hereforthememe
Chatty Member
Also E10 MPG is awful can't stand the stuff. So factor in more trips to the filling station if you get a petrol.
- Notice
BettyCrockerr
VIP Member
Have you ever actually been inside a Fiat 500?! They are TINY!!!!!!I’m looking at getting a Citroen C1/Peugeot 107 (same car) or a Fiat 500. Ideally I’d like a 2014 plate or higher but it all goes down to what I can afford.
I’m more concerned about the boot size. I’ll be using the car quite often to take my Nana out and she had a mobility scooter. It collapses down but it still quite bulky - I’m already imagining the scenes of me trying to fit it in a Fiat 500
Peaches_xox
VIP Member
My first car was a Clio which I loved so much it was 5 years old and I paid 3k for it. I was 19 at the time.
it was 5 years old and I paid 3k for it. I was 19 at the time.
Clickbait
VIP Member
My first car was a KA and I found it really easy to drive and park and very reliable. Definitely test drive a few makes to see what you feel comfortable in.
Some makes hold their value - VW, Audi - so getting a slightly older one could be a possibility. I’m always being told that Japanese cars are very reliable too.
Re: finance - I’d look into what you can afford to pay outright and what that gets you. Finance for what is relatively speaking a small amount may screw you over - rather like a pay day loan, the interest rate is often outrageous. I’d suggest either waiting to buy outright, saving for a bigger deposit and then seeing if you can get an interest free deal on a newer car, or getting a bank loan at a better interest rate.
Good luck with the driving lessons and your test.
I’mThankyou_
VIP Member
I had a KA as my first car, it was a 2010 plate and was a dream, it served me well. Keep an eye on your local second hand car dealers & on auto trader and keep an eye out for how many previous owners the car has had, how many miles it has done & if anything like the timing belt has been changed. If the reg is displayed its always worth checking out the MOT history too.
When I bought my KA it only had 40,000 miles on the clock, it was my most reliable car to date.
I’mThankyou_
VIP Member
It's also worth playing around with adding named drivers on, in my first year adding my dad as a named driver brought my price down by £600, in my second year keeping him on made my premium higher so I removed him
Dipdab
VIP Member
The fiat 500 boot is a bit deceiving you can actually get a fair bit inside as the rear seats go completely flat (providing there’s only 2 of you travelling). Managed to get a 6ft Xmas tree every year inside mine! And I moved out with boxes etc in only 3 tripsI’m looking at getting a Citroen C1/Peugeot 107 (same car) or a Fiat 500. Ideally I’d like a 2014 plate or higher but it all goes down to what I can afford.
I’m more concerned about the boot size. I’ll be using the car quite often to take my Nana out and she had a mobility scooter. It collapses down but it still quite bulky - I’m already imagining the scenes of me trying to fit it in a Fiat 500
Secretadmirer
VIP Member
My first car was a mini. I had it for years and loved it, perfect to learn in and perfect for a first car. I still miss it now and it’s been four years since I got my new car I was very attached to it! 
I was very attached to it! 
jawidjanqndn
VIP Member
Not a massive lover of fiats but this colour is so nice 
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jawidjanqndn
VIP Member
Would any of you recommend a Volkswagen for a first car? If so what model?
under the ivy
VIP Member
Yes it actually felt quite roomy!
hereforthememe
Chatty Member
I had a Lupo
Polo is good, so is a Golf
They are small and easy to park haha, plus they are so common if/when something breaks or needs replacing, it isn't hard for garages to get the parts and fix it
Depends though - you going for a manual or automatic?
jawidjanqndn
VIP Member
I’ve been looking at golfs and love them but wasn’t sure on the reliability of them etc! And I’m looking at a manual.
LittleMy
VIP Member
My SIL had a Fiat 500 as her first car and it was surprisingly quite roomy. Obviously it’s not a car to get if you have a family or are planning on it but for a first car it’s not a bad choice.
I don’t know much about cars as I don’t drive, but my OH’s first car was a Corsa and it served him well.
I don’t know much about cars as I don’t drive, but my OH’s first car was a Corsa and it served him well.
Former_Antelopee
VIP Member
My first car my parents gave to me, I was lucky. They were going to get a new car anyway and their old car was 15 years old and not worth much. It lasted me a year and a half, I sold it as I knew it would fail the MOT. It was a Toyota Yaris, my dad always says Toyotas are good cars as Japanese cars have a good reputation.
My second car I got for £500, a Ford Fusion that I’ve had for 3 years. Don’t like the look of it but it does the job
And I love heated windscreens. It’s 16years old now I thought it was going to fail the mot but it’s just passed.
I’d been looking at new cars because I thought my car would fail the mot and it not be worth fixing. I know nothing about cars but was looking at Hyundai i10s mostly since I’ve seen they have good reviews and reliability. I did favourite a few ford KAs but then asked someone at work who knows cars better than I do and he told me to avoid them. I also had a few Vauxhall vivas favourited but didn’t really look into them too much but they seemed a bit cheaper and were still rated alright from what I remember.
My second car I got for £500, a Ford Fusion that I’ve had for 3 years. Don’t like the look of it but it does the job
And I love heated windscreens. It’s 16years old now I thought it was going to fail the mot but it’s just passed.I’d been looking at new cars because I thought my car would fail the mot and it not be worth fixing. I know nothing about cars but was looking at Hyundai i10s mostly since I’ve seen they have good reviews and reliability. I did favourite a few ford KAs but then asked someone at work who knows cars better than I do and he told me to avoid them. I also had a few Vauxhall vivas favourited but didn’t really look into them too much but they seemed a bit cheaper and were still rated alright from what I remember.
I drove my Dad's 2001 VW Golf for a few months when I passed my test and I hated it! The steering was so heavy but I think it is because I learned to drive in a fairly new Audi A1, so obviously going from a new car to an old I was bound to notice the difference.
I have since driven a 2020 plate Golf and it was lush. My partner does a lot of mechanical work and he says that VWs are built really well!
I’mThankyou_
VIP Member
Don't forget to look at your tax banding too, & petrol & diesel work out what is most economical for you. And take into consideration if it takes E10 petrol as they want to phase E5 out and its slightly more expensive at the moment.I’ve been learning in my mums car (as well as a 1 hour lesson a week) so I definitely don’t feel rushed to buy one right this second. My theory is booked in January and I’d hope to pass by the summer at the very latest.
I’ve saved around 2k so far however with insurance and stuff I’m going to wait out and save as much as I possibly can by January. Thanks for your help though, this has given me all the info I need! God I wish they taught you this stuff back in school
Wow okay thankyou! I’ll definitely look into this
jawidjanqndn
VIP Member
So I have recently started taking driving lessons and have taken to it really well. I want to aim to buy my own car by January but I have no idea where to start! What are good first cars? I don’t want anything too expensive, I’m thinking around the 1.5k-2.5k mark.
I’ve been looking at a few ford KA’s and Citroen c1’s but again, I have no clue. Do you recommend doing finance? Do I go through a garage or get a second hand car?
I’ve been looking at a few ford KA’s and Citroen c1’s but again, I have no clue. Do you recommend doing finance? Do I go through a garage or get a second hand car?
Rippedjeanmaybe
VIP Member
I have a Ford ka for my first car and I love it, I’ve had it for two years now and I’ve only had a few issues and those have been mainly due to wear and tear.
I went for a 65 plate. Everyone told me to get a really old car as I’d probably bump and scrape it, but I didn’t want a really old car as I wanted powered steering, anti roll etc all the things I’d grown used to on my driving lessons! I haven’t bumped it or kerbed it once, so I’m glad I didn’t listen, but I guess everyone is different. I was 23 when I passed, so I was using it for work and wanted it to be reliable.
as others have said, finance probably isn’t a good idea on such a cheap car. You’d be better off seeing what you can pay outright or maybe see if you can get a loan and see what the interest is like on that?
I went for a 65 plate. Everyone told me to get a really old car as I’d probably bump and scrape it, but I didn’t want a really old car as I wanted powered steering, anti roll etc all the things I’d grown used to on my driving lessons! I haven’t bumped it or kerbed it once, so I’m glad I didn’t listen, but I guess everyone is different. I was 23 when I passed, so I was using it for work and wanted it to be reliable.
as others have said, finance probably isn’t a good idea on such a cheap car. You’d be better off seeing what you can pay outright or maybe see if you can get a loan and see what the interest is like on that?