learner car

[fredfoxuk2]

Looking to get my son a car to learn to drive and keep for at least 1 year, looking to spend about 2k. Manual, not bothered if it's petrol or diesel. We're outside the London travel tax zone, and not going to be traveling into it.

Any suggestions?

Cheers.

 

[AMGeed]

Something with a small economical engine like a Fiesta/VW Polo would be my choice.
Check the insurance costs before taking the plunge.

 

[BPD07]

Don’t forget insurance is going to be about £500 whilst learning and then double or triple once passed. Little engine, few toys etc is the order of the day. You’re buying for them not for you! 03/04 plate Corsas / Fiestas are probably right. As are Hyundai i10s and Kia Picantos.

 

[davymead]

Toyota Aygo. Cheap to buy/run and pretty bullitt proof.
The indie I work at has 14 in the form of courtesy cars and they are brilliant.

 

[fredfoxuk2]

Yeah, insurance once he's passed is definitely a consideration. His 1st choice is a black 3 door Corsa, alloy wheels, sunroof and a "spoiler", whilst a Corsa isn't a bad choice, the sporty (~1.0 2005 hahaha) attracts quite a high insurance rate. A red 3 door Corsa without the bells etc. is quite a bit cheaper, so that's on the list.
The Aygo is a good call, not considered that. The Aygo in the price range are only £20 tax! Worth looking into.

It's been years since I've really had to worry about reliability in a car, but Toyota, Kia & Hyundai are quite reliable, even in the 2k range I think, or am I way off?

I fully expect him to scratch / bend it up in some way during the 1st year, so spending shed loads on it doesn't make sense.

 

[KennyN]

Clio : Daughter had one when she passed her test , passed it onto our son when she went for a Pug 107.

Both were great wee cars , the 107 was cheapest to insure for a new driver and just £20 road tax.

K

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

A mini! Year 2006+. Ideally a Cooper and not a 'One'.

I'm thinking of spending a little bit more and getting one in the next few months as a second car, depending on how much city driving I have to do. Want to spend a bit more and get a Cooper S, but don't think it would be as friendly as a learner car, as my girlfriend would be learning in it, too.

 

[Gazwould]

Yeah, insurance once he's passed is definitely a consideration. His 1st choice is a black 3 door Corsa, alloy wheels, sunroof and a "spoiler", whilst a Corsa isn't a bad choice, the sporty (~1.0 2005 hahaha) attracts quite a high insurance rate. A red 3 door Corsa without the bells etc. is quite a bit cheaper, so that's on the list.
The Aygo is a good call, not considered that. The Aygo in the price range are only £20 tax! Worth looking into.

It's been years since I've really had to worry about reliability in a car, but Toyota, Kia & Hyundai are quite reliable, even in the 2k range I think, or am I way off?

I fully expect him to scratch / bend it up in some way during the 1st year, so spending shed loads on it doesn't make sense.

My niece has got one but this weird and wonderful grey pearlescent .

Dark when it's not sunny...





then bam !

 

[davymead]

107 ... C1 ... Aygo. Same car only cosmetic difference.
Corsa OK but Insurance and Police unfriendly.

 

[Wolfie1]

Aygo is the best looking out of the 3 i think

 

[GP801]

Our daughter started with a 2004 Mini One when she was 17. She liked it so much she kept it 14 years. Insurance was surprisingly reasonable. It was not the most reliable vehicle though.

 

[Wagon]

Don't go over a 1.0 , Eldest got a Picanto as her first car and insurance was £1000 , youngest is about to turn 17 and is looking but wants a Fiat 500.. as others have said 107/C1/Aygo fit the bill as does the Suzuki alto or if you want 5 seats and wind down rear windows the Vauxhall Agila/Suzuki Splash .
Just had a thing from Admiral on cheapest cars to insure for new drivers , i10 came cheapest , then Up/C1/Ka...

 

[nickgar]

When my son was buying his first car to learn in and keep, he would have not have even bothered if the car had to be some of the cars that have been suggested here! A Kia Picanto!
He bought a Corsa.

 

[KennyN]

Biggest problem we found was the amount of absolute sheds out there that looked decent in the pics and read well in the advert , the reality was somewhat different though.

Our Clio was sourced from a chap who purchased from auction , did some bits + bobs then sold them on , saved me a ton of leg work checking out "lies" and got the daughter a car within a sensible timescale as i work shifts and it was awkward to arrange a viewing. Our 107 was bought from a neighbour , the guy was just placing a for sale sign on it as i was walking past with the dog , after letting the daughter have a look at it we bought it that evening. We paid £2k for it ran it for three years between the kids and got £1750 trading in in for a Fiesta for the boy, cant be bad.

K

 

[fredfoxuk2]

Thanks, plenty of food for thought.
The pearlescent Corsa above is similar to the one my son was looking at, although it looks in better condition, but I think it will be expensive on insurance and an easy target for the Police. The number of young idiots I see driving cars like that ...... Something like the Aygo / C1 type is appealing to me, although I'm not sure he's of the same opinion

Mini, not something I'd even though about, but I'll have to take a look.

 

[Darrell]

Thanks, plenty of food for thought.
The pearlescent Corsa above is similar to the one my son was looking at, although it looks in better condition, but I think it will be expensive on insurance and an easy target for the Police. The number of young idiots I see driving cars like that ...... Something like the Aygo / C1 type is appealing to me, although I'm not sure he's of the same opinion

Mini, not something I'd even though about, but I'll have to take a look.

I bought my son a 03 plate Cooper when he was 18. I’d imagine the insurance wasn’t that cheap but that was his problem!!

3 year later later he’s still driving it.

 

[zipdip]

Well I bought my granddaughter a Seat Mii it is the same as the VW up but cheaper a 3 cyl engine and they are cheap to insure,it has been a superb little car,I drove it along the M4 and it held it's own out there.

 

[zipdip]

With regard insurance be careful what company you pick and there black box rules,there is a lot of difference,the best one I found was Tesco,keep away from More Than .

 

[markjay]

I would also add good visibility all around. Too many new cars have thick pillars both at the front and at the back.

 

[markjay]

Re insurance, I found that the cheapest option for me was to insure the car as I normally would (i.e. in my name), then buy learner insurance by the day/hour from Veygo (part of Admiral). But this will obviously depend on how frequent and how long the driving lessons will be.