Truthfully I'm not too sure on the intricacies of different models etc, so would wait for someone else re the mk of golf.

I'd imagine Golf Plus and C-Max will be dearer to insure than their Golf and Focus siblings purely becuase of the higher price they command. A lot of car magazines have tables in the back few pages with a variety of information regarding different models, such as which ones come with auto, and their guide insurance groups, so well worh picking one up. Some insurance comparison (eg confused.com, moneysupermarket.com) sites let you input car details and your details and work out your quotes, and save older ones, which can allow you to see in real terms how much you could be paying.

You should perhaps also consider cars like the 5 door VW Polo or Ford Fiesta; although moving away from C-Max etc, they are roomier than you might think, especially in the front. They would also be a good bit cheaper to buy and insure than, for example, a C-Max.

I drive a Focus just now, ended up choosing it over a Golf purely becuase it was cheaper to buy and insure.

The golf feels like a nicer car to be in than the focus, but don't buy into the myth of bulletproof engineering. An old III or IV Golf is much more likely to start having niggling problems than the much newer 'other brand' that you would buy for the same money.

When you say a 'proper automatic', do you mean a traditional one with a torque converter? Legally, an automatic is anything that doesn't have a clutch pedal. How the mechanicals work is irrelevant. The reason I ask is that there are not many small cars fitted with torque converters these days. They are not a good match to a small engine. The already modest performance and the good fuel economy are seriously impaired with a slush box. But they are very smooth and possibly more robust than some of the CVT alernatives.

As you know, automatics are not popular in Europe. Buying second hand, it may be a case of buying what is available, rather than what you want. The French are very patriotic about cars and I would start the search with French car manufacturers in order to widen your choice. Peugeot and Citroen (and even Renault) are far more reliable than the snide remarks would suggest. second hand prices, parts and maintainance will be low. I would echo your friend's remarks about getting a cheapish car. Look at the other cars on Parisian roads-you'll see a lot of minor scrapes and dents. It is not a good place to be car proud. If someone scrapes your pride and joy, it'll really ruin your day. Better to be in a position to shrug it off!