First car

[benf]

Looking for first car for my son soon, budget of £2k. He really likes corsas but recent pictures have got me thinking typical 17 year old lad so he wants something with a bit of street cred, but reliable and fairly cheap to run any advice, sensible suggestions most welcome (he still likes corsas)

 

[Grumps]

The euro shell that is a Pug 107, Citroen C1 or Toyota Aygo is a sound choice. Got my Niece one two years ago and now on the hunt for another for my Nephew. 3 cylinder so really cheap to run. Very basic so little to go wrong.

 

[Ianmc]

Are 1.8 Z3s expensive to insure for youngsters? I had a MK one spitfire at your sons age on third party insurance. Car cost £90 but can't remember how much the insurance was. The third party insurance was a good thing, as I knew I would loose the car if I did anything silly!

 

[benf]

Are 1.8 Z3s expensive to insure for youngsters? I had a MK one spitfire at your sons age on third party insurance. Car cost £90 but can't remember how much the insurance was. The third party insurance was a good thing, as I knew I would loose the car if I did anything silly!

Not sure on the insurance but I suspect it would be, when he's past cheapest is about £1500 on something 1.2, crazy

 

[Ianmc]

I wish I could remember what my insurance cost at 17. It was quite a lot, but affordable with a weekend job and the odd family "contribution".

 

[Bozzy]

When our daughter passed her test two years ago, at the age of 17, a 1.9 zed would have cost in excess of 4 grand to insure.
The 1.2 Clio we got her cost £1400 p.a with one of those black box recorders fitted to the car, so any loony tunes driving would ramp up the cost.
Good luck Ben, I bet your son is well excited.

Steve.

 

[Mac Romans]

@Beemer Boy will be 17 in 2025... by then early Z3s will be classed as classic cars....no tax...classic car insurance and he can't drive round like a dick with his mates cos there'll be nowhere for them to sit!
A Z3 could be the most sensible choice for him!

 

[Ianmc]

Worth @Beemer Boy start saving a car/insurance pot, it would be a real cool car at 17! I did this from around 14 (my father owned a garage) and I put petrol in cars every weekend and during school holidays. Bought the spitfire at 16 and was the bees knees at 17 when I passed my test. Real enthusiasts start young!

 

[stevie_a]

Chrysler ypsilon, I'm looking at one of these for my daughter, get the red and black and you get all the extras.group 4 insurance as a learner driver from my daughter is £300 as a full driver licence is £1,200, and those prices are under her name, that way she can build up a no claims bonus.
yes low mileage ones go for anywhere between £3500 and £4000 but you do get the high miles at £2000, other models like the silver and gold , yes you get the extras but it is higher insurance group the models you want to look for is the black and red or the SE for the low insurance group although the SE does not get the blue and me Bluetooth media package also go for the 1.2 petrol engine to keep insurances down.

EDIT: Also forgot it is Five door, hidden rear handles

 

[Redline]

Ford Ka 1.2.
80+bhp. Not enough to pull the skin off a rice pudding. Won’t do a ton even if pushed off a cliff. Never going to win any traffic light Grand Prix starts. 4 seats but a dog to get in and out the back - just enough to get mates to hitch a ride with someone else. £1k insurance for a 18 year old without a tracker - does need some trust and a few stern words of guidance. But, actually a nice little car to drive tbh.
When I bought it for No 2 son, his street cred didn’t appear in the thinking. Quite the opposite in fact. If street cred is uppermost then I’m not paying! He who pays the piper and all that.
He understands now and is a good driver for his limited experience.
Just got to get him to wash and clean the damned thing.

 

[benf]

Ford Ka 1.2.
80+bhp. Not enough to pull the skin off a rice pudding. Won’t do a ton even if pushed off a cliff. Never going to win any traffic light Grand Prix starts. 4 seats but a dog to get in and out the back - just enough to get mates to hitch a ride with someone else. £1k insurance for a 18 year old without a tracker - does need some trust and a few stern words of guidance. But, actually a nice little car to drive tbh.
When I bought it for No 2 son, his street cred didn’t appear in the thinking. Quite the opposite in fact. If street cred is uppermost then I’m not paying! He who pays the piper and all that.
He understands now and is a good driver for his limited experience.
Just got to get him to wash and clean the damned thing.

The deal is he saves a grand from his part time job, then I match it, that's what my parents did with me and it worked

 

[Redline]

The deal is he saves a grand from his part time job, then I match it, that's what my parents did with me and it worked

Would love to do that but he will be forever paying back his student loan as it is. I wouldn’t want to be their age nowadays.

 

[stevie_a]

hmmm... Maybe something like a Ford C-Max ? The car is inexpensive and hardy. As for the first car, it will be a great choice. I've been riding one myself.

A C-max starts at insurance group 10, For the 1.0 EcoBoost Zetec 5d .

at that the insurance would be very expensive

 

[benf]

Finally got him one! 207 1,4 s very tidy little car brought through eBay, he's chuffed to bits with it, I gave it a good clean for him and got some L plates, now the fun begins!

 

[Jack Ratt]

That's a cracking first car and no wonder your lad is chuffed with it. Just make sure he understands that this is where his real life's instruction starts.
First lesson "if it's got tits or wheels, it's going to cost him"

 

[Stevo7682]

That little pug should do him fine as a 1st car.

 

[Grumps]

Very nice mate. Just got my nephew this Citroen C1.......and he's just failed his test for the 2nd time.

 

[benf]

Very nice mate. Just got my nephew this Citroen C1.......and he's just failed his test for the 2nd time. View attachment 96273

shame about the fails, gets expensive. Not easy though we probably take it for granted after many years of driving. 3rd time lucky

 

[Bringit96]

I had a Peugeot 206 1.1L for my first car. Great fun and a reliable car. The 207 looks brilliant, he'll have a great time with it!