Mini, A cliché, yes, but brilliant.
Everything we need to say about the Mini in the context of this list we've already said, frankly. The Mini is an absolute cliché of a first car, but at the same time, find a decent one and you're quite literally laughing.
For a start, it's very easy to get into a half decent one on a budget, and when you do, it's an almost certainty you'll discover there's someone in your family (possibly even your dad) who's actually owned about four of them, and is now kicking himself for not keeping his favourite for you after you were born. Still, at least you've got someone close who knows them inside out, and can accompany you to the scrap yard for that replacement carburettor or gearbox when it falls through the floor.
And, most importantly, a Mini is just so brilliant to drive; one of those cars that feels fast when it's going slow - a particularly useful characteristic in our Gatso-laden age. Just make sure you take the aforementioned family member with you to check the thing before you buy it, for there are thrashed duffers aplenty among the gems.
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