Best first cars
I’m looking to get an auto car with a budget of 4k at most, what are the best small cars I really like polos and am trying to get my hands on one but any other recommendations, I wouldn’t mind a corsa but everyone keeps telling me they break down a lot and are unreliable
Reply 1
Have a wee look at the likes of Kia pincanto or fiat 500 or a vauxhall Corsa and see what there is available within your budget and local area.... Try some big names car dealership as they might have something that came in as part of part exchange.
Remember to factor in your car insurance costs on top of the price of the car 🚗 🚗
Remember to factor in your car insurance costs on top of the price of the car 🚗 🚗
Reply 2
Original post
by Ghost92319I’m looking to get an auto car with a budget of 4k at most, what are the best small cars I really like polos and am trying to get my hands on one but any other recommendations, I wouldn’t mind a corsa but everyone keeps telling me they break down a lot and are unreliable
Personally, ive just bought a 2010 Honda jazz and they are brilliant. Almost as reliable as toyotas (so you wont be expecting any breakdowns soon). It can actually look pretty nice with some mods and insuance is relatively cheap, definietely cheaper than the options you put. Only thing is that you asked for a small car, and it is.. But from the inside it feels absolutely massive which I personally think is an upside.
Reply 3
Corsa's are reliable enough tbh, one reason they get a lot of horror stories is they often get bought on a tight budget by people not used to buying used cars or knowing what to really look for, and that logic applies to any cheap used car.
Original post
by Ghost92319I’m looking to get an auto car with a budget of 4k at most, what are the best small cars I really like polos and am trying to get my hands on one but any other recommendations, I wouldn’t mind a corsa but everyone keeps telling me they break down a lot and are unreliable
Hyundai i10's, Hyundai i20's, Kia Picanto's, Nissan Micra's and Vauxhall Corsa's are all good cars to look at. They are all good reliable cars. They have all been out a while (in one shape or another) and there is a plentiful supply, so you will be able to find one within your budget.
Reply 5
Toyota or Honda would be my recommendation. Far more reliable than anything German if not quite as cool.
Age/mileage is less important than an owner who has had it serviced annually and got a stamp in the handbook from the service centre/garage that services it.
The Toyota Aygo,, Yaris, Corolla/Auris that kind of thing are good cars. Stick with petrol, which is simpler and cheaper to run in a small car anyway. There is no real saving in a diesel car unless you are doing probably double the average UK mileage per year.
Volvo also make some smaller cars if safety is a key consideration but they will be more expensive to buy.
If you can possibly afford it, a 5 door car is better and easier to live with and something the size of a Corolla/Honda Civic will be somewhat safer as it is easier to get good crash performance out of a car with more internal volume.
For discerning parents who are considering helping with the purchase of a first car, things like disc brakes on all corners, ABS an electronic stability program and air bags all around are worthy additions likely to keep your offspring safer on the roads. I'd also argue that air conditioning is pretty much essential these days and I also feel cruise control is a good way for young drivers to learn to keep their speed down.
Hybrid cars are in the main quite good now and the fact they are mostly automatic gearboxes is of no consequence as nearly all new cars will be automatics in the coming years.
All drivers -new and old- need to be paying attention to their tyres. Many brands have tread wear indicators on them these days but below a depth of about 3 millimetres wet weather braking and steering performance absolutely falls off a cliff and this is well before the legal limit of 1.6 mm. Have you checked yours recently?
Having various random brands of tyres on each corner is not a good sign in a used car nor are tyres which are all in various states of wear- the number of cars I see in public car parks with registration plates telling me they are less than 3 years old yet with bald or excessively worn tyres on them is scary. There are loads of second hand cars about, check the general condition, is there a dealers/mechanics servicing stamp in the handbook to match every annual MOT and does it have 4 reasonable tyres on it of the same make/model? Is the vehicle complete, 2 matching keys in good condition, is the owners manual and usual accessories with it? If not, walk away. Don't touch a car that appears to have been modified in any way either.
If buying from a dealership or similar business, always pay the deposit for the vehicle, however big or small, with a credit card. You get various consumer protections buying from a business and Mr VISA can be called upon if anything goes wrong. In general, reputable businesses will want to help customers provided they are being reasonable, if nothing else repeat customers are more likely to have their vehicles serviced and maintained by businesses they trust and this is where the real profit in the car industry is obtained anyway.
Age/mileage is less important than an owner who has had it serviced annually and got a stamp in the handbook from the service centre/garage that services it.
The Toyota Aygo,, Yaris, Corolla/Auris that kind of thing are good cars. Stick with petrol, which is simpler and cheaper to run in a small car anyway. There is no real saving in a diesel car unless you are doing probably double the average UK mileage per year.
Volvo also make some smaller cars if safety is a key consideration but they will be more expensive to buy.
If you can possibly afford it, a 5 door car is better and easier to live with and something the size of a Corolla/Honda Civic will be somewhat safer as it is easier to get good crash performance out of a car with more internal volume.
For discerning parents who are considering helping with the purchase of a first car, things like disc brakes on all corners, ABS an electronic stability program and air bags all around are worthy additions likely to keep your offspring safer on the roads. I'd also argue that air conditioning is pretty much essential these days and I also feel cruise control is a good way for young drivers to learn to keep their speed down.
Hybrid cars are in the main quite good now and the fact they are mostly automatic gearboxes is of no consequence as nearly all new cars will be automatics in the coming years.
All drivers -new and old- need to be paying attention to their tyres. Many brands have tread wear indicators on them these days but below a depth of about 3 millimetres wet weather braking and steering performance absolutely falls off a cliff and this is well before the legal limit of 1.6 mm. Have you checked yours recently?
Having various random brands of tyres on each corner is not a good sign in a used car nor are tyres which are all in various states of wear- the number of cars I see in public car parks with registration plates telling me they are less than 3 years old yet with bald or excessively worn tyres on them is scary. There are loads of second hand cars about, check the general condition, is there a dealers/mechanics servicing stamp in the handbook to match every annual MOT and does it have 4 reasonable tyres on it of the same make/model? Is the vehicle complete, 2 matching keys in good condition, is the owners manual and usual accessories with it? If not, walk away. Don't touch a car that appears to have been modified in any way either.
If buying from a dealership or similar business, always pay the deposit for the vehicle, however big or small, with a credit card. You get various consumer protections buying from a business and Mr VISA can be called upon if anything goes wrong. In general, reputable businesses will want to help customers provided they are being reasonable, if nothing else repeat customers are more likely to have their vehicles serviced and maintained by businesses they trust and this is where the real profit in the car industry is obtained anyway.
Reply 6
Toyota or Honda would be my recommendation. Far more reliable than anything German if not quite as cool.
Age/mileage is less important than an owner who has had it serviced annually and got a stamp in the handbook from the service centre/garage that services it every year.
The Toyota Aygo,, Yaris, Corolla/Auris that kind of thing are good cars. Stick with petrol, which is simpler and cheaper to run in a small car anyway. There is no real saving in a diesel car unless you are doing probably double the average UK mileage per year.
Volvo also make some smaller cars if safety is a key consideration but they will be more expensive to buy.
If you can possibly afford it, a 5 door car is better and easier to live with and something the size of a Corolla/Honda Civic will be somewhat safer as it is easier to get good crash performance out of a car with more internal volume.
For discerning parents who are considering helping with the purchase of a first car, things like disc brakes on all corners, ABS an electronic stability program and air bags all around are worthy additions likely to keep your offspring safer on the roads. I'd also argue that air conditioning is pretty much essential these days and I also feel cruise control is a good way for young drivers to learn to keep their speed down.
Hybrid cars are in the main quite good now and the fact they are mostly automatic gearboxes is of no consequence as nearly all new cars will be automatics in the coming years.
All drivers -new and old- need to be paying attention to their tyres. Many brands have tread wear indicators on them these days but below a depth of about 3 millimetres wet weather braking and steering performance absolutely falls off a cliff and this is well before the legal limit of 1.6 mm. Have you checked yours recently?
Having various random brands of tyres on each corner is not a good sign in a used car nor are tyres which are all in various states of wear- the number of cars I see in public car parks with registration plates telling me they are less than 3 years old yet with bald or excessively worn tyres on them is scary. There are loads of second hand cars about, check the general condition, is there a dealers/mechanics servicing stamp in the handbook to match every annual MOT and does it have 4 reasonable tyres on it of the same make/model? Is the vehicle complete, 2 matching keys in good condition, is the owners manual and usual accessories with it? If not, walk away. Don't touch a car that appears to have been modified in any way either.
If buying from a dealership or similar business, always pay the deposit for the vehicle, however big or small, with a credit card. You get various consumer protections buying from a business and Mr VISA can be called upon if anything goes wrong. In general, reputable businesses will want to help customers provided they are being reasonable, if nothing else repeat customers are more likely to have their vehicles serviced and maintained by businesses they trust and this is where the real profit in the car industry is obtained anyway.Check the user manual. Engines need servicing before their annual mileage limit or at least annually as a minimum, whichever happens first. If you don't do this, don't be surprised if the thing catastrophically dies before 100,000 miles. Servicing and inspection goes beyond what an MOT test involves and it makes absolutely no sense to neglect a piece of machinery upon which your own life can actually depends.
Age/mileage is less important than an owner who has had it serviced annually and got a stamp in the handbook from the service centre/garage that services it every year.
The Toyota Aygo,, Yaris, Corolla/Auris that kind of thing are good cars. Stick with petrol, which is simpler and cheaper to run in a small car anyway. There is no real saving in a diesel car unless you are doing probably double the average UK mileage per year.
Volvo also make some smaller cars if safety is a key consideration but they will be more expensive to buy.
If you can possibly afford it, a 5 door car is better and easier to live with and something the size of a Corolla/Honda Civic will be somewhat safer as it is easier to get good crash performance out of a car with more internal volume.
For discerning parents who are considering helping with the purchase of a first car, things like disc brakes on all corners, ABS an electronic stability program and air bags all around are worthy additions likely to keep your offspring safer on the roads. I'd also argue that air conditioning is pretty much essential these days and I also feel cruise control is a good way for young drivers to learn to keep their speed down.
Hybrid cars are in the main quite good now and the fact they are mostly automatic gearboxes is of no consequence as nearly all new cars will be automatics in the coming years.
All drivers -new and old- need to be paying attention to their tyres. Many brands have tread wear indicators on them these days but below a depth of about 3 millimetres wet weather braking and steering performance absolutely falls off a cliff and this is well before the legal limit of 1.6 mm. Have you checked yours recently?
Having various random brands of tyres on each corner is not a good sign in a used car nor are tyres which are all in various states of wear- the number of cars I see in public car parks with registration plates telling me they are less than 3 years old yet with bald or excessively worn tyres on them is scary. There are loads of second hand cars about, check the general condition, is there a dealers/mechanics servicing stamp in the handbook to match every annual MOT and does it have 4 reasonable tyres on it of the same make/model? Is the vehicle complete, 2 matching keys in good condition, is the owners manual and usual accessories with it? If not, walk away. Don't touch a car that appears to have been modified in any way either.
If buying from a dealership or similar business, always pay the deposit for the vehicle, however big or small, with a credit card. You get various consumer protections buying from a business and Mr VISA can be called upon if anything goes wrong. In general, reputable businesses will want to help customers provided they are being reasonable, if nothing else repeat customers are more likely to have their vehicles serviced and maintained by businesses they trust and this is where the real profit in the car industry is obtained anyway.Check the user manual. Engines need servicing before their annual mileage limit or at least annually as a minimum, whichever happens first. If you don't do this, don't be surprised if the thing catastrophically dies before 100,000 miles. Servicing and inspection goes beyond what an MOT test involves and it makes absolutely no sense to neglect a piece of machinery upon which your own life can actually depends.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Car advice
- Bringing a car to Swansea university
- Accommodation / car park around Belfast
- Driving test/lesson question (idk what to title this 😬)
- where do i park my car at royal holloway?
- Engineering work experience
- Studying far away at uni without a car
- Finding parking as Kinsgton Uni student
- University of Portsmouth student parking
- Name a film without the letter 'E' in the title
- Uni without a family car
- Worried sick about my eyesight check
- Parking - options for new student in 2025
- University of Bath commute
- What can I do?
- How do I use the automatic parking brake in a Volkswagen golf manual car?
- Student parking at University of Kent
- GYG @ uni
- University of Nottingham 1st yr accom questions
- HI Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Training - thinking of dropping out
Latest
Trending
Last reply 4 months ago
Drivers block way out of others at Reading Train Station drop off / pick upLast reply 1 year ago
What happens if you accidentally drive your car with no road tax or motLast reply 1 year ago
Is it a driving test fail to almost pull out on somebody but rectify this and brake?
How The Student Room is moderated
To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.
