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It's 10 years on most Micra's that I've looked into. Depending on your location the prices can differ quite a lot. Here in the London area it's all more expensive but I can still find nice year 2000+ for around 1k in good condition. One thing to look for in the older (the non-bubble design) Micras is that they dont all have power steering, something your girlfriend (if she drives) may appreciate. Beware of gumtree though, I found most sellers make things look nicer than they are. Do not buy anything that doesn't have MOT. Buying from a dealer may be a little bit more expensive but you will have more rights and of course warranty even if the Nissan warranty has expired. Citroen C1/C2 is also a very nice option, but quite more expensive.
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Posted: 2010-02-07 20:01:20
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be careful with small cars like Micra as they don't offer alot of protection from impacts and remember, you are inexperienced so the impact could be from your own doing, or someone else's doing.
I did alot of research in this area mid last year when my son passed his test and we ended up getting him a 1.6L Escort for £650 with full service history and which offers good pretty good protection, but then came the insurance...
Its an Si model (sports injection) and we got quotes from £2300-£7000!... in the end we found one which merely had the restriction that he could NOT drive between 11pm and 6am and they fitted a tracker for free to monitor that usage which then also offered theft tracking.
Initially, when he passed his test that insurance was £130/month (1560/year) but as soon as he got his licence I paid for him to do his pass plus (6 hours @ £18/hr), which was a doddle, and that brought the insurance down to just a tad over £80/month (£960/year) which is incredible for a new driver these days, especially in a 1.6L car. ok he's restricted in his driving times but he's not finding that a problem and for the money I'm saving on his insurance as a new driver its well worth it!
so my points are:-
1. be carefull from a safety point of view what small car you get
2. research your insurance well as you can save ALOT of money if you restrict your mileage and/or driving times
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Posted: 2010-02-07 20:22:54
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Thanks everyone, especially Blerk and masseur. It's given me a lot to think about, especially safety wise as my girlfriend and i are looking to start a family very soon and would prefer to keep the car we get now if we do. The insurance that restricts your driving hours sounds interesting as it is highly unlikely i will be driving between those times so i may look into that. If we get set on a Micra i will have to dig up information about the warranty as it would make me more confident about buying a car knowing it has some sort of guarantee. Thanks for the info people, keep any advice or info coming.
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Posted: 2010-02-07 20:30:11
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remember also that guarantees/warranties don't cover normal wear and tear items so, especially on used cars, they're not really worth much
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Posted: 2010-02-07 20:39:33
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As your a young driver and don't have any no claims then be sure to check out insurance quotes using number plates from cars before you buy.
A Vauxhall Astra is another one to consider. I know someone who has one 1.6 fully comp 800 quid
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Posted: 2010-02-07 21:11:19
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If you want a safe car you need a higher budget though. We've just bought a brand new C2 which scores 4 stars on the NCAP test and has more airbags than seats, but it comes at a price, the insurance is low, the road tax is next to nothing and it does about 60miles to the gallon. But it costs 12k. You can check the
NCAP site for results of cars you'd like to buy to see how safe they are. Any Micra from 2003 or newer scores 4 stars adult safety, which is very good. But personally I don't like the bubble design much.
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Posted: 2010-02-07 22:32:21
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Fiat is cheap if you buy new or 3years old. But stay away from them when they reach 8. I'm talking own experience, we've had many fiat's, right now a (2002) stilo. Last check-up we spent €850 on repairs!
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Posted: 2010-02-07 22:45:34
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Mind you we're also new drivers, so no no-claim or anything fancy that gives discount.
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Posted: 2010-02-07 22:46:32
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I was looking through the NCAP tests and most of it made for grim reading, unfortunately the budget is non-negotiable so i am going to see the best i can do. Will keep looking
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Posted: 2010-02-08 00:05:08
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I have a Corsa and would highly recomend one. A 1.2 version does about 45 to the gallon and is quite cheap on insurance. 4 star NCAP as well on 2002 models onwards which should be around £1500.
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Posted: 2010-02-08 02:03:36
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