GF's First Car Search help

[Brad182]

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/ww...category=CARS&channel=CARS&id=200711275503946

Girlfriend wants her first car and have just seen this on Autotrader, looks ok from the pic is there anything that i should ask about when going to have a look? is this model prone to any problems?

Thanks,

Brad

 

[Karl3158]

The front difs went on mine, new gearbox etc, £900 common issue so renault said..

 

[bmh.01]

I'd have thought you could get more car than that for £1k personally.

 

[Josh@Renparts]

surely worth saving a bit more for a mk2 ph1, way more reliable... 1.2 8v in that is fantastic imo..

 

[derv]

or try and get a mk1 rt, nippy, comfy, and cheap. never had any problems with mine

 

[Brad182]

Well the garage had sold it before we got there, which was nice of them to let us know.

She just wants a cheap run around really.

 

[ppysjrh]

At the risk of getting a berating from other forum members, you could do a lot worse than a 1997ish Nissa Micra, for about £900. Mate of mine just bought one as a cheap run about in London, nippy, economical, easy to park etc and will run forever.

Parkers review
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/review.aspx?model=608

 

[Brad182]

At the risk of getting a berating from other forum members, you could do a lot worse than a 1997ish Nissa Micra, for about £900. Mate of mine just bought one as a cheap run about in London, nippy, economical, easy to park etc and will run forever.

Parkers review
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/review.aspx?model=608

I wish it would just be forum members that would give me/her a bashing i don't have to see them in it, mates on other hand is a different matter...lol.

 

[AlexS]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1998-VOLKSWAG...oryZ9873QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Look for a Polo similar to the above, loads on Autotrader for around £1250 with under 80k, they don't look that dated are very reliable and are very strong so safer than a Clio of a similar age.

 

[graham_172]

i had to buy the mrs a car before I got my clio. went for a ford ka in the end.

 

[Ben.]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1998-VOLKSWAG...oryZ9873QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Look for a Polo similar to the above, loads on Autotrader for around £1250 with under 80k, they don't look that dated are very reliable and are very strong so safer than a Clio of a similar age.

^^ totally agree with you on the polo..my friend has one and she has never had any problems with it at all, and feels alot more solid than my old mk1!!

 

[Faxo]

1.25 Fiesta, engine will never go wrong and is cheap and very nippy

Just finding one in a good shell!

 

[Chadwick]

1.25 Fiesta, engine will never go wrong and is cheap and very nippy

Just finding one in a good shell!

LOL thats a good joke, where you get that one from?

 

[edde]

At the risk of getting a berating from other forum members, you could do a lot worse than a 1997ish Nissa Micra, for about £900. Mate of mine just bought one as a cheap run about in London, nippy, economical, easy to park etc and will run forever.

I agree with you great cars the Micra for what they are.
I had one for ages I enjoyed it.

 

[nade]

i have to say go for a mk1 clio RT
insurance is really cheap, its quick for what it is and it has amazingly comfy seats. only bad point is the leaky sunroofs

 

[Martin_172]

get her an N/A Starlet.

we had one that done 250,000 miles in 4 years and only part that needed changed was a clutch and wheel bearings. we had another one at 150,000 that didnt need one single part changed, still on standard clutch, started to need a clutch so sold them both for 2 clios (one on 140k now on engine number 2, gearbox number 2, new wheelbearings all round twice on the rear, new exhaust inc cat, about 30 coilpacks lol!!)

 

[RichRSi]

I suggest a ford Ka.
Cheap insurance (grp 3) No cambelt to change (ohv) 45+ mpg and they have bags of character, good fun to drive and they handle well.
If you do go for one here's my tips, having a missus thats owned two of em:
Check for noise from the power steering rack or a drop in p/s fluid as this means the rack maybe on it's way out (can go as soon as 20k)
Bad idle means the icv (idle control valve) is dirty, can be cleaned or replaced for a few quid and it'll run like new.
Check for leaks on the interior and check electrics funtion well, they sometimes suffer from rust on the sills so check this too.
If all thats ok you've got a good car that'll last her well and will be cheap to maintain.

 

[alexbleubolt]

get her a punto 1.6, they are nippy and chaeap to insure

 

[RichRSi]

Or a micra would be a good start, as suggested above.