Please help!
My daughter is looking to buy a car, budget around £3.5K. She's not minted but has savings to cover.
What would be the STW recommendation for a small(ish) hatchback. Looking for reliable and low insurance group. I have had no experience with buying privately, in fact little experience in car buying full stop, always had company cars.
All advice and hints appreciated. Based in the NW if anyone knows of anything...
Thanks as always.
Honda Jazz would be ideal but the insurance might be a little high
How about a basic Ford Fiesta?
As always recommend what you have, Fiat Panda. Bought as a 2nd commuter car for myself 4 years ago and has needed nothing kn tip of general servicing. Mine is a 64 plate Poverty spec (doesn't even have remote central locking) but hasn't put a foot wrong in 20k miles and was £3.5k in 2017 with 14k miles on it.
Surprisingly spacious inside for the size and great on fuel. Plus non-desireable so probably won't get nicked (I hope not now I've said that)
Skoda Fabia ~10 years old, around or below average mileage would be my suggestion.
But probably best not to get fixated on particular make or model. Just look for something that’s been well cared for.
Fiesta or Fabia for 2.5k and keep a grand for repairs.
There's loads out there and a 3.5k car is likely no better/more reliable than a 2.5k one.
Fiat Panda's are great. We had one as my girlfriends first car but we had the fast one (100HP!). It's long gone now but I keep looking at them and I'm dying for an excuse to buy a 4x4 model.
There’s loads out there and a 3.5k car is likely no better/more reliable than a 2.5k one
Agree with this. Go under budget and keep some cash for unexpected repairs.
Fiesta or Fabia for 2.5k and keep a grand for repairs.
I'd go with this principle.
I like Fords, if only for the heated windscreen, but I'd probably draw up a long-ish list of suitable options and see what nice, reasonably priced options turned up locally.
japanese and petrol. Micra, jazz, yaris.
Seat Mii/ Skoda Citygo/ VW Up are mechanically the same car and have positive reviews as an economical car to run. Haven't got one myself, but considering one as a second car; I have a similar budget to your daughter's.
2.5k and keep a grand for repairs.
is definitely something I'll be bearing in mind.
Age of daughter? Check the insurance for each of the smaller cars and opt for the unpopular with the youth brand (Fiesta, Fiat 500 and Corsa will have a loaded premium because of accident data).
Also check that dad will be able to carry out basic repairs easily! All this is in my near future for a first car at 31!
R56 shape (2007 > 2014) Mini Cooper. 3.5k would get a very good one.
As always recommend what you have, Fiat Panda. Bought as a 2nd commuter car for myself 4 years ago and has needed nothing kn tip of general servicing. Mine is a 64 plate Poverty spec (doesn’t even have remote central locking) but hasn’t put a foot wrong in 20k miles and was £3.5k in 2017 with 14k miles on it.Surprisingly spacious inside for the size and great on fuel. Plus non-desireable so probably won’t get nicked (I hope not now I’ve said that)
Snap. Bought a low-mileage 11-plate Panda Dynamic in 2016 for £2.5k, and it didn't cost me a single thing except tyres, one bulb and wiper blades until last April (and even that was just pads/discs and suspension bushes). I have had mine serviced religiously though.
But probably best not to get fixated on particular make or model. Just look for something that’s been well cared for.
This.
I would also say that many of the smaller and trendy cars (Fiesta, Fiat 500, Corsa) are more expensive to insure than a step up / slightly granny car. There was £300 of difference annually between us having a Ibiza Estate compared to Ibiza hatch, for an 18 year old who had just passed his test.
I have lust for Mitsubishi Colt eco cars (I can't remember the model name sorry), £30 tax and good mpg plus nearly 100bhp/ton. Not that common tho.
Japanese petrol as above, I’d steer well clear of a Fiat personally.
Honda Jazz seems to be the best bang for buck, although I have seen you can pickup Priuses for around that money...
My daughter's Citigo cost a bit more (but I've seen them @3.5k) and was really cheap to insure compared to Fiestas etc - its the 75bhp model so is actually ok on longer journeys as well
Insurance can vary a lot depending on your circumstances though - just put the reg of any car you are thinking of buying through a comparison site first.
For us a 1.25 zetec Fiesta was as cheap as anything for my 17yr old daughter (and no black box needed).
I bought an 06 Jazz for £950 two years ago, 125k on the clock. Since been through two MOTs with no spend. Aside from some work on the brakes and a wheel bearing that needed replacing, it's cost me nowt. I don't like it but I can't fault its running costs (my previous vehicle was an old Jeep Grand Cherokee; also a grand, also two years trouble free use, but insane petrol consumption). Back seats down, XL bike fits in with just the front wheel off...
Fiat Panda 1.2
Only spend 2.5k and keep the rest for repairs, tax, tyres etc
We had a black panda for a few years, despite my daughter abusing it, crashing it more than once (not both her fault) it is still going. We sold it on for its £100 scrape value as were embarrassed to ask for more and it’s now done nearly 100k and flys through every mot. I have feeling it will outlive me.
She bought a Mini which has been a total pain!
Only issue is they do not appeal to young people, the colours, the 4 doors, the bright blue seats, not cool but that makes them less likely to be nicked in my eyes.
Brother has a basic Fiesta that needs gone, since his son moved to Manchester and decided he didn't need a car there. Unfortunately it is in S Wales but would be well under budget.
My wife had a clio, 1.2 petrol.
Good points: good to drive, well equipped, comfortable safe, good on fuel.
Bad points: quite expensive overall to run, when parts were required they cost an arm and leg.
I would echo the advice above, £2.5k and keep the rest for repairs.
Japanese/korean every time for reliability, or go ford for relatively cheaper parts.
Panda is actually a good shout, uses many parts that are shared with many modern cars, so should be reliable, is untrendy so maybe cheaper to insure etc.
I agree with the panda, its basically the same as a fiat 500 underneath without the cool tax and with 4 doors. We got a 2015 with 30k for that sort of money last year and its been a great wee car. Oil sumps tend to rot but are a cheap fix and parts are cheap.
The mii/citygo/up are a good shout too. Friend has an up and speaks highly of it.
Not sure where you are in the NW but we're in Cheshire and last year used S & D car sales on Autotrader. They're based outside Wrexham.
They have a good range of options/makes/styles at your price point.
Unquestionably the best car buying experience I've ever had. We got an amazing car for a very good price. Professional, courteous, helpful, clear and not at all pushy. Over and above. Brilliant.
Give them a look...
I too have a Fiat Panda £2400 about 4 years ago, I’ve driven it from 15k to 59k miles. I love it...
Another +1 for a Panda
Sister in law has a 2015 that's probably now worth £2500ish. She drives it to Perpignan and back every year on her own and apart from the battery giving up in France on one trip it's been bulletproof.
I've driven it a few times and I love them....but couldn't persuade MrsRNP to have one as a run about but she's happy in a £400 Golf snotter as per my thread about it🤷🏼♂️
Honda jazz area magnet for catalytic converter theft, this may cause considerable expense, including dealing with the rough hacking out of the cat and insurance hikes.
