Help me choose

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Thu 12 May 2011 16:24
Help me choose - Bobbin Threadbare

My sister is looking for a first car (just passed). She's got £2500 which has to cover the insurance as well. She's almost 25 and has never owned a car before. She's a nervous driver, so it's got to be a piddling little Lego car type thing. I'm definitely going with her to help her buy one as well!

I have narrowed it down to a Ford Ka or an early Toyota Yaris, but I am open to suggestions - but no Corsas, Peugeots or Citroens please!

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Thu 12 May 2011 17:07
Help me choose - newman

Hi my friend also passed recently and he is almost 25. He has got a ford Ka, 1.2 I think, and it's very easy to drive and at about 75k miles, very smooth. His insurance came to a wopping £1,300 and the rest of your budget should allow for a good example.

I had a fiat punto x reg as a first car. Very good as well.

What about a nissan micra, not much of a looker (IMO) but cheap to run and insure presumably.

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Thu 12 May 2011 18:34
Help me choose - 12345oncei

Has your friend done pass plus? That might bring the insurance down a bit to give more wonga for car.

It might not though, you know these insurance companies are, well. Tres Cher.

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Thu 12 May 2011 19:26
Help me choose - newman

No, he thinks he does not need it lol.But, as far as I know, about 10 or so insurers acknowledge pass plus. I did it, and was useful for my first insurance payout. But, only valid for about 2 years in the eyes of the insurer.

He was involved in non-fault accident and looks like premiums will go up next time anyway. My car had a hit and run done to it, and the fact I notified my insurer, means my premiums will be affected next time round. What a headache.

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Thu 12 May 2011 19:48
Help me choose - jamie745

Insurers dont acknowledge pass plus like they used to since a very unhelpful (to first time drivers) report showed those who had taken it were no more or less likely to have an accident.

By the end of next year a man wont have to pay an extra penalty for the hideous crime of not being a girl which should help balance things out a bit but i still maintain the best way to bring your insurance down is to stump up the cash for a year. Seriously, in your 20s, do it for one year and you'll find the premium halved next year, probably not by the same company, but its amazing how much difference the first year makes on price comparison sites.

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Thu 12 May 2011 20:07
Help me choose - oldroverboy

What about the people (is it marmalade or somesuch) who will supply a new vehicle with insurance included at reasonable rates.

Edited by OldRoverboy on 12/05/2011 at 20:13

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Thu 12 May 2011 20:51
Help me choose - SteveLee

I don't think you'll be able to buy a decent Yaris and insure it for £2,500. My choice would be a Daihatsu Charade or early Daihatsu Sirion - Japanese manufactured, Toyota underpinnings and half the price to buy, mostly group 1 insurance.

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Thu 12 May 2011 22:52
Help me choose - gordonbennet

What a pity you're not allowing your sis the choice of a Pug.

By doing so you remove the possibility of one of the best small cars still around, 106/Saxo.

Yaris fetch silly money, good car though.

Edited by gordonbennet on 12/05/2011 at 22:52

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Thu 12 May 2011 23:26
Help me choose - unthrottled

She's a nervous driver, so it's got to be a piddling little Lego car type thing

Cus that's going to inspire confidence. Driving a car with inadequate acceleration is much harder than driving an adequately powered one. The 3 options you've ruled out are probably the best options available. Why have you dismissed them?

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Thu 12 May 2011 23:28
Help me choose - jamie745

I think the original poster should let his sister decide what car she buys and feels confident driving instead of thinking he knows best. For all the OP knows, she may actually like a Peugeot and feel more confident in it and stop being such a nervous driver.

Edited by jamie745 on 12/05/2011 at 23:30

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Fri 13 May 2011 09:37
Help me choose - Paul G1pdc

INSURANCE..... a young lady at work is 24years old, just passed her degree and lives at home, the car shes just bought lives on the driveway off the road, her insurance for her pug 106 with its 1.1litre engine is £2100.

a chap in my office has a son again in his 20s living at home driveway park has a 1.4 pug 306 pays £2500.

both cars worth £500-1000....

buying a yaris and insuring the thing for £2500 might be a long off dream depending upon milage limitations on the insurance (a limited milage policy migh well save a fair amount) or if your just a named driver on your parents insurance (but won't get you any no-claims bonus)

a girl over the road from me has just started driving her mum tried to put her on there car insurance for there 51 plate mini,,,,the insurance lady even laughed and said i think you might want to buy her a ford ka, (1.3 from 1997) instead as the cheapest quote i can find is £3000.......and a lot of the companies on her list refused to offer quotes....(the mum is buying a new car, so was going to pass the mini onto her daughter...the mini is now being sold....)

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Fri 13 May 2011 09:45
Help me choose - Bobbin Threadbare

Thanks for all your suggestions.

The Yaris actually isn't a far off dream. I do know that the insurance is likely to be £1000-1400 though, especially since she lives smack in the middle of a city. She has a good job, and it will be very low mileage.

I said no to Peugeots because she says she doesn't want to come across as a scally! her fella has a Renault Clio, which is quite a cute little car but she won't have the same one.

The Ford Ka seems to be the best choice; you can get some sweet examples that have had one lady owner. Older, but gently used.

As an aside, who assumed I am male? ;-P

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Fri 13 May 2011 13:48
Help me choose - Paul G1pdc

HI YA.

why don't you get a quick quote from one of the many on line "compair" sites and that will give you a budget for the car.

then a scan over autotrader entering your car choice and budget should come up with a good idea whats about for the cash you have. Yes it worth looking at local papers etc.

(i didn't say about you being male, but guess another poster looking at your login name of Bobbin might guess that your real name might be bob....

:-)

paul (male!!!!!)

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Fri 13 May 2011 13:52
Help me choose - Bobbin Threadbare

LOL - I'm on Autotrader every week, dreaming about what to get next!

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