The missus has just passed her test and wants something small and cheap to run. She likes the car below, the only problem is it looks like it's on Irish plates. Is this an issue with warranty etc?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...s/40?logcode=p

 

looks like jersey plates to me,

not what i would call cheap for a first car! good luck polishing and t-cutting the dents and scratches out of it!

 

Does it need to be oober new, or saying upto 3-4 years old? Just thinking for depreciation.

Also what's insurance gonna be like on a new car with a new driver say compared to a car thats a couple years old? With all this equal insurance tripe making wimmins premiums go up...

(get her a banger and let her bounce it off every wall, bollard and shopping trolley going )

 

Any issues with Jersey cars?

Believe me it is cheap compared to what she's been looking at. She is 29 so will hopefully be a bit more sensible than a spotty teenager.

 

Just Fezza's she's looking at then or any other contenders?

Did she want a TT-rs by any chance

 

 

The insurance is'nt that bad tbh as they are less than 100bhp. It doesn't have to be uber new but she wants a car that has an adjustable height for the drivers seat. She likes the Ford Ka, Toyota IQ or maybe a Yaris as that's what she learnt in.

The Ka that I posted looks cheap though and I wondered if the plate/where it was registered was responsible.

A banger is out of the question otherwise she'll be bouncing it off my Beemer on the drive. She has her own business and will meet clients so thinks it won't look too professional turning up in a banger. I am not being big headed but the money she earns doesn't really warrant a banger.

 

Trout you can see the real deal when we have the GT3 RS meet on my drive

She didn't want a TTR's as it's a bit of a hair dressers car . She likes a couple of Alphas and Beemers but I suggested maybe after a few years no claims.

 

Ah, I get you. So she needs business miles and good image too, fair enough.

That KA is mahoosive, thought it was a fezza

If it's for busines suse, would she need 2 or 4 doors? I love the little IQ's and the like, proper mini cars to serve a purpose

If she's on a decent wage and meeting clients, would it be worth considering premium brands as well?

 

Please don't mention 'premium brands' . I said get a banger like you did and she wanted a 3 series convertable or Alpha GT so we've met in the middle as it may get scraped/bumped.

She want's a 2 door car as she thinks they look better. She will be doing less than 6000 miles a year in the car so the main criteria of the car is for her to like the look of it and one she can drive ok.

We were going to sign up for a 1.0 IQ but she kept stalling it. I suggested she had some more refresher lessons after she bought it with her instructor. So hopefully she'll be able to drive the Ka without stalling it as it's a 1.2, albeit virtually the same power as the IQ.

The problem is she learnt in a 1.4 diesel Yaris and was taught to pull away using the clutch only and not giving it any gas. This is quite difficult in a 1.0 IQ as it stalls. She won't drive my 335 even though you can put it fully automatic as the car is too big.

 

Hmm, I learnt in a Mini Cooper S and had an Impreza sport as my first car

Is there a diesel variant of the KA? Or something as small as

 

Yeh there's a Ka diesel but they are much more expensive. Her exact words were 'I am not paying all that for a Ford Ka'. I just wish she'd get a 2007/08 Yaris Diesel like she learned in but she doesn't really like the look of them. I've explained it's just for a year or 2 till she gets used to driving but I am getting nowhere.

 

In answer to your original question Jim... I don't know.

Sounds like your good lady and my good lady would get along

 

Yeh they are both head cases

 

Ah, you've met

 

my advice get her a cheap run around rather than a newish car, save you a fortune in repairs

 

Tidgy this is not an option . As sensible as that sounds it's her money and she wants something half decent.

 

That is an Irish car - Jersey plates have a "J" then usually a gap.

I reckon it's a good options TBH but I'd also look at a small engined Citroen DS3 (currently very "in") and the excellent handling Suzuki Swift.

Since when have Alfas become "premium?" GM dross in a pretty dress the last time I looked

 

My misses passed her test, I said we will buy u a cheap car for a year so u get used to driving etc etc n if u crash it, it don't really matter, we loose 500 notes, she said no she wants a newish car, so we spend 4k on a 1 year old ka, 2 months later its in the back of a bm n costs us 1200 to repair it! Not worth spending big on a first car

 

Oh n the reason it cost us 1200 notes to fix it was the guy she hit said don't worry about swapping details because his car was fine! I Wernt there,

 

Don't think Alfas are premium, more so different from the Mondeo norm.

 

So will the warranty be ok if it's an Irish car?

She likes the Citroen but you can't get one for less than £10K so a bit pricey. I'll show her the swift and see what she thinks.

Sorry, regarding the Alpha I should have said premium price tag of the ones she was looking at.

i don't like them but a friends wife is selling a 1 series hatchback 116iSE, bottom range on a 57 plate with low miles for 7.5k but she thinks it's too big.

 

I would start with insurance TBH - if you go to money supermarket and put your details in you can simply change the reg/car type then refresh and you get a cost. The usual suspects tend to be high because of probability. I found that a Merc 190, for example, is cheap to insure than any of the small Japanese/korean numbers... Not sure how much this concerns you though, I hate giving insurance companies money myself.

 

I've messed about with the insurance and it's £650 on a Swift and £583 on a IQ so not that much difference.

 

Reckon she'll like the Swift more - definitely try one. They've been around without an update for a while so you'll be able to slay the dealers on price and they are about the only mini hatch that combines nice handling with really decent build quality.

The IQ looks a bit "special needs."

 

That's the thing that put me off about the Swift, a new version will come out and then she'll hate hers.

Loving the special needs comment, she likes the IQ as it's tiny. The window isn't the only thing she'll be licking .

 

Right I am going to see the Ka tomorrow. Does anyone know about the plate/warranty situation?

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...ge/1?logcode=p

Might just go and offer 6K for this.

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...1500?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...1500?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...ge/2?logcode=p

Any of these better? Lot's cheaper and similar low miles or do you prefer a dealers?

 

Cheers for the links and tbh I'd rather but from a private seller as it's cheaper. The wife has stipulated that if it's a Yaris it has to be a 3 door and a diesel as that's the car she learnt in. There are only 4 within 40 miles that fit this criteria.

Going to look at a Swift, Yaris and Ka (if I can find out about the plate/registration issue)tomorrow.