Overhaulin'

cheap used car - new driver?

So i'm looking to buy a car that is reasonably cheap to run, reasonably cheap to buy, and reasonably cheap to insure. I'm currently taking lessons, and i hope to of course get a car after that, anyone know of any good places to look? other than ebay or would you say thats best? :) thanks !

Public Comments

1. Take a look at www.autotrader.co.uk or www.gumtree.com Sophie B is on the UK answers instead of US answers. Hardly a recommendation for a valid answer
2. Ebay is not a good place unless you find a car that is local.. Anytime you buy a used car, you want to be able to look at it, test drive it, and have your mechanic ( or in your case, your Dads mechanic) look it over.. some mechanics will do this for free, others charge up to 100.00.. My favorite is Craigslist for cheap cars, auto trader for more expensive ones. Type into Google " used cars for sale in < your city>" Look for a car that some one used as a commuter car, this will have been better maintained.. Don't bother with anything with engine mods, after market wheels, or aftermarket stereos .. these are usually at deaths door.... I would look for a plain chevy cobalt ... cheap to buy , cheap to repair, and best mpg, in it's class....
3. It should be 4-door, 4-cyls, not sporty. I would prefer Honda or Toyota... First time drivers usually have much more expensive car insurance, and it depends from car. You should compare insurance rates while choosing the car - for example here - carinsurance.deep-ice.com
4. Ford Fiesta/Ka, Citroen Saxo/C2, Suzuki Swift, but just dont go for anything above 1.2L. The insurance will be more than astronomical.