Opinions Welcome: Buying A Car

  • Thread starter Thread starter Liquid
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the_stig_1
What about this? High mileage but is a Cooper (not a one ;)), and in British Racing Green!
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Immediately needs a new clutch and power steering pump, which would likely cost a few pennies.
 
Minis don't get driven. They're always either off the road being mended or off the road being modified. They're not cars, they're projects - projects that never end.
 
Famine
Minis don't get driven. They're always either off the road being mended or off the road being modified. They're not cars, they're projects - projects that never end.
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The linked one is a BINI. Those do get driven, but they're also BMWs so a bit more expensive to fix than your average BL/Rover job.
 
I hate them more.
 
FordMKIVJ5
Where on earth did you get that from? The Corsa is, from numerous people I know's opinions, terrible and uncomfortable to drive. While our Ka is still running fine after 7 years, and from driving it myself I can tell you it's a very pleasant experience. 👍
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Well 6 people I know have had one and I have never once heard them complain. When I first passed my test I drove my dads and I thought it was pretty good fun, never broke down, there was play in the steering wheel but what do you expect from a car that's 16 years old? Ride was comfortable, fairly economical, etc

As for the Ka I guess in different parts of the country, and people of different age groups see cars differently. Around here if you buy a Ka, particularly if you are a man, you will get laughed at and taunted by your friends. It's just seen as crap and not just by me.

And as for the French car thing, I stand by what I said.
 
I've seen a few decent Almeras knocking about. Sunderland plant means good built quality. That's excellent mileage for a '99.

I'm hoping, that it would be a Civic or maybe an Almera or Fabia if they're in good nick. The 309 GTi would be fantastic but a bit of a longshot.
 
Liquid
I've seen a few decent Almeras knocking about. Sunderland plant means good built quality. That's excellent mileage for a '99.

I'm hoping, that it would be a Civic or maybe an Almera or Fabia if they're in good nick. The 309 GTi would be fantastic but a bit of a longshot.
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Hang around long enough and I'll sell you mine!
 
The Almera isn't a bad choice, if you can get decent insurance prices. They handle nicely and seem to last for yonks.

Pagey279
Around here if you buy a Ka, particularly if you are a man, you will get laughed at and taunted by your friends. It's just seen as crap and not just by me.
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Still, these are people who apparently like Vauxhall Corsas, so...

Sniffpetrol's well-known take on the matter (edited for AUP compliance...)

adcorsa.jpg


Corsas have some virtues. They look semi-decent (as bland Eurobox hatchbacks go), they're cheap, and they're averagely reliable. They're also terrible to drive (certainly compared to the Ka), vary wildly in build quality, and perhaps worst of all, they're seemingly driven by people who think they're absolutely the best superminis on the market. But then, these are often people who've never driven anything else*.

I've driven and passengered in Corsas, I've driven and been passengered in Fiestas/Kas. They're about even on reliability, but the Fords drive significantly better, so I know which ones I'd recommend.

*Which does raise an interesting point. Someone who buys a Corsa having never driven another car may be perfectly happy with it. But personally I'd be more inclined to actually find which car is best, rather than settling for the average.
 
Pagey279
Well 6 people I know have had one and I have never once heard them complain. When I first passed my test I drove my dads and I thought it was pretty good fun, never broke down, there was play in the steering wheel but what do you expect from a car that's 16 years old? Ride was comfortable, fairly economical, etc
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^^^^I didn't say they liked the car, just that they had no complaints about it. Different things.

And the corsa I drove for over a year (I now have a Honda Civic Sport) wasn't the shape you have posted above. It was a 1996 P reg, which was around the age of my friends cars as well.
Read my quoted post, that is my experience of the car, on which I have based my opinion.
 
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Pagey279
As for the Ka I guess in different parts of the country, and people of different age groups see cars differently. Around here if you buy a Ka, particularly if you are a man, you will get laughed at and taunted by your friends. It's just seen as crap and not just by me.
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This is ridiculous, it's like the MX-5 thing. The fact is, yes the car has a "girly" image, but you'll be having a hell of a lot more fun then anyone else in their Corsa/other generic supermini.

I don't care whether I get laughed at. My friend always goes on about how I drive a "purple" (actually blue) girls car, but the fact is I'm laughing at him inside because I know it's an excellent car- certainly far better than his 106 diesel that's already blown a gearbox. :lol:
 
Is there a good reason a Ford Focus hasn't been mentioned?

My first car was an L plate Escort and TPFT insurance wasn't too bad on it. I assume a Focus is the same group.
I test drove a Focus in 2004 or 2005 and thought it handled really well. Plenty of room. The 1.6 engine had enough get up and go to be useable.

It's been a few years since I lived in the UK so this may all be irrelevant but it would be the first car I'd look at if i was moving back.
 
I haven't personally spotted many Foci for sale, so I don't know how much they'd fetch. But I doubt it's too much.

Nissan Almera is IG4E. Could be a big influence on my final decision.
 
Yrkshrpudding
Is there a good reason a Ford Focus hasn't been mentioned?
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Focus should be a decent one actually, insurance depending. 1.6 a decent engine too. Hunt down one that isn't rusty or hasn't been a family car and therefore had kids throwing up in the back of it, and it'd be worth looking into.
 
Mk1 Foci seem to be butting up against built-in obsolescence now - there's an awful lot of them starting to require an awful lot of work to keep them on the road and becoming the Trigger's Broom of cars.

I think I'd avoid them entirely.
 
The 3 door Almera also has surprisingly good rear leg space, if you're the social-able kind.
 
ExigeEvan
The 3 door Almera also has surprisingly good rear leg space, if you're the social-able kind.
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Good to know. Very... good...

I do like that 309 Famine linked. It's marvellous, but I'd definitely have to see it before buying it. Civic or Almera are top of the shortlist at the moment.
 
Famine
Mk1 Foci seem to be butting up against built-in obsolescence now - there's an awful lot of them starting to require an awful lot of work to keep them on the road and becoming the Trigger's Broom of cars.

I think I'd avoid them entirely.
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There is that. Strike up another plus point for the Almera, which doesn't seem to be like that, and the 309 GTI, which (despite being French :rolleyes:) seems built to last.
 
Any particular reason you've dropped the Fabia from your shortlist currently? Civic and Almera are both good choices thought too from the ones I've looked at for myself :lol:
 
Fabia is worth considering if one is available, but the Civic and Almera are the two which I will probably end up searching for.
 
To the XJS: *cough* Insurance *cough*

Pagey279
Well 6 people I know have had one and I have never once heard them complain. When I first passed my test I drove my dads and I thought it was pretty good fun, never broke down, there was play in the steering wheel but what do you expect from a car that's 16 years old? Ride was comfortable, fairly economical, etc
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My mum had a much newer one than your dads and it was the most dismal, depressing piece of 🤬 on the road. The interior was built with the same plastic you may find on a toy, and the 1.0l engine didn't help, especially when you venture near a hill.
 
E28
To the XJS: *cough* Insurance *cough*
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It was a joke. ;)

I don't actually expect someone to get a 5.3 litre V12 XJS as their first car. :lol:
 
Civic ek would be good. Nice power and very reliable.
 
More AutoTrader trawling has led me to a Mazda Xedos.

My head is still in control and says Civc/Almera but the heart keeps trying to tell me to go for something rare, like that 309. Must resist urges...
 
ExigeEvan
Golf GTi?
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Superb example there Evan, but I have to bear insurance in mind. Think a Golf would be too much for a first time policy. Not that a V6 Xedos or Mondeo ST200 would be much cheaper...

hfs suggested that a 316 Beemer could be doable, but I'm not as convinced. Wouldn't mind a 318, if only for the BTC nostalgia factor.

Almeras are supposed to be pretty cheap to insure, but what about a Primera? Are they significantly more expensive?
 
Using "Famine's rules of insurance" a Primera should be cheaper, and while the Almera isn't much of a looker, similarly ages Primeras are rather duff looking IMO.

I've had friends insuring older GTi and 318 at I think their insurance was just over the cost of my first year (£1,500), so you don't take a massive hit if you're insuring a relatively older car.
 
ExigeEvan
Using "Famine's rules of insurance" a Primera should be cheaper, and while the Almera isn't much of a looker, similarly ages Primeras are rather duff looking IMO.
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90s Primeras and Almeras are equally good looking in my view.

ExigeEvan
I've had friends insuring older GTi and 318 at I think their insurance was just over the cost of my first year (£1,500), so you don't take a massive hit if you're insuring a relatively older car.
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My estimates say it'll be around £3,000 minimum, but this is using a comparison website. Hell, if it's roughly £1,500, I'd splash out on an old Accord! The 318s I likeare old E36s, so they might not be as expensive as I think. It's just the fact that it'll be my first car and ergo my first policy that I'm assuming it'll cost at least £2,500 to insure anything, no matter what I buy.
 
I've just got 55 MPG (500 mile tank) out of my Almera in a Swansea-Sheffield and back drive.

I'm kind of shocked myself.
 
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