How much could you pay for a decent first car?

Question

In pound sterling please

Answer 1

A grand should get you a nice second hand Robin Reliant or you could go for a brand new pedal car from Toys R Us for £75.

Answer 2

Car prices vary enormously. The price you pay for your first car will depend on (amongst other things):
- What car you're after - make, model, marque
- How old the car is
- What condition it's in
- How badly the seller wants rid of it
- Who you're buying it from
Dealers are usually a safer bet but they tend to be a bit more expensive. If I were you, I'd get down to the newsagent and buy a used car price guide - Parkers and What Car both do very good ones, they cost about £3-4 each - as these list all the main makes and models you'll find second hand in the UK, and should give you a good idea of what you can expect to pay for each.

You might get lucky. My partner's first car was a second-hand Fiesta. Great little motor that ran and ran and ran, and is still going strong today. That cost her £400!

Answer 3

An experienced head here saying,...
...go around housing estates looking for ones advertised for sale. You'll see loads, anywhere really.
You should be looking at one priced £750-£1000.
It should last a year or two, maybe three with good care, and you'll be learning all the time in a car that will mean all that more simply because it's "my first"..!
You'll gain experience and will begin to view driving as a privilage and not as a right.
Insurance is where it will become expensive, so aim for a not too powerful car. A small hatchback is probably ideal. My first was a Vauxhall Nova (!), but i gained experience and am now a full time driver, and i love driving.
I'm 41.

Answer 4

Depends on the seller, sometimes $2000 will get you an ok car, otherwise count on $4000

Also remember that everyone rips you off, so be very careful, if the car doesn't run and drive exactly the way you think it should, then don't buy it.

Sometimes people know of something that is going bad, but will try to sell it before it really gets bad, hoping you won't notice it.

So many lying jerks out there.

what out for dealers too, they are no different than private parties

Answer 5

You have to pay at least $3-$4k to get a decent first car. $5k is even better. That said, sometimes you are best off paying for a reliable but older first car. I'd aim you toward a Honda Civic--great car, great reliability. It will be more expensive than other cars of the same age unfortunately.

Answer 6

Really wouldn't spend too much for the following reasons:-
1) Insurance is likely to cost as much as the car.
2) The likelyhood of crashing is greater for newer drivers.
3) The type of car you are looking at is really common with car theives.
So.....here's some helpful advice.
Stick to a 1.0 litre engine - better for insurance and not capable of mad speeds that'll kill you. Look for local ads that say "low mileage" "one/two previous owners" "Service history" "mint condition for year". View them with someone who knows about cars. And don't rush into buying one.

Dunno what you have to spend but a grand to 1500 with get you a nice reliable motor.

Oh! Don't fill it with soft toys... thats just too sad!

Welcome to the rat race!

Answer 7

you get what you pay for, for example, a cheap rechargable drill wont work long or burn out quickley, a car is simular, buy one within a year old and you save a huge amount and the car has not had a lot of hammer, buy one too old and you will later see why that person handed that in, best option go to a main dealer, ford are fairly cheap as fiat, is too.

Answer 8

You're looking at $2,000 and more for a DECENT used car. I picked up an 89 Mustang GT for $4,000 that was in cherry condition. You just have to look around and be cautious.

Now if you're looking at a new car, never ever pay sticker price. We picked up a car with a sticker price of $18,500 and drove it off the lot with no money out of pocket for $13,259 with them paying the registration, taxes and all other fees.

Answer 9

you probably get something for 3500-5000

I bought a 1999 ford escort 100K for 3495 at a dealer
but it needed a tuneup which cost around 400 and some tires another 200

I have had it for 6 months and it rides OK

Domestic 1999-2000 3500-5000
Foreign japanese 1998 toyota 5000-7000
korean kia 2000-2001 around 5000

Answer 10

get a mercedes SLR, they are cheap. I have three of them and I have two Hummers, also a Lamborghini, a Farrari, a porsche, and a aston martin, I'm getting a range rover tomorrow. BTW I'm rich! In case you didn't notice.