VW up! - what should I look for

What should I look for in a VW up! ?

...a Skoda Citigo - cheaper than an Up! 🙂

We've go the Citigo. Great little car. Really not much to look for as its pretty basic. The satnav/media player is a plug in extra so handy if it already has that. Ours didn't come with a spare but it was cheap and easy to buy and fit a spacesaver spare and jack. Not aware of any common mechanical issues. Ours has been faultless, apart from the rear washer hose splitting, the MiL has one too, which has also been perfect.

I’m going to buy a manual VW up! for her to use as my car is an auto.

TBH I don't see the point in learning in a manual these days - in a few years, all cars will be auto when ICE cars are phased out entirely.

Not sure what to look for but my eldest daughter had a Street Up! which was fab.  Make sure it's got the [separate] sat nav unit as they are/were prime candidates for being nicked - don't leave them plugged in when you're not in the car.

I really liked it but unfortunately a van drove into the side of her writing it off.  I replaced it with a Fiesta 1.0 Ecoboost which, to be honest, is probably better to drive and has more space.

TBH I don’t see the point in learning in a manual these days – in a few years, all cars will be auto when ICE cars are phased out entirely.

Perhaps because until every car on the road is a EV or automatic it restricts choice? I know a couple of people with auto only licences and it can be a pain.

TBH I don’t see the point in learning in a manual these days – in a few years, all cars will be auto when ICE cars are phased out entirely.

Could be 10 years before electric car prices trickle down to new driver price levels - and then the battery will be shagged! £3k can still buy you a half-sensible run-around.

And don't count out the ICE just yet - synthetic fuels could expand their lifespan.

Learn in a manual then all bases are covered.

...oh yeah - and don't discount Fiesta OP! Plenty about and cheap to fix. 🙂

Deffo manual and you can drive anything.

Only thing I'd watch for is cars from colder parts of the UK (Scotland, Northern England) where gritting is more common - check the underside as some can be very crusty.

Deffo manual and you can drive anything.

Yeah I would have agreed with that a few years ago but right now I am not so sure (perhaps I am looking slightly forward as my girls are only 14 and I am thinking about what they should learn in when they can start lessons).

…a Skoda Citigo – cheaper than an Up!

not second hand from what I see, same prices for up!, Citigo and Mii

Seat Mii that I have is also virtually the same car (VW, Skoka & Seat versions are all built in the same factory).
VW Up has glass tailgate to the bumper, Citygo and Mii are steel lower. Maybe a consideration if using rear bike rack?.
At some point (2016?) they went from an (optional) satnav/media player (Maps and More) to a cradle that holds your own phone with an app.
Its a great and fun car to drive, quite basic and very much built to a price but the fundamentals are great and puts a smile on my face when I use it.
Think the auto versions are a mechanised manual - avoid!

TBH I don’t see the point in learning in a manual these days

If you do get an auto, don't get an Up! - My partner had one, decent little motor in most other respects but the gearbox was dreadful. You'd hit a hill, it'd change down, the change was so lethargic that by the time it finally engaged it'd need to change down again. I ended up sticking it in semi-auto so I could think for it and change gears ahead of road conditions.

I presume that's going to be the case with most cars of that class, there isn't enough room in there for a proper DSG box. It was like driving something from the 1980s.

You’d hit a hill, it’d change down, the change was so lethargic that by the time it finally engaged it’d need to change down again.

I assume that wouldn't be the case with electric versions though (which is where my head is at with my kids and when they'll be learning) as they have so much more torque even in lower-powered units.

I assume that wouldn’t be the case with electric versions though (which is where my head is at with my kids and when they’ll be learning) as they have so much more torque even in lower-powered units.

3 years really isn't far away so unless you are buying them electric cars, learn in a manual.

You've also no idea where life will take them. Could be to far flung places where electric cars are a dream! 🙂

Unless kids are a complete numpty with clutch control I'd stick with learning in a manual.

What should I look for in a VW up! ?

Another car.

My sister had an UP as a lease car and I drove it a few times - it was a hatefull, gutless POS. (This from an i10 driver! - in fact, get her an i10)

Defo learn manual - ICE will be around for a long while yet.

My sister had an UP as a lease car and I drove it a few times – it was a hatefull, gutless POS

I drove one of the more sporty ones and it was actually quite a nice little car.

As to OP why a VW Up? Look at all shapes and sizes of car on Auto Trader and put some through an insurance quote system and pick the one with the cheapest insurance, not the one you think will be cheap to insure.

I bet a VW Up is more expensive

My son has a High Up!  75bhp.

It’s a little whip!  And He loves it -

It has two bike racks on the roof and with his enduro bike up there it looks fantastic!

Fuel economy is good - he gets 45-50 mpg just pootling around.. I think they’re a great first car - we also looked at  Hyundai i10 the Fiesta,  and the Toyota Aygo which are also good I think

Buy a Panda 100hp. Same size, shape and power of an Up Gti for a fraction of the price.

The Wife has a 75bhp VW High Up!

Brilliant car. The only thing is the cam belt change needs to be done at a main dealer, or a very high end independent. The timing kit and software is hideously expensive. Around £800 at main dealer.

If someone tells you they can do it with a standard timing kit, they’re lying.

know a couple of people with auto only licences and it can be a pain.

My mother is the only person I know to pass her test twice first time. Once in an auto when she needed to quickly learn and pass, and again 20 years later when auto cars were less common. Now they are very common, but I'd still learn in a manual by first intent.

We taught Son2 in a manual Renaultsport Twingo (RS 133 , but a base model is a good choice), these will be cheap now and drive well. Less popular than a Fiesta and no VAG tax.

What should I look for in a VW up! ?

I am going to suggest being open to other things.

We found that certain cars are a) ferocious on insurance as 'cool', 'schporty' and 'likely to be driven by new drivers' can push up risk factors for certain cars and colours and b) a larger car can be more useful long term, c) can be less expensive to buy and maintain.

I found that things like a 1.4 Focus was cheaper on all fronts than a Fiesta, that an i20 was cheaper and better kitted out than an i10, that an Ibiza was cheaper than a CityGo.

FWIW, we ended up with an Ibiza estate 1.4 16v. Huuuuge boot, but the lads think it looks cool enough. Really simple engine and parts are cheap - with no turbo, DMF, fewer sensors etc. It has survived three of ours learning to drive and is great for carrying bikes/canoes/a couple of pals in. It is 2012 one, 120K miles and owes us nothing. It has been utterly reliable and only 'extra' maintenance cost has been a repair to the exhaust.

I assume that wouldn’t be the case with electric versions though (which is where my head is at with my kids and when they’ll be learning) as they have so much more torque even in lower-powered units.

I've no idea, I've never driven an electric car. It sounds like a spendy choice for a first car though.

In any case, as others have said, I'd strongly suggest she goes for the manual test unless she really, really can't cope with it (and one might argue whether she really be driving at all if she can't). It's not that much harder, and once passed she never has to drive a manual again if she doesn't want to.

I drove one of the more sporty ones and it was actually quite a nice little car.

In fairness, my sister's would have been the bottom of the range 'povo spec' eco / green, whatever model. I know it had an engine of some sort because I could hear it clearly at motorway speeds (when it eventually got there), but other than that, it didn't seem to contribute much.

My son had a VW Fox which was a great car, but I don't know what the current equivalent is.

My son had a VW Fox which was a great car, but I don’t know what the current equivalent is.

Volkswagen UP!

The exhaust failed the mot on my daughters 10yo up

not an easy fix as its in one piece - installed during manufacture.

probably lasted the design  lifespan of the car

otherwise good - suprisingly spacious , probably due to the low seats. Feels a bit like an 80s car - in a good way.

very good on fuel

I swapped out my mk5 golf gti for an up! - the kids needed something to learn to drive in.

60 bhp of fury, it's excellent -- 3 doors, tons of headroom, proper decent economy.

The suspension squeaks, watch for rust in the rear arches (the liners drop out). Don't bother with the sat nav thing, stick a phone in the window

I love ours - it takes a bit to get up to speed - BUT it teaches you to drive smoothly and try not to stop at roundabouts

Oh - and insurance with 2kids under 20 on it is 550 fully comp......

Unless kids are a complete numpty with clutch control I’d stick with learning in a manual.

It’s just practice, I’m with the manuals crowd,covers all bases and all places.

Battered defender on the outback gap year or driving a lambo around Dubai you can just hop in and murder their clutch otherwise your gonna be the passenger and what’s the fun in that 🙂

Surely a Yaris should be on the list?

Daughter has the 75 hp Citing - great little car! Only thing letting it down is the integrated sat nav/Bt set up - have looked at upgrading it but not worth the dense

Does it support Android Auto / Apple Carplay (or whatever it's called)? That's hands down a better option than any integrated "infotainment" system I've ever used.

I believe you are looking for the middle class problems thread..

I believe you are looking for the middle class problems thread..

Indeed. Luckily my mum died last year so I can now afford to spend £5k on a car for my daughter.

We have a 15 plate 60hp Move Up! that we’ve had for 6 years and got for our son to learn in. Our daughter has just started to learn in it too. It’s been a brilliant little, no-frills car. For us it is cheaper to insure than similar ‘first’ cars, very economical and only £20 to tax (newer ones cost more).

Earlier this year we needed a couple of front suspension bushes and new pads and discs - cheap at a VAG indy. Other than some tyres, that is all we’ve had to do which is great for an 8 year old car that gets ragged around town (with horrendously potholed roads!) on a daily basis.

Other bits:
The rear brakes are drums and can stick, especially in winter.

We have the clip in satnav but it’s crap so never use it and just use a phone instead.

Get a 5-door, so you can make use of the surprisingly roomy rear seats and have smaller front doors which are much easier in tight car parks.

I wish ours had electric adjustable and heated wing mirrors.

The steering wheel doesn’t adjust for reach so make sure you can get comfortable.

Learn in a manual.  They are here for decades to come and gives flexibility in the future.

Surely a Yaris should be on the list?

If the OP is looking to buy an older one yes. The newer hybrids are all CVT automatic for efficiency.

My sister has an Up! GTI. It’s lush. Properly pokey with roller skate handling but not so fast as to be antisocial. 5 doors makes a lot of sense in a little car. Boot is tardizoidal - seemingly disappearing below the road level. With the seats down one or two bikes can be squeezed inside should you wish. Finally a VW I don’t loathe. Probably the only one.

As with all VW should you wish to work on the electronics you’ll need Carista or VCDS. Every other bolt is a triplesquare (not a ribe or torqs).

Interesting to hear of corrosion. You could probably kill that off with preventative measures.

I had a 63 plate Citigo "Sport" (it had 60PS!) from 6 + years from new put 80k on it. Lovely to drive, was dirt cheap to run. Mine spent alot time sat in traffic up and down the M62 commuting to Manchester. It must have had maybe 5 sets of front discs in that time as the discs are quite thin and warp very easily if you use the footbrake when stopped in traffic, rather than the handbrake. If accept most of this was my driving style...

Interior plastics. Parking on an incline makes in sound like the rear shocks/springs are goosed but instead this is the sound of the interior plastics rubbing where they are mounted to the body with metal clips.

I had both a Garmin (stolen when broken into) and a Navigon head unit. Fine for music but the sat nav part of it was garbage.

Mine was a 3 door, I test drove a 5 door before I bought it. Vusibility in the 5 door is noticeably worse due to the position of the b pillar although I do drive with the seat right back.

In summary, a great car.

TBH I don’t see the point in learning in a manual these days – in a few years, all cars will be auto when ICE cars are phased out entirely.

I’m aware that some insurers in some scenarios use “auto only license” as shorthand for “terrible driver” so all else being equal, always get the full license

oh and the clutch release bearing was started to whine just before i got rid of it...

We had a 63 plate high up (75bhp) for about 6 years

Good : comfy seats (heated in the high) felt well put together, cheap to run and economical, spacious for the size, wheel at each corner go cart handling, easy to park, great little city car.

Annoying : clip on sat nav thing was a waste of time ended up using a 3.5mm jack and a phone mount, the small wheels at each corner and short wheel base does make you realise how big some speed bumps and pot holes are. 20(ish) spoke alloys on the high up were a right pain to clean.

Bad : ours was really damp, the front drain holes by the wipers were easily blocked by autum leaves which caused water to over flow into the cabin down the back of the pedals, had to keep an eye on the drains to make sure they weren't blocked, it also had water leaking into the boot panel, so that when you opened the boot water would poor into the boot down the inside of the rear window, I never quite managed to work out how this water was getting in. Check for water coming in when you lift the tail gate and put a hand in the carpet on the right hand side of the drivers foot well to check for damp. We got rid of it due to electrical gremlins causing it to intermittently cut out, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was linked to the damp.

Thanks all for the very useful info, looks like I'll be buying an up!

TBH I don’t see the point in learning in a manual these days – in a few years, all cars will be auto when ICE cars are phased out entirely.

That’s utter rubbish. ICE vehicles are supposed to be phased out by 2035, so twelve years time. Costs of EV’s will be far higher than second hand ICE’s for years, plus there’s the very real possibility of the battery failing in a second hand EV, with a replacement battery costing as much as or more than the car. I paid £17k for my Ford when it was 18 months old, it’s four now, and older models of my car are still fetching the same sort of money, and I’m expecting to still be driving it in fifteen-twenty years time - I had my Octavia for fifteen years, it was nineteen when I got rid of it four years ago. ICE cars will be around in significant numbers for at least another twenty years.

Going back on topic, I drove lots of those cars, Mii, Up! and Citigo, and as has been said they’re all pretty similar to each other, and I really enjoyed driving them. I’d regularly be driving them for a couple of hours or more, Cornwall or South-west England, or anywhere in southern England, and they were pretty comfy for long distances. I overtook a Discovery on the M5 at 105mph in one once…

And I would absolutely back up learning with a manual ‘box; there’s always a possibility that they might need to drive a different car, and manual transmission is still far more common here, so they’ll have both available, if they learn on auto, they’re stuffed. I drive a semi-auto now, but I can drive anything I want if necessary, any time and anywhere I want.

I might suggest an Aygo or one of its siblings, but they’re noisy with the auto ‘box, they need to be revved fairly hard, so another plus for the manual.