same essentially)

I've owned all three. All three are not just perfect first cars, they're great cars!

End of thread!


(Always wanted to do that!)

[dave_s13]

A known car for£250 is a safer bet than one you pick at random from autotrader etc.

As stated the ticking could be benign and something as simple as changing to a slightly heavier oil might shut it up. Or it might just tick away happily for the next 50k miles.

[0a]

rog007 said:

Citroen C1
Peugeot 108
Toyota Yaris

In that order (despite them all being the same essentially)

I've owned all three. All three are not just perfect first cars, they're great cars!

End of thread!


(Always wanted to do that!)

You mean Aygo, not Yaris though! Restart thread!

[rog007]

0a said:

You mean Aygo, not Yaris though! Restart thread!

You're correct!

Ah well, there's always next time...

[MarcelM6]

Having been in a similar situation 2 years ago I assume you've checked the insurance quotes for all these options? My son's purchasing decision was ultimately determined by the insurance cost, not the make and model of the car. ie, he bought a car that had the cheapest insurance, even though it cost more to buy than he had planned.

Buying the car is a one-off cost, insurance for under 25's sucks for 8 years!

[Countdown]

MarcelM6 said:

Having been in a similar situation 2 years ago I assume you've checked the insurance quotes for all these options? My son's purchasing decision was ultimately determined by the insurance cost, not the make and model of the car. ie, he bought a car that had the cheapest insurance, even though it cost more to buy than he had planned.

Buying the car is a one-off cost, insurance for under 25's sucks for 8 years!

Insurance is borderline affordable if you have a tracker box fitted.

[C70R]

Spanglepants said:

Thanks all. Id already suggested the Micra but he won't have it, Im surprised because he's mad on japanese cars. I know the Micra is not the answer to his dreams of a Skyline but as I keep telling him, its just for a year.
Problem is he has friends that parents have got them new A Classes etc. Ive shown him this thread and he seems to want to either take a chance on the Seat or look at a Clio or Polo.

Show him this link ( https://www.micra.org.uk/threads/photos-of-members...), then the back of your hand if he disagrees. There's a reason why the K11 is the car that launched a million takeaway deliveries...

[telecat]

I would consider a Ibiza as My daughter had one for a few years as her first car. It was a 1.4 Sport on an 08 plate and had all the toys she wanted. She now runs a 1.2 TSI Leon and likes that as well. The clincher really was that insurance is pretty good on the car despite it being a Sport. the fact it has 85 BHP also meant it was not running out of puff that easily.

[Tim-D]

My offspring uses a seat arosa 1.0s (whatever the s stands for it certainly isn't 'sport' .... 'special' being more apt.........)
They can be found ridiculously cheaply (ours a 54 plate with 38k on it for 200 quid intercepted on its way to scrap with nothing wrong with it bar a leaky gearbox....oil seal...10 quid later sorted...)
Parts readily available & cheap, a solid little thing too, just looks ridiculous ....
Insurance without fronting or a black box was 1100 year one...