First car - newer with warranty or older without ?

[halfpenny43]

Before anyone asks - I did perform a search but didn't find specifically what I was looking for

I want to buy a car for my 20 year old daughter's birthday.

It will be her first ever car having passed her test around a year ago. She has a new job and drives around 25 miles each way mostly on dual carriageways and single carriageway A-roads.

I was thinking a Citroen C1 2-3 years old with 3 years warranty from a Citroen dealer. Cheap to run and "cheap" to insure and tax. Warranty will give some peace of mind should anything fail including the Citroen breakdown cover.

But then I started thinking perhaps I buy a cheaper, older car for her to get some experience in, knock, dent, scratch etc etc etc but won't have any warranty but I guess I get a separate RAC / AA or the like breakdown cover - I"m thinking old Ford Ka or similar. But if it goes wrong - she (or Dad !) has to foot the bill.

Any thoughts / advice / words of wisdom from the Pistonheads collective ??

Cheers
1/2p

[vinnie83]

I have always felt that buying a really small car as a first car is a mistake.

It means they will get used to driving a tiny little car and in future, when they inevitably need a larger car, they are nervous and not able to drive a normal car confidently.

This is from observation of my younger sister, cousins, friends etc...

Personally I'd buy something like a big barge old 5 series, however I can't imagine a 20 year old girl thinking them particularly trendy or cool!

Maybe buy something larger for her to scrape and learn the boundaries of a vehicle, wheels etc, then a bit further down the line buy something nicer.

My sis had a tiny polo as a first car and it got battered to hell, I'm sure dad regrets buying her a 6 month old car!

She is now however, very comfortable driving a 320d saloon as her daily car, having gotten used to driving a larger car (supervised!) in my 320d coupe.

[halfpenny43]

vinnie83 said:

I have always felt that buying a really small car as a first car is a mistake.

It means they will get used to driving a tiny little car and in future, when they inevitably need a larger car, they are nervous and not able to drive a normal car confidently.

This is from observation of my younger sister, cousins, friends etc...

Personally I'd buy something like a big barge old 5 series, however I can't imagine a 20 year old girl thinking them particularly trendy or cool!

Maybe buy something larger for her to scrape and learn the boundaries of a vehicle, wheels etc, then a bit further down the line buy something nicer.

My sis had a tiny polo as a first car and it got battered to hell, I'm sure dad regrets buying her a 6 month old car!

She is now however, very comfortable driving a 320d saloon as her daily car, having gotten used to driving a larger car (supervised!) in my 320d coupe.

Thanks for the reply - I think that modern cars even smaller ones have pretty good crash protection nowadays ?

The only issue with a - for example - older 5 series is the fuel consumption and insurance will be excruciating.

[Willy Nilly]

She has a job, why can't she buy her own car? That way she gets to buy what she wants and if she looks after it she gets the benefit, if she neglects it, it is her that suffers.

[halfpenny43]

Willy Nilly said:

She has a job, why can't she buy her own car? That way she gets to buy what she wants and if she looks after it she gets the benefit, if she neglects it, it is her that suffers.

Because I'm nice

[Willy Nilly]

halfpenny43 said:

Willy Nilly said:

She has a job, why can't she buy her own car? That way she gets to buy what she wants and if she looks after it she gets the benefit, if she neglects it, it is her that suffers.

Because I'm nice

You say that, but it might be nicer longer term to get her to stand on her own two feet sooner rather than later. Having a st car when you are young is a right of passage.

[halfpenny43]

Willy Nilly said:

halfpenny43 said:

Willy Nilly said:

She has a job, why can't she buy her own car? That way she gets to buy what she wants and if she looks after it she gets the benefit, if she neglects it, it is her that suffers.

Because I'm nice

You say that, but it might be nicer longer term to get her to stand on her own two feet sooner rather than later. Having a st car when you are young is a right of passage.

Understand what your saying - but it's not about teaching her a lesson - it's about giving her some wheels so she is not reliant upon the unreliable and expensive public transport in the UK

[Condi]

Willy Nilly said:

halfpenny43 said:

Willy Nilly said:

She has a job, why can't she buy her own car? That way she gets to buy what she wants and if she looks after it she gets the benefit, if she neglects it, it is her that suffers.

Because I'm nice

You say that, but it might be nicer longer term to get her to stand on her own two feet sooner rather than later. Having a st car when you are young is a right of passage.

Agreed. My dad told me at 16 that I now had a job and if I wanted anything I could buy it with my own money.

Having a 15 year old clio/corsa/astra as a 20 year old is perfectly acceptable, and it doesnt matter if you bend/dent it.

[RickRolled]

Insurance is not always cheaper on smaller cars

[LukeDM]

I would say older and cheaper maybe a decent trim level MK4 Golf or the same age beetle, they look good and they are cheap to buy and generally very reliable. (apart from the 1.4!)

[vinnie83]

halfpenny43 said:

Thanks for the reply - I think that modern cars even smaller ones have pretty good crash protection nowadays ?

The only issue with a - for example - older 5 series is the fuel consumption and insurance will be excruciating.

I wasn't thinking along the lines of crash protection for a bigger car, as you rightly say modern small cars will be fine.

It's more the becoming used to the dimensions of a larger vehicle will help when they drive cars in the future.

Not that I am recommending an old 5 series specifically, although I loved mine when I ran a banger for couple of years at age 23 - insurance was surprisingly cheap (520i).

[ch108]

I always think warranties are overrated. Extra money for something that only covers things that don't normally go wrong.

Might be a better idea to buy an older car and stick it into an independent garage to give an upfront assessment of any issues

[Eski1991]

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/164320/1996...

Perfect first car, spend the difference between that and a C1 on insurance/slush fund.

[STW2010]

Eski1991 said:

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/164320/1996...

Perfect first car, spend the difference between that and a C1 on insurance/slush fund.

Why stop there? Let's find her a Hummer to drive!

She is a year into driving, and unless she has a fondness for older BMWs I can't see a V12 appealing!

[ben5732]

Bit different but first year driver (she's 23) 406 2.1 td only £500 fully comp with me as a named driver on the insurance. Was over 2k without me on there. Complete shed however at least if it's wrapped around something the car ain't work much anyway.

[StuntmanMike]

Buy her a 8 year old Honda Jazz, cheap , reliable, fun and lightweight to drive, insure it for the first year and get her to self fund the rest.

[Chunkymonkey71]

StuntmanMike said:

Buy her a 8 year old Honda Jazz, cheap , reliable, fun and lightweight to drive, insure it for the first year and get her to self fund the rest.

I'm with Mike on this. Never trust a warranty. Instead, buy a car that isn't going to break.

[halfpenny43]

Chunkymonkey71 said:

StuntmanMike said:

Buy her a 8 year old Honda Jazz, cheap , reliable, fun and lightweight to drive, insure it for the first year and get her to self fund the rest.

I'm with Mike on this. Never trust a warranty. Instead, buy a car that isn't going to break.

Thanks for that - sounds sensible although looking at insurance quotes it's GBP1,800 for a 2006 Honda Jazz but still only GBP800 for a 2011 C1 (according to Elephant.co.uk)

Am pleased I'm not young and starting to drive again !

[Willy Nilly]

halfpenny43 said:

Am pleased I'm not young and starting to drive again !

Your daughter has it easy, I had to buy my own car.

[StuntmanMike]

halfpenny43 said:

Chunkymonkey71 said:

StuntmanMike said:

Buy her a 8 year old Honda Jazz, cheap , reliable, fun and lightweight to drive, insure it for the first year and get her to self fund the rest.

I'm with Mike on this. Never trust a warranty. Instead, buy a car that isn't going to break.

Thanks for that - sounds sensible although looking at insurance quotes it's GBP1,800 for a 2006 Honda Jazz but still only GBP800 for a 2011 C1 (according to Elephant.co.uk)

Am pleased I'm not young and starting to drive again !

I am as well, how the he'll kids are supposed to pay for further education, get on the property ladder and save for a pension is beyond me, ill be buying my kids their first car, like my parents bought mine, 27 years ago.