First Car, What Are Your Options?

IntroductionBuying your first car is special moment in a young adults life, so it is vital you make sure you’re buying the right one otherwise you could be stuck with something you hate for a good few years. Clarification This document focuses solely on the used car market so if you are lucky enough to be able to afford something new for your first car then this probably isn’t the place for you.

• Price: £500 - £6000 depending on condition and model

• Pros: it’s a cheap to run, fun to drive with good ride comfort and its great for inner city living.

• Cons: not a lot of space in the back seats/boot and the engine isn’t very good (poor MPG)

• Overall: For such a low price it is amazing how good the driving experience is but not too practical. This is probably better suited for driving enthusiasts with limited funding

Ford KA

• Price: £300 - £5000 depending on condition and model

• Pros: There are lots to choose from and has nice styling aspects

• Cons: limited equipment and cabin space, there are better rivals

• Overall: Its cheap and has a good choice of engines but it lacks in a lot of basic areas like design quality and equipment. They’re easy to get

Vauxhall Corsa

• Price: £900 - £9000 depending on condition and model

• Pros: good-looking, sharp and fun to drive • Cons: uncomfortable at low speeds and most older

models have damaged suspension due to kerbing.• Overall: It will be fun to drive when you put your

foot down but if you’re a bit more of a casual driver you should probably consider something else

Seat Ibiza

• Price: £1500 - £6000 depending on condition and model

• Pros: fun stylng, excellent fuel economy and you can park anywhere with ease

• Cons: slow, lumpy gear changes and the ride is pretty poor

• Overall: Its trendy and fun but it could be a bit of nightmare to live with

Smart Fortwo

• Price: £500 - £ £9000• Pros: low running costs and sportier models provide

a better driving experience• Cons: it has a smaller cabin than most rivals and

without the sport option it becomes less fun to drive• Overall: stylish appearance and low running costs

give it a broad appeal to first time buyers

Renault Clio

• Price: £2000 - £15,000• Pros: perfect for city living

and is probably the most stylish car on this list

• Cons: limited space inside and it is also the priciest car we have on this list

• Overall: a very stylish car that’s fun to drive and perfect for inner city living but it might get a bit claustrophobic at times.

Fiat 500

• There are three options here when I comes to buying a used car

• Private sellers: if you want something older then this is your best bet, you will often find old hatchbacks in abundance this way. Be careful though as you could easily get ripped off

• Dealership: this will be more expensive than a private seller but the car comes with guarantees and legal obligations you wouldn’t get from a private seller.

• Used car supermarket: the middle option, they’re cheaper than dealerships but more expensive than private sellers, they will also have legal obligations like a car dealer.

Where should I buy mine?