Top 10 Best First Cars Under £3,000

[@darrenwilson8042]

A lifetime working in insurance tells me getting your car Insured in a parents name and you as a named driver is a no-no. Its an easy fraud to spot and immediately invalidates your insurance so as well as probably smashing your car up and possibly having someone else's insurer chasing you for a recovery of their outlay you will probably get a conviction for driving whilst uninsured that costs you a fine and points on your license and even more costly insurance premiums. It also forces the parent to disown the child and claim they didn't know or they could face a conspiracy charge - a fine - and possible points. In any event their costs would then rise too because their insurers would ask themselves why should they trust someone who has been proven to be untruthful? I know its a pain and I know its a cost but honesty will always be rewarded and as expensive as the Insurance will be its probably cheaper in the long run compared with all the potential costs I outline above and certainly less stressful.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Ok fair enough. Thats why I wanted to make a point of not recommending that without advice

[@darrenwilson8042]

@@HighPeakAutos Its just down to experience Matt - I know fraud investigators who would get to the truth in less than 5 questions - that fraud avenue is in decline

[@dreamcrusher112]

@@HighPeakAutos might want to add a disclaimer matt - no harm in a pinned comment

[@tonyc2837]

If you name a parent on the insurance, making sure you are down as the main driver that isn’t breaking the law. It also reduces your premium .

[@commuterbranchline8132]

Insurance companies are all over this. They view this as fraud, full stop. I have seen them pull data from phones, social media and other records to prove residency and who is the actual main driver of a car. Again any modifications to cars need to be reported to an insurance company, including stickers and updated wheels. How about recommending new drivers do the advanced IAM young drivers course or one of the Rospa courses? Both useful and fully legal!

[@dunkyhut]

This is why I love this channel, everything from Bentley and Aston Martins to sub £3k and all backed up with real world knowledge.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks! I try

[@chrismacleod6285]

This is what top gear was like with Quinton wilson when it was first prodcast ,a working man’s program along with working man’s prices,unfortunately it’s just a game show now

[@iIuca]

@@HighPeakAutos what about a mk2 golf GTI ?

[@Adventures-with-Ty]

Great video, really helpful. My daughter passed her test in a little 1.6 Clio which I bought for her to learn in. Once passed her test the insurance said nope. Couldn’t get cover. She was ok on my policy as a learner but not on her own policy with a full licence. Go figure. Also just to add to the comments about insurance, if you make any modifications to the standard specification of the vehicle technically you need to inform your insurer. I’m referring to the bit about changing your fiat 500 into an abarth replica. Changing things like wheels need to be cleared. Basically you don’t want to give insurers any excuse to leave your cover null & void when it comes to making a claim.

[@cm_ire201]

This was great, I'd actually like to see your take on the best "2nd car under 10k~... ", I think that's almost as significant a step for motorists as their 1st, that point that "okay, I've passed my test and had my first run around for a couple of years years to get the insurance down but now I want to step up to something a little more exciting without breaking the bank completely".

[@tc1019]

I bought my first car, a 2013 Ford Fiesta 1.5TDCI back in November 2019 for only £3200 with only 53,000 miles. It was a cat S but the only thing that happened to it was the drivers side door and side skirt had a big dent in it and I was shown the photos of it damaged and how it was fixed. It’s still going strong now with very few issues and it’s very cheap to fix. What a bargain I ended up with.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Some times a Cat C/D/S/N are worth buying if you know the damage.. They can be bargains

[@garrytheninja5404]

Don’t say it got written off from a big dent in the door 😭 my neighbour crashed into my 2012 facelift the other week and I’m waiting for his insurers verdict… I don’t want my car written off 😂😭 To add detail is a 60k miles 1.25

[@barnzYT]

@@garrytheninja5404 you might do alright with current car prices, my fiesta red edition got written off just before Christmas after an old lady pulled out on me, insurance gave me just under what I paid for it 4 years ago and I'd added 40k miles to it lol. Shame about the car though 😕

[@khalidacosta7133]

@@garrytheninja5404 You can do a cash in lieu with the insurance company. They pay you for the damage to the car (or cars value, whatever is lower), you keep the car and fix it yourself. No write off etc. I did the same with my insurance company when neighbour went into the back of me. Going through insurance, repairs were over £7k. Privately it was £400. I made over £4.5k this way 🤣

[@samcole768]

I bought my first car in 2019, but because I'm mentally 64, it was a Jaguar X-Type with the 2.5 petrol V6 and AWD (dark blue with no chrome, looked great). 52,000 miles, £1,500 and about £1,000 to insure. There are definitely some creative ways of spending that £3K budget.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Good choice! That’s like something I’d have chosen

[@damndaniel2880]

How did you get that insured for 1000?? I've just passed and I've always loved jags but I assumed theyre way too far out of reach for me lmao

[@samcole768]

@@damndaniel2880 To be fair, I had passed my test a few years before getting to a position to be able to buy my first car, so I had my license a few years at that time which probably lowered it. Set yourself an overall budget for cost of the car, insurance, tax etc and see what's around and get some insurance quote - you might get a quote that's the same price as the actual car, but if it's a car you really want then it might be worth half your budget.

[@danielwitte95]

I considered a Ford Fiesta but ended up going for a 08 Mazda 2 TS2. Same platform, but lighter so drives better, more standard equipment, and no cambelt to worry about. Picked it up for £2000 and never had to spend anything on it for 3 years other than the regular mot and service, and a blast to drive down B-roads

[@ryanperry5869]

As a young 107 driver, keep it for 2-3 years and build your no claims and some savings up, after that you'll be able to afford something decent like a 500 abarth,keep away from black boxes if at all possible as they will be super sensitive to any harsh driving

[@louier9033]

My first car was a 2009 Ford Focus 1.6 Titanium hatchback - nice to drive, lots of equipment and a very practical car, all for £1800. Even though it had 115k on the clock, I never had any mechanical issues and those 1.6 Zetec engines are supposed to be pretty bulletproof. Same one as in the C30.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Cant go wrong. Titaniums are a great spec

[@Harryd06]

Yep Old Ford duratecs are brilliant engines

[@antonycharnock2993]

The young drivers telematic insurance firm I used to work for used a series of risk assessment questions to determine if you were suitable. Any changes to a car from standard including go faster stickers (like the Abarth) or wraps would be classed as mods & would disqualify you. As other people have commented start with the smallest engined standard car you can & earn your NCD before moving to anything bigger engined.

[@k9killer221]

I totally agree with the Suzuki Swift. There's something about bike manufacturers who also do cars (or vice versa). The engines are really good and they are very reliable. Little known fact: Yamaha has designed engines for car manufacturers. The Swift is also a bit quirky but that doesn't make it impractical or an object of ridicule.

[@99ron30]

The 100bhp 1.6 in Fords and the Volvo in this video was partly designed by Yamaha, its a great engine. They also helped with the 190bhp Toyota engine in some Celica and Corolla models.

[@brucefraser4778]

Swifts are good, but as my 22 year old daughter found out to her cost, they are expensive to insure also the 1.5 petrol has pretty poor fuel economy, she sold it after 6 weeks and bought a BMW 1 series 116D sport which was cheaper to insure and superb fuel economy, parts are cheaper than Suzuki

[@neilturner6749]

The 1.3 has no air con and the 1.5 is too expensive for anyone under 23 to insure on any practical basis

[@brucefraser4778]

@@neilturner6749 the 1.5 is not even fast, its actually got pretty dismal performance

[@ChrisLitton]

@@brucefraser4778 I very much doubt parts for a diesel bwm are cheaper than a suzuki.

[@bobibest89]

I own an A3 Sportsback 2.0TDI quattro. And I absolutely love my car. Very tough, nice looking, nice to drive and somewhat economical (35-40mpg). The AWD system is awesome. The Haldex clutch does miracles.

[@kuzhii8416]

Are you a first time driver? How expensive is the insurance?

[@Kenny_P_abz]

Great vid as usual. Bad idea to insure in your parents name. It’s called fronting and could see a claim being rejected. My advice would be get a first car to learn in, not when you pass. That way your first 6 months or so are cheap on learner insurance then you’ll only pay high insurance for 2nd 6 months and at the end you’ll have a year’s NCD.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Fair enough

[@mattshiz]

Fronting is correct, but putting a parent as a named driver is fair and also brings down premiums.

[@k9killer221]

That's good advice. What about your parents including you, as a young driver, onto their insurance?

[@gravemind6536]

@@mattshiz You can't even front anymore its more expensive to have a parent as the primary driver and the new driver as the 2nd driver. Its actually cheaper to just put yourself as the first driver and your parent as 2nd.

[@AAARREUUUGHHHH]

I don't see how that insurance technique works. You need to go through a full years insurance to get the no claims bonus, you won't be able to have an insurance policy for 6 months, cancel and then re-apply saying you've got a years no claims.

[@rossmurison]

I got a '14 Fabia Monte Carlo as my first car and I must say it really is brilliant. It's jammed full of tech like a touchscreen sat nav and heated seats, along with nice red stitched leather steering wheel, gear knob etc. Plus 105 horsepower is more than enough to have fun with!

[@EthanGatt]

I got a 200hp cooper s as my first car I’m not sure how I did it

[@stejacjam660]

My first car was a Mini 1275GT I'll leave that there, anyway I've had two golf MK4 1.9SE diesels one after the other both run up with high mileages. These golfs were cheap to run and bullet proof. Not sure how the insurance is for youngsters but its a great car all round including bits you can change without needing to 'programme' them. Fist cars don't always have to be newish.

[@k9killer221]

Yeah, the Polo, as listed here, has all the attributes of the Golf but it's cheaper. Which is the point of this video.

[@davidmg1925]

You were blimmin lucky to insure a 1275GT.

[@dazspurs9899]

I had a 1.6 Capri lazer as a first car in 1995 I was 21 and a named driver on my mum’s insurance,policy was about £500 a lot of money back then had good times in that car

[@mr.summerset8054]

@@dazspurs9899hahahah I’ve got a 2.0 laser now as my second car hahahaha. I’m 21 and the insurance isn’t great🤣

[@comeonman7423]

Excellent choices! 20 years ago (when we passed) upto 1.4 normally aspirated engine cars were the only ones we could afford to insure. We were always looking for the most powerful 1.4 engine

[@Dmxravin]

I’d also use the MOT history checker to see how those cars have been dealt with and show underlying issues like structural rust.

[@saurabhdp]

1. Kia Proceed - 1.4L 2. Volvo C30 - 1.6L Petrol 3. Citrion DS3 - 1.2 and 1.6 4. BMW - 1 series - 1.6 SE 5. Audi A3 - post 2006 1.4 and 1.6L 6. fiat 500 - check cambelt, gearbox doesnt wind 7. Skoda fabia, vw polo, seat ibiza 8. ford fiesta - 1.2 petrol, avoid 1L ecoboost 9. suziki swift - post 2005, check gearbox- 1.3L Petrol 10. toyota aygo - most cheapest.

[@bluwusky5167]

Had a 2004 Fiat Punto as my first car for 3 years now, the car plus insurance came to less than £2k! It's a brilliant practical choice, nice to drive and easy to work on, but not the most reliable. I'm looking for my second car now and thinking either a Nissan Micra, Honda Jazz, Peugeot 208 or Ford Fiesta as I want something reliable, comfortable and not too big or expensive to insure (even with nearly 3 years no-claims I'm getting quotes over £1200 on some cars I would like)

[@adrianclark149]

Great video. I’ve sent it to my car-obsessed 16 year old, who is counting down the days until his lessons start, and told him it’s worth taking 10 mins away from F1 sim racing to listen to a guy I trust talk about first cars. He’ll like that you’ve got the Swift on there, but whether he’ll manage to get a Swift Sport, for his (insurance) budget, only time will tell! PS You’re right, that table is too high! Better in the SUVs vid. 😀

[@ianrossiter4446]

Forget 'carwow' ,HPA is the perfect channel. Matt's hilarious analogys, great wit and perfect reviews make me Binge watch. Plus, I'm down the M62 in Merseyside so get his NW humour. Keep 'em coming!

[@sssssneaker]

My first car was a 2002 Alfa Romeo 156 berlina in Grigio Sterling with red leather interior. It was one of those in-between cars that had the pre-facelift exterior and new dash inside. It had lots of kms but I loved it to bits, spent a small fortune fixing it and regret nothing (apart from having sold it for little more than scrap value).

[@neilturner6749]

Can we assume you were either over 25 when you bought your first car or else weren’t legally insured on it though? Bearing in mind that 1.2 Polo costs around £1500 pa for an 18yr old new Male driver and a 1.4 Polo over £2000 pa, how much does a 1.8 Alfa cost?

[@sssssneaker]

@@neilturner6749 I was indeed over 25, but also in Romania; road tax + insurance was probably about £150 😀

[@nmc_9712]

Love the C30 and the V40 that came after it , such a shame Volvo are doing away with a small hatchback in their range for another stupid crossover

[@Cloud007.]

Gotta go with the market. It's a business afterall. I'd also argue that most of the Volvo 2022 lineup is great

[@HighPeakAutos]

I agree

[@damilolaakanni]

Don't forget the V50, although most people don't even know that it existed.

[@neilturner6749]

@@HighPeakAutos but this is a pointless thread as C30s are miles off being insurable for under 21s. I think even the base 1.6 is in insurance Group 10 or 11 and new drivers need to realistically be looking at Group 5 or less.

[@sn3prwarrior]

@@neilturner6749 I got some decent quotes when I was looking at C30's a couple of year's ago, about a grand or less off the top of my head. Albeit I was 19 not 17.

[@crestinventories5921]

Matt, can't believe you missed the wide card, Renault Twingo - I believe (it was when I bought it for my son 5 years ago) the cheapest 4 cylinder car to insure in the UK. It's been a genuine rock for 5 years and have just helped him replace it with a Scirocco. We have just sold the Twingo for what I paid 5 years ago! Otherwise yet another outstanding video, thanks

[@nunyvanstta135]

My colleague at work who's only 20 years old and recently passed his test has one of those Twingos. For me personally I'm no fan at all. I hate the look of it and how small it, and the fact that you gotta pay £2000 insurance for it, but then each to their own l guess 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Smile100-r3s]

Great selection of cars. I’d avoid the BMW 1 series - it had an awkward driving position (clutch was set too far to the right) and it had no cup holders!

[@Solidcancer07]

U serious? How did they manage to ship a modern car with no cup holders??

[@bmwman1981]

And the only decent ones have a 6 pot engine but not a good one to try and insure for a first car

[@timothyliddle1015]

I have a 120d which has cup holder might be an option👍

[@B2KJFF]

The 1 series has one of the best driving positions and pedal positions of any car! I’ve driven loads of cars and for some reason the 1 series is one of my favourites. I still wouldn’t recommend one, because of other reasons. The steering is way to heavy, especially if you don’t like a sporty drive. The suspension is way too stiff and it drinksssss fuel. If you do want a 1 series go for a diesel pre lci. Better economy better engine

[@stuartbourne5135]

I bought my son a 2009 Mazda 2 three years ago when he passed his test. It was about £1100 to get him fully comp, just renewed it and it was just over £500. The best advice I believe is to be the policyholder from day one rather than be a named driver, it might hurt at first but it pays to start building your no claims bonus As for the Mazda, it's a 1300, 84 hp is, electric windows, aux input etc, a nice metallic. It stands a lot of the time as he is at uni but I use it from time to time to keep everything moving. It always starts first time and drives really well and has passed every MOT that it's ever had bar one and that was only a suspension arm, it's done 70000 miles. It has a few age related blemishes but no rust but its mechanical condition/reliability is more important. I think it's a great car, let alone a really good first car, tons better than my first car, a Viva HC. As with a lot of things these days a lot of people want to start out with the best and get themselves cars that I would say aren't right for them lower your expectations, build your experience and no claims in something basic and work your way up. I would not consider a few on the list as first cars.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thats true! Good purchase

[@mark_just_mark]

For my sons we always looked at insurance group first, not sure what the costs difference is though for a Grp5 vs Grp15. On both occasions we went for 5 doors because side panels are smaller and therefore cheaper….and you mates can always get out quick if your turn it over 😳

[@HighPeakAutos]

Haha good point! I think most insurance companies make it up as they go along so its worth getting a quote on anything and everything

[@Geshmaal]

Insurance group doesn't necessarily make that big a difference, it's all down to the overall risk profile. A group 1 car that gets crashed a lot might end up costing more than a group 20 car that stays rubber side down.

[@trainman665]

Insurance group isn’t a good indicator anymore. My first car is group 13, yet was cheaper to insure than many group 1,2 and 3 cars.

[@DAZZER435]

@@HighPeakAutos They definately do. A few years ago, whilst sorting out my renewal I rang up my insurance company twice on the same day and got 2 differet prices for the exact same cover.

[@k9killer221]

And avoid any model with GT, RS or Sport etc in the name - it's like a red flag to a bull for an insurance company. If you are young and you buy a car like that they'll just assume you're going to have an epic shunt and write it off.

[@chappy2121]

Insurance is weird, if you pick common cars it scuppers you, if you pick rare it scuppers you. Either way, honesty is the best policy. My clio 1.2 first car was £1200 fully comp, my fiesta ZS after was the same. Civic Type r was £800 at 21 fully comp. My current car is by far the rarest, fastest and most powerful I've had yet £420

[@sh04rec]

youtube adds are giving me depression and anxiety

[@Efeatekebab]

don’t worry

[@Zafor-ium]

2024 now, still alive?💀

[@benmarley3086]

real

[@adamgorse7187]

I had a V reg Ford Ka for my first car around 10 years ago… and was about £1200 to insure. Ended up being a death trap in the end as it needed too much work doing after owning it for a year but it was a good car! I’ve got a 2016 Aygo now and can vouch for the “cheap as chips” running costs… it’s literally peanuts to fuel and insure, and the bonus of free tax. (Although I know the Mk1’s were £20 a year but still hardly budget busting!) I love mine. Cracking cars, and not just for first cars either 😊 great vid as always Matt! 👍🏼

[@Negativvv]

Brutal... I paid £1500 to insure a 1.4 Nissan Almera about 22 years ago. I can't blame people who front as insurance is utterly insane for the young, unless you're either rich or pump everything you earn into running a car it's a pretty big ask.

[@iancullington6765]

Just got a Seat Altea XL for £2k, absolutely superb car for the money, all the bells and whistles too!

[@HighPeakAutos]

Nice one!

[@stumps8672]

My son got a C30 D5 as his first car, lovely car to drive and didn’t cost the Earth for his first year with no black box. Such a shame Volvo stopped making them.

[@Cyberdyne-kg8ku]

On the strength of one of your earlier videos, I bought my lad a 2013 Aygo for £2,500 which he is learning in. Brilliant little car and rides bumps better than my SEAT Mii FR-Line.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Nice one

[@nothingmuch.3014]

Check/adjust the clutch cable & it will last longer

[@bluegtturbo]

Great choice

[@paulp54]

Like a few others on here, I also work in the insurance industry, and I’m glad to see the comments regards giving false information, non-disclosure, and fronting. I also picked up, Matt, on your suggestion of buying a Fiat 500 and changing its looks so it resembles an Abarth version. Please note that insurers will require any such vehicle modifications to be notified to them, and failure to do so will invalidate a policy. They consider such changes to be modifications, and all vehicle modifications whether they can be seen or not, need to be notified. Some insurers just won’t quote on a modified vehicle, while others will want an increased premium. But the key point is that not telling an insurer that a vehicle has been modified will most likely have very negative consequences. Thanks.

[@allwrighty100]

I lived and drove around for about 3 years in central London with my car insured from my parents address in Scotland without realising it was wrong. I didn't do it to bring down the premium, simply because I'd changed address a few times and it kept things easier. This was back in the late 80's and my car was a Peugeot 205 GTi. I was lucky I guess. In mitigation, it was insured in my name not that it would've helped.

[@Stanley88845]

I feel the Vauxhall Adam is a brilliant choice. Very cheap to insure, lots of engine options to suit your budget (1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.0T and 1.4T), unique, cheap to buy and cheap to run. I've got the Adam S as my first car. It's a 1.4 litre turbo that makes 150bhp. While that's not much, it weighs less than 1200kg, so it ends up being fairly nippy. For a small and sporty hatchback, the insurance is affordable and that's without the dreaded blackbox.

[@matthewhayday]

Hi Matt. Love the channel - For a first time driver I recommend a Honda Jazz SI in a 1.2 Petrol if you can find one. It has alloy wheels and a spoiler and totally reliable as it has a timing chain. Also has magic rear seats so you can get a mtb or two in the back etc.

[@nigelheath7048]

Having run a used car dealership for years, and having had a contact with our local Honda dealership I have sold hundreds of Jazz's over the years and they are brilliant because apart from servicing I virtually never saw them back. The problem is convincing a youngster they need one, the kids hate them as they are associated with old people.

[@Natediaaz209]

​@@nigelheath7048hi nigel. Any other top recommendations slightly leaning towards a younger audience under 4k?

[@Falney]

On the Fiat 500-> Abarth. Please note that certain stickers, mainly sporty ones, can actually effect your insurance for what ever reason.

[@Hustwick]

Might be outside the £3k limit but Hyundai i10 and i20s are great. We've had both for years with very few problems.

[@densalbeach1]

Brilliant, my daughter is looking for her first car so this list is really helpful. Only thing is she will be insuring it in her name with myself and wife as named drivers, that way she will build up her own NCB.

[@jeremywigglesworth5340]

That's the way to it. You will be amazed by the difference a year's no claims bonus coupled with being a year older should make.

[@nigelheath7048]

Sometimes when looking for a first car it can be worth thinking outside of the box. Back in 2005 when my son bought his first car aged 17 and after a lot of research he bought a 1997 Saab 900 se turbo coupe. It was in lovely condition, fully loaded and great performance for its time, and his insurance premium was about the same as his mates who had Corsas and swifts etc. He still has that car although he rarely uses it now.

[@grease6314]

Just picked up an MX-5 RF 2 litre facelift model for my first car (I only passed at 21 so I can afford a bit more). Family seem to think I'm nuts but it's the absolute dog's knackers.

[@timtube1663]

Definitely recommend the Citroen C1/107/Aygo. I had one 12 years into driving, I loved it. They are incredibly cheap to run to the extent my bank account forgot I had it!

[@zaink7037]

Had a 107 as my first car back in 2015. Was 2080 to insure though living in London that was likely why. After my first year it went to half that. Almost 2 years back I went to a Citroën C1 when my diesel fiesta was ulez compliant and they extended the zone near to my house. Went to a later 107 again after that in the top spec allure model which was better looking. Now driving around a VW Up which I feel is better equipped and built till I save up for a big upgrade

[@smoothmicra]

Goes without saying that all those motors are pretty good if you just want a practical economic car, regardless of whether it is your first or your forty first car. I love cars like this, generally good enough to get you wherever you want in comfort, but won't cost you silly money. Shrewd choices.

[@mattw8332]

My first car was a 1979 Mini 1000, which I bought in Sept 1994 as I started learning to drive age 17. Insurance was about £350-390 for it with my mum as the main driver. The fickle world of car insurance premiums makes wonder if I could have paid a similar insurance premium for a bigger car like Ford Cortina or Capri 1.6. You could buy one of those for a few hundred pounds back then! And I wouldn't have had to put up with a cramped driving position.

[@woolly3603]

My first car is the car I still have now, a little 1998 Toyota Corolla, it's the 5 door E11 Hatchback, bought it from an old guy who owned it since new, only putting 48k on the clock, cost me £750 for a nice, fuel efficient, cheap car. I love it to bits, it's all original and doesn't have any issues, so it's perfect for me.

[@paulandsueroberts4121]

Stunning table,I don’t expect to see that again.......a man of your calibre.

[@simonfrost7878]

My first car was a Citroen Xsara hatchback 2 litre diesel and although it's fairly dull, it was so good on fuel, tax and never let me down. The saxo's forgotten older brother.

[@Jack_JJS]

Just bought a 1.8 c30 as my first car, love it

[@HighPeakAutos]

Well done. I do like those

[@lordnelson1138]

Mr first car was an 04 plate A-Class - original gen. Loved every minute of driving that car

[@TheGreatestPlayerInTheWorld]

This is my current budget and my wife is currently learning so the perfect video thanks!

[@HighPeakAutos]

Glad it was helpful

[@Jahmed5635]

Loving the constant uploads recently mate

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks!

[@AndyK.1]

Got to pay for his new Merc 😂

[@rhysparker6504]

Solid content. Wobbly table.

[@finleyplympton]

I was down the pub(hotel) talking to my cousin for 1st time since covid and we were just talking about it as we were very bored !

[@curtinj98]

On the engines for the Fiesta, the 1.25 may get you a lower premium than the 1.0l ecoboost, but you'll pay a lot more in road tax. £130 v £20, iirc. It's also thirstier than the smaller engine car, 54mpg v 65mpg according to the official figures.

[@squeakers27]

Thought the 1.4 Tdci might be mentioned. Still similar power and insurance group, good reliability and £20/30 road tax.

[@curtinj98]

@@squeakers27 I think if you don't need to consider ULEZ compliance, then yes.

[@pggp273]

I come from an age when petrol was cheap and third party insurance was significantly cheaper than fully comp. So 2 or 3 litre Capri was the car for boys about town. Those were the days 👍

[@mmd-pne4998]

My first car was Peugeot 207 estate 08 never had a problem had 155000 only thing had was handbrake replaced for very cheap and a clutch. Engine was 1.6 diesel 90 bhp enough power and very cheap to insure. Bullet proof engine didn't have cambelt replaced and wasn't regularly serviced. Had since 95000 miles. No longer have but still see driving around

[@f.r.a1354]

The one you showed was a ceed, the proceed is a tourer

[@Ineedyoulou]

I've just picked myself up a 2007 BMW Z4 in stunning grey with black leather interior & a full BMW service history.. for £ 3.200 Absolutely in love with it.. now its just roll on spring & summer

[@HighPeakAutos]

It’s about time we got some decent weather

[@Ineedyoulou]

@@HighPeakAutos i sure am now looking forward to some sunny warm weather, funny thing is I was on the lookout for a smart fortwo & a friend of the family asked if I was interested in buying there Z4. Went to see the car on Saturday & couldn't resist 😊

[@bigalxyz]

People should be very careful about “fronting” (having parent etc. as main driver on policy) or having a different insured address.

[@afitzsimons]

Same with modifications that are not disclosed. Another excuse for insurance companies not to pay out.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Yes good point. I did caveat my notes suggesting that they should get legal advice

[@Birmingham_racing]

I used to have a Ibiza 2003 as a first car 1.9 diesel 130bhp model which I remapped to 170bhp 2 months after I got it. Using budget tires I used to spin it in 3rd gear with over 300 ft lbs of torque

[@simonpaterson84]

I'd highly recommend a Suzuki Swift. My last car was a Swift and they look great, are great fun to drive, reliable and fairly cheap to run. Also the petrol engines are chain driven Toyota engines. What's not to like?

[@highlandmalt6368]

Really useful video for anyone needing some help on this and who doesn't know a lot about cars.

[@michaelloach9461]

Another great vid Matt, thanks. Yes put your parent(s) on as named drivers but keep your address as where you live. I was going to buy a Skoda Fabia 1.2 HTP (3 cyl) for my Daughter. With about 50k on the clock & a mighty 54 BHP with a group 2 insurance. Perfect little car for her to learn how to drive after passing her test. She's not with us anymore (leukemia) but she set her heart on one. All the best..........

[@darranjsamuel3063]

Great advice Matt 😁👍 Audi A3 as a 1st car is a good shout 🙌🙌 my first car was a Morris marina 1.3 special 🥴 it was special because it had a vinyl roof , headrests and a clock 😂😂 that was back in 1988 , it would do 60 mph flat out with a cloud of blue smoke behind it , cost me £300 a year back then lol

[@geoffdundee]

Darran J Samuel ....... my first car was a morris ital estate in 1987 ......i loved it..........mostly had estates all my life since then as theyre so practical but have the volvo bug

[@darranjsamuel3063]

@@geoffdundee I loved my marina at the time , put a stereo and big back shelf speakers in it , turned it up to see how loud it went and the drivers window fell inside the door haha! I’ve only ever owned 4 estates over the years , an old Peugeot 406 with over 200.000 on the clock , an Audi 80 and Renault Clio ( believe it or not but that was a great little estate ) & a w203 Mercedes, they where very practical, I was in a band for years so they did a great job , but I’m a bit of a Audi, BMW & Mercedes fan boy & always get something my Mrs raises her eyebrows at 😂😂😂

[@geoffdundee]

@@darranjsamuel3063 .....ahh yes the dreaded driver door window lol......mine was wedged up with a block of wood inside the door......ive had a w203 saloon was a cracker.........dunno what i will have next as as i approach my elder years (ha ha)- volvo have no mid sized hatch backs - ive a v40 D4 atm..respectable 190bhp and £20 year tax :))

[@darranjsamuel3063]

@@geoffdundee enter Matts raffle on raffle shack for the 5 series BMW Matt saved , it’s a cracker of a car for us older car lovers 😂😂 I’ve bought two tickets lol

[@geoffdundee]

@@darranjsamuel3063 .....aww im realyl sorry but i couldnt possibly for a bmw as im no keen on them tbh ha ha....if it were a merc/jag or volvo id have done so.........dunno why i dislike bmw,s tbh think perhaps during the 90,s they were drug dealer cars so gave me an aversion to them which hasnt left me.

[@RustyDice]

Got a used BMW 116i as first car - 6 years down the road I've kept it! Great car, if starting to get a bit heavy on maintenance -

[@amato5232]

Car insurance post code lottery is one of the best things about living up in the Scottish Islands. Have my 1 series and q5 insured for £35 a month combined.

[@stuhamilton8250]

I bought my son a ‘Scotty K’ E11 Corolla 1.3. Cheap to buy, repair and run, plus an ideal car for a budding youngster mechanic to DIY spanner. I guess the Cassette Radio would put most off lol

[@jacktaylor1073]

I bought my first car for about £1900, it was a 28k milage citreon c1. I was looking at nicer cars but having thought about it I realised it was better too save for my next car and not waste loads on insurance! you cannot go wrong, they may not look nice, but when you get your 2nd car, you will have more money to spend then someone who bought a mediocre vauxhall corsa or ford fiesta.

[@nozislam]

Insurance companies are zoning in on "fronting", I.e. where the main driver is an older person and a younger person is an additional named driver, but it is the named driver who does most of the driving.

[@rezamotin7305]

Yeah this was about 10 years ago

[@HighPeakAutos]

Fair enough

[@Ari-bx9cs]

How would they find out

[@nozislam]

@@Ari-bx9cs Typically it was when the named driver was involved in a crash at uni, which was miles away from main drivers home. They cottoned on and started clamping down.

[@johnmandragon4830]

Hi Matt. Do you rate the Honda Jazz? I bought one as a car to take the dogs out in and I absolutely love it. Super reliable, super practical and cheap as chips to run. OK, they are bought by pensioners but who cares? You never mention them and I am always surprised....

[@HighPeakAutos]

I love how the rear seats fold up

[@johnmandragon4830]

@@HighPeakAutos They are brilliant! Exactly why I bought one, I fold the seats up and the dogs jump right in. They also fold down flat the other way so you can fit a few fence panels in. And I can park it in a hedge because it only cost a grand. Anyway, loving your videos, I also have a long history with Lexus (including my current LS460) so always interested when you drop some Lexus content.

[@LA-fr7fx]

Thank you! 👍 This is very useful, especially in these times ...

[@Efeatekebab]

wanna go halves on a car ? reply if your interested. you drive it weekends. I drive weekdays

[@gileshalliwell3591]

First car… took over my Mum’s Peugeot 404… a proper tank! Column gear change and monumentaly heavy steering!

[@ggffd3704]

my first car was an Aygo, second car is a 2020 240i convertible :) Honestly can say that I desperately wish I never sold the Aygo. Sold it to a friend and he ended up selling it on for more than I bought it for when I was 18. Stupendously cheap to run (was getting 300-400 miles out of a tank), the few relatively trivial issues I had with it (I think transmission mount? And the hook which holds the exhaust pipe on one side - that rusted off...) cost me less than £150 in TOTAL to fix.

[@paulanderson7796]

Bloody heck I feel old. I bought my first car in 1988 at the age of 18. It was a 1981 Fiat 127 1049cc. £850 quid. Like all Fiat's of the era, it had the OEM factory standard fit lifetime performance enhancing technology.

[@jacobfernandez-green3949]

Insurance for me as a 17 year old for a 2007 volvo c30 still costs £5000+ to insure a year and i cant figure out why. The car is only for sale for £2600 with no damage to it and a fairly low milage

[@TheLifeEvents]

2:50 Volvo I had the Saloon version on a 08 plate 20k miles, 3 years old. Kept a year, complete Junk. Oil Leaks, ABS Failed (£1k Repair) handbrake never worked properly even after services, blue out headlight bulbs like no tomorrow. I only kept it for 12 months & I simply went back to Toyota.

[@DrumToTheBassWoop]

5:24 I had this problem with my guilietta, if your confident enough you can access the systems via the OBD connector via a adpater and laptop to check which system is causing the flash. In my case it was the Blue and Me went bust. So it can be a tiny problem.

[@tornado34]

Great content as usual. It’s refreshing to hear from a trustworthy used car dealer (Sorry, but we must live with that elephant in the room), who’s had a high throughput of wide range of brands and models. I plan on looking into a number of these suggestions for my son. Thanks for the alternative list. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@ark_9JZX]

I currently own a MINI Cooper R50 as my first car. It's a bit of a shame you didn't mention it. It is well known that they tend to have somewhat higher running costs but I think that they are one of the best first cars for an enthusiast becouse they look apart and they are so fun to drive without breaking the law.

[@nunyvanstta135]

From what I've heard, Minis don't normally have the best reputation when it comes to reliability, which is probably why he didn't mention it. Apparently they're renown for having gearbox issues and things like that.

[@70053morayfirth]

Great list - good fun. My first car was a Fiat 600D in 1966. Insurance was £12-50. Two years later I was in an MG Midget at £17-50 insurance. Cool!

[@masterbowler1630]

back in the days when things were cheap, now everything is expensive

[@HerbertDuckshort]

My first car was a 1973 Lime Green and rust Hillman Avenger with a 1700cc push rod engine, 4 speed manual gearbox, mildewed carpets, more oil leaks than an old Triumph Bonneville motor bike and a wire coat hanger aerial. It had more than 70,000 miles on the clock which, for a 73 Avenger, was rare. Very rare. The engines seldom got past 60,000 without digesting themselves. It lasted me a whole year before exploding on a ( with hindsight, rather foolish ) trip to the Scottish Highlands. They don’t make’ em like that anymore……….thank God.

[@DeadSkullWolf1]

The 1.4 Audi A3 is an amazing car. Its got good acceleration(0-60 in 9.3 second from what ive read online) plenty of space in the boot. For those of you that are into modifying your car there are so may options avaliable. I got a 2010 example back in January as a second car after having a toyota aygo for a couple years. Personaly i would go for the sport or sline trim as you get the slightly stiffer suspension for vetter handling, a good set of alloy wheels and better seats. The s line has some better styling in my oppinion but is alot more expensive

[@gabrieljacobs1008]

How expensive are repairs and is it expensive to maintain

[@DeadSkullWolf1]

@@gabrieljacobs1008 the running costs are not too bad. They do have a common problem of the rear wiper dropping onto the bodywork but thats a really simple fix that you could do yourself The fuel economy is good. I cannot say too much for repair bills. I had damaged the bumper quite badly and it cost me £200 for it to be as good as new again. Being an audi however if you do damage something and have to replace it. It can get quite expensive if you wanted the manufacturer to do it. Id reccomend going through ebay and buying second hand parts instead. Realistically. If you have the money and want something really stylish that you can show off a bit then i would say absolutely get one as they are amazing cars. Otherwise id actually reccomend the 1.4 seat leon of the same year. They are much cheaper and basically the same car. Just without the looks and the premium branding Unfortunately the car got written off last month due to some idiot hitting me in the rear. I now have another one but the 1.8 sline black edition. And so far i can say the same about it

[@adrianh765]

Speaking of first cars. My first car was a 1960 Renault Dauphine which I paid £22.00 and a pint of beer. Ran the car for a year did 13000 miles in it, then it was scrapped. Mind you this was a long time ago.

[@someguy3856]

My third car was an Audi a3 2.0 TDI sport. This was the best car i’ve owned in terms of reliability and bang for buck. I really want it back :(

[@jensonmoore]

Bought my first car, a Citroën C1 recently. Mainly due to how cheap it is to run (like consistent 60mpg) and how little the insurance is. Plus it's a breeze to park! I know it's nothing special at all but it's reliable and it's mine and that's all that maters right now.

[@HighPeakAutos]

They’re great little cars

[@eddthirty4065]

Great video - any chance of an update? Or perhaps Top 10 Best 2nd cars under £3k/4k

[@paulwatson2712]

Perhaps a bespoke stool to stand on as well then…!! DS3’s are great cars, had 3 of them all have very decent spec👍

[@christianronn5301]

I’ve never owned a car that I didn’t care about. A cheap Aygo would be fun to just beat the ever living snot out of. Redlining the 3-cylinder going to work in the morning, etc.

[@jonathanholley8043]

More excellent advice and buying tips from the man in the know , sent the link to my friend who is not a car person but looking for a first car for his son who recently passed his test .

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks!

[@williamfence566]

First car was a Morris Marina 1.8 with leaf springs on the back, certainly taught me how to drive at every bend. ( and fix at the side of the road ) . Paid my father back at £10pw. The insurance advice is lets say interesting and I wonder how many people are googling "merde" after this . LOL

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thats a blast from the past! Leaf springs on a passenger car

[@steveegginton535]

Have to admit I too had a Marina as one of my early cars - I was very young at the time and that's my excuse! 😂 Handling was none existent you certainly neeeded your brown trousers! Leaf springs were quite common on cars till the 80's I think!

[@clairethebumbaseed]

Worked in insurance for five years (boring AF)… one thing I learnt is make sure every detail on your policy is accurate… especially your address/ where you keep the car and who’s the main driver. It’s fraud and insurers will invalid your policy with immediate affect and no refund… then it’s harder/ more expensive to get insured elsewhere

[@red464]

my first (serious) car is the one I have now a Peugeot 308 hatchback Mk 2 which has been a delight to drive.. cheap to insure, fuel-efficient, and quite fast and nimble so if you have a bit more than 3k I recommend it. also won euro car of the year 2014 :)

[@Dungshoveleux]

When I passed my UK test, after having driven on a foreign license for a year after returning to the UK, I looked for a car and having given all my details (including my new UK license) to direct line, they quoted me for a C230 Kompressor Mercedes saloon. Then I bought the car. Then direct line said they could not insure me as I had not held a UK license for 2 years. Then I argued that they had quoted me with all the facts disclosed, and they checked the phone conversations and had to relent as they had to honour the quote. This was 22 years ago.

[@S-Ltd1000]

I would avoid the PSA 1.2 puretech at all costs. The cambelt runs inside the engine in the oil. A substantial number suffered varying degrees of belt disintegration resulting in contamination of the oil. Worst case scenario is a blocked oil pickup causing low oil pressure requiring a new engine. PSA had a worldwide recall about a year ago to check the belts for wear but it's still happening.

[@bordersw1239]

A few years ago a local 17yr old lad bought a tractor as his first car - cost peanuts to insure and got him his years no claims at the end. Funny seeing him drive through town on his way to school.

[@Solidcancer07]

As a Londoner it's comments like these that have me wondering what you lot are up to out there. A tractor lol!

[@JakeCrawford]

i managed to find a 2006 renault clio with 120k miles on it for £550 but after replacing the windscreen and battery i put £750 all in to the car. i just passed my test in it after 3 months of learning with my dad!

[@arnoldtabor3767]

As someone who got their first years insurance just over a year ago car insurance companies generally won't allow you to have over a 1.2 or 1.3L engine ...

[@DaveDVideoMaker]

For my first car, I’m hoping for a Volkswagen Polo 1.2, which is in insurance group 5, even if it takes 16 seconds to get from 0-62.

[@squeakers27]

Very reliable for us last 3 years, quite torquey, absolutely no issues as long as it's well maintained in line with the intervals. Can recommend. Only thing that's annoying is the fact due to the pandemic they've gone up in price about a £1k (in some cases.)

[@uberscuba4796]

This is what I bought for my first car last month; a 2005 VW Polo Mark 4 1.2. It was low mileage only 43k and 1 lady owner so it was in very good condition for a 17 year old car. The only downside is the low power, with it having only 54 bhp so hillstarts are a challenge.

[@squeakers27]

@@uberscuba4796 Should be good. Had a 2005 1.2. Facelifted version, 55 reg. However because the car had been poorly maintained and had some bad owners. The engine gave out due to lost compression in one of the only 3 cylinders it has. So since then, always made sure cars been serviced regularly and had the right type of owners. So a 1 owner, low milage, fully serviced is what I did for the next polo, same engine but 3 years of trouble free.

[@martingilligan]

Never never ever mislead your insurance company about where a car is kept or who is the main driver. By all means add a parent or older sibling as it does bring the premium down. But never pretend that person is the main driver. Insurance co.s have been on to that one for years.