First car for a new driver - with caveat!
Discussion
Family member just passed his test, looking for his first car.
Two major caveats, first one is he's a big lad. As in he's your traditional brick outhouse of a lad, 6ft5 and 17st, his legs are like granite from gym and just being fecking huge, so a small hatchback for insurance purposes won't cut it.
Second caveat obviously will be insurance and likely to need black box or something sensible he'll get insured on.
Budget is £5k tops, he's got cash saved and is buying it outright he hopes, he's just started an advanced apprenticeship so will be driving to/from work and college etc.
Any suggestions from similarly sized persons ! gratefully received!
Two major caveats, first one is he's a big lad. As in he's your traditional brick outhouse of a lad, 6ft5 and 17st, his legs are like granite from gym and just being fecking huge, so a small hatchback for insurance purposes won't cut it.
Second caveat obviously will be insurance and likely to need black box or something sensible he'll get insured on.
Budget is £5k tops, he's got cash saved and is buying it outright he hopes, he's just started an advanced apprenticeship so will be driving to/from work and college etc.
Any suggestions from similarly sized persons ! gratefully received!
Honda CRZ...large doors so easy entry/egress as per C30 mentioned above. Drive well, plenty of room inside, reliable, economical, cheap to tax etc.
I had one for a couple of months a while back and the young chap who bought it suggested the insurance was cheaper than the 1.25 Fiesta he had just sold and much cheaper than the Golf he originally had his heart set on.
I had one for a couple of months a while back and the young chap who bought it suggested the insurance was cheaper than the 1.25 Fiesta he had just sold and much cheaper than the Golf he originally had his heart set on.
Chris_i8 said:
Honda CRZ...large doors so easy entry/egress as per C30 mentioned above. Drive well, plenty of room inside, reliable, economical, cheap to tax etc.
I had one for a couple of months a while back and the young chap who bought it suggested the insurance was cheaper than the 1.25 Fiesta he had just sold and much cheaper than the Golf he originally had his heart set on.
This and the volvo are interesting shouts as he's typically got his heart set on a golf already ! I had one for a couple of months a while back and the young chap who bought it suggested the insurance was cheaper than the 1.25 Fiesta he had just sold and much cheaper than the Golf he originally had his heart set on.
I'm intending going with him initially to a large car supermarket type place just to physically sit in some cars and move around (or not!)
I took him out in my 600LT with sennas and had to prise him in and out, knees touching dash etc, not particularly safe so that won't happen again unfortunately for him.
£5k appears to put him in a decent age range/mileage range car, certainly much better than back in my day of already rusty mk2 escorts..
Just bought my son a seat Ibiza. I'm 6'5" and 18 stone and fit perfectly - and I'm quite wide due to weights. Plenty of room. Plenty of small cars he'll fit in.
ETA...he has the FR model which is grp 3e. A heady 80bhp but fun to drive down a twisty road.
ETA...he has the FR model which is grp 3e. A heady 80bhp but fun to drive down a twisty road.
Edited by TGCOTF-dewey on Thursday 10th September 08:24
I’m a bit over 6'4" and at one point was over 19 stone, and my first car was a Mk3 Fiesta......
I’ve never really had a car that was uncomfortable from the driver’s seat purely because of my size.
The bigger issue can be what happens behind you. If I drive my wife’s 1 Series there’s basically zero usable legroom behind my seat, which may or may not matter depending on how often he’ll carry passengers.
I’d probably start with insurance quotes rather than car size. At that age the insurance could completely change what makes sense, and the logic can be bizarre. Something unfashionable, petrol, manual and modestly powered may work out far cheaper than the obvious “young driver” choices.
At £5k I’d be looking at things like a Focus, Jazz, Ceed/i30, Astra or possibly something like a Skoda Rapid/Octavia, but I’d get quotes on actual registrations before getting too attached to anything.
I’ve never really had a car that was uncomfortable from the driver’s seat purely because of my size.
The bigger issue can be what happens behind you. If I drive my wife’s 1 Series there’s basically zero usable legroom behind my seat, which may or may not matter depending on how often he’ll carry passengers.
I’d probably start with insurance quotes rather than car size. At that age the insurance could completely change what makes sense, and the logic can be bizarre. Something unfashionable, petrol, manual and modestly powered may work out far cheaper than the obvious “young driver” choices.
At £5k I’d be looking at things like a Focus, Jazz, Ceed/i30, Astra or possibly something like a Skoda Rapid/Octavia, but I’d get quotes on actual registrations before getting too attached to anything.
Terzo123 said:
Im 6ft 4 and definitely not skinny. I can drive my daughters Toyota Aygo without issue. Reliability is great, tax is cheap, was £0 now £20, and insurance is also reasonable for the young ones.
His sister has an Aygo and it's been a great first car, he has spent time in it but I don't think he's interested in them unfortunately. RizzoTheRat said:
My 6'5" housemate some years ago had a Lupo that he had plenty of room in, and apparently Shaquille O'Neal drives a Smart car, so don't discount all small hatchbacks on principle, some are quite spacious.
This is the correct philosophy. Certainly don't discount the obvious smaller stuff just because he's a big lad. My son is 6ft and is now the policyholder on my wife's 2012 Fiesta, in which he has to pull the seat well forward. Three door might offer better access, but only just.1.0T Astra is a very good option, CarPlay/Android Auto as standard:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609075...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608225...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609085...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608205...
1.4i:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608315...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202606103...
C30:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608295...
Cat N 1.5 Mazda3:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609015...
1.2t Megane:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609075...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609105...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609075...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608225...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609085...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608205...
1.4i:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608315...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202606103...
C30:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202608295...
Cat N 1.5 Mazda3:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609015...
1.2t Megane:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609075...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202609105...
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