Car Options for Girlfriend - Page 1 - Car Buying

Sc0tchland

Original Poster

448 posts

110 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

Morning Pistonheads,
I was looking for advice on car options for my Girlfriend. She's given me her requirements but I thought I'd let you do what you do best... I've got some ideas in my head, but you guys always have alternative cars I've never even considered...

Petrol
Reasonably economic for commuting and light motorway driving
Preferably reliable so I'm not constantly fixing it..
Nothing smaller than a Fiesta (current car)
"Easy on the colour, but probably not white"
3 or 5 doors, no real preference
Convertible wasn't ruled out..
Heated seats...
Around £11k max or under £200 a month

Personally I was thinking Astra Elite or maybe a Fiesta / Focus in Titanium X trim? I haven't shown her these options yet but was also thinking of showing her an MX5 as something a bit different.. ?

What's your thoughts?

Cheers guys

Pothole

34,367 posts

311 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

Don't they all want Fiat 500s?

Sc0tchland

Original Poster

448 posts

110 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

Pothole said:

Don't they all want Fiat 500s?

Apparently not all!

kiethton

14,630 posts

209 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

Assume we're talking up to a few years old buy my suggestions would be

VW Scirocco
Mazda 3 (if she can stretch the finance into the newest model)
BMW 125i or an early M135i

Sc0tchland

Original Poster

448 posts

110 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

kiethton said:

Assume we're talking up to a few years old buy my suggestions would be

VW Scirocco
Mazda 3 (if she can stretch the finance into the newest model)
BMW 125i or an early M135i

Yes no issues with a few years old, Scirocco, I never thought about that!
BMW 125I, I'll need to look into, possibly a bit thirsty on fuel.

pinchmeimdreamin

10,891 posts

247 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

she missed fold flat front seats off her list.

ZX10R NIN

30,521 posts

154 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

JeremyBearimy

192 posts

257 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

I'd go beetle convertible, long story short we've currently got a beetle convertible, mini convertible, a3 convertible.
The beetle is an old shed, but it drives the nicest and is the one I chose out of all of them. Plenty of choice for her budget, more practical and less rear wheel happy in this s

tty weather than the MX5.

Sc0tchland

Original Poster

448 posts

110 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

ZX10R NIN said:

This one involves a budget stretch but it's worth a look, Megane Signature Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...
.

Thanks for the recommendations ZX10, what make's this car worth it over the other car's suggested so far?

irocfan

48,840 posts

219 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

JeremyBearimy said:

I'd go beetle convertible, long story short we've currently got a beetle convertible, mini convertible, a3 convertible.
The beetle is an old shed, but it drives the nicest and is the one I chose out of all of them. Plenty of choice for her budget, more practical and less rear wheel happy in this s

tty weather than the MX5.

funny you should mention that but my first thought was a Beetle convertible followed by a Mini 'vert. Moving on from both of those maybe 'normal' Beetle/Mini, Scirocco, MX5/124 (not sure if the 124 falls into the price bracket tbh), Mito

Funky Squirrel

493 posts

101 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

Second on the beetle

TurboHatchback

4,236 posts

182 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

I would suggest pointing towards autotrader and letting her pick her own car. Whatever you pick won't be right and everything that ever goes wrong with it in the future (including her crashing it) will be your fault for suggesting it.

Olas

911 posts

86 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

Let her buy what she wants, you dont have to drive it.

If her criteria include; petrol, economical, 3door, convertible, AND she wants suggestions, then, Caterham 270 is only 1600cc so can be economical but is light enough to make you smile when you 'borrow' it.

or fiat 500.

Sc0tchland

Original Poster

448 posts

110 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

TurboHatchback said:

I would suggest pointing towards autotrader and letting her pick her own car. Whatever you pick won't be right and everything that ever goes wrong with it in the future (including her crashing it) will be your fault for suggesting it.

Good point..

Sc0tchland

Original Poster

448 posts

110 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

Olas said:

Let her buy what she wants, you dont have to drive it.

If her criteria include; petrol, economical, 3door, convertible, AND she wants suggestions, then, Caterham 270 is only 1600cc so can be economical but is light enough to make you smile when you 'borrow' it.

or fiat 500.

I don't intend on driving it, was just looking for some suggestions to let her make her own decision.

ZX10R NIN

30,521 posts

154 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

Sc0tchland said:

ZX10R NIN said:

This one involves a budget stretch but it's worth a look, Megane Signature Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...
.

Thanks for the recommendations ZX10, what make's this car worth it over the other car's suggested so far?

Mainly because it ticks every box & at the moment well spec'd Megane's seem to (as well as being a current shape I know that this matters to some people) be keeping their value (mainly because they're rare) so I thought it might suit your needs.

From my list the top three for me are the:

DS5 (the spec is killer, it's a well proven drivetrain & it's quick which is nice for when you borrow it)
Giulietta Speciale (it'll feel a bit more special than the above but isnt as spacious)
GTC Limited Edition (this is the two above rolled into one I like the looks the only spoiler is the super long gearing which hurts performance but helps economy)

Sc0tchland

Original Poster

448 posts

110 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 5th March 2020

ZX10R NIN said:

Sc0tchland said:

ZX10R NIN said:

This one involves a budget stretch but it's worth a look, Megane Signature Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...
.

Thanks for the recommendations ZX10, what make's this car worth it over the other car's suggested so far?

Mainly because it ticks every box & at the moment well spec'd Megane's seem to (as well as being a current shape I know that this matters to some people) be keeping their value (mainly because they're rare) so I thought it might suit your needs.

From my list the top three for me are the:

DS5 (the spec is killer, it's a well proven drivetrain & it's quick which is nice for when you borrow it)
Giulietta Speciale (it'll feel a bit more special than the above but isnt as spacious)
GTC Limited Edition (this is the two above rolled into one I like the looks the only spoiler is the super long gearing which hurts performance but helps economy)

Thanks again for the information, I'll send her all these links tonight to see what she thinks. I'm especially liking the Guilietta Speciale! I suspect the GTC will be too "fast" for her.
The DS5 is probably my favourite

Olas

911 posts

86 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 8th March 2020

Sc0tchland said:

I don't intend on driving it, was just looking for some suggestions to let her make her own decision.

Caterham.

its small, economical, light, easy to park, soft top, petrol, ticks all the boxes.