Lockdown Car - Beetle or Mini?

[winewellies]

My beloved ancient Golf has gone to The Big Scrapyard In The Sky - I need a replacement at this time as husband has a car but also works away 5 days a week and I need to shop for my Mother and us (and starting new temp job in a weeks time )
Budget £1500 and locally the most attractive options are a 2006 -2008 Beetles and similar aged Mini Ones - both 3 door
Eventually post Lockdown it would need to ferry three short teenage kids on a 14 mile round daily trip to town to then walk into school
I need it be a good town and B road car mainly and reliable and not too thirsty .
Anyone give their opinion especially on space inside etc and teenagers getting in and out of the back and parking and nippiness? Both cars with same dealer about 8 miles away ..have been given a virtual tour of both and they'll do a contactless delivery and a 3 month warranty
Please help me decide (minus criticisms of buying a car , non essential , get a bike instead etcetc)
Thank you

I wouldn't get a 3 door if you regularly ferry more than one passenger. Is there anything else at all available?

For the teenagers I’d probably go with the Beetle-I think they’re more roomy, as the teenagers won’t stay small. I’ve no idea about reliability etc, although I do like VW.

@Inaquandry19 5 door would be better but they're either more expensive, inaccessible or much older (or very ugly ) I'm going more towards a dealer though as feel there's a bit of comeback so I suppose paying more too 🤔
@JudgeRindersMinder only ever had VWs in recent years that's why I feel drawn to them and been sucked into Beetle quirky looks .. although I suppose a 5 door Polo would be more practical siiiiigh

Thoroughly recommend a hyundai i10 if you can get one. Extremely reliable, reasonably priced and like a tardis inside.

I prefer a mini but they aren’t made for carrying live passengers in the back

The beetle is ugly but is a golf mostly underneath

For your money you’d get a better choice of golf

If a beetle breaks its golf money to fix still along with servicing

Going with a more economy super mini like an i10 or a panda will be cheap to tax insure service and fix

My vote is panda

If budget allowed I’d go panda 4x4

5 door polo much better choice than beetle or mini if your budget can find a half decent one

If the mini is automatic I’d avoid it - the gearbox can be a pain in the arse and very expensive to fix.

I've had 2 beetles and now a mini in the last 20 years. Love them both, although my last beetle became rather unreliable in its last years and wasn't that old compared to my previous beetle.

I have to say I prefer the mini. It's much much nippier (and I thought my beetle was nippy) and an absolute joy to park and can turn on a sixpence. Prefer the dashboard set out as well. It has a good size boot but the beetles is a bit bigger.

I don't have teenagers but all mine were three doors and the door length for both is long and so haven't noticed any difference in either in terms of access. I often have trouble getting into cars as had had spinal surgery and can't bend easily.

However, neither have very much leg room in the back. I'm 5 ft 10;and my husband 6ft and in both we had the front seats pushed back more or less against the back seats, which creates a good space for the dogs but maybe not so much for teenagers.

Beetle! Beetle! Beetle!

I sold my lovely grey beetle convertible in January due to having hip surgery and needing a higher up car but I loved it!

So many compliments from people and drives lovely. Mine was 2010 reg, had it for 5 years and the only problems I had with it was needing new break discs and tyres (general wear and tear imo).

Brilliant thank you everyone , I'll have a look at the other suggestions and create a short list .. I'll be back 😁

Christ. Both those cars are shit and unreliable.

Get something Japanese or Korean and with more space.

Kia Ceed, Toyota Auris / Corolla, Honda Civic.....far better options than those two money pits.

For that budget the last cars you want to get would be a Mini or Beetle if you want reliability as previous poster said Japanese car petrol and manual gearbox - Toyota, Honda, Mazda

I would add Ford to that list either Fiesta / Focus - almost as reliable as Japanese and definitely better to drive certainly more reliable than a Mini or Beetle.

Just make sure has decent service history and not rusty.