A good British Beginner Car

Looking to get my first car at the age of 20 in January; not sure what car to get. My cost limit is 3k Max not including insurance.

My second question is that at the age of 21 insurance drops, should I wait 3 months before it drops because it will be a huge drop?

It won't be a huge drop. I started driving a 1.3i car at 17, insurance was bullshit on that more than the car was worth at 18 i brought a 1.9TDI 150bhp, insurance was high as hell, only dropped when I got to 24 with a bunch of no claims. May as well bite the bullet get a small engined car, Fiesta/Clio/Saxo/Swift/Corsa/Ibiza get the insurance, they will take into account that your 21 soon if they are good non-mainstream insurers. If not just get a yearly policy and after three months ring for quotes if they are significantly lower than what you have left to pay cancel the monthly payment and take out another policy

Zulu

If it's your first car the insurence is going to be steep what ever your age, my first car was a polo, then moved to a 205 which was shit, then had an Astra which got nicked and then another Astra who's engine let go. for a first car a Polo is nice, they are a bit sporty but also cheap to run. I did love the old Polo. used to go from Sheffield to Manchester every day. only had problems with the brakes.

Thanks for both those tips, I thought insurance policies were contractual? If not I will phone insurance companies so they take into concideration the 3month gap before I hit 21. Yeah I know what you mean in regards to cost, when I started looking last year (when I passed my test) my insurance was 2.8-3k for the crapiest car(No one drives in my immediate family, so I no option to go onto someone elses insurance). This year I checked on a few cars and it has dropped by 1k-1.4k. I will defo look at Fiesta/Clio/Saxo/Swift/Corsa/Ibiza and the polo. With so many cars out there its difficult to find a starting point. Thanks again.

fiestas are good but over priced for what they are.
Check out the difference in insurance prices between as you are now, and what it will be in a year with 1 year no claims (hopefully)
get the most economical car you can, cos petrol cost over a year will dwarf insurance cost.
ibiza and swift are worth looking at.

My first car was a 205 1.8td, same initial torque as a GTI, didnt have the legs tho.

1.6 / 1.4 Focus. Youll appreciate the extra space and you wont grow out of it too quick and the costs are low!