The perenial dilemma, I want to buy a car for my daughter but which one? I have about £2000 - £2500 to spend and it has to be economical, have reasonable room and be able to cope with motorways as she is at university in Warwick and we live 250 miles away in Cornwall.
I was looking at the usuals, including the Corsa until I read some awful threads in here, but am not sure what to go for especially in terms of reliability and safety. There is the Clio, Saxo and Fiat in the French/Latin end of the market. Then there is is Polo - often overpriced for what they are in my book. There is the Japanese bunch too but is the Micra strong/safe enough for motorway work - a fussing Dad here. Her sister has a 1999 Fiesta Zetec which has been a good little car for the past two years but we have just had to spend over £700 on a recon gearbox - we also had the clutch done at the same time - which has shaken my confidence in that marque.
Anyhow, opinions would be appreciated. Bear in mind that we are in west Cornwall and even a trip to Exeter to look at cars involves a 200 mile round trip - Bristol around over 180 miles each way.
Cheers.
|
|
Spend £1250 tops on a Nissan Almera 1.4 - it's Gp 4 insurance. That said, having a car at university is a sure fire way to become very popular, but not very rich. Lots of taxi-ing of ones friends for no return, plus eternal parking problems.
|
|
Older-model Almeras are not very safe -- you'd need to get a later one, and they had problems with camchain tensioners on the early 1.5s.
|
|
|
|
Gosh that is a bit of a dilemma isn't it ? You obviously need to get the reliabilty factor as high as possible given the distances she will be travelling. Despite your bad experience with the other Fiesta I would personally start with the Ford range. We have run a number of them over great distances with no problems.
I would be starting by looking at Ka, Fiesta and even Focus or Mondeo if you can persuade her to consider the bigger ones. Strangely enough the insurance on a bigger diesel might not be too scary. The safety factor increases exponentially as you get up to the larger body sizes too.
Just my tuppence....hope you get sorted !!
|
Thanks for that. I know what you mean about the taxi element at uni but getting to and from there to home is a nightmare and very expensive by rail - and it takes forever. She does not really need a car at uni this year as she is in halls but she will do when she is at home as we live in the country and also for when she lives out next year at uni. Insurance is not an issue as I have a fleet policy that covers any driver. Her sister loves her little Fiesta Zetec and she is at Cirencester studying so she is running around there and to home and back.
It is always good to canvas opinion and get useful feedback, hence this thread.
|
Thanks for that. I know what you mean about the taxi element at uni but getting to and from there to home is a nightmare and very expensive by rail - and it takes forever.
The cost of trips home can be cut massively by using student discounts and booking ahead. Not much that can be done about the journey time, but I wonder whether the time difference is really that great? A quick check at national rail suggests that a train to Truro takes about 6 hours, and I'd not be comfortable with a young and relatively inexperienced driver trying to do that journey by road in less than 5 hours.
Are you sure that it will feasible for her to use a car when living near the university? Parking at both ends will usually be difficult, and the combination of car-driving and student drinking is not a good one. Setting aside a little money for a few taxis will probably be better value than the car.
Might it not be better to look at some old and cheap car which would do as a run-about for use when she is at home?
|
|
|
|
On a lighter note, but mildly serious, being a farmer haven't you or a friend got an old Land Rover kicking about in a barn ?
That's what I drove as a student and loved it. OK I'm a bloke and it did need fixing quite a lot. However, most jobs could be done with a a pair of mole grips, a screwdriver and a hammer ! By and large it was reliable and cheap to fix when it did need something. Great for skiing trips too. It was reasonably badly abused but shrugged it all off as Landys do. I still see it around to this day, some 30 years later.
Just to use one of those horrific new phrases....a "left field" thought ?
|
|
|
|
How about an Astra from between 1998-2004? Lots of them about for under £2500 with reasonable mileages.
4* NCAP safety, good on the motorway and generally very reliable. Insurance shouldn't be too bad on a 1.4 or 1.6 petrol either and maintenance costs will be not much more than for a Fiesta.
Enough space to cram all that food and other supplies from home back to halls too!
|
I'd also recommend going for something a bit bigger than a Fiesta/ Corsa for journey's of that distance (and also for driving round those Cornish rds). An Astra or an Almera or even a Mazda 323 (although the insurance might be a bit more on these). All are safe and reliable; my early 2001 Almera is approaching 90000 now and not a hint of trouble, famous last words. I regularly do Leicester to Cornwall or the North East (exiled surfer) and cars of this size feel a lot more secure than smaller ones on such trips. You can also fit more stuff in the boot.
I think your daughter will have to put up with being a bit of a taxi for her mates if she's not careful. You will probably have to pay for parking but Warwick is a big campus uni so I doubt availability would be a problem
|
Hi,
Having had a car during my time at uni, I can confirm that you daughter will become a Sainsburys run taxi service. But it will revolutionise trips home as the amount of washing that can be transported is phenomenal :-)
My vote would go for an Astra or Seat Leon........I had both in my time at uni and they were ideal for the job. The Leon was a 1.4 16v and was more than adequate, although the 1.6 might be better on motorway trips. Even in standard 'S' spec mine had A/C, 6CD changer, remote locking etc and at 100,000 miles when I sold it, I had had no problems with it whats so ever, and its still going strong 3yrs later (I see it most mornings on my way to work).
IMO, the Leon looks a bit nicer than the Astra, and is far better quality
(the interior is straight out of an Audi A3). As an aside, it also had the best sound system of any car I have owned........ (Seat Aura). You might even pick up a 1.9TDI for £2500................
If not then maybe consider a Skoda Fabia? I have also owned one of these (in vRS guise) and it was the best car I have ever had...................
|
|
|
|
When my daughters were of student age they avoided cars as long as they could. Your choice will depend where her college is, but there will always be parking space and break-ins to consider. Equally (depending on your daughter's attitudes) any car will have to suit her opinions about what is girly. Mine settled for 205s and Clios, but that was 16 years ago - so I suppose Ka, Fiesta, Clio, maybe 106 or Corsa. You will be expected only to make sure it will last the course.
My niece (about 5 years younger) survived with a middle-aged 309. Hers was the only car in her circle which didn't get vandalised.
|
|
If you do consider a larger car, as small cars usually demand a premium and arn't always cheaper to insure anyway for the under 25's you could consider an estate, those who have only driven small hatchbacks often struggle with reversing, parking etc with the sloped back of larger hatches and find the vertical rear windows of an estate easier, ie can see where the back of the car is.
|
I tried getting insurance on larger cars so it was back to the Fiesta :(. Mine is a shed but then it was £350 so I can hardly blame Ford for it falling apart, it is nearly 13 years old!.
I would avoid the Mazda 321 according to HJ it is very unsafe (CCBD).
The Astra is a good bet but they look a bit boring now, a Phase 2 MK2 Clio with a 1.4 engine would be ideal but I doubt this would be in your budget for a good one.
A Ford Focus would also be ideal, get a basic one LX spec one with a good old fashioned 1.6 or 1.8 Zetec engine, avoid anything witha dual mass fly wheel.
I do think insurance will be a problem with these though.
|
The Astra is a good bet but they look a bit boring now
Which is good if you want to avoid attention from the scum that often prey on student areas...
I do think insurance will be a problem with these though.
Not in this case, see at the top about "group policy". It's just a case of whether or not the extra power of the 1.6 over the 1.4 is really needed.
IMHO an Astra 1.4 LS at around 6 years old would be perfect here, as long as it isn't too uncool!
|
|
|
|
Whatever you get, teach the daughter some basics about cars. A friend of our sons turned up last weekend after driving from Bristol Uni to Manchester. She picked up our son to go to a party. He soon came back to the house asking could I take a look at the car because it would not start...
... immediately I could smell burning of some kind (plastic?) and she admitted she had been driving it with smoke coming out of the bonnet! If she could have got it going she was going to carry on driving so as not to be late to the party. Anyway it would not go. Next day the AA could not get it going and it was towed away - the burning was something to do with the starter motor. How someone can drive a car knowing something is clearly very wrong is beyond me.
Anyway back to the question, I would definately go for something Astra/Focus sized especially if insurance is not a problem. A lot better and safer on the motorways and more space to take gear to and from Uni. She will soon get used to the size and you'll probably getter a newer/better car of this size for the money.
|
|
I think the later 323's are much better re: safety. The previous wedge shaped ones did have safety issues but according to the 98-03 CBCB the only negative comment is that it needs alloy wheels to look good, that says something. My parents had one of these (with alloys) as a second car. They are not into cars at all but I have never seen a vehicle quite so revered. I had a go and it was great to drive; nippy, spacious. Then my dad wrote it off a couple of years ago and they got a Peugeot 306, which my mum just doesn't get on with!
|
|
Surprised no-one has mentioned a nice reliable Toyota Corolla yet. Bigger and safer than the usual supermini stuff and less likely to go wrong than most things.
|
Hyundai Amica/Accent, Suzuki Swift [old shape]/Baleno etc.
Girls usually like French cars (as they look better and their interior is often superior to Japanese cars)
|
|
|
Hyundai Getz has a fair safety rating, fairly reliable and in your target price range though spares are not cheap.
My daughter drives a Punto a simple, reliable and cheap little car and loads of scrap yards have the incidental spares needed.
|
We got our daughter a new Micra in spring 2001. It's now got over 110k on it, a lot on motorways. Apart from servicing it's only had some brake work and a new rad, IIRC. At present it looks to be going on until it's scrap value only. There seem to be good s/h examples around.
|
fiat panda diesel
does that length of journey without a blink
lots of power for long journey but low insurance, an unbeatable combination
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Get her an Astra 1.7DTI 5 door, tough/reliable/low insurance/55MPG. Also excellent motorway cruiser.
|
Insurance is not an issue as I have a fleet policy that covers any driver
Does "any driver" mean employees of the business and/or people using the car in connection with the business?
And/or does it include your daughter who will be away from home as a student and therefore not using the "fleet car" for normal business?
|
|
Parking the car outside a student hall/house in the Midlands is a very different risk compared to your drive/yard in Cornwall, as is the usage in that location. I'd be interested to hear more if your fleet policy really does cover that, as it'd make sense for my fleet too, though somehow I think it might not be quite what's written in your policy docs.
|
Parking the car outside a student hall/house in the Midlands is a very different risk compared to your drive/yard in Cornwall as is the usage in that location. I'd be interested to hear more if your fleet policy really does cover that as it'd make sense for my fleet too though somehow I think it might not be quite what's written in your policy docs.
My elder daughter is at Cirencester and we notified the insurance company and they were happy to cover her for the duration of the course on the basis that she is only there for about thirty weeks of the year and the car is at home for the rest of the time. It is a local mutual insurer and we are a good customer so they look after us well.
Good point about the bigger cars in the replies above. I don't think that I could push her towards a Skoda - though she does admit that they have a good rep - because of the old stigma. Typical 19 year old female for you. That said, she is pragmatic and the Focus/Astra/Seat line of thought makes sense - and I doubt that she would have any issues with that.
|
|
|
|
|
Let us know the insurance premium when you tell the co. that she'll be taking it to uni. Eye-watering unless she's already got a couple of years of NCB.
|
|
|
Hi,
I know you mentioned that you feel they are overpriced. But VW Polo's are excellent little cars. Even the older models (mine is an x-reg) are well spec'd out compared to cars in it's class. Reliability wise there is little to worry about and the car will hold its value better than most, if not all of its competitors.
For motorway use avoid the 1.0L every other model will be more than adequate. Also the diesels are superb!
Good luck.
|
|
"VW Polo's are excellent little cars" - but totally overpriced at that end of the market.
|
Agree with Polos we've got a P reg one... its ok, but I'd get a newer Fabia for the money mentioned in the OP...
Though I'd get an advance train ticket rather than spend a fortune on buying a car, insuring it, taxing it and servicing it... not to mention consumables... I know trains can be expensive, but never that expensive!
|
There is a strong argument to use the train instead of a car but if that is what the OP wants to do for his daughter that is up to him surely? Personally I would put the £2500 towards the cost of Uni - we worked out it will cost at least £8200pa to put our youngest through Uni. But we had enough hassle with the other son with his cars ;-)
As an aside (but not a thread hijack), in a few weeks we go to visit my parents before Christmas. My wife really did not want to travel on the M6 to get to South Wales and the journey via mid Wales whilst nice can take a lot longer. To my surprise the train ticket for the two of us (purchased as singles on particular trains) can be had for just over £50. A return trip in the Mazda6 would cost at least that in diesel and probably more. We'll be leaving the car at home.
|
There is a strong argument to use the train instead of a car but if that is what the OP wants to do for his daughter that is up to him surely?
Sure, that's up to him and his daughter, as is the choice of car if they buy one.
The OP asked for advice, and got quite a wide range of it. Where's the problem?
|
"Where's the problem?"
There isn't one NowWheels ;-) I was saying that as me (Rob) too... :-)
When I was at Uni a few friends brought cars and they sat in the car park unused for week after week but that was Manchester Uni. The bus route past the halls was the busiest in Europe in term time so why drive? And students do like to party.
Personally I think having the expense and worry of a car at Uni isn't always necessary (I lugged my gear home on the train from Manchester to South Wales). But if the OP has a way of covering the expensive insurance etc. then it's up to him.
Some good suggestions for cars like saying go for a bigger car. If the insurance is not an issue (and I hope he has this covered) then going for the smaller cars gets you less for the money.
Edited by rtj70 on 14/11/2008 at 17:10
|
|
|
|
put another £500 on the table and get your self a 1.1 active panda. cheap to run, insurance is group 1. cheap spares and any good independent should be able to service it.
well built, copes with town and motorway. now on my second, cracking car if your starting out.
|
|
|
|
|
Oldbutnotbold I did refer to the price aspect (just before the bit you quoted).
But to follow up. Yes they are a bit more expensive than most of their rivals. But ask yourself why. They are a better car, better built and specced out. So looking at the bigger picture a Polo is worth strong consideration. You will feel that you are getting more car.
|
|
I am not sure Polo's are as well spec'd as some alternatives - well they weren't at one time. When my 2000 Passat was in the garage a lot I once got a courtesy car.... a Polo. It had manual windows, no PAS etc. I took it straight back before I left the car park ;-) Borrowed the dealer principals car instead ;-)
|
I fully understand the line of thought about the need, or not, of a car whilst at uni. The difference is that we live in the sticks, over a mile from a bus route that is very poorly served and five miles from Falmouth and ten from Truro. Both are pigs to get to and expensive if done by taxi, both girls have holiday jobs in the towns and both like to have social lives - and come to that, so do my wife and I. It is not just the uni aspect and getting to and from it.
The girls' first car was a Polo, bought for the older one then handed down. Unfortunately my younger daughter had a small shunt in it and it was written-off due to the cost of repair. We now have some cash from that. It was a 1.0L and like the previous comment, it was very basic for what we paid - no PAS, CL, or EW - and certainly not up to cruising beyond about 60mph. That said, it was a super little car around here, nice to drive, trouble free and economical. Sad to see it leave on a truck.
I'm not in a hurry to shell out cash needlessly but it is a case of trying to fufill needs and wishes - not always easy to seperate the two.
|
For this kind of budget I would go for a new shape Micra 2003/52 onwards and the 1.2 engine. The old Micra's are reliable but have poor safety. The new shape sometimes have a few electrical gliches such as dash display problems and electric pas but generally are good. They handle really well, are easy to drive, the 1.2 is fine for motorway, stereo sounds good, well equiped, even E model has cd and electric front windows.
Only group 2 insurance for the 1.2 and 49mpg.
When buying check for any warning lights which don't go out such as pas light, check that all the other lights work especially indicator tell-tale and panel illumination. These can be repaired by specialists but best to do a check first.
|
I would opt for the most up to date version of whatever you buy - for safety reasons. When collecting a couple of unharmed youngsters from a fairly mangled car, the policeman said it was a good thing they were not in the normal kid's budget hatch as I would not have needed to collect them....
That was a newer shape Micra. We also have one of these which my son, then 19, drove from the South coast to Scotland quite happily. Easy car to drive, very roomy inside for her gear - we have also had three adults happily in the back.
|
|
This week's Auto Express had some interesting second hand car comparisions... super mini vs large family car. Bottom line was the latter was typically cheaper. So for example you could get a newer Passat 1.9 diesel for less than a 1.4 diesel Polo! Similar for Fiesta/Mondeo etc.
Edited by rtj70 on 19/11/2008 at 00:56
|
>super mini vs large family car.
yes but ... this is swings and roundabouts. You can get more car for your money, but you then spend the saving on more fuel. Plus the insurance question, which can be a huge sum for new drivers of student age.
|
|
Some of the examples in Auto Express beign diesels were nearly as efficient as some of the smaller cars. And the OP says he has a fleet policy of some sort so the insurance is apparently not a problem for his daughter.
|
|
|
|
|
Having been at Warwick for my education I can tell you to beware - a parking permit for someone living on campus will cost in excess of £400 and probably nearer to £500 now. I was on campus in 2002/3 and paid £395 then, by the time I was in my final year in 2005/6 it was £425. They really discourage car ownership.
|
|
My son is two years away from going to university, and we were discussing this same issue a few nights ago. We also live in Cornwall! At the moment we are settled on a bicycle, the costs of running a car that will be underused in term time and the fact that he can drive either the Berlingo or Mrs J's Mazda 2 (highly recommended as a suggestion to the OP by the way) when he is home decided us. Decisions, decisions.
|
Wow, all this talk of safety. When I was 17, back in 1993, I was tooling around in a 15 yr old Mini with chassis rot so advanced you could see the road through the drivers footwell.
Of the half a dozen people I've known who've taken cars to college / uni, all have had them stolen or broken into several times. I would go for something reliable, old and cheap enough that you can afford to lose it. I recall a friend's mk2 Astra was regularly having to be retrieved from wherever joyriders had dumped it on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It got so tedious that he actually stopped getting the locks repaired after a while.
Maybe times are different now though.
|
|
What about a Volvo 440? Reliable and safe, reasonable insurance costs. Or an S40 if funds allow?
|
|
|
|
