Guess the purchase

[Jobbo]

New car time. Not for me, it's for my stepdaughter who has had her driving lessons effectively put back a year due to COVID. She's learning auto-only as I've mentioned before, and I wanted to get her a car now as something to practice in, since her instructor is really busy and she can't get enough lessons booked until June.

So, a cheap automatic, not too unreliable - what would you buy? Picking it up on Tuesday.

[16vCento]

Jazz?

[Jobbo]

Not a Jazz - they're not particularly cheap, but then small automatics generally aren't cheap it seems.

[ZedLeg]

Fiesta

[mr_jon]

Zoe.

[Carlos]

Mini ?

[Swervin_Mervin]

One of those Daewoo things again?

[Matty]

VW Up with the lovely ASG?

Otherwise, I'm gonna go for a Smart of some description

[drcarlos]

Had to do the same thing for my eldest. Most of the autos are horrid smt things (exception is the jazz as it’s a cvt) that break a lot. We wanted to buy Japanese but ended up with a corsa 1.4 auto. It’s not bad and being an auto it’s got a decent spec too for a super mini.

[DeskJockey]

Merc A-Class? (may fail on several criteria)

[Jobbo]

One of those Daewoo things again?

Nah, that’s my wife’s choice

Carl has it - 2008 Mini Cooper with chilli pack and panoramic roof. It has a 6-sp auto and paddle shift which is somewhat more interesting than the second choice Hyundai i30/Kia C’eed. The Mini uses an Aisin gearbox which is apparently very reliable. The Corsa was recommended but it’s so dull.

Insurance for the Cooper is under £300 per year - while she has a provisional licence, at least

[nuttinnew]

Nice spec What colour?
Insurance sounds surprisingly cheap (I know it's on the provisional licence, but still ).

[Jobbo]

Insurance for a Mini One auto would have been £254 but I think the Cooper was a better choice.

[Jobbo]

Before going to see it I’d already checked eBay for black mirror covers. They’re cheap but it turns out the chrome ones on the car are just on top of the original black ones, so they’re returning to OE immediately

[nuttinnew]

Job(bo)'s a good 'ne.

[duncs500]

Man, first cars are way sweeter than they used to be!

[Beany]

Seems like quite a good choice. Proper auto rather than DSG?

[Rich B]

Looks decent - great first car. What does the insurance jump to once passed? (Assuming she's not 17, so probably a little better!)

[Jobbo]

She’s 18 now, not sure if the insurance would have been any pricier at 17 though. Provisional licence keeps it cheap; when she passes I expect it to jump about a grand.

Beany, it’s a traditional torque converter auto but it’s not an awful old-fashioned slurring thing.

Duncs, her brothers both used a slightly mouldy Corsa so there is a possibility of some favouritism going on... but really it’s an incentive to her to get her licence and stop needing lifts. Well worth the money. Plus I’m going to drive it a bit to ‘make sure it’s running ok’

[duncs500]

Smart thinking as ever Jobbo, get them self sufficient at soon as possible. I'd have done a deal involving getting lifts to/from the pub against the car purchase!