In the UK,what's the best car to get as a first car?

Question

any ideas?

Answer 1

i got a second hand ford fiesta for my first car
they last really well
ive now got a vauxall corsa which is also good for cheap insurance! :)

Answer 2

If you've just passed your test you might want to look for a car that has the cheapest insurance
Usually one that nobody would want to steal - an old mans car like a Vauxhall Nova or similar should be dirt cheap to insure and only cost a couple of hundred pounds to buy - ideal for your 1st year (Dont be too proud - just be happy to be on the road!)

Answer 3

Idealy the first car to make it as cheap as possible, needs to be as lower specification as possable( i.e an L instead of a GHIA in case of a ford)
Pref as well make it either a 1.3 Litre engine or lower,
Even try for a non turbo diesel (cheap to run, cheap on parts)
DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING FROM IT'S STANDARD FORM, EVEN YOUR TYRE WIDTH, SPOILERS ETC !!
good luck !

Answer 4

Well dear - one that won't cost you an arm and a leg to insure is my advice.

Therefore, it's best to look at the 1000cc range

eg Ford Ka - VW Polo (very reliable) - Vauxhall Corsa etc

Answer 5

Something Cheap to run and insure, maybe a wee Saxo or Ford Fiesta

Answer 6

A bit long this, but bear with me. There's quite a bit of choice really, to some extent, it depends on what suits you. Anyway, here's some suggestions, and a few tidbits of info on each.

Ford Ka/Fiesta: Cheap as chips to run and reliable enough, but the smaller engines are the same as those found in the old Anglia, and the insurance on older Fiestas, even the most basic cooking models, can be dear, simply due to the amount of these cars that have fallen into the hands of the boy racer lot.

Later Fiestas and the Ka are said to be nice handling motors, which is good if you're a keen driver, but both cars have a problem with rear space.

Kas Start at under £1000 for the earliest cars. Fiestas have been around for donkeys, and there's something for every budget.


Fiat Cinquecento/Seicento: Two engines are available for these two similar cars. There's a 899cc, which is super cheap on fuel and insurance, but makes a food blender look powerful, or there's the 1.1 motor, mostly found in the Sporting models, which are pretty fun, a bit like a hot hatch without the huge insurance cost. However, these cars are quite flimsy, especially older Cinquecento models, and there may be a few electrical niggles. Also, watch out for any signs of abuse or accident damage on Sporting models, as some of these, again, may have been in the hands of people who like to wear caps at stupid angles.

If you buy a Sporting, one point to watch out for is tyres. Only Pirelli make tyres in the correct size, and they can be up to £60 per corner.

As for prices, 899cc Cinquecentos can be had for a few hundred pounds, Sportings for under a grand. Seicentos start at around £850 for basic cars, Sportings £1000 upwards.


Vauxhall Corsa: Lots and lots of these around, though that's probably a problem for some, who'd rather have somethig that stands out a little and has some individuality, which is something you don't get from a Corsa. Nor do you get go-kart-fun driving dynamics. What you get is a dull but dependable shopping trolley that, with the right maintenance, will serve you well. Not really my cup of tea, but enough people (or Lemmings) seem to like 'em. Just note that clutches are said to go at about 50k miles. Early 1.2 cooking models should start at about £250.

Nissan Micra: A popular choice with grannies, as well as first-time buyers. There are still quite a few boxy 1st generation (K10)models around, though, obviously, they're getting very long in the tooth now, so look at the 2nd generation (K11). Easy to drive, bulletproof and with good headroom, though this motor probably won't set you on fire in excitement.

If the car's been owned by some little old lady, which is common with these, make sure that the car hasn't been used only on small runs, where the engine would never be able to heat up properly, take off the oil filler car and look for 'mustard' on the inside of the cap, which would indecate head gasket failure in such a case. Also watch out for ex-driving school cars, as the clutches, amongst other things, will have had a hard life.

Price-wise, there's a car for any budget. £300 buys a mid '90s version, while the later versions of the K11 up to 2003 can be had at a dealer for under £4k


Peugeot 306: In the world of starter cars, certain models of this car might be surprisingly cheap to insure. 1.4 petrol and 1.9 non-turbo diesels ae your main choices, ranging from poverty-spec 'L' or 'XN' models to loaded 'Meridian' special editions and the like. This car should be nicer to have a crash in than say, a Ford Ka, and it's said to be a bit of a 'driver's car', but give all electrical components a good going over when viewing, with this being a known weak area on a lot of Euopean cars that aren't German.

Depending on the generosity of your insurer, it might we worth checking out a D-Turbo with them, which was perhaps one of the best pre-common rail era diesel cars. Bit of a tractor GTi really. Group 5 insurance seems ok, but , as I say, check with the insurers first.

£1500 buys a late '90s model, £4000 gets you one of the last models.


Ford Escort: The 1.3 engine from the earlier mentioned Ka/Fiesta and a 1.4 CVH engine are your choices, both of which are durable enough but aren't terribly refined. These cars really are geting a banger image, but they're still fairly common (lots of 1.4s around), and interior room is better than the Corsa/Fiesta normally associated with young drivers. Lots to choose from for under a grand.

Answer 7

Ford Fiesta.

Cheap to buy, cheap to run, easy to get parts for, easy to fix yourself.

Reliable cars that go like rockets!

Answer 8

Either a fiesta or a corsa, both are fair cheap to run and the insurance will be low

Answer 9

Ford Fiestas run on the red for miles! As a young student, she was my saviour!

Answer 10

Cheap - Saxo
No Money worries - Renault 5 turbo :)