C1 and 107 are the same car as is the Toyota Aygo. Great little cars which have had most of the little irritating defects ironed out by now. New models on the way later this year.

Fiat Panda is a good choice with more space that the triumvirate above and supposedly very reliable.

Fiesta is a larger car entirely than these. A great drivers car but the Ka is thenext one down.

Are there any bad mainstream small cars now? Is it not just a matter of individual taste and preference? Why not look at the Hyundai i10 or Kia Picanto as well.

"Private or dealer, pros and cons ?"

As per another thread here, the Sale of Goods Act (SOGA) is relevant. Basically, you have many more rights as a buyer if you buy from a dealer, but you pay more. To put it another way, buying private is the cheap option, but you take a chance unless you're able to assess the car accurately and avoid buying something that negates your savings because it needs expensive repairs.

You have mentioned cars from three different market segments - city cars (C1, 107), superminis (fiesta/207/C3) and van-based MPV (Doblo) - so quite a difference in sizes.

Edited by Auristocrat on 23/03/2014 at 18:50

For young drivers the biggest cost is going to be Insurance. I would get quotes on all of them to see how much they are, but i expect the 107/C1 will be a lot less than the others. Second hand they are quite poor value, they keep their value very well, no doubt because of the demand for cars which are cheap to run, and fall into the lowest groups.

But because they keep their value, and are generally reliable they are still a good buy.

Avoid the lowest spec cars, which do without side air bags, and also dont get electric windows and central locking. If you can, get one with air con. it makes demisting the front screen a lot easier, as well as the obvious summer benefits.

In another thread i recently said we had obtained 49mpg from a 107, and generally this was thought to be lower than most. maybe its Yorkshires hills. Anyway you should see at least that and probably mid 50s if your son drives with some restraint.

If you go for a C1/107, check the carpets are dry, they can leak, and if it was built before early 2008 and has around 40,000 miles on it check to see if the clutch has been replaced. The early cars had a weaker clutch than later models.

The car i bought new in early 2008 was sold to a friend who still has it. Apart from a clutch at 35,000 miles, 25,000 of which had been with a learner and young driver, it has had no other replacement parts or failures (Brakes and tyres not counted).

Servicing by a local mechanic has been between £65, and £100 each time. Tyres are betwen £50 and £60 for good makes.

I would have another

Edited by artill on 23/03/2014 at 19:22