New driver in need of fun first car under £3k

[DailyJourney]

Hi PistonHeads,

I'm a late starter with driving and am looking for a decent first car with my budget of up to £3000.

I learned how to drive with a torquey 1.6 diesel so I'd ideally like something with a bit of power (around 100hp). I realise that petrol car wont deliver power the same way. Problem is I don't know enough about diesel hatchbacks.

Curently I'm looking at:
- 2001 - 2006 Mini Cooper R50
- Fiat Panda 100HP
- Mazda2 1.5 Sport

Do you have any suggestion of other cars?

Perhaps any fun low-insurance diesels?

[MK5DSG]

You can pick up a MK5 GTi for around £3k, insurance won't exactly be cheap compared to your own suggestions but plenty of fun there.

[vacant-100]

It'll be a ropey, or very high mileage GTI for £3k. Insurance isn't too bad on them though, I recently returned to car ownership after a 13 year break and pay £600 on a Golf GTI in SE London at age 34 but no NCD.

Edited by vacant-100 on Monday 18th December 21:28

[MorganP104]

Give 'em a call. Rock up. Drive it. Love it. Buy it.

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

Done.

[DailyJourney]

I could do with less racy suggestions. A Golf GTI is around £6k to insure. Most cars are going to cost me around 2.5k for my first year

Any slightly more attainable suggestions?

[vacant-100]

A Fiesta Mk5 Zetec-S? 100bhp, as sweet handling car as you'll find for £1500, and pretty reliable. Rust can be an issue though, and it will be 15 years old.

Fiesta Mk7 with a 1600 engine should be good if you're after something newer. Or a 1600/1800 Focus Mk1/2 could be an option?

Cars other than Fords are available...