arhhh!!!!!

[gingerflaps]

what is it with young 1st time drivers they always want one better then their mates. my cousin wants me to help her buy a car so she doesnt get ripped off, so i said yes. the only problem is that she doesnt want any of the cars i suggest she always says 'err i dont like that 1' she wants something thats cheap on petrol, tax and insurance (she's 20) and cheap to buy, she has �1000 but doesnt want to go over �800, so i found a few really nice ones, 1 being a rover 100 4 door 1.0lt, 40,000 and in mint condition, then i found a fiat cinquecento with the same specs only that was �700. I'm showing loads of really good cheap cars but she tells me she doesnt like any of them she says 'i want either a saxo, a clio or a pug 306' i have told her countless of times that the only ones she's gonna get with her cash are banged up ones or ones where the engine has been thrashed, but she just cant see my point. how can i make her come round to my way of thinking, why isnt she being sensible, her sister was just the same i took her to buy a car but she didnt like any of my good, sensible, practical, reliable choices, she got a car that was way out of her insurance range and was too fast for her and 2 weeks after buying it she crashed it. how can i make my cousin see sense???

[jake-the-peg]

Classic case of Brand conciousness I'm afraid.

You didn't help by starting with a Rover!

Reverse psycology maybe take her to see something "against your better judgement" and get talked around?

[Cockney_si]

How about a Fiat Bravo, well built and nice to drive and have airbags too so pretty safe.

First time car buyers usually let their heart rule their head so as long as she remembers that cars are just machines and not things to fall in love with she should be OK.

[theren_911]

You must be insane trying to help a 20yr old girl buy a 1st car for under �1k ....

Best bet is to take her to see a �800 Clio with 150000 on the clock (you know... one of those with cheap alloys and LED window washer jets!) and let her see the masses of black smoke coming out of the back. I think she'd possibly see her error of judgement when she see's that.

You could try the mazda 121 and some of the Newer shaped fiesta's (with the oval grille) have dropped in price alot now. But in all honesty I know a few people that USED to drive Clio's - I think 3 of the 4 people I know with Clio's head gaskets blew, Pug's seem pretty reliable tho.

I'm in a similar position my self at the moment - someone reversed into my lil Fiesta and the repair quote was �780 (car cost �500) - so After chrismas I'm probably gonna be the proud owner of a writeoff ;-(

SO, work your magic for me aswel and find me a Vitara or a mazda mx3 for cheap please!!! haha

Best of luck anyway

[Andy Boz]

1960s Ford Popular, or Prefect, off ebay. No tax, cheap (historic) insurance, limited performance from the 36bhp engine. Loads and loads of street cred, and baseball cap installed the correct way round. Get her to start a new trend amongst the younger generation, ie The Joneses keeping up with her...

[vehelpfulguy]

You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.

You have made your suggestions, she has rejected them, so tell her to find someone else to find a car for her.

I have to say that when I was young I was just happy to have a car, nowadays it has to be the right make or color or model.

As someone says, it is all about the right image.

If she think she can do better let her try. She will learn from her mistakes.

[vehelpfulguy]

For the person who says get a Fiat Bravo.

Have you seen what the Which report on second hand cars says about it ?.

It has the lowest "recommend to a friend" rating of any car, and they basically says DONT BUY ONE.

[Cockney_si]

I think an old Ford Fiesta would be enough to put anyone off driving for the rest of their lives although the Clio is a little better but maybe a bit tinny.

www.carsurvey.org

Also, I drove a Fiat Bravo 1.2 16v that was a hire car for 1400 miles and never had any bother with it, a very underated car that's stlill stylish and can do 70mph in 3rd Gear.
http://www.carsurvey.org/model_Fiat_Bravo.html

[Kristofer]

Take it from me, i was young and wide eyed once and wanted what i just couldnt have. So my advice to you is buy anything JAPANESE!!!! It will start in the morning, generally go on forever (no matter how much you abuse them) and small Jap cars are generally bought from new by old people who service them every second wednesday. Also get her to a local car auction and check out what is being flogged for peanuts, if you have a mechanically minded friend - take them too.

[Calvesy]

Yep, Japanese cars from auction is the way forward. Just walk around before the sale, decide which ones you want and your maximum price for each and happy days. She gets to see the cars first, too! I've got a fifteen year old top of the range Civic, all electric everything for �300 and all I have to do is put petrol in it

[tigga]

let her live and learn, i bought an audi quattro 2.2i from the auction when i was 18, it cost me well over �1000 to insure (back when my friends were paying �300 ! ) and once or twice i had to cycle to work due to being unable to raise maintenance costs, but i wouldnt go back and change a thing, if she is prepared to make certain sacrifices to get what she wants i'd say thats a good quality.

[topgod6]

Not all Jap cars are great the primera is terrible, the first edition nissan micras 1983-1993 are very reliable and thers loads kicking round with low mileages, i own one with 15,000 family owned, unfortunately not selling though also with the included luxury of an auto gearbox, (i rekon it stops younger drivers crashing). The latter end of carb cars it puts out 60hp from a 1.2 litre engine and feels much faster than it is !