Opinions Please :)

[lindrup119]

Hi all, been a bit of a lurker round these parts for a while and only signed up recently.
However, as not many of my friends are real car people I thought I'd direct my search/question towards you guys....

Basically, I'm looking to buy a car however the conditions are that it cannot be any more than 11,000 pounds and no older than 3 years old.

If it was your money, what would you get?

Oh and btw I do actually like cars so please no Chevrolet Sparks etc etc

[frosted]

To me it sounds like You want a diesel TT

[lindrup119]

Any car at all, I had found a lovely Clio RS 200 for just over my budget but the insurance companies didnt like that much really.

I could get a diesel TT thats only 2/3 years old for less than 11,000? Really?

[lindrup119]

Was thinking Alfa Giulietta possibly, still a bit expensive though.

[T7G]

Why the 3 year age requirement?

[lindrup119]

Just would like a newer car if possible.

[TomCooper]

Fiat 500 Abarth
BMW 1 series
Focus ST
Mazda MPS

It depends what you are after to be honest Don't you have any other constraints?

[TheTurbonator]

MX5

[lindrup119]

Yeah insurance is my other constraint so stuff like Focus STs are out unfortunately

Not completely sold on MX-5s but like the idea!

[Embryonic]

Seeing as you liked the Clio 200 but not the insurance, how about another small and fun hatch? With change left over for cake and beer.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3318897.htm

(the pictures are a bit squashed for some reason)

[lindrup119]

Yeah i like the look of the Swift Sports, just did an insurance quote for one though and its only 400 cheaper than a Clio RS 200 so if I was gonna go over budget I think I'd go big!

[TomCooper]

Try a 500 abarth! Great fun and insurance is cheap

[LuS1fer]

I suppose new means different things to different people but personally, the plate is always the last of my considerations. I just paid £4700 for an 07 Fiesta ST with 34k on the clock in mint condition and there were plenty of them out there too because most people want 200bhp hatches these days. If I was going to pay £11k for a car, it would have to be something special and you might find the insurance is not so bad on something more left field.

I have found in the past that 5 year old cars are a sweet spot in terms of not too much depreciation and much of it having already been done.

If 3 years is the limit,a 500 Abarth or Panda 100hp would be on my list along with the Suzuki.

Otherwise just chuck £11k into AutoTrader, set a distance and age and see what comes up.

[lindrup119]

Panda 100hp does sound quite tempting actually! What are peoples opinion on the Colt Ralliart?

[LuS1fer]

It depends on how you think it looks. It looks an ugly little b*gger to me! seems the interior is a bit cheap:
http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/2353...
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mitsubishi/colt/17394...

If it's based on the Colt CZT, the boot is titchy.

[lindrup119]

yep colts are pretty ugly but like the sound of the 1.5. Quite like the boggo spec Focus and Golf but they're a bit ordinary, was hoping to uncover something more exciting within the price range!

[DanDC5]

Renault sport Twingo. All the handling fun of the Clio with lower insurance.

[300bhp/ton]

lindrup119 said:

Just would like a newer car if possible.

Why?

Sorry not trying to be difficult, just curious. On a limited budget age is going to be the biggest thing to reduce choice and options.

[300bhp/ton]

lindrup119 said:

yep colts are pretty ugly but like the sound of the 1.5. Quite like the boggo spec Focus and Golf but they're a bit ordinary, was hoping to uncover something more exciting within the price range!

Well you see that's my point. There are literally hundreds of exciting cars to be had for £11k, even many insurance friendly too. But being strict on 3 years old will pretty much halt such an idea.

I'm still not saying it's wrong, but you do need to accept that almost any newish £11k car will money quicker than a Frenchman living next door to a brothel. Also what are you really buying? If it's only got a 3 year warranty on it, then this will be about to expire. Also most things that wear on a car aren't covered by a warranty anyhow. And lastly, are you hoping to buy a car that will breakdown just so you can use the warranty?

I do understand having something new and shiny can be nice. Latest gadgets and so on, few rattles, etc. But after a couple of months all you'll end up with is a car losing value and that actually isn't new.

[muthaducka]

lindrup119 said:

Panda 100hp does sound quite tempting actually! What are peoples opinion on the Colt Ralliart?

A left-field choice but the reviews are favourable and say its a lot of fun. Not that this should necessarily play a part in your choice of car but I think the depreciation might be higher on something like this than a more established sporty hatch.

I've just put a search in using the retarded new search facility on pistonheads (never fails to disappoint me this new search tool) and it lists 7 cars between 9-11k 3 years or under, nationwide - I don't believe the results.

If you are planning on upgrading to something more powerful in a couple of years when your insurance is a bit lower, I would suggest buying something like the ST that LuSfer has - great balance between age and price.

Possibles - Cooper S, Fiat 500, Panda 100, Suzuki Swift, Skoda vRS.

I had use of a fiesta zetec s for a while and thought it was great. About 150 bhp in a small hatch with a naturally aspirated engine is great for learning your craft and great fun without being to fast or high in insurance. That would be top of my list for a warm hatch.

If you plan on keeping it, then a clio would be great. Something you could take on track etc. It's also the last of the line from clio, their new models will all be 5 door with a turbo.