1st Car for Grandson

[juice]

Need some help on this please PH.

Grandson learning to drive, mum can't really spend too much time teaching him as she's a student nurse and on 3rd year so now doing lots of placements and also night shifts. I'm going to try and help now and sign him up for driving lessons but I also want to get him a car so we can keep up the momentum from the lessons in his own car (me taking him out).

Realistically I want a group 3 ins bracket car for the lowest insurance possible and (as I know will probably get a few dings etc) am willing to spend 3K on it. As it's for a 17 yr old it should at least have something about it.

I'm near to Bristol so willing to travel maybe 70 miles max in any direction.

What do you suggest ? I saw a Kia Picanto, but I'm not sure it passes the cred test ?

Maybe an Aygo ?

Edited by juice on Thursday 15th May 17:51

[InitialDave]

Aygo would be my default.

[MrGTI6]

InitialDave said:

Aygo would be my default.

The Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107/108 are pretty much the same as a Toyota Aygo, so worth keeping an eye out for them as well if an Aygo is of interest.

[juice]

Does mileage matter too much on the Aygo (and derivatives) ? I guess <80K would be ideal

[Crudeoink]

Autotrader allows you to filter by insurance group

Some of the more interesting options
Seat Ibiza
VW polo / Up
Renault Clio or Twingo (twingo is rear engine!)
Smart forfour

[ScoobyChris]

juice said:

Does mileage matter too much on the Aygo (and derivatives) ? I guess <80K would be ideal

Mechanically I think they are pretty strong and our 2010 107 is closing in on 100k miles. Sailed through the last 5 MOTs since we’ve owned it and we don’t really look after it

Chris

[Deerfoot]

We paid £3,000 for a 2013 Citigo last year.

Mechanically it's great, cosmetically less so but it's a first car for my eldest and it's really rather good. The Aygos we looked at for around the same budget felt a bit too flimsy..

[Terzo123]

I like the Up, Citigo, and Mii, but for that kind of budget, most will have severe rot around the fuel filler neck.

I went for an Aygo for my daughter but would have considered a C1 or 108 as well.

Engines (1 litre 3 cylinder) are chain driven and pretty much bomb proof. Cheap to tax, great fuel economy.

[Evanivitch]

VW UP/Citigo/Mii would be my guess at that spec.

Yaris VVTi also in budget for a bit of whizz (noise, not speed).

[Mikebentley]

Fiat 500 1.2 are pretty reliable.

[juice]

Thanks all ! Will start searching

[66HFM]

My daughter is 17 in September and has already got me looking for a car for her, similar sort of car although budget nearer to £2k.

My shortlist is:
Fiat 500, 1.2 not TwinAir
Ford Ka 1.2 - same engine / chassis etc as the Fiat 500
Toyota Aygo / Citroen C1 / Peugeot 107
Toyota Yaris - 89 year old neighbour has had his from new and its 12 years old with 16k on the clock and garaged every day...
Mazda 2
Honda Jazz - although daughter says it has no street cred!
Suzuki Swift
Skoda Citigo / VW Up

Have a play with some insurance quotes as sometimes an unexpected car will turn up as cheap to insure - Volvo S40 etc

Edited by 66HFM on Friday 16th May 11:26

[Matt_T]

Dacia Dusters seem to be insurance group 3.

[Back2theFuji]

Aygo, 107, C1, Up, Mii, Citigo>

Avoid the 1.2 108...AFAIK it uses that dreadful puretech wet belt system.

[ZX10R NIN]

juice said:

Need some help on this please PH.

Grandson learning to drive, mum can't really spend too much time teaching him as she's a student nurse and on 3rd year so now doing lots of placements and also night shifts. I'm going to try and help now and sign him up for driving lessons but I also want to get him a car so we can keep up the momentum from the lessons in his own car (me taking him out).

Realistically I want a group 3 ins bracket car for the lowest insurance possible and (as I know will probably get a few dings etc) am willing to spend 3K on it. As it's for a 17 yr old it should at least have something about it.

I'm near to Bristol so willing to travel maybe 70 miles max in any direction.

What do you suggest ? I saw a Kia Picanto, but I'm not sure it passes the cred test ?

Maybe an Aygo ?

Edited by juice on Thursday 15th May 17:51

The trick is to look at cars that aren't normally used by new drivers, I got my son a Mito & his cousin has an Astra as these worked out to be the best mix of insurance/reliability/cred & (both are over 6ft tall) space.

Use the reg's below on the comparison sites to get an idea of cost.

I also picked cars that could be easily upgraded so they have modern connectivity & no reason to touch their phones.

1.4i Civic:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501228...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503270...

Mazda2 Sport Venture:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504141...

Mazda3:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503230...

Astra Excite:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505162...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202502169...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504030...

C30:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503210...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505142...

Clio Dynamique S Media Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505112...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505152...

Mito twin air:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504281...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505152...

1.4 Veloce:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202502219...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504111...

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Saturday 17th May 11:04

[Rob 131 Sport]

Another shout for the Mito. We’ve had one in the family for over 10 years that my now 19 year old daughter uses. I personally wouldn’t be happy about her driving a City Car sized vehicle.

Apparently a Mito is quite a cool first car.

[juice]

Rob 131 Sport said:

Another shout for the Mito. We’ve had one in the family for over 10 years that my now 19 year old daughter uses. I personally wouldn’t be happy about her driving a City Car sized vehicle.

Apparently a Mito is quite a cool first car.

Never even considered these ! They are a cool little first car. I reckon he'd like one of those

[98elise]

juice said:

Does mileage matter too much on the Aygo (and derivatives) ? I guess <80K would be ideal

They are pretty robust. The engines are simple and chain driven. My daughters Aygo used a bit of oil but that was about it. It didn't effect emissions.

Aygos suffer with rust so a C1/107 might be better on an older car (they are the same platform/engine).

They're £20 to tax so very cheap as a first car.

They're very basic but a hoot to drive. A bit like driving a classic mini! If I needed a second car for city driving I'd buy one for myself.

[Purosangue]

juice said:

Need some help on this please PH.

Grandson learning to drive, mum can't really spend too much time teaching him as she's a student nurse and on 3rd year so now doing lots of placements and also night shifts. I'm going to try and help now and sign him up for driving lessons but I also want to get him a car so we can keep up the momentum from the lessons in his own car (me taking him out).

Realistically I want a group 3 ins bracket car for the lowest insurance possible and (as I know will probably get a few dings etc) am willing to spend 3K on it. As it's for a 17 yr old it should at least have something about it.

I'm near to Bristol so willing to travel maybe 70 miles max in any direction.

What do you suggest ? I saw a Kia Picanto, but I'm not sure it passes the cred test ?

Maybe an Aygo ?

Edited by juice on Thursday 15th May 17:51

get a classic

he wont thank you for a pifco on wheels .....................get a mans car



then he can learn to be involved with the car/ change oil /brakes etc


Nb my first car was a mk1 3 litre Capr took my test in it , i it was peanuts to insure and kept its value ......................mind you that was back in the 80s , still bargains to be had at auctions seen a few go through at 3-£4000 for a 1600 / 2 litre under a classic insurance limited mileage policy its going to be cheaper than a eurobox

Edited by Purosangue on Saturday 17th May 11:24

[Rob 131 Sport]

Purosangue said:

juice said:

Need some help on this please PH.

Grandson learning to drive, mum can't really spend too much time teaching him as she's a student nurse and on 3rd year so now doing lots of placements and also night shifts. I'm going to try and help now and sign him up for driving lessons but I also want to get him a car so we can keep up the momentum from the lessons in his own car (me taking him out).

Realistically I want a group 3 ins bracket car for the lowest insurance possible and (as I know will probably get a few dings etc) am willing to spend 3K on it. As it's for a 17 yr old it should at least have something about it.

I'm near to Bristol so willing to travel maybe 70 miles max in any direction.

What do you suggest ? I saw a Kia Picanto, but I'm not sure it passes the cred test ?

Maybe an Aygo ?

Edited by juice on Thursday 15th May 17:51

get a classic

he wont thank you for a pifco on wheels .....................get a mans car



then he can learn to be involved with the car/ change oil /brakes etc


Nb my first car was a mk1 3 litre Capr took my test in it , i it was peanuts to insure and kept its value ......................mind you that was back in the 80s , still bargains to be had at auctions seen a few go through at 3-£4000 for a 1600 / 2 litre under a classic insurance limited mileage policy its going to be cheaper than a eurobox

Edited by Purosangue on Saturday 17th May 11:24

My 2nd car at age 17 in 1990 was a MK3 Ford Capri 1.6S. It was absolutely gutless and with some money for my 18th birthday it was replaced by a Fiat Mirafiori Sport.

That solved the dismal performance and so so handling issues of the Capri.