Ohh Dear!!

[briang9]

looking for something for my son, and came across this, think the spoiler is what makes it

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2594111.htm

[Singh]

Brian, if it's your sons first car make sure you check
the Ncap rating. A Fiat Punto scores 4 * which is great whereas a Saxo for example only scores 2*. I wouldn't ever buy a 2* car maybe not even a 3*. Not sure what the Sciento scored but the Punto is actually a great nippy car, fairly unrealiable though...

[Adrian E]

The Siecento was the second worst tested car by NCAP in that category - it vied for bottom spot with the Rover Metro/100 which ended production very shortly after the results were published.....

To be fair though, most small cars of that period were cack in accidents - I had my mum's 1987 Micra as my first car and I doubt any accident above walking pace was survivable in that horrid piece of recycled tin!

Cars from the class above are generally a bit better, just because there's more metal around you. Pug 306/Citroen Xsara etc sized.

I worked on the very 1st NCAP tests as a student on holiday placement - the Rover's were appallingly built!

[Singh]

Defiantly worth the extra money then, can't put a price on safety. Seeing a 2* car crash would more than put you off. I'm stupidly safety conscious, it's the first thing I consider when buying a car.

The D2 faired very well iirc

[Mr K]

I had a 98 306 1.9tdi as my first car when I passed my test and it was excelent! Plenty of grunt for safe overtakes and insurance wasn't ridiculous either.

I bet that fiats a hoot, shame about the styling!

[briang9]

thanks for the advice guys, to be honest its a real nightmare, trying to find something that he thinks is cool, also is safe and that I can afford to insure, the Fiat for instance is around £2k 3PF&T for a car worth less than a grand. I guess as said any small car is not going to be all that great in a collision just due to the fact there is not much between whatever hits it and the driver, the bonnet on the D2 is nearly as long as the whole Fiat!! maybe I should just get him a bus pass!!

cheers

[briang9]

Originally Posted by Singh

Brian, if it's your sons first car make sure you check
the Ncap rating. A Fiat Punto scores 4 * which is great whereas a Saxo for example only scores 2*. I wouldn't ever buy a 2* car maybe not even a 3*. Not sure what the Sciento scored but the Punto is actually a great nippy car, fairly unrealiable though...

Sorry Amar cant agree on that one, wife is now on her 6th Punto (first was an M reg) and never had any reliability problems with any of them, even with her "unique style of driving"

[Singh]

My sister had one a few years ago and it had a few reliability issues as did my cousin. Both under 30k, exhausts dropping off, gearbox failing and a head gasket at 28k miles. One was a 51 plate the other an 04. They might have been lemons though, glad your wife has good experience of them as I really like them and are a dream to drive with the 'city' steering.

[tintin]

Or, as alternatives:

1 - insure him as a named driver on another (cheap) family car (where he's not the main driver), with a company that let's named drivers build up no claims (I think Elephant do this??). I think this rewards young drivers who drive more carefully due to the influence of the main driver....
2 - buy a new VW Polo - funds permitting , if he's over 21 and has held a licence for more than a year. VW current offer gives free insurance, which should count to no claims bonus for the future.

[briang9]

Ahh ok ours have been bought at oldest 6 months old with low mileage and sold on before 3 years with mileage around 7-8 k a year so maybe thats why, have to say her latest which was new in Sep 10 really is very nice, just a pity about the power output, scares the C**P out of me when i drive it and try to get out of junctions/roundabouts, but it has start/stop which in some way makes up for the S8's ability to kill the planet