Reply With QuoteAre insurance quotes as high as I'd imagine?
Free lander of that age is going to cost you in maintenance and hassles
A little old RAV4 would be cheaper and more reliable
Well done her too! Took me 4 lol.
Mrs Beaunidle has just passed her driving test (fourth crack of the whip over the last fifteen years) at the youthful age of 42.
Given;
a) Funds are relatively tight as we are about to complete on a house move and
b) I know she's far from a teenager but I'm expecting some reversing prangs or side scrapes in the first year or so of driving and
c) I've two kids aged 11, 2 and a dog.
I was vaguely thinking about a Freelander? Seems I can pick something up with FSH and a diesel lump for around 3K on ~an 04 plate.
Stupid idea? Thoughts most gratefully received.
Are insurance quotes as high as I'd imagine?
Free lander of that age is going to cost you in maintenance and hassles
A little old RAV4 would be cheaper and more reliable
Well done her too! Took me 4 lol.
Try a Focus first, cheap, reliable, and roomy. Also a surprisingly good ride.
Ask Mrs Beaunidle...?
Well - on the basis she is resigned to me getting her a long wheelbase, hi-top transit so that we can use it to move house and then sell on (don't worry, man maths, not going to do it) I reckon anything more sensible will have her grinning like a loon!Originally Posted by PickleB
Another vote for a Focus, plenty to be had not expensive to run and nice to drive.
What he said- plus a few autos about too
All these replies and no-ones mentioned an MX-5 yet.
Thanks folks 😄
I was stupid enough to go down the 'ask Mrs Beaunidle' path so it looks like an A Class is on the shopping list (old rather than new shape). Oh well...
Kia Cee'd / hyundai i30 estate - petrol if it's for mostly local journeys or diesel if motorways are involved.
if she wants something taller then a Rav-4 or CRV might be goers.
Subaru Forester
She is unlikely to be doing diesel friendly driving profile, get a petrol.
How about a Panda, good visibility all round, the car finishes at the rear window, fun to drive. As an alternative nobody ever regretted buying a Yaris.
I run two 10 year old cars and they are as good as new, don't waste money on anything newer.
Do not under any circumstances blight yourself with a Freelander.
She's passed her test, now she starts properly learning and a 4x4 or SUV is the worst thing to do that in.
Other half bought one and had it for less than a year and got shot of it, it was the worst piece of rubbish I've been in in 30 years and have seen Allegros better built. The main dealers were rubbish and I got Hyundai uk involved more than once, in the end when we went back to get the service book updated after they had changed the instrument cluster we practically gave them the car back and took an Astra of there forecourt solely because it was the only thing that wasn't a Hyundai. we weren't happy but took a £9k loss in 11 months just to get rid. --Rant Over--hyundai i30
We bought an A Class 60 plate as a second car recently. It is surprisingly roomy inside, and as Mrs KurtKlaus puts it 'like driving a conservatory'. Feels like you can see absolutely everything when trying to park/reverse.
A Freelander of that age is possible the worst thing you could buy. They are absolute guff.
The A class is OK (Mrs Mowflow has a 2009 B class which has been a good car so far) but you say you have a dog, does it travel in the boot? If so things like the old shape A class and the Panda are going to be out of the equation.... unless it's a very tall, thin dog. Honda Jazz or Nissan Note are more spacious in the boot department alternatives.
The focus really is a very good car. Cheap as chips, reliable, brilliant to drive. We had an 03 plate as a work slag and it was faultless for many years.
Generally, if you want reliable, value for money, safe, easy to drive etc you can't go far wrong with looking at the Japanese or Korean manufacturers.
A yes, the dog, forgot that, that counts the Panda out so a Focus sounds sensible BUT A PETROL ONE.
Honda Civic is worth a shout too
Or the smaller Jazz - had 5 in the family at various points over the last decade with no mechanical issues, cheap insurance, good fuel economy (50+ on the 1.2 iVtec) and have used them to lug anything from people and animals to 8' surfboards and full sets of bedroom furniture.
Keep her happy and buy one.My wife had one years ago and loved the slightly elevated seating position,all round vision and the boot which is bigger than it looks.
It wasn't the most reliable but came with plenty of kit and served her well for a few years.
Just try and find a well looked after one and good luck.
For your money you need to be wary of rust on an A class or any Merc of that era.... Not their finest hour at all!!
Focus and note are pretty good shouts.... Seat Altea would give her the high driving position, decent boot and VW build quality for sensible money
We have owned the of the original shaped A-class(long wheelbase version) and although surprisingly spacious inside they are only so so to drive, tried a newer shape one(not the latest version which is completely different again) and although it was several years newer it felt almost exactly the same to drive.
Bought a Ford Cmax in the end which is better in every way to drive especially in ride comfort and is surprisingly solid, also have a Renault Modus which is ridiculously easy to park as the rear is virtually vertical making it very easy to judge how close you are when reversing.
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