Righto, I’m 19, at uni, living away from home, and utterly skint. I’m in need of a car this summer so I’ve been thinking about what’d suit me.

What I need:
-cheap to buy
-cheap VED
-cheap to insure (<£2k for these three things)
-space for 2x bike + passenger + weekend luggage
-space for 4x people when no bikes present
-not desirable (theft..)
-also not a complete rust pile
-reliable

Depressingly, the car that ticks pretty much all of these boxes is the Suzuki Wagon R, probably a model from 2000-2004 due to later models having a worse engine. Happily, these are firmly in the “granny car” category, so there are plenty examples knocking about with <40k miles on the clock that’ve been driven to the shops twice a week by some old dear, albeit probably sustaining a few parking bumps on the way.

Not going to do my street cred any good, but has anyone got any experience on how these cope with bikes? I know it’ll be horrendous to drive and probably pretty uncomfortable, but unless anyone’s got any better suggestions it’s the best I can do.

PS don’t suggest a van, that’s a non-starter as I need at least 4 seats.

Good load space inside with seats folded down, they aren’t that bad to drive. Only thing to look out for is clutch, pedal high on biting probably budget for it to be replaced, but not bad to do. Cheap as cheaps to run, and practical.

grandpa_oab has a camper version of them (!).
Great wee car, but it does feel like a 1995 Clio, all tinny and plastic..

Ah, will keep an eye out for that, cheers! What are the seats like? And have you ever reached 70mph in one, or is that an impossible task?

Also when bridges are closed to high sided vehicles due to wind… 😆

A camper version?!

Quality wheels very practical -IT WILL NEVER GET STOLEN – not ever, try not get silver , they look much worse in pastel yellow or beige .
Please ,please pimp it with every extra you can afford

Hahahahaha 😆

Nope you are a genius young man, I reckon they’ve got an odd charm, most ladeez are less impressed by big exhausts and blingy paint than you think.

In fact I was online last night looking at options for a small engined, sensible layout, modest VED 2nd car for me to maybe run, started off looking at corsa, polo and fiesta, ended up looking at wagon R and Vauxhall agila, tiddly grandad box mobiles actually make perfect sense sense… sufficient load space for bikes(with seats folded), less likely to have been babolloxed by some yoof.

That camper is fantastic.

I remember in gran turismo they were actually quite a nippy wee number!

make sure you get the 1.3…

Y plate or later 306 HDI estate will cost same to tax and insure, whilst being faster, more economical and (arguably) more stylish.

Also, spares should be more abundant if anything does go wrong

Only downside is you’re unlikely to find such low mileage examples, BUT the engine is good for at least 200K

Brothers got a Purple one as a cheap run around, looks totally shit but you wouldn’t buy one as a pulling wagon.

Perfectly acceptable in every other way.
His is the Vauxhall version (Agila) don’t know if it makes any difference to the purchase cost or insurance though.

Not going to do my street cred any good,

If anyone gives you and crap, tell them third class motoring is better than first class walking.

I know someone who tipped one over after hitting black ice, but he is a drummer.

That camper is the colour of grandpa_oab’s as well. When and where was pic taken? It might be him…its a downsize from the Suzuki Jimmy he had before…

most ladeez are less impressed by big exhausts and blingy paint than you think

however, you’re a genius only if all the seats fold flat to fit an inflatable mattress !

Please ,please pimp it with every extra you can afford

Help. 😯 That front end reminds me of a Honda for some reason..

Y plate or later 306 HDI estate will cost same to tax and insure, whilst being faster, more economical and (arguably) more stylish.

A big Pug would eat my money in fuel and repairs.

Nope you are a genius young man, I reckon they’ve got an odd charm, most ladeez are less impressed by big exhausts and blingy paint than you think.

My girlfriend said “Yes, but to a point. That car is a stylistic abomination”

I remember in gran turismo they were actually quite a nippy wee number!

😆

Better to have un-cool transport than none.

Just think how jealous / mad your mates will be when you get laid driving that ! BTW I think you can have some fun with it, a couple of grey wigs and a flat cap for the date night drive to pub/restaurant/secluded parking spot !

It will save you ever having to buy condoms ….

I think a flat cap and pipe, possibly even a charity shop tweed jaicket, would be standard driving uniform if I ended up with one of these.

General consensus is “go for it” then?

I can get insured for a touch over £500, which is pretty impressive being as a 2004 Clio 1.2 comes in at £800 insurance..

I think that’d be brilliant for a first car.

It may not be the coolest looking thing but it’ll get you about great.

I’d rather walk.

And this comes from someone who once owned a Vauxhall Chevette.

remember you can’t see what it looks like when you are inside!

stuff style – if it is functional go for it!

A big Pug would eat my money in fuel and repairs.

Nope… 54mpg and reliability is good~

however, you seem to have your heart set on the granny wagon~ if you murdered it out with a dukes of hazzard paintjob, or just a cheap and cheerful coat of chalkboard paint, you could still be pimping… just don’t forget the cod liver oil

Diahatsu charade cheaper ved and better mpg and surprisingly spacious. Ive got 2 😉

I also had a Vauxhall Chevette – what an awful car. For two years my sex life was not existent. I sold it, bought a VW Sirocco … and well, it just happened ….

I borrowed my mum’s Daihatsu Domino for my first car. About as uncool as you can get but 5 million times cooler than a guy with no car. Did my sex life no harm.

So not having a car is uncool?

/sigh.

It quite often is when you’re a teenager.

Mazda Demio 1.3 5 door ?

same criteria ,

I wouldn’t discount a 306. I drive a 1.4 petrol one, it cost £550 and insurance was ~£600 (I’m 19 as well). It’s not fast by any stretch of the imagination but it’s cheap, gets reasonable mpg and it’s comfortable and nice to drive. It’s easy to fit a couple of bikes in the back as well, I can even fit the mtb in with both wheels on if the back seats are down, and that’s just the hatchback.

So not having a car is uncool?

Worse than that. It’s less cool even than the word ‘uncool’. Nothing says ‘loser’ louder* than being car-less in 2015**

*Except perhaps the person shouting ‘loser’, loudly, at someone who doesn’t own a car, in 2015.

**Unless you are:

1. A teens-to-twenty undergraduate rake living and studying in the city, and gets about on a fixie.

or

2. A zen-like world traveller with a beard n’ ting.

I bought a car finally last year finally, purely for getting out of London. It’s good to know I’m no longer a loser, well apart from the fact that it’s a 1L nissan micra 😳

lol! Clearly you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a teenager, guys. Never mind.

I would consider the older shape Nissan almera.

I had one at 19 and was a great car. Room enough inside for your needs as well.

Of course I was joking. Also – not having a car as a teenager affected me not at all, was too busy cycling about or gigging/travelling in mate’s vans, or hitchhiking/bussing wiv me girl. Finally relented in mid-thirties and joined the club. Am firmly in the camp that a car is simply a tool. Yes – a tool that is sometimes driven/worshipped by tools – and is often the wrong tool for the job at hand. But it’s a tool.

Sounds like you have your head screwed on. Give it an A-Team paint job or scooby doo mystery van and you can be cool and frugal at the same time.

depressingly, the car that ticks pretty much all of these boxes is the Suzuki Wagon R

My dad had one, so it must be a sensible choice (and I’m easily old enough to be your dad).

FWIW I would steer well clear of the 306 HDI Pug. The engine is incredible – unfortunately the rest of it is pretty bad (owned one from new for 3 years – random electrical faults, leaks & shoddy build quality. It was back at the dealer almost every month for those 3 years. It also went through front tyres like they were going out of fashion.)

if you really REALLY need a car then do it

if you can get away with not having one, don’t

if you need a car then that’s not a bad choice, cars are only ever a depreciating asset and the trick is to reduce the amount of money spent on them

I have one – well a Vauxhall Agila, so basically the same.

Great little cars. Not cool or fast, but amazingly reliable, and for the size they are huge inside. With the seats down you can easily fit a couple of bikes with the front wheels off + lots of kit. With a roof rack on, I’ve had a couple of bikes, baby seat (+ baby!), pram, all our luggage and 2 adults. I once managed to cram the subs, tops, and amps for a 3k PA system into it. Was very full though!

Mine’s the 1l engine basic model. Happily does 70mph on the motorway, and is surprisingly nippy away from the lights. Whatever I do to it it seems to do about 45-47mpg, and it has never failed an MOT. The 3 cylinder engine does sound like an angry lawn-mower when it’s going up a steep hill though.

Mine’s a 57 plate, and it’s currently on about 90k. Probably good for the same again!
Servicing is cheap, parts are cheap, tyres are cheap, and insurance is bloody cheap. Think I pay £110 fully comp – I do have a few years NC bonus though.

Does have a tiny fuel tank though. That’s about the only negative I can think of!