freddie Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Ok, experts, Ys will be searchigng for info, very soon. Advice re which are the safest(mum) Which are reasonable to insure(mum), which are the coolest(Son) Which are best mpg (son) which are more reliable and is new easier to insure than old(Not brand new, but 2003 upwards.....) Thank you oh wise ones!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisP Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I had a Nissan Micra when I was a learner and have had for a few years now. It's pretty safe in the safety testing, not too bad to insure (it was £900 for the first year I insured it as myself as the main driver), can get about 50mpg with a kayak strapped onto the roof (so more without), and has never broken down yet (touch wood!) and is from 1997! It's not necessarily the coolest car out there, but it was exactly what I needed when learning to drive on the roads, easy to drive, hard to stall, not too big but you could pack a lot in it so it didn't feel like a small car as such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddie Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 thank you, All advice is good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emily95 Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Hi there! I passed my test about a month ago and you might have seen my post about car insurance... I've got a Toyota Aygo that is 2 years old, and is in insurance group 2, so is one of the cheaper ones to insure (even though the best price I could get was £2500 it's the cheapest of all my friends insurance on different cars!) It's a great size, has a fab euro Ncap safety rating. Because it's a toyota it has a 5 year warranty, and toyota are famously V. reliable I'm amazed at the mpg - I've had the car since march, dad has been driving it and I was practicing in it, and have now been driving it quite a lot - I think I've had to fill it up 4 times! If you look on 'Parkers' you can search for cars by insurance group/or find out what insurance group a car is in. It also tells you the difference in insurance group in relation to the age of the specific car - very helpful for auto trader searches! Oh! Just remembered, the aygo, peugeot 107 and citroen c1 are "practically the same car", they were made in the same factory and are only very slightly different. The toyota seems to be more expensive than the others - when comparing the 3 cars on auto trader when the cars are of a similar age - I can only think it's because of the 5 year warranty. So the 107 and c1 might be worth looking at too! So, I know I've not had my car long, but I absolutley love it and would recommend it to anyone! (If you need any more information I'll be happy to help ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 We went the other way when we bought a car for our daughter, & went for an old classic. BUT my husband is brilliant with old cars - he can fix them with no problems at all, & this is a huge bonus. We bought her an old Panda 4x4,which was cheap to insure & very reliable too. It turned out to be a handy second car to have in the snow last year & got us out of a few tight corners. We have also just sold it (no point taxing & insuring a car for 3 uni years) at a profit While she is at Uni we do short term additions for her on our policy,which also works out to be quite good value - £60 for 8 weeks I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddie Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 thank you all, keep this coming. It's a minefield trying to start from scratch, esp in Devon, as the 2nd hand car market is limited Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donald Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Just spent £700 on Skoda Felicia(much to my sons disgust he wanted a landrover 4x4...in your dreams). It cost about £800 3rd party on his provisional with Quinn who we used for the eldest. Once he passes we realise its going to rocket the insurance. We went to a dealer who advised us to buy cheap car privately. We tried a ropey peugeot and went for the Skoda. Personally I would not spend a lot on a first car until they are really competent. I know so many youngsters that have written off newer cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 We have just bought a CityGo and lots of youngsters were looking at the smallest engine one with their parents. Mind is the top one with the stop go engine so no road tax, 60+ miles to the gallon (petrol), a great little car I am chuffed to bits with it. DD had a Saxo when she first started driving and DS drove our Landrover and then bought a Polo. DD now has a Clio. Good luck Freddie, I think cars and teenagers is a nightmare and the insurance is just ridiculous. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 And most important (son) - what is the best "babe magnet" However many yrs ago - i was happy if it moved and kept me dry. Girls today want to be seen getting out of summat snazzie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Don't know much about this, but when you look for insurance, look for fully comprehensive, not 3rd party. Martin Lewis pointed this out (I think) saying that they assume young drivers will try for cheaper insurance, but 3rd party isn't always the best option.. Www.moneysavingexpert.com Cathy X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emily95 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I agree with Cathy, often third party isn't the cheapest option - so try all the options when looking for insurance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddie Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 been on martin lewis site, and read up heaps, but apparently, age of vehicle can make difference, plus where you live, plus size engine. make, etc etc Boggling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 The last car I had before my current car was a little Kia Picanto and I have to say it was an excellent car. Not the one I learnt to drive in - that was an ancient E reg Fiat Panda which was mostly comprised of bits from the s"Ooops, word censored!"yard and broke down regularly I bought my Picanto new and had it for nearly 8 years - it eventually developed a fault with the ABS brakes at the same time as the brake discs needed replacing and as I had been mulling over getting a slightly bigger car (I now have a Kia Rio which is approx Fiesta sized) I traded it in. However, up to that point it had had nothing needing doing to it at all bar a couple of new tyres and new windscreen wipers, so in my opinion, very reliable. I know it was to be sold at auction and I wouldn't be surprised if it was bought by a learner driver, or by a garage who has fixed it up and sold it to a learner. It was cheap to run and to insure, could get into the smallest of parking spaces - in fact I do miss it a little bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sim Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 No car recommendations, but I do wholeheartedly feel that taking the Institute of Advanced Motorists' test is essential. It's not the same as the Pass Plus which is, quite frankly, rubbish. But it does give significant discounts with insurers. http://www.iam.org.uk/motorist Plus it makes you a safer driver. Win-win! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddie Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Thanks for the heads up, Sim Keep it coming , folks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 DD has a Micra, her friend a C1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
