First car for daughter - turbo or not?

[sniffydog]

We're getting a second car for general taxi service ferrying for our 3 x teens but also for eldest DD to start learning in in 5 months when she turns 17. She can't really learn in our xc90 as it's a big truck! We wanted something cheap but fun enough for us to drive too and it looks like the Golf Mk5 or Audi A3 would fit the bill. The 1.4 turbo (TSI/TFSI) is a good one to go for as it's 'zippy' but still pretty low insurance. But a friend said that her daughter and all her friends had been car shopping and all had issues with stalling any turbo charged cars (all fiesta eco-boosts) due to the boost. Has anybody experienced this? Any advice welcomed pls!

[Scrump]

Both my daughters had instructors with diesel cars, when they came to drive a small engines petrol car (non turbo, 107) they were stalling quite often. I can’t really see that it is the turbo causing this, more likely just small capacity petrol engines compared to more torquey instructors cars.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

I was just going to post it must be a lack of experience thing, rather than actual vehicle.

It sometimes takes a bit of adjustment moving from one car to another.

[Cylon2007]

Here's an idea, instead of trying to make it as easy as possible for your daughter, why not get a car that needs a bit more skill that way she will end up being a better drivrer - just a thought. Oh BTW modern turbo petrol engines have better low down torque than non turbo, as a reply above there is a reason why instrutors use diesel cars.

[Silvanus]

Look at what's going to be the cheapest for her to insure once she's learnt to drive. Not sure A3s or Golfs are particularly cheap. Less desirable and cheaper to repair hatches might work out cheaper.

[brownspeed]

buy something that is cheap to repair - at some point it'll likely meet with your gatepost as part of the learning curve

[trevalvole]

Silvanus said:

Look at what's going to be the cheapest for her to insure once she's learnt to drive.

Yes, I can imagine a 1.4 Turbo will cost loads to insure once she's passed her test. Plus it will have enough power and torque to get her in trouble once she starts driving faster, whereas a non-turbo 1.0 triple probably won't.

Also, some 1.4TSi/TFSi engines were trouble - I think they improved in around 2013 when they changed to timing belt etc.

Edited by trevalvole on Sunday 15th October 12:13

[MrTrilby]

My daughter learned in a 1.0 turbo petrol Fabia. It’s no harder to stall than any other car and has plenty of low down torque. It will pull away with zero throttle when on cold idle.

And it has more than enough power for regular driving without being an annoyingly slow car, yet still manages 50+mpg. 100% recommended.

[ScoobyChris]

Scrump said:

Both my daughters had instructors with diesel cars, when they came to drive a small engines petrol car (non turbo, 107) they were stalling quite often. I can’t really see that it is the turbo causing this, more likely just small capacity petrol engines compared to more torquey instructors cars.

Wife experienced this as she’d only ever driven diesels “which are so easy to drive” when she tried to drive our petrol 107 and didn’t realise you can’t pull away with no gas. Depends whether you want to broaden or limit her skill set … my wife decided just to not drive the 107 again

Chris

[samoht]

sniffydog said:

But a friend said that her daughter and all her friends had been car shopping and all had issues with stalling any turbo charged cars (all fiesta eco-boosts) due to the boost. Has anybody experienced this? Any advice welcomed pls!

I have experienced a particular problem with Ford turbo diesels mainly, but to a lesser extent with a petrol, for whatever reason it seems to be easy for them to bog down when letting in the clutch. I think it's a Ford issue not a turbo issue, other turbo cars are fine. The worst case was repeatedly stalling a turbodiesel C-Max on a steep exit ramp up out of a French underground car park, had to almost floor the throttle and wheelspin away to get it not to bog down.

Anyway I'd suggest your daughter has a quick test drive of any car you're considering to check she thinks she can cope. But I wouldn't write off a turbo VAG car on this basis due to problems others have had with Fords.

[biggbn]

Teach her in the Volvo, and let her drive as many cars as she can. Will give her huge confidence once passed test.

Edit, or ignore this as I realise it doesn't answer your query at all. Apologies!!

[Tigerj]

Scrump said:

Both my daughters had instructors with diesel cars, when they came to drive a small engines petrol car (non turbo, 107) they were stalling quite often. I can’t really see that it is the turbo causing this, more likely just small capacity petrol engines compared to more torquey instructors cars.

This, they learn in a diesel using just the clutch to pull off. When they get into a petrol they don’t use the throttle and stall it. Nothing to do with a turbo.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Any help then OP?

[Davie]

Agree, I'd say nothing to do with the turbo... probably more likely inexperienced in whatever car they're stalling when first driven. Different bite points between cars, different clutch pedal travel distance, different torque outputs at lower rpm would all be factors but ultimately you'd hope after a few practice sessions, your average human would be able to adapt and overcome then muscle memory takes over and it'd be second nature. I flit between a few cars and for the first few minutes find myself going for handbrake buttons that aren't there but your brain kicks into gear soon enough.

[edc]

We had a new 1.0 Fiesta ST Line for my wife to learn in and my recently retired neighbour used one a his driving school car. No issues.

[Fastdruid]

samoht said:

sniffydog said:

But a friend said that her daughter and all her friends had been car shopping and all had issues with stalling any turbo charged cars (all fiesta eco-boosts) due to the boost. Has anybody experienced this? Any advice welcomed pls!

I have experienced a particular problem with Ford turbo diesels mainly, but to a lesser extent with a petrol, for whatever reason it seems to be easy for them to bog down when letting in the clutch. I think it's a Ford issue not a turbo issue, other turbo cars are fine. The worst case was repeatedly stalling a turbodiesel C-Max on a steep exit ramp up out of a French underground car park, had to almost floor the throttle and wheelspin away to get it not to bog down.

My most stalled car ever was a 318d, just horrific. Kept stalling it over the speed bumps when taking them at slow speed.

Anyway I'm told that many diesels actually have anti-stall and if you leave the throttle *totally* alone it's "almost" impossible to stall them, while even a hint of throttle means they can stall so maybe I was driving it wrong (it was still a hateful engine though!)

It could well be that while learning they've relied on doing this and hence why they're stalling when in a petrol car without anti-stall.

I didn't have any kind of issue driving a 1.0T Fiesta (ie an Ecoboost), I think it was a 125PS model, even with 4 (two adults, two children) in it, didn't stall it once so I suspect more a "user" issue there with a lack of experience.

[Jag_NE]

This sounds like there is some seriously good breeding in play here and we have a potentially competent helsman on our hands. A natural attraction to petrol and NA can only be a staggeringly positive thing. She will be hooning and clipping apexes in no time.
Does she enjoy a tip run?

Edited by Jag_NE on Monday 16th October 08:37

[georgeyboy12345]

Silvanus said:

Look at what's going to be the cheapest for her to insure once she's learnt to drive. Not sure A3s or Golfs are particularly cheap. Less desirable and cheaper to repair hatches might work out cheaper.

This is the best bit of advice here. Never mind about what’s easier/more difficult to stall, she’ll just have to learn not to stall whatever she gets!

[sniffydog]

Thanks for all the input. I think we might just go for a 'slow' (1.6 FSI) version of a Golf, A3 or maybe the Mazda 3 Sport. Not so much for the stalling thing but because it should be more than enough power for her and insurance in general. We could go smaller/slower but we have to live with it as a second car and maybe we'd get something cheaper to insure when she flies the nest...

[zippy3x]

sniffydog said:

Thanks for all the input. I think we might just go for a 'slow' (1.6 FSI) version of a Golf, A3 or maybe the Mazda 3 Sport. Not so much for the stalling thing but because it should be more than enough power for her and insurance in general. We could go smaller/slower but we have to live with it as a second car and maybe we'd get something cheaper to insure when she flies the nest...

Depends on where you live and the vagaries of insurance, but it may well be that your daughter will only be able to get affordable insurance with a black box installed. Trust me when i say that will limit this a "fun" car. Even if it's not required, I think a black box is good for the first couple of years.

Part of the joy of the car when you pass your test, is the freedom it affords. Buy your daughter her own small, cheap, economical car. Add yourselves as named drivers and let her enjoy her youth.

We bought our daughter a Kia Picanto for £2000. She loved it, drove it everywhere, had the first car experience I had 30 years ago, road trips with friends, solo drives on decent roads (but less crashes and near misses than me due to the black box). Sold it 3 years later for £1800