Thanks for the advice once again.
I've done a bit of research, looked and called around and I've found out that there's virtually no selection of student cellos and double basses locally. The shops that stock anything don't really have many cellos under 2000€, double basses naturally go even higher than that. The ones they do have for around 1000€, at least specification-wise, look exactly as bad as the Thomann 200€-300€ cheapos - laminated/plywood bodies, stained fingerboards etc. The set-up would probably be okay though.
There's a highly regarded violin maker's shop, and a highly regarded string repairman (violins, violas, cellos, double basses, no guitars) pretty close by, so buying second-hand and paying for a set-up might be a good choice. There's also a local bow maker, so if the bow needs some work, he's probably the best bet.
Second-hand, there's a couple of options available: a Czechoslovakian student cello for around 500€, but 300km away - might be okay since if it hasn't broken apart in 20 years, chances are it won't in the future either. There's also a Yamaha student cello for around the same price, but even further away. There's also a couple of ultra-cheap second-hand plywood cellos, but I doubt they're worth it since there's no warranty or anything. There is probably a reason people are getting rid of them. Everything else seems to be 2500€ and upwards.
A couple of new ones stood apart:
http://www.thomann.de/fi/stentor_sr1108_cello_student_ii_44.htm - Chinese, proper wooden body, ebony fingerboard etc. Bow is probably crap.
http://www.thomann.de/fi/rothjunius_europe_student_celloset_4_4.htm - European (Romanian?), otherwise looks about the same.
http://www.gear4music.com/Woodwind-Brass-Strings/Intermediate-4-4-Cello-with-Case-by-Gear4music/GAI - once again Chinese with proper woods used, oil varnish
http://www.gear4music.com/Woodwind-...ello-with-Case-by-Gear4music-Antique-Fade/L08 - slight upgrade, they claim it's handmade, the product description seems to be copy-pasted since the description says "ebonized fingerboard", specs say "ebony fingerboard". The bow is made of pernambuco.
There's also a couple of options by Vasili Gliga, a Romanian luthier, but they would first have to be shipped to the UK, then here. Probably not worth the trouble and potential damage in transit, unless I could somehow arrange direct delivery here.
A violinist posted on a local musicians' forum that he was quite happy with the Chinese Thomann cello, as he wasn't all too serious about playing the cello. It did suffer from glue joints cracking open in the winter, but Thomann arranged for a courier pickup of the instrument and they sorted it out.
I found one review of the G4M cello, the very cheapest plywood one, and the reviewer had problems with the instrument from the start, but G4M arranged for a repair and replacement parts quickly, and when that did not work, they refunded the instrument. The bottom line was crap instrument, top-grade customer service.
The problem is not that the money would go to waste if she decided not to continue playing, as I'm 100% certain I would play it even if she didn't. So this is partially a GAS attack on my part as well. ;} The problem is that we don't really have three grand to throw around.
Also, I'm not really afraid of a glue joint popping in a second-hand instrument, because I've taken apart (and put back together) a few guitars, accordions, concertinas etc. in my lifetime, so woodworking isn't completely alien to me. I'm pretty sure I could figure out small fixes. (My wife's view on this was roughly "There's 20 instruments in the house you've taken apart and put back together, where would I need a string instrument repairman when I've got you in the house?")
Cheers,
Jori