written by on 27/01/2011
My first car was a 1996 Nissan Micra 1.0, but after an accident last year I chose to sell it and replace it. Being 18 I needed a car similar in size and power. I looked at Ford Fiestas and Renault Clios but I struggled to find one within my £2000 budget with under 90,000 miles. After a lot of searching I bought another Nissan Micra, this time a mint 2002 1.0, with 70k, metallic paint, remote central locking, electric windows, etc for just £1250.
The best things about the car for me is that it surprisingly good handling, and returns around 45mpg. The only criticisms I have of the car is, although very nippy around town, it can feel underpowered on the country roads and the gearbox does not feel as smooth as my old Micra. However it can happily cruise at 70mph+ on a motorway, with little wind noise.
I would recommend the car to anyone looking for a small runabout that is cheap to run. I would also tell any young driver to consider a Micra over a Clio, as they are cheaper to buy, cheaper to insure, and a lot more reliable.