What car to learn to drive in?

[cooky1]

My son will be 17 in a couple of months time and he wants to learn to drive. I am looking for a car under £1000 with a low insurance group that is suitable for him to learn to drive.

The car will probably be about a N,P or R reg.

I think I have the short list down to:-

Nissan Micra 1.0

Fiat Punto 1.1

Ford Fiesta 1.1

Does anyone have any information on using these cars for a learned driver, how reliable they are, etc.

One problem that I have is that I don't think these cars have power assisted steering. Does anyone think this is necessary or would one of these older cars be OK.

Any opinions would be grateful because I am having trouble choosing a car.

Are there any other cars that I have not thought of?

Graeme.

 

[cris_408518]

The Punto is a great looking car but from personal experience I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole. Apart from some dodgy electrics there are some trick engines within the Punto line. They can go bang with no warning and are used in other equally dodgy Fiat models. We know of a northen company who had Punto's on their company fleet and every one had problems and staff who took advantage of discounted Cars had reliabulty problems including the mystery engine failures and very poor trade in value.

The Fiestas are OK but a little cramped if you are on the large size.

We still have an L Reg 1.3 super S Micra in the family that we bought for our daughter to learn to drive in. All though a 1.3 the insurance was still very low ( the same as some 1,0 litre cars)and the car has three other youngsters in the family learn to drive in it. It got hit by a very large estate car and forced up over a large kerb with little damage and no wheel or steering damage which showed remarkable strength. It's a 16 valve engine and with over 105k on the clock it uses no oil and sounds as sweet as the day we bought it about 6 years ago. Compared to the Ford and Fiat the paintwork has worn well and there have been no under body corrosion worries at MOT time.

 

[cooky1]

I forgot to mention the Vauxhall Corsa 1.0 on my list.

Thanks Cris, I will bear that in mind.

 

[Moonstone1]

I used to have a Daihatsu Cuore 1.0L It was group 1 insurance, did about 65 mpg, low tax and was the same size as a Nissan Micra and it was great. If I hadn't had to get rid due to work commitments, I would have kept it to teach my sons to drive in it. It didn't have power steering but it didn't bother me at all. But having said that, when I learnt to drive, it was not common to have it anyway. The Cuore had quite light steering anyway, so would look at something of that size. Good luck!

 

[Moonstone1]

I used to have a Daihatsu Cuore 1.0L It was group 1 insurance, did about 65 mpg, low tax and was the same size as a Nissan Micra and it was great. If I hadn't had to get rid due to work commitments, I would have kept it to teach my sons to drive in it. It didn't have power steering but it didn't bother me at all. But having said that, when I learnt to drive, it was not common to have it anyway. The Cuore had quite light steering anyway, so would look at something of that size. Good luck!

Forgot to add, I sold it last March for

 

[cris_408518]

Take a basic Corsa on a windy bumpy road and its a bit like pogo stick ride. Boys being boys if he passes his test and gets a bit heavy footed they are not the best handling cars when you put yourself in a tight sittuation.

 

[ClaireDavid]

The Corsa's seem to be very popular with new and young drivers, and because they tend to have small engines they can be fairly cheap on insurance too... However, it does have the unfortunate reputation of being "Chavved Up" with all manner of spoilers, and ill fitting (usually illegal) hideously noisy exhausts because well, saying as thy cannot go that fast due to the speed cameras, at least it can SOUND like they are...