New car for learner

motorbiking

motorbiking

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Youngest is about to turn 17 and his older bro got a free car off his gran, so it's only fair that they are treated equal. Looking for a manual £2.5k budget. ULEZ compliant so probably petrol.

Thinking Corsa or fiesta, VW probably too expensive. 10 years old.

Any others?
 
Fiat 500/Ford Ka (new style) basically same car just different body.

Suzuki Swift.

VW group cars - Seat Arosa, Seat Ibiza, Skoda City, Skoda Fabia.
 
KA plus is the old fiesta I'm told.
1.2 petrol - aiui it's ulez compliant and runs well.
 
motorbiking said:
Youngest is about to turn 17 and his older bro got a free car off his gran, so it's only fair that they are treated equal. Looking for a manual £2.5k budget. ULEZ compliant so probably petrol.

Thinking Corsa or fiesta, VW probably too expensive. 10 years old.

Any others?
Click to expand...
Insurance will prob cost more than the car :(
 
Notch7 said:
Insurance will prob cost more than the car :(
Click to expand...
When thy are learning its around £350, once they pass the test, its more like £1500 if they put parent on the policy, particularly if they take a year to learn.
 
I bought a Hyundai i10 for my daughter some years ago, it's a great wee car. It's 15 years old now and it's now owned by my next door neighbour who thinks it's the best car in the world, he's nearly 80.
My daughter now has an i20 and it's been great, too.
 
Best just making a list of suitable cars (with regards to known faults and issues on particular models - engines, gearboxes etc - for example the wet timing belt on the Mk7 Fiesta!) then just look for a good example - in the budget market the "odd/unfashionable" cars are often the best bargains eg Ford Fusion or in my case a VW Golf Plus (basically a Mk5 Golf with a taller roof and different lights) - but half the price of a similar Golf.

Obviously avoid "driveway dealers" like the plague.
 
When my eldest passed his test, he wanted a car. As it happened, my Mum's next door neighbour was quitting driving and had a 52 plate Mitsub Space Star. She kindly gave it to us.

It needed a good service, a timing belt and tyres all round. Oh, and a CV boot.

Then there were a few bits that were broken in the cabin. A pair of sun visors, a wiper stalk and a driver's door switch unit for the windows and a battery.

Seems a lot of wear and tear for a car that had only done 79K.

Come MOT time, the emissions were cronky but we threw a bottle of stuff in the tank and drove it round the M60.

Another MOT it needed a shock on the front.

Regarding the wipers, I still have to pluck up courage to pull things apart and see what the issue is.

As I get older, it seems like I'm losing my intrepid have a go DIY spirit.

Reading this back makes me think it was not such a bargain, even though the car was free!

Still, we are where we are.

Re insurance, we have a family policy with 4 drivers and 2 cars.

The great thing is, there's no black box for the boys, but they have been told in no uncertain terms that the moment I see or hear of any stupid driving, they will be taken off the policy.

We said to the boys that we would own the car, service, tax and MOT it, but they would pay for fuel. And they would share the car.
 
A local insurance broker will usually know the cheapest model to insure. Insurance costs a fortune for youngsters.
 
All the ones I speak to say they can't give me any idea. It would seem it is dependent on the day, the time, whether you're holding your breath and what letter the kid's name begins with.
 
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