Car Buying

If this is your first car, buy a second-hand of one of those models for cheaper insurance (or so I've heard)

Probably would go for A1 if it’s MY18/9
Otherwise I think a polo or fiesta would be a good choice
If budget allows, go for merc a class
Mini is technically a class above....so it should really be compared to something like a vw golf or Ford Focus....

So I’m planning to get a car this autumn and I’ve been slowly researching different makes over the past six months. I’ve got it narrowed down to these and would like some opinions please:

Audi A1- love everything about it but it is kind of pricey. Any knowledge on how much they cost to maintain would be really helpful
VW beetle- again something I really like but I’m not sure whether or not it wins over the A1 for me (any opinions on this would be great) and the fact that they’re not being made post July could make future repairs more expensive?
Fiat 500- a classic beautiful little car but the safety concerns me
Mini hatch- a beautiful car but I believe they’re only available in 1.6+ engines which would make my insurance a lot higher from what I’ve heard

I think it’s mainly between a beetle and an A1 my main priority is safety of course and then reliability but I’d be 100% lying if I said looks didn’t matter to me in a car🤦🏼*♀️😂 but any advice on the ones above or other suggestions would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance
Lottie xx

Audi A1- If its a 1.4 or 1.6 fuel costs shouldn't be too bad, road tax will be decent as well but if it;s new don't expect to pay much in repairs because, well, it's new. For part prices expect to pay what you'd pay for a fiesta or similar and even less if you get parts from scrapyards/breakers.
VW beetle - Depends on the year you want. Again its german so you should be fine and regarding parts it's a little more expensive compared to the A1 or fiesta but you should be fine if you buy a good one.
Fiat 500- Its a cool car and parts are readily available but if your worried about safety or if you take motorway trips semi occasionally, don't go for it.
Mini Hatch- If you want a 1.4, you'll need to get one <2010 but the ones after 2010, even if they are a 1.6, can be found under insurance group 10

If your choosing between a beetle or A1 i think you already know which one you want but get one w/o keyless entry as they are vulnerable to theft and make sure you have adequate security on it.

have you driven any of these cars yet?

Thank you so much that’s really helpful and yes I think I am pretty set on an A1 and probably have been all along but as the time gets nearer I start to doubt my choice. No I haven’t been able to test drive any yet as I’m actually still 16 but my birthday is soon and then I will start to learn to drive (preferably in my own car as I’ve heard this can be better) and get a car which I’m really excited about!! I know it might seem like I’m planning quite far ahead but I’m just so excited and I really want to have my car either before or immediately after my birthday so I can practice in the same car I will actually be driving in to help me learn about that specific cars blind spots, gears etc xx

If you are set on an A1 then maybe don’t use one for learning in. Reason being that some components (like the clutch) can be worn down by you and if you do any learner manoeuvres (like driving over a curb) you’d be damaging your own car instead of the instructors.

If you do want to get lessons look for an instructor with an Audi A1. I have seen some use them for teaching and that way you can enjoy the car throughout your lessons and then go and get one afterwards.

Yes A1 has been one of my favourites for a very long time and I really do like the remodel they’ve just done if I decided to go for brand new. We looked into Mercedes at one point as they’re such lovely cars but I think the A class is a bit too big for me (as this will only be my first car) and I believe that’s the smallest Mercedes do? And sorry I’m slightly confused about the Mini being a class above are you referring to price, prestige, size? Xx

If the A class is too big for you then the mini is likely to be too big too.....

A class competes with A3, golf and mini while Audi A1, polo, fiesta competes with each other. They are different in terms of where they sit in a manufacturer’s model line, perhaps due to size and engines

You will struggle to insure both an A1 and a Beetle at 17. Run some quotes to see if it's within your price range.