I'm considering buying a car, as I've just passed my test. Been riding around on my bike for a couple years, and fancy something a little different.

Of course, I am (almost) broke, so need a running motor for as cheap as possible ~£300 would be ideal.

Any ideas/cars going?

TIA
Damian

 

ford fiesta, vw beetle, mini

all pretty easy to work on yourself if you're that way inclined and cheap on insurance

 

Ah, by all means I know which cars to go for. Got my eyes on Fiat Unos, Minis, Novas etc.

Its just finding one!

 

id start off by looking in the bargain cars section of the auto trader

 

205 xs.... Quality motor

 

2nd vote for the 205 xs, I bought one for £300 8 months ago, it's a bit rattly but goes well. Faster than a Saxo VTR, which is nice...

 

205 XS brill car mine cost £50 bargain of the year

just put a new driveshaft on today it cost more than the car

still a good first car though in fact any 205 is good except gti as they can be a pain unless you know what you are doing

 

205 XS again

Recently sold mine for £350 - wanted to keep it in the Pug fleet but dont have the room

 

see if the guys have got anything for sale on here

http://www.peugeot-gti.net/forums/index.php?s=&menu=2

normally some reasonable stuff going

 

Damian,

As I've said before being your first car it is going to be expensive to insure. The problem with older French/German/Japanese cars, is that they are more expensive to insure, when compared to a similar sized engine Ford or Vauxhall.

IIRC things like the 205 1.4 and Golf 1.3 are group 7!!

Dare I say it, will be cheaper to get a Fiesta 1.1 or a Nova 1.2 to start with. Plenty of cars about, cheap and realily available parts, easy tuning (if you want) and more importantly cheaper on insurance!

It's only your first car, so make do with a crap for now, you still have the bike!!!

 

Beetle for 300 quid, where from ?

Pug 309, Proton, dont try for trendy or fast as it will be crap.

 

If you're reasonably handy with a spanner, what about an Alfa 33 ?

Insurance may be pricey I spose, but makes a change from the 'norm'.

All the best



Matt

 

Nova SR 1.3 should be fairly cheap to buy and insure.

 

Insurance will be dear anyway so get a 205 at least you will have a fun drive

a fester at £300 will be a pile of rust with a rattly engine and a big hole where the petrol filler used to be

French cars are not all crap 205 is the best small car ever

 

What about a Skoda Rapid 5 Speed!!

Rear engined, RWD, cheap, reliable and very very different

 

I second the Skoda idea, the missis spanked her car the other winter & needed a cheap runabout for a bit, so I got her a Skoda 120 Estele saloon for £50!! & it even have a few months MOT.

It was an absolute riot, yes bloody slow- the Rapid version was the 'hot' version! but such a laugh. Ok a bit painfull on motorways but it did 80mph (just!) and was terrific fun in the snow.

 

Another vote for a 205XS, i had one for my first car back in 1991.

They are a good all round first car IMHO, as quoted on this thread, you can pick one up from £50 upwards



Iain

 

Yet another vote for the 205xs- has everyone had one of these?
A surprisingly quick car but not mental insurance IIRC.

 

Aye, was my first car. AX GT engine (thankfully not it's looks), 60 in 9 secs and 115mph+. It was easily as fast as my mates early 1.6 Gti (105bhp version). Put some rallye white steelies on it and you can't beat it for the for fun/$$$ factor. Crap brakes though !

 

yep 205XS was my first car part x'd on the scoob for £500 just over 2 years back which was a bit poor in hindsight as it was low miles & mint but hey scoob was marginally more fun but the XS was a pucker motor
Si (de ja vous)

 

Fiat Panda for £190

 

id go for a vw polo mate,it was my first car,it never let me down,not like the rest of the cars iv had,bar me scoob