Advice on upgrading from first car

[Hadleyiam]

Hello everyone,

new around here, I am looking for some advice, currently driving my first car, 1L Toyota Aygo 2005, have owned for 2 and half years but i am now extremely bored with it and think its coming to the end of its life.

Looking to upgrade but not 100% sure what I want so looking for suggestions, I dont have the biggest budget in the world probably 2-4K more if I went HP, I know pretty much any car will be an upgrade on what I already have just wondering what others would be looking at.

I'm 24 so insurance shouldn't be to bad on a bigger car, I need 4 seats and just after something more fun to drive, I dont do any motorway miles and only occasionally drive long distances.

Any ideas?

[Mr Roper]

Hi Hadley. Welcome to PH..


My money would go on a MK5 Golf GTI...It's a great all rounder, fun, practical and comfortable. You should get into a pretty nice one for your budget.

Little more raw would see my money going on a nice little Clio 197.

Or if you fancy a nice cruiser that will keep up and handle well then a manual E46 330ci..Your budget would see you into a very nice car.

[Ransoman]

How close are you to 25? Stick it out a little longer and insurance will become so much cheaper, you will have a world of choice.,

[GreatGranny]

Good shout on the GTI

3 Series Coupe

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

In before ZX :-)

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Hadleyiam]

25 at the end of August so I probably will end up waiting until then, save some more cash and I can also go onto the business insurance which wont cost me a penny

I test drove a BMW 120D M Sport last weekend, beautiful car, drove great I just couldn't justify spending £7500 on HP for a 9 year old car.

I suppose this thread is just getting some more ideas together.

[aka_kerrly]

What have you done to your 2005 aygo for it to be on its last legs? In my mind that Suggests it's been massively neglected.

If you spent 4k on car could you then spend £300-500 in 3 months on an unexpected bill?

I'd also say a mk5 golf gti, ep3 civic type r as there are a decent selection of those in the 2-4k

[SWoll]

If you're going to consider the MK5 Golf then I'd also definitely have a look at the Scirocco. Still a great, modern looking car to my eyes and a lot funkier than the golf.

They do a 1.4 TSI version with 158 BHP that will still be a significant upgrade but perhaps not so difficult to insure as a GTi?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Monkeylegend]

Hadleyiam said:

25 at the end of August so I probably will end up waiting until then, save some more cash and I can also go onto the business insurance which wont cost me a penny

I test drove a BMW 120D M Sport last weekend, beautiful car, drove great I just couldn't justify spending £7500 on HP for a 9 year old car.

I suppose this thread is just getting some more ideas together.

If you only occasionally drive long distances and no motorway driving petrol is probably more advisable.

[Hadleyiam]

Thanks for the advice on looking at a petrol, I had to replace the plugs and coil packs the other week and the CAT needs replacing, MOT isn't until October so I can still drive it until August and get rid, I cant justify spending more money on it when I want to change car anyway

[SWoll]

Hadleyiam said:

25 at the end of August so I probably will end up waiting until then, save some more cash and I can also go onto the business insurance which wont cost me a penny

I test drove a BMW 120D M Sport last weekend, beautiful car, drove great I just couldn't justify spending £7500 on HP for a 9 year old car.

I suppose this thread is just getting some more ideas together.

Definitely avoid diesel if most of your driving is around town and you rarely do long trips.

1 series are expensive for what they offer IMHO. If a BMW is what you want then an e90/e92 3 series would be a much nicer car for that kind of money especially with the 3.0 petrol engine.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Monkeylegend]

Maybe not quite as reliable as those mentioned above but you could get a decent Mini for £4k, petrol of course

[Scottchester]

SWoll said:

If you're going to consider the MK5 Golf then I'd also definitely have a look at the Scirocco. Still a great, modern looking car to my eyes and a lot funkier than the golf.

They do a 1.4 TSI version with 158 BHP that will still be a significant upgrade but perhaps not so difficult to insure as a GTi?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Isn't the 1.4 TSI the engine that drinks as much oil as it does petrol though ?

TDI version would be a good shout though

[Shiv_P]

Scottchester said:

Isn't the 1.4 TSI the engine that drinks as much oil as it does petrol though ?

TDI version would be a good shout though

Yes also twincharged and unreliable as fook

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd be buying something along these lines:

170 Alfa Giulietta Veloce

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

180 Astra GTC SRI

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

150 Mazda3 Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Leon FR

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Are all good shouts.

[ninepoint2]

Scottchester said:

TDI version would be a good shout though

It really would not.. diesel is awful stuff!!