1st car . Fiat 500?

[davidc1]

Whats the recommendations for a 1st car please.
My daughter will hopefully pass her test in the spring.
Budget is anything up to 13k .
Obv insurance is the key...
Was thinking fiat 500 but are they really showing their age nowadays?

I had a SEAT mii for 8 years as a 2nd car and that was v good.
Now got an ayxo x which I think is a bit average.
Could pass the aygo to her but not sure if there is a better option here.
Nothing too old though.
Thanks.

[Roboticarm]

The fiat 500s are great cars and parts are comparatively cheap and plentiful, the original 1.2 engine can find it's roots 2 decades earlier so proven technology, they are hard to beat

[stevemcs]

Vw up or similar

[ZX10R NIN]

If it's a first car just spend around 5k on a lounge model, they're a good robust car that can take a fair amount of abuse.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202406221...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410014...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408152...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410265...

[LHRFlightman]

ZX10R NIN said:

If it's a first car just spend around 5k on a lounge model, they're a good robust car that can take a fair amount of abuse.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202406221...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410014...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408152...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410265...

This.

We did exactly this for my eldest and it's not missed a best in 4 years.

[Richtea1970]

davidc1 said:

Whats the recommendations for a 1st car please.
My daughter will hopefully pass her test in the spring.
Budget is anything up to 13k .
Obv insurance is the key...
Was thinking fiat 500 but are they really showing their age nowadays?

I had a SEAT mii for 8 years as a 2nd car and that was v good.
Now got an ayxo x which I think is a bit average.
Could pass the aygo to her but not sure if there is a better option here.
Nothing too old though.
Thanks.

Having taught my 4 children to drive, I'd say £13k is too much for a first car. Hopefully your daughter will be fine but tend to see a few 'incidents' in the first 6/12 months so I never went silly on a first car.

[BoRED S2upid]

Great cars but you don’t need to spend £13,000.

[Mikebentley]

Got this for my son in September. One owner FSH £4995 private sale. Very pleased so far. I did get the cambelt and water pump changed soon after purchase to be on the safe side.
2018 Lounge.

Edited by Mikebentley on Sunday 5th January 15:53

[interstellar]

I got this for my daughter last month who started driving it last week. Paid £3200 and it’s a 1.4 sport which is great fun to drive.

Fully comp ins when she passes is £1000 which we knew before we bought it which is excellent value and was why we bought a 1.4 and not the basic one.

Dropped a CarPlay unit in it for £100. She loves it and it’s only done 40k. Alloys and air con too.

No need to spend any more I don’t think

Great first car.

Edited by interstellar on Sunday 5th January 15:39

[ajprice]

£13k is overkill, that's nearly new petrol 500 and decent Abarth money.

As above, about £5k on a 500, Up/Citigo/Mii, 108/C1/Aygo, or Adam would be a decent first car.

[croyde]

interstellar said:

I got this for my daughter last month who started driving it last week. Paid £3200 and it’s a 1.4 sport which is great fun to drive.

Fully comp ins when she passes is £1000 which we knew before we bought it which is excellent value and was why we bought a 1.4 and not the basic one.

Dropped a CarPlay unit in it for £100. She loves it and it’s only done 40k. Alloys and air con too.

No need to spend any more I don’t think

Great first car.

Edited by interstellar on Sunday 5th January 15:39

£1000 insurance sounds a bargain compared to the £4000 plus horror stories.

[Silvanus]

davidc1 said:

Whats the recommendations for a 1st car please.
My daughter will hopefully pass her test in the spring.
Budget is anything up to 13k .
Obv insurance is the key...
Was thinking fiat 500 but are they really showing their age nowadays?

I had a SEAT mii for 8 years as a 2nd car and that was v good.
Now got an ayxo x which I think is a bit average.
Could pass the aygo to her but not sure if there is a better option here.
Nothing too old though.
Thanks.

Aygo X is newer and safer than the 500 and Up/Mii/Citago, plus you already have it.

A good wildcard option is an Alfa Miro 0.9

[Mikebentley]

croyde said:

interstellar said:

I got this for my daughter last month who started driving it last week. Paid £3200 and it’s a 1.4 sport which is great fun to drive.

Fully comp ins when she passes is £1000 which we knew before we bought it which is excellent value and was why we bought a 1.4 and not the basic one.

Dropped a CarPlay unit in it for £100. She loves it and it’s only done 40k. Alloys and air con too.

No need to spend any more I don’t think

Great first car.

Edited by interstellar on Sunday 5th January 15:39

£1000 insurance sounds a bargain compared to the £4000 plus horror stories.

Who’s the insurance with? Was the CarPlay set up an easy install?

[interstellar]

Hastings direct via compare the market is £959 but she is still learning so it could go up when we need it, who knows.

Her insurance while learning in it was £237 which also seemed good with 2 parents on the policy.

CarPlay was put in by her mums partner for free. He said it was ok, but fiddly getting all the wires in behind the unit. Took him 2 or 3 hours I think he said.

[ZX10R NIN]

Mikebentley said:

Who’s the insurance with? Was the CarPlay set up an easy install?

It's very easy it just depends on what year you have,

[Mikebentley]

interstellar said:

Hastings direct via compare the market is £959 but she is still learning so it could go up when we need it, who knows.

Her insurance while learning in it was £237 which also seemed good with 2 parents on the policy.

CarPlay was put in by her mums partner for free. He said it was ok, but fiddly getting all the wires in behind the unit. Took him 2 or 3 hours I think he said.

Cheers for that. My lads policy is about the same as yours whilst he’s learning with Churchill. Not checked the “full licence “ price. I’ve seen several Tube You videos of head unit swaps. His has the U Connect set up with Bluetooth media but no Sat Nav.

[interstellar]

Mikebentley said:

interstellar said:

Hastings direct via compare the market is £959 but she is still learning so it could go up when we need it, who knows.

Her insurance while learning in it was £237 which also seemed good with 2 parents on the policy.

CarPlay was put in by her mums partner for free. He said it was ok, but fiddly getting all the wires in behind the unit. Took him 2 or 3 hours I think he said.

Cheers for that. My lads policy is about the same as yours whilst he’s learning with Churchill. Not checked the “full licence “ price. I’ve seen several Tube You videos of head unit swaps. His has the U Connect set up with Bluetooth media but no Sat Nav.

Hers is the same ref the Bluetooth but CarPlay for that cheap is worth every penny.

[SistersofPercy]

I loved my 500!
There's a hidden glovebox under the passenger seat on the earlier models. Echo the suggestion of the lounge too.
Only thing to really look for from memory is the door handles on the earlier ones had a tendency to become loose and fall off. Minor detail and not a huge fix but something to be aware of.

[croyde]

interstellar said:

Hastings direct via compare the market is £959 but she is still learning so it could go up when we need it, who knows.

Her insurance while learning in it was £237 which also seemed good with 2 parents on the policy.

CarPlay was put in by her mums partner for free. He said it was ok, but fiddly getting all the wires in behind the unit. Took him 2 or 3 hours I think he said.

Oh yes, sorry to say it'll shoot up once she's solo.

A friend started to learn to drive in her 50s. Insurance was a lot more than what I pay for a Sports Car.

Once she passed her test the insurance bill did go up, a lot

[interstellar]

croyde said:

interstellar said:

Hastings direct via compare the market is £959 but she is still learning so it could go up when we need it, who knows.

Her insurance while learning in it was £237 which also seemed good with 2 parents on the policy.

CarPlay was put in by her mums partner for free. He said it was ok, but fiddly getting all the wires in behind the unit. Took him 2 or 3 hours I think he said.

Oh yes, sorry to say it'll shoot up once she's solo.

A friend started to learn to drive in her 50s. Insurance was a lot more than what I pay for a Sports Car.

Once she passed her test the insurance bill did go up, a lot

The £959 is a quote for her solo. We just changed the birthdate back 6 months and said she passed last week to generate a comparable quote so anything under £1500 is good, under £1000 is great.