My housemate now wants a car. He's been working the last two years nearly to save up for one and passed his driving test in December, but he has limited experience of driving. Nonetheless he wants to buy a car for £5k with his parents saying they'll pay for his insurance provided it is group 5 or lower.
He wants: something with "street cred", is easy and nice to drive, can carry 4 ppl in comfort on long journeys. Reliability and cheap running costs do factor in...
I said Focus mk1. He said too common and no "cred". Any suggestions?
|
I think your suggestion was spot on.
Hate to say it but I think he might be heading for disappointment if he's saved 2 yrs for his £5k, needs cheap running costs and low insurance and then doesn't want a focus because its too common! (I don?t mean that in a condescending way btw before anyone gives me a roasting ;-))
If there are a lot of long journeys with 4 people maybe a Mondeo? But that's clearly a no go though, as even less cred, and not grp 5 insurance.
Golf might have the cred factor, but it will likely be a mark 4 at that money, and that's generally seen as a worse car than the focus. Running costs and reliability wise it is. Probably holds its value a bit better.
307? Or if an older car is fine a nice 306, and save some £££? He might think they have a bit more cred than a focus and still lowish insurance groups.
|
|
|
An older Corsa would fit the bill and save money.
Check the insurance first though- especially if he is under 21.
|
|
|
I think you definitely gave him the best advice. IMO he's going to struggle to own a car group 5 or under with "cred" if he doesn't want a Focus because that should also rule out cooking versions of the Astra, Golf, Megane, 307, anything mainstream.
My 20 year old son drives a group 9/10 Passat diesel (no cred? - he doesn't think so or care) which was cheaper to insure than smaller petrol engined cars in lower insurance groups. It's worth checking out cars in slightly higher insurance groups that aren't popular with the younger or just passed my test brigade.
Another option depending on his definiton of "cred" is to spend half that on a much older, well worn and hopefully well looked after and serviced entry level Alfa, Saab, Audi, BMW....... and use the money saved to top up his parents offer of insurance (if they agree) and have a few bob aside for contingency.
|
|
|
|
Shooting self in foot. Cheap running cars tend to be the common ones to begin with due to pattern parts etc.
|
little driving experience, passed test in december, wants to spend £5k. Wants street cred.
probably going to upset him but its the last thing he wants to do.
Suggest popular (common) car, less money and drive that for 12/18 months and then look again. he will then know what car he wants and how good his driving/insurability is too.
|
|
Right...he's spotted a FIAT Stilo 3dr that he likes. There are 2, actually, a 1.4 16v Active Sport and a 1.6 16v Dynamic. PURELY in terms of reliability, is there any likely difference between them, and in servicing/maintenance costs. He may be willing to sacrifice the performance for the nicer interior and economy of the 1.4, but mainly it is reliability concerns. Both are 04 models, post-facelift - does this help? Or is it such a disaster of a car?
|
|
I'd say you were bang on first time. Street cred is no good when you a) want to re-sell b) find that the Focus is popular because it's very well-built, engaging to drive and cheap to run and c) find that any car with genuine "cred" is IG 16 or above.
|
|
|
Nay, Nay and thrice Nay. Avoid Fiats of that size. Awful things although they look good. A Focus is a far better car.
I'm struggling to think of anything that fits the bill as well as the Focus that also has low insurance. Presumably anything properly Japanese will have much higher insurance and there is nothing European with the same qualities of reliability and driver appeal as the Focus.
|
Someone mentioned pattern parts... step son's Proton Compact (so based on an old Mitsubish Colt) needed a new radiator last week. Lots of phoning around he got one but no cheap. Bet a same age Focus/Astra (1999) would have been cheaper and easier to fix.
Makes me wonder what might happen if he needed something like body parts or more major components. Also notice on his insurance renewal (3 years no claims and 21) the Proton is about £200 more than a Focus of similar spec.
|
|
Seat Leon could be worth a look. (Or even Ibiza if the need to carry 4 is negotiable)
|
1k will buy him more than enough car for a first car. How many people here wrote off their first car? (I did) With insurance hikes etc. etc. when that happens, he'll be better off with a car.
And if he had to save up for ages to buy it, then he shouldn't be spending that much on the car. What when it needs a new engine?
|
|
On the back of the response from here, he has decided against the FIAT. The same dealer has an 05 1.1 Passion Smart Forfour, however, with 19,000 miles for £4,800...I have NO knowledge or experience of this model, does anyone else?
|
How about the new model Clio - just over budget if bought privately
www.parkers.co.uk/cars/used-prices/Valuation.aspx?...9
&issue=0
I think these look great, although perhaps the 1.2 would be a bit weak.
I have a Focus Mk 1 and it's great to drive, gives no trouble.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 29/02/2008 at 14:28
|
|
|
|
|
|
