‘The engines are bulletproof’, driving expert raves over the best first car available for less than £3,000

A DRIVING expert has been raving about a "multi-award winning "bulletproof" motor that he says is one of the best first cars you can buy - and it's less than £3,000.

Picking your first car can often be a daunting task but this award-winning model is right up there on the list of potential options.

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Matthew Goodwin from UK dealership High Peak Autos, based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, took to YouTube to share his top ten list of the best beginner cars.

One of his top recommendations was the Suzuki Swift, which he described as "great" for new drivers.

He said: "It won the European Car of the Year Award back in 2005 and it's not hard to see why, they're great cars.

"The engines are bulletproof, they're quite quirky, quite good to drive, very practical, very safe and the stereo systems are good.

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"I think they use a Sony system and it sounds very good."

Matthew recommended picking up a Swift from the year of its award win onwards, with the model undergoing a facelift around that time.

This gave it what he described as a "Mini-replica shape" and made it look more "sporty", as well as coming with some technical improvements.

He further advised opting for the 1.3-litre engine over the 1.5 as it will be cheaper to insure and run, while still giving you great reliability and enough power.

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These can be picked up for very low prices, with a 2009 1.3 model available on for just £2,490.

However, there were just a couple of things to look out for when buying a second-hand Swift.

Matthew urged drivers to listen out for any sign of whining from the gearbox or any thrust bearing noise in the clutch.

The latter is a grinding or scratching sound when you press down the clutch pedal, which could indicate wear on the bearing.

It comes after another petrolhead revealed how you can pick up an iconic Porsche that's perfect for road trips for under £5,000.