Another What car thread - Getting rid of the '5

[CatfishCKY]

Unfortunately, our money situation has changed so much that there is no point in me keeping a 1.8 sports car to be used once a week, as it's just too expensive to run and insure for a 22 year old . I don't really want to get rid of it, as I've only had it barely 3 months, but needs must!

Looking for a cheap runabout car, must be:

- £1000 absolute maximum (May stretch for the right car)
- Smallish engine size (maybe 1.4-1.6 max)
- Cheapish to insure (I pay £56 a month for the MX5 at the moment, 22yr old female, 3yNCB)
- Fairly interesting to drive i.e. not become a snoozathon everytime I get in it.
- Preferably Jap, although am willing to try other makes if they have a good reputation
- Has to be able to deal with sitting for 2-3 days at a time i.e. not a daily driver, just to be there if I need it as I live quite far away from my family and the public transport situation to them is dire.

Thoughts so far are Suzuki Swift or old style Vitara; (another) Micra (sigh, although good cars); Toyota Starlet etc

I will NOT entertain the thought of a Corsa or similar, as from the experience of my mum's previous one, they're awful cars.

Sorry it's late posting this, can't sleep due to being ill and money troubles! Guess my hope for an interesting car history will have to be put on hold for a while!
Any help and suggestions welcomed!

[ZeeTacoe]

so cheap,fun and reliable yet low insurance group? Nope haven't got a clue

[Chris_w666]

Micra, Fiesta, Focus. All available within budget, cheap to fix, as reliable as you can get at the price, plenty of all of them to choose from.

[Rothgo Wooft]

Madness. Just keep the '5! You'll miss it when its gone.

[greygoose]

Go on the game and keep the nice car.

[CatfishCKY]

I know I'll miss him - I certainly don't want to let him go, but it just seems a waste to keep him sitting at home and not being used. Unfortunately my woeful salary means I can barely afford one tank of petrol nowadays, and now we are saving for our wedding with the bills going up, just seems daft to keep him! I'd rather just have a cheap to run, cheap to insure car to use until money situation improves!

Chris - not sure about the Focus suggestion, but the Fiesta and Micra might be a thought! Focuses (Focii?) are too bland for my liking, and although Micras aren't much better... I dunno... Just not keen on them I guess!

As said I would love to keep the car, but it seems ridiculous to spend £100 insuring and keeping fuel in a car that will barely be used.
I'd rather spend £20-30 on insurance, with maybe £20 of petrol in a frugal car and not worry about it too much!
Believe me, I wish it hadn't come to this though

[Chris_w666]

As an enjoyable drive the focus is the best of the small hatches, even the 1.4 does corners well. You could try a 1.4 puma but that would probably not be much less to run/insure than the MX5.

[Rothgo Wooft]

Give the wedding guests KFC and keep the car. I'm sure they'll understand.

[CatfishCKY]

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to give it a go then Chris!

Rothgo - I can always get another MX5, the wedding will hopefully only be once, so is worth making sacrifices for

[greygoose]

A wedding is one day, it's more to do with the people who turn up rather than going for the biggest dress, tallest cake, fancy food etc. Plan a day that will be a good laugh without pushing the boat out too far.

[Rothgo Wooft]

Kentucky themed wedding? Bah, I'm fighting a loosing battle... There's plenty more '5s in the sea.

[Riggernut]

What about something older, 106/205 GTI, classic mini, puma, depends if you value interesting over reliability, otherwise you might be able to get a fabia. Sensible choice would be fiesta/focus.

[CatfishCKY]

Something older could be considered too - the only thing I would have to consider is if it can stay outside in all weathers as it won't be garaged, and for example, would a 106/205 gti be too expensive to insure?
Unfortunately, as much as I want one, a classic Mini would be out of the question me thinks. I doubt I would find one within the price range, and my dad has sworn he will never work on a Mini if I own one. He hates the things. I would love a classic Beetle too, but again, I need my dad's help to maintain it lol

[CatfishCKY]

greygoose - Oh yes definitely, we're not planning a massive all out wedding - we're making some savings i.e using a family friend's Jag XF and my mum's Cabriolet for the wedding cars, another family friend to do pictures and another to do flowers etc, just the affording the rest is priority at the moment!

Rothgo- Hell no, I wouldn't sink that far

[Liam554]

I have a 13 year old 1.6 Golf with a dented N/S wing and an exhaust that's falling off. I'll swap it for your MX5. Deal? Yes? Good.

[greygoose]

How about a little Fiat or similar car? Cheap to buy and should be fun to drive, though it may not be the most reliable car in the world.

Then you could build up your no claims and get a better car when finances allow.

[Riggernut]

VW polo's on the classified if you can stretch the extra couple of hundred pounds, don't know about fun but should be reliable.

[CatfishCKY]

Liam554 said:

I have a 13 year old 1.6 Golf with a dented N/S wing and an exhaust that's falling off. I'll swap it for your MX5. Deal? Yes? Good.

No deal

Greygoose - I don't mind the Cinquencentos or however you spell it, however after a near death experience in one, I'm a bit apprehensive lol

Riggernut - Hmm Polo, that's another thought!