What'd be the most fun/enjoyable first car for £1,200?
Discussion
I've got my test coming up soon and I've been looking around a far bit for a first car. I'm 19 (I've held a cbt for almost 2 years now) so insrance companies don't seem so inclined to rape me for 3rd party insurace. I was thinking of financing and getting a car fully comp, but I didn't think that it was really ideal for a first car (that I'd actually enjoy driving and still be able to afford).
I've been looking around a fair bit at E36 328i's and E46 318's as that's the kind of route I'd like to take while I can still actually afford the insurance, butsuch as any old(ish) car, things will probably go wrong at some point and the damage in cost will have me wondering why I even bothered in the first place.
I was also looking at Suzuki swift's (2nd gen) and of course a range of Fiesta's. These are of course completely different cars, but I'm ultimately looking for a one I can use and (if even more so) enjoy driving outside of commuting.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
I've been looking around a fair bit at E36 328i's and E46 318's as that's the kind of route I'd like to take while I can still actually afford the insurance, butsuch as any old(ish) car, things will probably go wrong at some point and the damage in cost will have me wondering why I even bothered in the first place.
I was also looking at Suzuki swift's (2nd gen) and of course a range of Fiesta's. These are of course completely different cars, but I'm ultimately looking for a one I can use and (if even more so) enjoy driving outside of commuting.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Have you been watching for those 17 monthsYou're 19, so get something wildly impractical, with two seats and no boot space (ideally because there's an engine in there).
Give it a few years, and you'll be back on here, with a thread asking for the best family car that will take a double buggy in the boot, because your missus is having twins.
With that in mind, get yourself behind the wheel of a Celica, MR2, MX5, MG TF, RX8, or something along those lines.
Good luck, and enjoy your youth!
PS: I'm not bitter - Personally, I've always been a fan of luxo-barges, so getting married and having kids didn't spoil the party for me (though the car buying budget has taken a hit over the years!)
Give it a few years, and you'll be back on here, with a thread asking for the best family car that will take a double buggy in the boot, because your missus is having twins.
With that in mind, get yourself behind the wheel of a Celica, MR2, MX5, MG TF, RX8, or something along those lines.
Good luck, and enjoy your youth!
PS: I'm not bitter - Personally, I've always been a fan of luxo-barges, so getting married and having kids didn't spoil the party for me (though the car buying budget has taken a hit over the years!)
MorganP104 said:
You're 19, so get something wildly impractical, with two seats and no boot space (ideally because there's an engine in there).
Give it a few years, and you'll be back on here, with a thread asking for the best family car that will take a double buggy in the boot, because your missus is having twins.
With that in mind, get yourself behind the wheel of a Celica, MR2, MX5, MG TF, RX8, or something along those lines.
Good luck, and enjoy your youth!
PS: I'm not bitter - Personally, I've always been a fan of luxo-barges, so getting married and having kids didn't spoil the party for me (though the car buying budget has taken a hit over the years!)
Haha, cheers. I'll keep that in mind!Give it a few years, and you'll be back on here, with a thread asking for the best family car that will take a double buggy in the boot, because your missus is having twins.
With that in mind, get yourself behind the wheel of a Celica, MR2, MX5, MG TF, RX8, or something along those lines.
Good luck, and enjoy your youth!
PS: I'm not bitter - Personally, I've always been a fan of luxo-barges, so getting married and having kids didn't spoil the party for me (though the car buying budget has taken a hit over the years!)
stacy.chandler77 said:
Can't go wrong with an old mini
For £1200? Isn't that distinctly "project" money for them now?lel said:
Puma
Mmm. there's a 1.4 if the 1.7 is a bit much on insurance, they handle really nicely, and your budget should cover a good one.To a certain extent, I think you need to just drive something for a bit, establish what you like/dislike, and then see where you want to go from there.
If you do decide to do the "new car on finance" thing, the Ecoboost-engined Fiestas are very good.
Cheers. I know I sound like a niave millennial when I say this, but I usually know what sort of thing I want. Financing would be the most "sensible" option. However I would likely be some what limited as to what I could then do with/to the car before it's been fully paid off. I guess I'll just have to play it by ear and see what I can get when the time comes. I appreciate your help none the less.
JCollins said:
Cheers. I know I sound like a niave millennial when I say this, but I usually know what sort of thing I want. Financing would be the most "sensible" option. However I would likely be some what limited as to what I could then do with/to the car before it's been fully paid off. I guess I'll just have to play it by ear and see what I can get when the time comes. I appreciate your help none the less.
Well, I don't actually think financing a new car as your first is the best option, but you mentioned it as a potential direction to take, so thought I'd bring it up.With knowing what you want, fair enough, but beware of buying something "on spec" based on what other people or reviews have said about it, and I'm afraid that if you're coming up to your test at present, unless you've been doing a lot of experimenting with different cars already, it's hard to really know what facets of a car work for you. That's what I meant about driving pretty much anything in order to get your eye in to start with - so you can then come back to it and say "Ok, I had [car] for a few months, and I liked A/B/C, but X/Y/Z were shockingly bad, so what has similar feel with the former, but has the latter more like this".
You will sometimes find yourself driving a car everyone raves about and discovering that it is, in fact, s
t. Or loving something that's consistently panned. Both of these are fine, but you can only find out by driving and comparing stuff yourself.JCollins said:
Cheers. I know I sound like a niave millennial when I say this, but I usually know what sort of thing I want. Financing would be the most "sensible" option. However I would likely be some what limited as to what I could then do with/to the car before it's been fully paid off. I guess I'll just have to play it by ear and see what I can get when the time comes. I appreciate your help none the less.
I don't want to be a pain but like most folk I pranged both sides of my car just after passing so maybe a brand new set of wheels on finance /isn't/ the wisest movecodenamecueball said:
I don't want to be a pain but like most folk I pranged both sides of my car just after passing so maybe a brand new set of wheels on finance /isn't/ the wisest move
Seems to be true
Unpopular car for year one that has a degree of fun and won't kill you if you crash, followed by something interesting.Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff