After the first car, options for the second? - Page 1 - Car Buying

Original Poster

328 posts

218 months

Wednesday 7th October 2020

My 19 year old son now has a good two years NCB under his belt, and his first car a 1.4 Polo is becoming a little tardy.
What would you buy that could:
Get his stuff to uni and back
Be reasonable on fuel
(Prefer petrol as aged diesels are pricey to fix)
Add a bit more pep under his right foot, whilst not being a silly insurance group
Be bigger the the Polo, he’s c 6ft2
Manual as he’s too young for autos, dsg etc.
Last a good few years without me having to dig deeper
Cost no more than c.£3.5k

From what I’ve seen the 1.4 tsi Golf or Leon could fit the bill if they’ve had the cam chain done, any other ideas?

Xcore

1,505 posts

118 months

Wednesday 7th October 2020

Whatever’s got the most power without being horrendous to insure?! Atleast that’s how I chose my first few cars at 17/18/19

Mr Tidy

31,116 posts

155 months

Thursday 8th October 2020

Just a thought, but why are you asking the question?

Shouldn't your son be doing that!

When I was in my teens I bought what I wanted, not what my parents suggested. laugh

Original Poster

328 posts

218 months

Thursday 8th October 2020

Mr Tidy said:

Just a thought, but why are you asking the question?

Shouldn't your son be doing that!

When I was in my teens I bought what I wanted, not what my parents suggested. laugh

😁 me too! My Dad has no interest whatsoever in cars (other than now having a couple of ww2 vehicles) hence I bought what I wanted. The difference being I paid for mine, the car, the insurance, all running costs and learnt how to wield a spanner to save some £’s.
Step forward a few decades and because I’m the petrolhead and remain chief automotive financier for the household, as his pockets are as deep as all other indebted students, it’s my call!
Any ideas?!

Original Poster

328 posts

218 months

Thursday 8th October 2020

anonymous said:

[redacted]

He currently has a Polo, it’s where to go next?

Cold

16,621 posts

118 months

Thursday 8th October 2020

A Suzuki Swift Sport would seem to fit the bill. If he likes driving, he'll like that.

Original Poster

328 posts

218 months

Thursday 8th October 2020

Cold said:

A Suzuki Swift Sport would seem to fit the bill. If he likes driving, he'll like that.

Swift Sport would be brill other than it’s too small, I trying to find its older brother

talksthetorque

10,821 posts

163 months

Thursday 8th October 2020

Have a look at mondeo sized cars for insurance. Might be cheaper than the cars every other youngster crashes and not that much more expensive. Only trouble might be finding one that’s not diesel.

tomsugden

2,464 posts

256 months

Thursday 8th October 2020

Surely a 1.4 Golf is going to be slower than a 1.4 Polo? Extra weight and that.

If he can get over the badge a Skoda Octavia would fit the bill, or a Seat Leon.

AndrewO

687 posts

211 months

Thursday 8th October 2020

My 20 yr old daughter started to complain about the 60bhp polo after 2yrs in, not enough power....not sure where she gets that from !

Bought a 1.2Tsi polo with 95bhp, 4cylinder turbo. Insurance didn't change much and I find polo's fine to drive being over 6ft tall. From 2015 they have the better infosystem and up to end of March'17 its £20pa tax

Original Poster

328 posts

218 months

Thursday 8th October 2020

He’s in his second year and now out of halls so he’s taken his car with him. It makes absolute sense, particularly as he can avoid public transport and can pop home if he wants. (If it’s taxed, insured and has free parking so he might as well use it)
You’re right in that it will inevitably suffer some street parking wounds which is life. My daughter will end up with the Polo hence wanting to replace it with a better second car. Golf seems to have a bad press, Swift sport are lovely but have a hefty ins group and are a bit small. Another Polo is worth a look just after a few more ideas?!

Mr Tidy

31,116 posts

155 months

Thursday 8th October 2020

If another Polo might fit the bill, what about a Seat Ibiza or Skoda Fabia as they are all pretty much the same car.

Seeing as Golfs seem to have issues might a Seat Leon be any better?

BTW he's a lucky lad to have you financing it - if I couldn't buy them myself I didn't get them!

Original Poster

328 posts

218 months

Saturday 7th November 2020

We can’t seem to see beyond the predictable A3 or Golf. As appealing as the 1.4 TSI is, the bad press on cam chain stretch makes it a non runner.
The 1.6 petrol A3 / Golf is in a rather dull pole position? Any other ideas up to £4.5k max with 70k miles?
(BMW 116i ruled out for cam chain issues)

Edited by Dunk130TC on Saturday 7th November 22:38

ChrisH72

3,074 posts

80 months

Saturday 7th November 2020

Does it have to be VAG?

I'd say for that money you'd get more car with a Focus or Astra.

MK2 Focus 2.0 titanium would be in budget.

Astra 1.6t would be okay, maybe even squeeze into a GTC Sri for under £4k

The advantage of Ford and Vauxhall is they tend to be cheap to fix if things go wrong. And they drive well.

Original Poster

328 posts

218 months

Sunday 8th November 2020

Doesn’t have to be VAG, Focus 1.8 zetec is a good shout, I’d have to break my anti Ford bias but I’m afraid that won’t reach to Vauxhalls.
Guiletta/Mito 1.4 TB looks a decent off piste option with the 120bhp version of the 500 Abarth being under group 20.

mike9009

10,725 posts

271 months

Sunday 8th November 2020

Does it need to be a hatch?

I used to go back and forth to Uni on the train with a 100 litre rucksack and my MTB. ( Cardiff to Leeds). So would easily fit in any car.....

This would open up coupes and two seaters into the mix, which are potentially more exciting than a 'white goods' hatch.

DoubleD

22,154 posts

136 months

Sunday 8th November 2020

How can he be too young for an automatic?

Drive it fix it repeat

1,046 posts

79 months