Wanted - Fiat 500 & VW Polo

[zagatoes30]

We are just going through the same search, we have 4 options at the moment VW Up & Polo, Fiesta or a DS3. Over here diesels are much cheaper on road tax but really need a small capacity petrol manual for insurance purposes

 

[dem maser]

I would avoid TSi engines as they need regular servicing with correct oil and not as reliable as previous engines in my opinion

 

[Zep]

I would avoid TSi engines as they need regular servicing with correct oil and not as reliable as previous engines in my opinion

I’ve been running one for the last 3 years (Dad’s car) and it’s been mint. The internet horror stories are much like ones about Maserati’s. Like everything, they break sometimes and that what people talk about.

 

[Gazcw]

We are just going through the same search, we have 4 options at the moment VW Up & Polo, Fiesta or a DS3. Over here diesels are much cheaper on road tax but really need a small capacity petrol manual for insurance purposes

Over here the polo and fiesta are much more expensive on insurance because they are first days and stuffed regularly. The boys first year without box was 1200 and second year 780.

 

[Gazcw]

I’ve been running one for the last 3 years (Dad’s car) and it’s been mint. The internet horror stories are much like ones about Maserati’s. Like everything, they break sometimes and that what people talk about.

I think it was the 1 & 1.2 Tsi and any Ford ecoboost that you need to run away from.

The ecoboost sheds belt particles as it wears and blocks the oil ways that is why it fails spectacularly.

 

[midlifecrisis]

I'm now going to have a look at what engine my Ibiza has...not that I care, it's a lease and in warranty. How often is the services?

 

[philw696]

I'm now going to have a look at what engine my Ibiza has...not that I care, it's a lease and in warranty. How often is the services?

It should tell you on the dash when it's due my guess is it's on long life service which ain't good in my opinion for any engine.

 

[mjheathcote]

Went through this 6 months ago with my daughter.
She wanted a FIAT 500 but with a budget of £3k, honestly, saw 8 cars and all where ******* up near 100k miles.
She saw a Ford Ka and liked it...which is based on the 500 with the same 1.2 engine. You can buy a better Ka than a 500 with the same money.
In the end bought a 1 owner 12k miles Ka for £4k from a sole trader who specialises in such cars for new drivers. Included a full service/cam belt/water pump and few other bits too. Although a 2010 car, was as new.

 

[3leftovercrest]

Went through this 6 months ago with my daughter.
She wanted a FIAT 500 but with a budget of £3k, honestly, saw 8 cars and all where ******* up near 100k miles.
She saw a Ford Ka and liked it...which is based on the 500 with the same 1.2 engine. You can buy a better Ka than a 500 with the same money.
In the end bought a 1 owner 12k miles Ka for £4k from a sole trader who specialises in such cars for new drivers. Included a full service/cam belt/water pump and few other bits too. Although a 2010 car, was as new.

We had a Ka back in 2001 as a daily commute car to London as the trains were pants back then. Was a great car, could properly rag it but when you needed the AC on, it really sapped the power. So when we decided on a 1st car for our daughter, I went for a Fiesta Zetec (not the Ecoboost). Was on a par with the Polo of similar age (5 yrs old) at about £8k.

On insurance, yes 1st year was with Tesco and the dreaded black box at circa £1,200 and then last renewal was £680. But bitten the bullet on her having her own insurance from the get go….

Stu

 

[joered]

May I suggest a Mercedes A Class such as the one pictured,really great car double floorpan so you climb up into it,with great all round visability We had one for severall years as a runabout and the wife did not want to sell it!

 

[Wack61]

It should tell you on the dash when it's due my guess is it's on long life service which ain't good in my opinion for any engine.

A friends daughter bought a new car with the service pack, unknown to him it was 2 years in and it'd never seen a garage, because she was doing motorway miles the light never came on so they didn't service it, nor would they when he asked

Any car I've owned gets oil and filter every 12 months or 10k whichever comes first

My iveco daily had 30 oil changes in 300,000 miles, when I sold it apart from being a bit clattery on cold winter starts it ran fine

It's not as if oil is £30 a litre ( motorway services excluded) so i've no idea why people don't change it regularly

 

[philw696]

It should tell you on the dash when it's due my guess is it's on long life service which ain't good in my opinion for any engine.

A friends daughter bought a new car with the service pack, unknown to him it was 2 years in and it'd never seen a garage, because she was doing motorway miles the light never came on so they didn't service it, nor would they when he asked

Any car I've owned gets oil and filter every 12 months or 10k whichever comes first

My iveco daily had 30 oil changes in 300,000 miles, when I sold it apart from being a bit clattery on cold winter starts it ran fine

It's not as if oil is £30 a litre ( motorway services excluded) so i've no idea why people don't change it regularly

Totally agree mate the most least expensive part of maintaining a engine.

 

[dem maser]

I'm now going to have a look at what engine my Ibiza has...not that I care, it's a lease and in warranty. How often is the services?

Still have it?

 

[midlifecrisis]

Still have it?

Different Seat Ibiza now, my old one I sold to a yoof, who killed it. The new one is a lease. It has a 1 litre triple that sounds rough in cold days. Yet the Suzuki with a similar engine was less noisy. And my engine is yes I have the 1.0 TSI 95 SE but hey it's a lease and in warranty.

 

[Cyclone1]

Went through this 6 months ago with my daughter.
She wanted a FIAT 500 but with a budget of £3k, honestly, saw 8 cars and all where ******* up near 100k miles.
She saw a Ford Ka and liked it...which is based on the 500 with the same 1.2 engine. You can buy a better Ka than a 500 with the same money.
In the end bought a 1 owner 12k miles Ka for £4k from a sole trader who specialises in such cars for new drivers. Included a full service/cam belt/water pump and few other bits too. Although a 2010 car, was as new.

Good call on the Ford Ka, I’ll mention that to my niece

 

[Cyclone1]

May I suggest a Mercedes A Class such as the one pictured,really great car double floorpan so you climb up into it,with great all round visability We had one for severall years as a runabout and the wife did not want to sell it!View attachment 125182

I’ve had one many years ago and yes decent cars. But for a 17/18 year old probably not the coolest looking car to be seen in…..

 

[dem maser]

Different Seat Ibiza now, my old one I sold to a yoof, who killed it. The new one is a lease. It has a 1 litre triple that sounds rough in cold days. Yet the Suzuki with a similar engine was less noisy. And my engine is yes I have the 1.0 TSI 95 SE but hey it's a lease and in warranty.

Thought it was the lease I sorted out

 

[midlifecrisis]

Thought it was the lease I sorted out

That was a Leon, that was a good car too. 1.4 and 60mpg. More than the diesel Ibiza.

 

[Jamin]

I'm also investigating this for my son who will be 17 in July, insurance is the killer so I restrict my search for group 1-3 on autotrader.
My shortlist is ford ka titanium or zetec, (includes alloys, elec windows and even air-con as the yoof of today seem to expect)
Alternative is the Citroen C1/Peugeot 107/ Toyota Aygo, same car with different badge, cheap as chips and no cambelt.
Good luck with your search