Small Automatic Car Recommendations Please

I currently have an automatic 1L Citreon C1. However, I hate driving it. The automatic gearbox is a bit clunky and it doesn't feel safe to me as it feels really flimsy and as a new driver I want something that I feel protected and safe in.

I have about £4500-£5000 in total which has to include insurance and tax for the year too.

I love Mini Coopers but there's not a lot within my price point as tax and insurance is so high.

Any recommendations? Thank you.

That's not the best price tag for a GOOD auto which will last you. You could pick up a few but very soon they will just give up.

If you did have the money and found a way, (although I hate small cars) I would recommend buying a reliable car like an Audi or BMW or something along those lines. Not a Mercedes because that will be WAY above your budget.

What are you looking for? Comfort? Speed? Practicality?

None of this is true tbh. Let's say, if OP has a 5k budget that about 1-2k is going towards tax and insurance, that leaves at least 3k. With that, you could pick up something no older than 10 years. You'll find that a large percentage of cars on the road are older than that. If you maintain them properly, a car will last several decades.

A BMW or Audi might not be the most realistic option in this budget range. Nothing to say that a BMW or Audi is more reliable than a Ford or Vauxhall, for example. You could have a BMW that's not been well looked after that could conkout on you as soon as you drive it away, whereas even a French car that's been maintained could be faultless.

I am more than aware of this. Firstly, 1-2k for tax and insurance = him being screwed over. Those kind of cars cannot live forever.

Once a car has hit around 100 000 miles (could be even near 80 000 or even 120 000), the faults RING IN endlessly. This is why German cars are good buys and have a reputation because from experience they last very long and have very few (if any) faults compared to your 10 year old Corsa (also from experience -multiple experiences).

That's the point, maintenance. Fords etc will require a good bit of this. The German cars (as long as you don't go out of your way to try and break them) remain almost faultless. I am also not saying that only German cars are good. By all means there are other cheaper alternatives but it is the safest option and you would get your full money's worth too.

Hence why I asked OP what his main priority in a car would be

I currently have an automatic 1L Citreon C1. However, I hate driving it. The automatic gearbox is a bit clunky and it doesn't feel safe to me as it feels really flimsy and as a new driver I want something that I feel protected and safe in.

I have about £4500-£5000 in total which has to include insurance and tax for the year too.

I love Mini Coopers but there's not a lot within my price point as tax and insurance is so high.

Any recommendations? Thank you.

You do realize that the Corsa is a german car too right?? It's called an Opel Corsa on the continent and Opel is as German as Vauxhall is British.

Also it is total rubbish that a car starts breaking apart at 100k and that German cars don't break.

I am more than aware of this. Firstly, 1-2k for tax and insurance = him being screwed over. Those kind of cars cannot live forever.

Once a car has hit around 100 000 miles (could be even near 80 000 or even 120 000), the faults RING IN endlessly. This is why German cars are good buys and have a reputation because from experience they last very long and have very few (if any) faults compared to your 10 year old Corsa (also from experience -multiple experiences).

That's the point, maintenance. Fords etc will require a good bit of this. The German cars (as long as you don't go out of your way to try and break them) remain almost faultless. I am also not saying that only German cars are good. By all means there are other cheaper alternatives but it is the safest option and you would get your full money's worth too.

Hence why I asked OP what his main priority in a car would be

Look for Japanese or German. Ideally a prius would great as no Tax and cheap fuel. However a Yaris wouldn't be bad but I'd personally advise getting a diesel automatic as the petrols drink like nobodies business.

VW Polo? BMW 1 series?(probably out of price range) I'd really stick to Japanese or German though fro reliability.

Corsa's are of course made by Vauxhall which are engineered in Germany No offense, but it's absolute BS that a German car is unlikely to develop fault at 100k miles whereas others are, so many determining factors. I'd rather take a Ford that's done 100k of commuting daily via a low traffic motorway than I would a VW or BMW that's been driven for 100k miles around towns and cities. If anything, it's more about certain models of car being unreliable rather than a brand itself. Ford Fiestas for example are one of the most reliable small cars you can get your hands on.

1-2k for insurance for a new driver is pretty standard, unfortunately. Even more than that in some areas.

Yeah that's what I was going for.

Polo is a good shout and if you need to save money on fuel economy then a bluemotion

My friend pays less than 1k and he is 17 and he is driving a BMW 3 series which is why I said that for a small car 2k is being mugged off. I would never pay that.

Just depends I guess. Like my cousins Corsa's gearbox broke and the car had to be towed home. A friends fiesta also is constantly broken and it's not that old. Just from my stories but ah well then. Never mind.

Also preference I guess. Like I cannot stand hatchbacks etc. Absolutely hate those things. More of a saloon car guy. Not a huge fan of coupe's either. Depends on the car.


Just depends. You have your stories, I have mine

A Bluemotion Polo would be really good short of a Prius tbh. They're really economical. I've got a petrol golf atm and wanna replace with a diesel soon. Do you drive?

I wasn't talking about all of them.

And I know that... I have owned 2 Corsa's...

My family has/have owned 10+ BMW's, an Audi, 5 Mercedes and none of them conk out broken as easily as the Corsa. I was just talking from both; experience AND public reputation.

Yeah man.

Nice. Not a fan of hatchbacks but if I had to judge them I'd say a golf isn't all that bad. GTI or...?

Hmm, owning Corsa since October 2013. Replaced some suspension parts (most expensive is the control arm), 1 engine mount, brakes, 2 windscreens but it is all wear and tear I would say. Major "faults" were bursting oil pressure switch, which costed me 7.30 for the part and top up of oil purchased from Halfords. Other "fault" was broken coolant connector on water pump due to it being plastic. Costed me 45 for new OE water pump, 10 for coolant concentrate and 2 hours of my time. 145k on clock now, still going fine, last MOT without advisories. My other car is diesel Astra, where everything is much more expensive. Also mate had Polo, switched to Bora and then to 320d and said that Polo was an amazing car because it could be fixed easily. Same with Corsa and other similar vehicles.

Yeah you see this is where I care about the care mostly. Never had to fix my Audi. Nothing.