Discussion
I have been looking to buy my first car for a fair few months. I want something medium to small in size that isnt too expensive to buy, which is also cost effective to run with cheap(ish) insurance. I have been looking for mk6 fiesta zetec S diesel which is good on insurance, good mpg, fairly quick as it's a 1.6 and in my opinion looks great. Only problem is finding the right one for the right price. I'm looking to spend around £2000 or less but could go 2500 or slightly more for the right one.
Any help would be great.
Any help would be great.
Stu08 said:
Do you need a diesel? I just made the mistake of buying a diesel despite only doing 8000 miles per year. Result? Lot's of shortish journeys where the car never fully warmed up and I struggled to average 40 MPG's.
Why are you thinking diesel?
The reason for diesel is because my dad thinks I would benefit from having one over a petrol. He says for the journeys I will be making it would be beneficial. I would be mostly going to college which is only a few miles and to work which is not many miles either. I have suggested the petrol being better as most of my journeys will be short. I also have heard short journeys in a diesel can be problematic as it is bad for the DPF which can cost a lot to replace. He still believes the diesel would be better though...Why are you thinking diesel?
KevinCamaroSS said:
No doubt diesel will reduce the insurance because youngsters tend to drive petrol versions. If less than about 12K miles a year, then diesel is a false economy.
It's not quite the case, for me anyway. When I have got quotes for both petrol and diesel zetec s, the petrol came out about £100 cheaper than the diesel version. But then the road tax for the diesel is £30 whereas the petrol is about £130 which pretty much balances out the cost. I would be doing about 5000 miles a year so I will take that in mind, thanks.
Corbo99 said:
It's not quite the case, for me anyway. When I have got quotes for both petrol and diesel zetec s, the petrol came out about £100 cheaper than the diesel version. But then the road tax for the diesel is £30 whereas the petrol is about £130 which pretty much balances out the cost.
I would be doing about 5000 miles a year so I will take that in mind, thanks.
For 5,000 miles a year of mostly short journeys you want a petrol engine all day long. Heck for 5k miles get a V8. I would be doing about 5000 miles a year so I will take that in mind, thanks.
You definitely don't want a diesel for that kind of mileage, it's a false economy, bad for the car and dreary to drive.I'd be careful with a diesel if you're only driving a few miles to and from your destinations.
I bought a Mondeo ST TDCI (2.2) three months ago. My journey to work is 12 miles. I found if the temperature was around -1 to 5 Celsius; even after 12 miles and 25 minutes of driving; my coolant temperature would only just be above the blue section on my temp. gauge. Sometimes as I approached work the coolant temp. would actually drop (which I'm assuming was due to the thermostat opening - please correct if I'm wrong).
I struggled to better 39.5 MPG's for the time I owned the car (which I have now sold for 528i).
Although I do understand that these are very cold temperatures we are talking about; and probably wouldn't be an issue in the Spring or Summer. It should be definitely something to consider for the 3 months or so of winter.
I bought a Mondeo ST TDCI (2.2) three months ago. My journey to work is 12 miles. I found if the temperature was around -1 to 5 Celsius; even after 12 miles and 25 minutes of driving; my coolant temperature would only just be above the blue section on my temp. gauge. Sometimes as I approached work the coolant temp. would actually drop (which I'm assuming was due to the thermostat opening - please correct if I'm wrong).
I struggled to better 39.5 MPG's for the time I owned the car (which I have now sold for 528i).
Although I do understand that these are very cold temperatures we are talking about; and probably wouldn't be an issue in the Spring or Summer. It should be definitely something to consider for the 3 months or so of winter.
Edited by Stu08 on Saturday 21st January 12:40
sleepera6 said:
Volkswagen Golf mk4, any "big hatch"
Mk1 A3?
Focus
The Focus and Golf will cost more to insure and buy, you could buy a 99-04 Astra and insure that.
I'll get some basic quotes up for you, assuming you are 17 with 6 months licence
I had been looking at the mk4 golf but at the 1.6L. The insurance is not bad at £1200. However I had been researching the running costs and every post I saw said that the mpg is very poor. The majority said they were getting 20ish mpg. Mk1 A3?
Focus
The Focus and Golf will cost more to insure and buy, you could buy a 99-04 Astra and insure that.
I'll get some basic quotes up for you, assuming you are 17 with 6 months licence
Also I am 17 and have held my license close to 2 months.
Stu08 said:
I'd be careful with a diesel if you're only driving a few miles to and from your destinations.
I bought a Mondeo ST TDCI (2.2) three months ago. My journey to work is 12 miles. I found if the temperature was around -1 to 5 Celsius; even after 12 miles and 25 minutes of driving; my coolant temperature would only just be above the blue section on my temp. gauge. Sometimes as I approached work the coolant temp. would actually drop (which I'm assuming was due to the thermostat opening - please correct if I'm wrong).
I struggled to better 39.5 MPG's for the time I owned the car (which I have now sold for 528i).
Although I do understand that these are very cold temperatures we are talking about; and probably wouldn't be an issue in the Spring or Summer. It should be definitely something to consider for the 3 months or so of winter.
Yeah I will definitely consider that, thanks.I bought a Mondeo ST TDCI (2.2) three months ago. My journey to work is 12 miles. I found if the temperature was around -1 to 5 Celsius; even after 12 miles and 25 minutes of driving; my coolant temperature would only just be above the blue section on my temp. gauge. Sometimes as I approached work the coolant temp. would actually drop (which I'm assuming was due to the thermostat opening - please correct if I'm wrong).
I struggled to better 39.5 MPG's for the time I owned the car (which I have now sold for 528i).
Although I do understand that these are very cold temperatures we are talking about; and probably wouldn't be an issue in the Spring or Summer. It should be definitely something to consider for the 3 months or so of winter.
Edited by Stu08 on Saturday 21st January 12:40
As above, you don't want a diesel for 5k miles a year, you'll never get the rewards of better economy, and you'll more than likely have problems with the DPF, if it has one?
If it were me, I'd get the cheapest thing possible to buy and insure, aim to only keep it a year and then sell to get something more desirable then. Insurance falls a lot after the first year!
If it were me, I'd get the cheapest thing possible to buy and insure, aim to only keep it a year and then sell to get something more desirable then. Insurance falls a lot after the first year!
mjf93 said:
As above, you don't want a diesel for 5k miles a year, you'll never get the rewards of better economy, and you'll more than likely have problems with the DPF, if it has one?
If it were me, I'd get the cheapest thing possible to buy and insure, aim to only keep it a year and then sell to get something more desirable then. Insurance falls a lot after the first year!
Yeah you could be right. I just want something little bit more special than the average first car but may have to settle for something less.If it were me, I'd get the cheapest thing possible to buy and insure, aim to only keep it a year and then sell to get something more desirable then. Insurance falls a lot after the first year!
Corbo99 said:
Yeah you could be right. I just want something little bit more special than the average first car but may have to settle for something less.
Didn't we all... 
Still, you aren't going to get anything as awful as the 1500 Maxi that was my first car, back in 1982!
Good luck anyway.
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