First car.

Nasher · 13 October 2013, 18:35

My eldest lad was 17 on Saturday, and of course wants his first car now he’s learning to drive.

Between us we’ve spent a lot of time looking at different options taking into account:
Insurance.
What he likes the look of.
His 6’2” height.
MPG – he’s at 6th form college 26miles away.
Reliable – As above.
Our/his budget of up to £1K.

Unfortunately a couple of real ‘wants’ for him don’t tick all the boxes.
Suzuki Jimny - Gp 7 insurance and high fuel consumption.
Classic Mini – Cramped for him, expensive, and might not put up with daily milage.
Golf – 1.4 and even 1.6 are reasonable on insurance group but high fuel usage compared with others.
Everything else he likes is out of the £1K budget.

So, all things considered, a Seat Ibiza 1.4 of around 1998 to 2001 is the best compromise, especially in 3 door form.
However every one we see advertised reasonably locally has been sold before we get there.

Anyone have any experience of this car or know of one for sale?

Thanks

Nasher.

Mollers · 13 October 2013, 18:37

Clio 1.5 DCI

TUFTY · 13 October 2013, 19:06

My wife has had a Seat Ibiza 1.4 since 2009. It is R reg and has been excellent. only fault we had was the water pump failed which was a cheap fix.

I think it is closely related to a VW Polo? Have you looked at them?

Nasher · 13 October 2013, 21:17

Thanks guys.

TUFTY, good to know somebody has some good experience of one. The Ibiza is actually a Polo in a different set of clothes but @ 2 insurance groups cheaper engine size for engine size.
It's also quite a good looking little motor and very light compared to others.

Mollers, the Clio is a Group 7 insurance as opposed to the Ibiza's 4, which means several £100 a year more expensive on insurance. The Diesel version of everything we've looked at is not only more expensive to buy but a few insurance groups higher.
Oh and of course, it's a Clio, enough said really.

I can understand that he'd like something that he vaguely wants rather than something that is obvious, crap, or what everybody else has just because it's cheap to insure.

Nasher.

ShinyShoe · 13 October 2013, 21:32

Fabia?

Nasher · 13 October 2013, 21:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

Fabia?

I thought that, as it's yet another Polo in a different bodyshell.

However, you know what teenagers are like.
Apparently the Ibiza is 'cool' and the Fabia is something your Gran drives.

Nasher.

HUMBER P4VWL · 13 October 2013, 21:48

The old civic 3 door 1.4 was a modern looking hatch. Surely cheap and low insurance?

ShinyShoe · 13 October 2013, 21:56

Yip - which means it might be cheaper to insure, and his mates are less likely to all want a ride to the pub in it ;-)

On my 3rd Skoda. (Kind of). Had an 03 Fabia Estate (Deisel) - was good (got b***r all on trade in so should be cheap to buy!). Developed an engine management issue which rather than spend any money investigating (could have been a loose wire for all I know) was conveniently traded in for an Octavia (58) as I was thinking of getting a new car anyway. Sold at 90k miles with no major work outside of warranty (had a gearbox bearing fixed on warranty at 59.9k miles!). While owning the Estate I bought her in doors a 56 Fabia Petrol. I notice the lack of power but she doesn't because she's only ever driven small engines. Her's is cheap to insure. Lack of power is what a 17 year old needs! (I started out on a 900cc Panda)

Her's - never needed anything other than a service, tyres etc. She's only done 35k

Before the Fabia Estate I had an M Reg Ibiza. Had engine management issues on that too! Caused by a dodgy rotor arm/distributor cap I think. It took ages to get a diagnosis.

But I suspect thats just the luck of the draw.

Octavia has been great too but will be too expensive to insure. Had an accelerator cable/sensor (Its fly by wire) done under warranty everything else bog standard stuff.

Their image is improving...

Nasher · 13 October 2013, 21:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

The old civic 3 door 1.4 was a modern looking hatch. Surely cheap and low insurance?

You'd think so, but oh no. Gp15

Looked at these only this afternoon.

Nasher

Mollers · 13 October 2013, 21:59

Fleet policy, you gotta love 'em. Kids can drive all vehicles on policy fully comp. :-)

ShinyShoe · 13 October 2013, 22:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

Fleet policy, you gotta love 'em. Kids can drive all vehicles on policy fully comp. :-)

Are the kids employees?

A1an · 13 October 2013, 22:05

Funny this thread should crop up, I've spent this evening looking for a first car for my step daughter, I settled on an Ibiza.

Mrs is looking up insurance as I type.

simitch · 13 October 2013, 22:17

hi,

you may find if you can get a classic policy for a proper mini, the reduction in insurance premium will outweigh the higher purchase price. Will teach your lad how to use a spanner as well. Try Peter James broker.

simitch · 13 October 2013, 22:19

oh, and you can shift the seat back, no-one uses the back anyway

paddlers · 13 October 2013, 22:48

It's a bugger for the kids trying to get started . Ours are currently 11, 13 & 16 & I dread hunting for insurance for them when the time comes !! First car ex GPO Morris 1000 van brush painted blue £60, tax about a tenner & fully comp £65 in 1977! Probably worth a fortune now if I'd kept it!
It's a shame they don't produce a cheap 500cc motor that does about 50 mph tops that's cheap to tax & insure for the kids to get going. We'll probably get them mopeds...

Nos4r2 · 14 October 2013, 00:09

According to this:-

Car Insurance Groups: Which UK Insurance Group Is Your Car In?

The 1990s 900cc Fiat Cinquecento is only group 2 insurance.

It'll allow you to view cars by insurance group as well and there's a few there that'd do quite well. The group viewing seems to exclude most sub-£1k cars though.

NSS · 14 October 2013, 00:14

Toyota Yaris also worth a look as the 1 litre models are cheap to insure and generally reliable. Might struggle to find one in your price range though. SEATs are, as has already been said, essentially VW/Audi with a different bodyshell. I'm on my second one and can't fault them. In fact, they and the Skoda I had previously have all been more reliable than the VW Passat I had before that.

longjohn · 14 October 2013, 00:31

I thought all the lads wanted 5 door Polo's! - quite big enough - my nephew is 6'4"
reliable sensible choice is Nissan Micra or Ford Ka but considered too girly (have to agree I guess).
Ford Puma is a great drive getting a bit old now and not sure about the insurance - thought should be in the ball park for the 1.4 version.

colcreate · 14 October 2013, 00:45

Bought my daughter a Citroen C1 Rhythm for her 18th. Had to up the budget to buy, but cheapest thing around to insure so hopefully saving in the long run. Looked at everything, from classic Mini's to Landrovers must have compared 100 insurance quotes.
C1, Peugeot 104 & Toyota Aygo are all the same car developed as a joint venture and rated as Group 1.
Comfy car, nice spec, loads of MPG, costs next to nothing to tax, holds 70 on the m'way, all round good little car.
Insurance fitted a black box and I get a report on how she's been driving for the last 10days. Not sure of their street cred, but would recommend them for a first car!

Portholme · 14 October 2013, 08:22

Exactly the same for my son. Citroen c1 with black box insurance in his name for £1300 per year. Our Citroen is on contract hire at just over a hundred quid per month through a broker I get all the fleet cars through. I'd rather he was driving a safe, new car but that's a personal choice.