First car for son

[Remmy123]

We are looking at second hand cars for my son (also a second car for me the rare occasions I need it)

Willing to spend 2-2.5k as it's his first car

we are looking at a Polo today for £2.200

what cars did you all get.as first cars for your kids?

any advice or recommendations welcome - thanks

Well now you have 🙄

We started off looking for a Polo for DC, but after viewing a couple happened to look at a Fiesta that was sitting next to one, for the same price but much newer and better condition and mileage. Insurance was cheaper than we had expected and she's driving 60-100 miles a day for work and loving it.

I would go for a Fiesta over a Polo. Or maybe something equivalent in the Korean (Kia, Hyundai etc) with the long warranty.

IME VW group cars are expensive to repair and really not that reliable.

IME Ford cars are probably just as reliable as VW but a lot cheaper to get fixed, plus they are simpler so you can fix a lot of stuff yourself.

If it is his first car depends what he is going to do. Lot's of motorway miles probably need something larger and more reliable.

As a runaround something smaller and less reliable would be OK.

Remember as a learner you do tend to have more prangs, not just hitting other people, but scraping stuff like posts in car parks. So buying a new car with gleaming bodywork isn't great for a first car if you put minor scratches on it.

A new Polo today is a completely different car from the ones in the 80s/90s.

It's gone through significant modification (some would say enshitification) since then.

Edit : I've had nothing but expensive grief from VW group cars.

Polo's are brilliant little cars, a bit more expensive to maintain but really good safety ratings. I'd also look at a Honda Jazz, Skoda Fabia or a Seat Ibiza, though we test drove them all with our niece and went for the Polo, it just felt more solid than the others. I think we spent about 5k and she's still got it 5 years later. Our oldest is only 8 so we've got 9 years until she needs a car but I've always assumed we'd get her a Polo.

I had one myself until we had a second kid and I needed a bit more space.

Avoid anything that has got a wet belt unless they can show that it's been replaced fairly recently. It will cost around £1000 to replace and if it goes without being replaced then that will be the end of the car!

DD has a Fiat 500. - not her first choice but it’s a nice car, service history, 45k miles - we had it checked by a mechanic- it will do her for a few years. She’s 17 and about to take her test - she purchased it her self having saved her wages and is now saving for the insurance.
Her boyfriend just got a KA

Oh and I have an i10 and can confirm it’s lovely but it’s a bit of a nag! It’s overly bossy!

My first car was a Polo. It was ideal.