Hi to everyone on the forum, im new on here, read some of the posts before I joined and it sounds like u chaps know what your talking about!!

Im after some advice on a new car, so heres the deal:

Im 21, been driving for 4 years (5 in april) and have 4 years NCB (5 in April). Im currently still on my first car which is a Peugeot 206 1.9d 1999 lol...

Im in my final year at uni and about to finish soon and really want a change before I start a 'proper' job!

I have the value of my current car (probably about 1800) plus about another 1700, so all together £3500!

Im after a hatchback, 3 door, not too high to insure, ideally black or silver. To give you an idea of what i have been looking at heres a list of what ive seen for the money...

Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.4 mk6 2002
Alfa 147
Corsa sxi 1.2 2004

I do like the fiestas the most but open to suggestions, please help!!

Thanks...

Triv...

Have some fun and get the 147.
Not as bulletproof as the competition, but more interesting.

Haha just thinking about servicing costs for the alfa, are they quite high compared to the rest?

Triv...

Not on a 147. Maybe a touch more, but nothing drastic.

If you like it though, you might just want a nice 147 GTA afterwards!
That was a car i really liked.

Would you get a 147 over there for £3500? Over here, they're still all the equivalent of £6000 plus, even for early base models!

suzuki swifts are quite swift and not crazy insurance or petrol guzzling

Fiat punto sporting. Drives well and looks better than the lot above. Pretty reliable as well. You can also try the toyota Yaris. Low insurance, very spacious and bullet-proof built. Also when it comes to sell it, you will get more of your money back.

Thanks for the input guys, Si_NZ, yeah can pick one up for around that mark, for an extra 500 cud get leathers too! I quite like the idea of a yaris too, definitely bullet proof!!

More suggestions very welcome indeed, have someone coming to look at the car today so hopefully a deal isn't too far away...

Triv...

or maybe classic hot hatch? pug 1.6GTi?

its wierd but the price of a £12k new supermini and a £20k repmobile are about the same after five years. maybe u could consider a diesel repmobile with long but mway mileage.

What sort of repmobile where you thinking of thebenster?

Triv...

If you want to venture into repmobile territory then you will be spoiled for choice. Here you will have cars with alloys, climate control, cruise as standard and will not depreciate quite as much. You can about stretch into Mondeo 2.0 130 tdci with respectable mileage. I think you can also get VW passat 115/130 tdi for that money but mega miles. Lexus IS/BMW e46 and A4 are also within reach, but most likely petrol only.

Thanks asset thats a really helpful post, definitely opening my eyes to new possibilities, do like passats very much...

I'd look at the previous generation Civic (bread van shape)Type S. It had the same basic 2.0 engine as the Type-R but without as much valve trickery (SOHC as opposed to DOHC in the Type R) but still great fun. If this is out of your budget try the Sport which looks sporty but has a 1.6 SOHC VTEC engine.

quote:

Originally posted by R32TN:
What sort of repmobile where you thinking of thebenster?

Triv...

hmm well u did say hot hatch so maybe i was just blurring the waters there, just pointing out the cost parallels, as has been mentioned on here a lot, the ford cougar is greeat value, dunno wot a 2.0 is like to insure at 21, but its a lovely car IMO and good for non flash posing, auntie maude and birds will be impressed.

ps: they are about £3k