Been a little busy

[Dorn1964]

Hello, just thought I would pop by and say hello, been a little busy trying to sort out my daughters written off KA looking for a nice little runaround so if anyone has any ideas for a good little car please let me know. Thanks

[clivvy]

heyup mate! Hope your daughter is ok?

as for little motors, well, I got my partner a little Saxo 1.1, 03 plate, £500. Mint, lovely little car very basic and simple to fix. However, most people will frown upon a French car (me included really, but the Saxo is a simple car).

Other than that, I like the Yaris or the Starlet. I suppose I could go on, but in terms of small cars, the most reliable we have had over the years, have been French! We had a Renault 5 for years, it was brilliant! SO BASIC, 1.4 engine, only 40Bhp I think, maybe 60, but it shifted, very easy to fix.

best of luck anyway!

[Dorn1964]

Ah thanks for the advice, never thought of a Saxo but will have a look at whats around. She's a little dubious of getting back into another car at the moment I think it really shook her up but good news is the other party have admitted full liability so hopefully it won't make a difference to her insurance for another car.

[AlexD333]

No injuries I take it?

How old is she and how bad is her insurance at the mo?

There are some suprisingly cheap cars out there that work really well on insurance.

[Dorn1964]

Originally Posted by AlexD333

No injuries I take it?

How old is she and how bad is her insurance at the mo?

There are some suprisingly cheap cars out there that work really well on insurance.

She's hurt her back but no other injuries thank goodness.... she will be 20 in April this year, been driving since Dec 2011 with no claims in the past clean licence.. has a full motorbike licence too

[makeitfit]

Saxo is a cheap car but the insurance isn't
It's one of the "boy racer" type cars and so carries a rather unpleasant premium

[clivvy]

Originally Posted by makeitfit

Saxo is a cheap car but the insurance isn't
It's one of the "boy racer" type cars and so carries a rather unpleasant premium

if you go for the Saxo 1.1 Desire, like what I have, its very cheap insurance - not boy racer at all, that's the vTS/VTR! The Desire is more "old person" than anything else!! Lovely little motor though, I really like ours, its like driving a tiny go-kart. I think INs group-wise they are 2 or 3, so not the lowest. A Ka is about as low as they go I think, and a Picanto is low too.

If she is a little unsure, then id certainly suggest a more solid small car, so she feels safe, something that's more comfortable so she doesn't get any back pain. The Saxo is very much a girls car, its made for small people! All I will say is, and this may be important to her with the back injury, is the pedals are off set slightly to the left. Means getting in and out is ok (you don't accidentally hit the accelerator, but it does mean when driving your legs are to the left, rather than straight on. Doesn't really make too much difference, but may well do to someone with back injuries - so if you test drive one, take that into account.

[trophymick]

My youngest daughter (early twenties) has had a couple of Suzuki's, first was a Ignis (they do a 4x4 Ignis as well) and she now has a Alto.
They have been ultra reliable, but the street cred is nil!

Insurance for both was relatively cheap, and you don't see many boy racers in them.


Second class motoring beats first class walking.

[AlexD333]

Originally Posted by Dorn1964

She's hurt her back but no other injuries thank goodness.... she will be 20 in April this year, been driving since Dec 2011 with no claims in the past clean licence.. has a full motorbike licence too

Woohoo proper biker too

Pass my regards on to her.

[Dorn1964]

Originally Posted by clivvy

if you go for the Saxo 1.1 Desire, like what I have, its very cheap insurance - not boy racer at all, that's the vTS/VTR! The Desire is more "old person" than anything else!! Lovely little motor though, I really like ours, its like driving a tiny go-kart. I think INs group-wise they are 2 or 3, so not the lowest. A Ka is about as low as they go I think, and a Picanto is low too.

If she is a little unsure, then id certainly suggest a more solid small car, so she feels safe, something that's more comfortable so she doesn't get any back pain. The Saxo is very much a girls car, its made for small people! All I will say is, and this may be important to her with the back injury, is the pedals are off set slightly to the left. Means getting in and out is ok (you don't accidentally hit the accelerator, but it does mean when driving your legs are to the left, rather than straight on. Doesn't really make too much difference, but may well do to someone with back injuries - so if you test drive one, take that into account.

Thank you for the advise I'll certainly take it on board, another KA I think is out of the question she seems not to want to get into another one...

[Dorn1964]

Originally Posted by trophymick

My youngest daughter (early twenties) has had a couple of Suzuki's, first was a Ignis (they do a 4x4 Ignis as well) and she now has a Alto.
They have been ultra reliable, but the street cred is nil!

Insurance for both was relatively cheap, and you don't see many boy racers in them.


Second class motoring beats first class walking.

Thanks Mick I did think of getting her 4X4 but wondered about the insurance.. (Mum pays!) I'll have a look at them and see what they are like, she's not really into street cred, just something that is safe and gets her from A to B

[Dorn1964]

Originally Posted by AlexD333

Woohoo proper biker too

Pass my regards on to her.

I certainly will! yes she is a proper biker, started out on a moped as soon as she could get a licence, and then passed her motorbike test first time. She has a bike but I have no idea what it is only that when I first saw her on it I nearly died, I couldn't believe she could actually ride something so big! Her Dad bought her the bike but it's now stored away for the winter with strict instruction not to ride it on the icy roads.

[John B]

Nothing wrong with French cars, my Mrs has got a 2003 clio 1.5 dci which costs next to nothing to run and flown through the last 4 mot,s I've had 5 french cars and all have been fab.

[walshie]

My wife had a little corolla 1.3, amazing little car, cost nothing to run, never failed an mot in 6 years ownership. But I did have to put a new battery in which I was rather disgruntled by since the original was only 13 years old lol.
Would highly recommend to anyone for good honest cheap motoring

[AlexD333]

Originally Posted by walshie

My wife had a little corolla 1.3, amazing little car, cost nothing to run, never failed an mot in 6 years ownership. But I did have to put a new battery in which I was rather disgruntled by since the original was only 13 years old lol.
Would highly recommend to anyone for good honest cheap motoring

Yeah actually toyota is completely bullet proof, used to abuse my mr2 engine on the redline most gears never missed a beat.

My mum lives in devon she's got a 1.6 toyota, also bullet proof

What about the baby 4x4s? Like the suzuki or the real small swb stuff?

Bearing in mind my missus does not yet drive, the difference from normal car insurance to a v6 4x4 was only like 200 quid extra a year... N if you get something that'd run in veg or similar you'd be laughing. It'd pay for itself

Depends if any sort of street cred is important..

Also ask what bike she rides ta