fiat/skoda/totota - second learner car - choice

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Mon 20 Jun 2016 13:51
fiat/skoda/totota - second learner car - choice - brignac

Can I ask the room - we need a small second car for family and for 17yo kids to learn on - so low insuarance is a must

I have got it down to three-ish

Fiat panda 1.2 09 48k £1700 (£30pa tax) fsh etc

or an 06 88k for £585

Skoda fabia 1.2 05 66K £950 fsh air con but £145 tax good condition

Toyota Yaris - loads 04 onwards £1400ish with FSH very reliable but higher group 5 insurance.

I'm inclined to go for Fiat panda as fun easy to learn on, but fear reliability problems - although owners all seem to love them. Fiat might be a bit small for long journies? We have a second Toyota which has been amazing.

Don't know much about skoda....

assuming all in similar condition/history - what woul you get? Or something else?

thanks

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Tue 21 Jun 2016 01:06
fiat/skoda/totota - second learner car - choice - Avant

At this end of the market, condition matters more than make or model, although I appreciate that some models are more expensive to insure than others.

A well-looked after Panda could be OK, but you've probably got more of a chance of getting a reliable Toyota. As you clearly know, FSH is a great advantage if you can get it. Don't discount the Ford Fiesta - there are lots of them around at all prices to choose from.

Maybe the best thing is to get some insurance quotes for some of these models and go from there.

Edited by Avant on 21/06/2016 at 01:07

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Tue 21 Jun 2016 12:48
fiat/skoda/totota - second learner car - choice - Cyd

Toyota Yaris - loads 04 onwards £1400ish with FSH very reliable but higher group 5 insurance.

Don't look at insurance groups alone. Get quotes. By doing so we found a Polo V to be best and it just so happened it was on our lad's 'desired' list. We found a nice 2003 1.2 for £1600 and it cost him less than £1000 to insure first year. We used MyPolicy (a young drivers division of Aviva) with a black box. His policy has just fallen to £650 second year. Mypolicy are not on comparison sites (just like Aviva proper)

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Tue 21 Jun 2016 15:05
fiat/skoda/totota - second learner car - choice - Ethan Edwards

Equivalent to the Panda in Toyota range is the Aygo not the Yaris. If you look at the Aygo it brings in the 108? and the C1. All cheaper and lower insurance. My suggestion is don't spend too much as little bumps have a way of happening to new drivers.

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Tue 21 Jun 2016 16:49
fiat/skoda/totota - second learner car - choice - brignac

thanks - appreciate the replies and points made. Any views on the Skoda Fabias? anyone run one?

cheers

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Tue 21 Jun 2016 21:01
fiat/skoda/totota - second learner car - choice - Cyd

To reiterate the point above, my wifes car is a C1. It was going to cost us more to add our son to the C1 insurance as a named driver than it cost him to insure the Polo in his own name.

And

My wife is insured on our son's car, but I am not. Why? Well, i had a fault accident last year. It was going to cost more to add me as a named driver to my son's car than it cost me to insure my Saab Aero after losing 2 years NCB (down to 3yrs, a 25 year spotless record lost, lol)

How mad is all that?

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Tue 21 Jun 2016 23:20
fiat/skoda/totota - second learner car - choice - bazza

I would be tempted by a Yaris, as our 12 year old Corolla is used and abused but goes on and on. As Cyd said, get quotes, as the Corolla was very cheap to insure a new driver and is tough as old boots. However, we also have a 07 Panda, owned for 7 years and has been excellent, no issues-- but it is more lightly built Fabulous engine.

Personally I would avoid an older VWPolo/Fabia, as every one I know of has electrical problems, window winder problems, general gremlins etc. The 1.2 engine is good to drive though but apparently has a number of weak spots as it ages.

Your safest bet is another Toyota in my opinion.

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