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New/nearly new Mini that was meant to read. Your insurance quotes are good; I'm paying £880 and thats definately the cheapest. Thats for a 9 y/o car with a 0-60 of 10 secs and a value of... £700.
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Hi,
I reckon it is probably worth considering the 206 and the yaris as the overall top 2. Cant get a very good price on a new corsa sri and they are a bit bland, not to mention the depreciation on vauxhalls....and lets face it, although that bearded american t*** on the vectra advert seems convinced vauxhalls are remarkable, i aint totally convinced..
Thing is, i dont wanna buy the wrong car as its taken me the past year to save. I have now decided that the wait for a mini is too long and am gonna shop around for a yaris or 206...any other ideas which are better options? what car doesnt really rate either with 3 out of 5 for each
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Well, four years ago when I was your age, I wouldn't be seen dead driving a Yaris let alone own one. Yes, they are one of the better cars in the class but for a young chaps set of wheels, nope!
You could pick up a semi sporty SXI Corsa which you could probably get with free Insurance which would be ideal in your case. Pick up a copy of What Car or something similar and i'm sure you'll find that the 206 is no better than the Corsa. (except for the milk float style 1.0).
The Mini is certainly the smartest of the bunch and would turn a few heads. Find a used one and go for that!
The Polo seems one of the best built small cars, and is rather nice with it. That would probably be my second choice after the mini.
You could spend less and get an older but larger car and spend a bit more on insurance. If you are going to list under your dads insurance then you may as well make the most of it. I know this is frowned upon, but I took the chance and started off at 17 with a 2.0 Cavalier under my dads name, eventually bailing out to my own policy at 21. It then cost me £1300 as opposed to something like the £4000 I was quoted at the tender age of 17, and that was on the 200bhp Omega.
If you are going to buy a low insurance group car then I don't see the point in not having your own policy, that is definately false economy. I was just daft in that I didn't want a small engined car and as such had no other option.
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I don't know if this applies but:
If your dad is going to be insured on another car, as well as the one that you'll share with him, and he's using his NCB on the other car, then he can't also use it on the car that you share and he must start from scratch also. I know this because a quote on a car that I was going to share with my dad went up from £300 to £1000 when I mentioned that he was already using his NCB on another car, they just won't let you use it twice at the same time! :(
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Hi,
Yea thats right about the insurance situation. However, most firms are happy if you have a car insured through their company at the same time - i.e. do u a special deal. We checked this out with my sister when she got her 1.25 zetec and had no trouble.
Another car I have just thought about is the ford puma 1.4 - that may be a good option nearly new and their going for like £5,500 upwards - and it looks stylish. Got some quotes similar price to yaris - believe it or not i tried the 1.7 out too and no difference in price for insurance!
I also pushed my luck and tried a quote for a group 12 VW Lupo GTI for a laugh and it gave me a quote of £650! - low stuff or what!
I agree overall about the yaris - think it looks too family orientated so gonna go for something sleeker - i.e. 206 xsi , clio dynamique+ or maybe even a puma.
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Someone mentioned buying a new car with free insurance.
Do the numbers and you will find a considerable saving at 17 years old.
Get a quote for yourself with one years bonus and the quotes will tumble down, even at 18 years old.
ps. most of the cars you are looking at are.... dare I say it...... a bit girly. Although the Lupo GTIs look quite nice.
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Hi,
I have done some scouting around and no one will offer me free insurance. they are all from 18 years or 21 years and up.
I know what u mean about the 'girly' thing - problem is there aint many not so girly cars around. My sister has a 1999 ford fiesta zetec and i really like it, but i am reluctant to get say a zetec S as its another fiesta...although i like it a lot.
I aint ruling the car out but wouldnt mind something different. The puma 1.4 or 1.6 is nice, especially in black but they tend to be more expensive than the zetec s and dont have as much poke.
The lupo GTI is a no no - too high on the insurance group and probably too fast for a new driver (although i love em i doubt my dad would want me driving it under his name! lol). The saxo vtr is getting bad reviews as its dated and the driving position is crud. and citroens are dead similar to the 106 for obvious reasons.
Whats are more 'macho' small cars then that u can think of which are modern :-D?
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why nit just stow the pride for a year or two and get a non-gti non-vtr but something more boring. Not knowing how well you drive maybe you should learn to drive a "girly" car first rather than kill yourself being flash.
I started out on a Volvo 340, basically because it was safe and would protect me in a crash. It was one of the conditions imposed in return of help on the insurnce. I was just pleased to have a car a be mobile and really did not care that it didn't go (much) over 100mph.
You have plenty more years ahead of you to get a flash motor, when you may possibly be more able to afford to run it.
Pompous lecture over (sorry).
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Spot on CM - most and I mean MOST new drivers will have a prang in the first six months (then they wonder why insurance is costly!).
Buying a less flash well built car is good protection for you and your passengers during a time when the stats are against you.
It also gets you used to driving and gives you a chance to get some NCB, rather than risking an insurance "named driver" problem.
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Hi,
Thanks a lot for your advice guys. I know exactly what you mean and dont take offence by it. I realise i aint gonna be a great driver when i first start off - its a fact - although I feel i have a bit more background than most. I am used to the roads and have had a motorbike for nearly 2 years now. With a lot of insurers I can carry my NCB over from this to my car (AA, etc..). This has also given me confidence on the road. Also have an international karting licence as race them as a hobby.
Ok..ok...i can hear you saying 'thats not relevant' but its just for my experience.
I dont want to go and buy a cheapo old car really because the insurance is still mega bucks and i would rather get something decent which i can enjoy and go under my dads name and when im 20/21 buy my own premium.
Also, - just spotted a great deal - pre-registered zetec s's at motorpoint for £7500 and £8000
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I like the Zetec-S and I don't reckon it looks at all girly. It's just too easy to confuse with the Fiesta Zetec (until you actually see it that is) which is what many people do and think about totally the wrong car!
Although I think what HJ is saying makes a lot of sense, order the Mini, and then crash a little heap in the meantime then by the time the mini arrives you will have those precious few months expereience. I've only been driving a little over a year, but reckon I learned MUCH more in my first two months after passing than I have in the last 12 months...
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Im guessing from your choice of cars that you are female.
If you are, then there is no competition really. The mini is head and shoulders above all the rest, if not a bit girly. If you really cant wait then it has to be the Yaris. I used to own one and they are seriously good, if not a bit girly.
If on the other hand you are male buy a second hand fiesta zetec for four grand. Got a bit of oomph, cheap insurance, cheap parts and labour, no girly image.
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lol no im not female hehehe - sorry if i led u to believe i was with the 24 hours of madness when considering a yaris :-D
I am very very very tempted by a zetec S - went and looked at one at my local dealer when it was closed and looks really sweet - very boy racer!
I have talked it through with my dad and he reckons the ones at motorpoint are worth looking at - my mum got her scenic from there at a great price so not worried about supermarkets.
they do it in black, red (which is the colour of my sisters fiesta 1.25 zetec which i dont want) and the ford blue - which would u go for?
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Only option is blue.
(I drive a black car but its a civic type r. Only available in red silver or black. The wife likes black cars and thats what it took to persuade her that I really needed that car)
Black looks dirty when the morning dew evaporates on it and I have never known anyone who was lucky with a red car.
Never buy a ford brand new unless they are giving a really whopping great discount. Then again never buy a second hand ford from a dealership, they overprice them by thousands.
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OK the Fiesta isnt girly, but they arent particularly eye catching for a sporty car. I bet they depreciate badly as well.
Since the last of the Peugeot 205 GTI there doesnt seem to have been many good sporty hatches made. Or am I missing something?
The new sporty clios look good but Renaults get more than average bad comments on this site.
A Mark 1 Golf GTI has more kudos than most of the cars discussed put together. Loads cheaper as well.
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Just three different ideas for you
1 Spend 6grand on a performance car such as a suburu (look in autotrader) and forget needing a bodykit or any other mods and drive round in that. You get instant recognition after all who want sto look at a moded 1.2liter corsa when you would have a suburu. Use the spare 4grand on insurace and fuel
2 Get a quick car which is a couple of years old ie civic 1.6 vti or focus 1.8 and spend the remaining 4grand on getting the biggest alloys and most outragious bodykit on it
3 Buy a new car get the three years warenty only thing is the above 2 options will give you a car with more power
The only problem is any car you get will be envied and someone is going to have a go at stealing it or damaging it so best not go with a new car idea.
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One last thing remember whatever you chose that whilst you are looking round you will be completly side tracked by something else and buy that instead and be all the better for it
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Hi,
Well i reckon the blue looks excellent but the black is a bit cheaper and i like that too. Also, the black cars are nearer to where i live at the derby site. I reckon it is worth me going for a zetec fiesta as its got a lot of street cred, we already have a fiesta 1.25 zetec in the family as i mentioned and it really is superb....with a 1.6 in it it hits 60 in under 10 seconds which is a 'warm' hatch as appose to hot but thats ideal for me.
i reckon its the right choice...gonna see if i can visit the site this weekend. will keep you posted
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Go for it mate! You know you're making the right choice :)
I'd love to get one...
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I'd think very carefully about the Fiesta - I'm guessing this is the "old" shape Fiesta - the new 5dr is out and the 3dr appears in the not too distant future. It might look smart now, but the reason they're so cheap is they're being replaced and this will impact badly on future values.
HJ, pugugly and a couple of others have recommended the MINI - I'm joining them - ask yourself if you can afford to let the opportunity pass you by - Gp5 insurance, street cred, go-kart handling and glacial depreciation. Depreciation might not mean much to you now, but it'll make a big difference when you come to swap the car.
Have you driven the MINI? Arrange a test drive with a friendly dealer before you commit to anything. I think you'll be very surprised at what you get for the money.
Lee.
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Hi,
Yea, we have been out in the mini and been to a dealership. Theres no doubting its a lovely car but its the waiting list which is putting me off. I need a car within the next month and only a used mini would be appropriate for this reason.
I know that the fiesta is being replaced however theres no denying that the old shape cars dynamics are exceedingly good and the zetec s is highly commended. I have looked at various articles and it has frequently received 4/5 overall. Ok, it doesnt have as much character as the mini and is not particularly original but for £7500 as appose to a similarly specified mini at around £11-12k, i think i can live without it! :-D
I also am learning to drive in a fiesta and will hopefully will have passed my test within the next few weeks(fingers crossed!). I am very much sold on the fiesta and have enquired through motorpoint.
With regard to depriciation, the ford will take a greater hit than the mini, but as far as im concerned, i wont be selling it for at least 3-4 years as i plan to keep it. Zetec's are also popular with the 'boy racers' and can obtain ok prices too provided not purchased for silly money. (got our 1.25 2 years ago on a 1999 for £5500, and it hasnt fallen in price much).
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I was in Savilles Vauxhall, Lisburn, N Ireland today. They're offering an Opel Agila 1 litre (CD player but no central locking I believe, 2 yr warranty) for £ 4999 OTR, an extra £ 1000 gets you the 1.2 litre. OK it's no boy racer but it's an economical practical (4 door) car and it's easy to park. All you have to do is to get it across to the mainland on the ferry.
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lol i would NEVER buy an agila mate!- we had one as a rental car while our vectra was repaired a few years back and what a heap of junk...it is a glorified van...i would rather have a fiat panda :-D - One of vauxhalls worst products IMO but thanks for the suggestion :-D
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What a babe magnet that would be! :)
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yea....i guess there would be plenty of room in the back seat + all their mates
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just the thing for taking them to the supermarket on friday night! :> Better pay close attention to where you park it so as not to get confused with the rest of the shopping trolleys!
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'Tis my role in life to be the boring old git so here goes. I find it very worrying that someone who has not yet passed their test has 10 grand to spend on a car and is considering all these GTIs, Xsis, o-60 times of 9 secs,top speed 120 mph etc. As Dave says above, not all young drivers are bad but all are inexperienced and virtually all will want to test their new car to the limits 5 mins after passing the test (we've all been there - and scared ourselves witless if not worse, even if it was in Dad's Riley 4/68 or a Renault Gordini - that dates me). I reckon you need and older car, with relatively poor performance but sound handling etc, simple mechanicals so that if anything goes wrong you can have a go yourself and learn about how the things work and then build up to higher performance as you get experience. I've seen so many youngsters write off their cars in their first couple of years driving, often with serious (sometimes fatal) consequences for them and friends (passengers) that I really feel that some limit needs to be put on what they can drive (It's done with motorbikes isn't it?)
Concerned for your welfare and damn the street cred!
PhilW
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PhilW
Apart from not recommending that he invest half his ten grand for his old age, which by the time he reaches it there will be little State Pension, then yours is the most sensible post of the lot.
Where do they get all this cash from?
DVD
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Dunno where the cash comes from - I just spent my budget on a car - £1500 - and I've been working 5 years!
Carmad says he intends to keep the car for 3-4 years. I doubt it - it will be bent within six months!
I started my driving career in a Citroen Visa special - the one where they put the 2CV engine in - 35 BHP and no brakes! I still managed to scare myself witless a lot of times in the first few months, and bent it twice in the first year - I learnt alot about driving (and panel beating!) and the cost was not exoribitant. I feel that driving this car made me a much better driver - I learnt how to anticipate - with no power and no brakes, you need to keep the momentum up and not get into situations where you need to stop in a hurry. I never felt it was not fast enough (it once did an indicated 90 - and yes it was downhill with a following wind!) - I usually manged to keep up with people in faster cars - it's all down to how you drive it!
Carmad - save the cash for now, buy something that needs 'driving', and can be easily repaired when (note when, not if) you bend it.
Hmm, I feel old now, and I'm only 28.....
Richard
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I have to say I would have dreamed of having that much money to spend on a car at that age.
And I think there is a certain amount of "good luck to you". I think there is also the reliability aspect. I know that I prefer those close to me drive cars which I know will be reliable, and perhaps one day I will do the same for my children.
But, sadly, there is a reason why young driver's insurance premiums are so high.
Mind you, I think I would have spent a limited amount on the car and used the rest on something else.
Just be careful, and see if you can beat the odds and keep the car its original shape.
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How about a 3yo Audi A3 1.6?
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hi,
i have just had a job for the past 2 years and just put all of my cash asside for a car
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Having recently bought a MINI I can say that there should be nothing like a six month wait for a One now, only the Cooper S is that sort of wait. I ordered at the end of August and picked up the car during the last week in September, built to the spec I chose. The savings to be made by importing aren't great and, iirc, you lose a year's warranty as the third year is from the dealer rather than BMW - plus you have to buy the tlc pack separately.
You won't get a secondhand MINI cheap, depreciation is negligible at the moment. Why not try as others have suggested and get a cheap car for a six months or so, by which time secondhand MINIs will be appearing at more reasonable prices - and should still have 3 years tlc left.
But, whatever you do, go and have a test drive in a MINI. It's free and it's fun. Then have a look at www.mini2.com - it's the place for MINI owners.
Rob
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One big advantage of learning how the things work and what all the bits do is that you're less likely to damage/crash it.
I had mates at school who just thought of tyres as round balck things that needed no maintenece or care. One mate used to drive his Micra up the kerb when parking at about 5 - 10mph without batting an eyelid. I know it doesn't sound a lot, but it's enough to knock out the alignment, damage suspension components (espcially on a sports model) and damage the tyre's insides. As it happens the tyre that he used to hit blew out at 40 mph and the car ended up wrapped around a tree!
Also, a mate at Uni had a Fiesta 1.1, he thought that the oil light would come on when you need to check or change the oil, consequently, he never bothered checking or changing the oil as the light didn't come on, sure enough not long later and the engine died completely and needed replacing.
Carmad - I learned a fair bit from driving a slightly elderly car, if you're gonna be in the nice position of skipping this stage, my top tip would be to learn about how the mechancials work anyway, so that you have an idea of how to look after the car and prevent damage, for example by not crashing into kerbs at 5 - 10 mph or sitting waiting for a grill order at McDonalds with the car in gear and the clutch engaged! :)
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One big advantage of learning how the things work and what all the bits do is that you're less likely to damage/crash it.
Absolutely agree with that. After the first £125 oil and filter change from the main dealer (to keep the warranty valid) I decided to do routine maintenance myself. And with anything difficult I make sure I understand exactly what the problem is before paying someone else to fix it.
Carmad - On a brand new car (mine was 2 1/2 years old when I got it) I guess you'll have the dealer doing the work initially, but if you come over as knowing what they're talking about they'll be less likely to try anything dodgy. *
Of course, if you've spent your life up to now dismantling and remantling cars you know all that anyway.
GJD
* Not that all, or even most, main dealers would try and rip you off but some might.
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Bad luck SFA, you were huffed. So ... Baker Street...
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Well having grown up having a succession of cheap nasty cars when a student, and now having better ones, and having a 17year old son with his first car may I offer the following comments.
Most young male drivers crash or have an accident of sorts in their first 2 years - usually from driving too fast. I did and my son has (and most of his friends have ).
If you are going to crash get something safe, small and with limited top speed and acceleration. If you have a 1.6 Fiesta Zetec S or a Ford Puma - all very nice cars- or anything similar, the chances are you can drive very fast indeed.
With inexperience that usually means driving too fast in all the wrong places and endangering your own life and that of others. At your age you do not want to break limbs or worse.
It may sound very boring and fuddy duddy but I suggest gaining experience on somthing with good roadholding and safety and limited speed and then getting something faster when you have some road experience.
A Fiesta 1.25 Zetec (old model) is in practice as fast as most cars in modern traffic conditions and handles better than about 90% of them. It is also fun to drive..a glorified gokart.
Some of the suggestions above are very worthy but believe me, if you drove and Audi A3 for example, it is NOT fun to drive as the steering is like a jelly compared to a Fiesta.
If you acquired a 1.6 Fiesta or a 1.7 Puma their capabilities to acclerate and corner would be far greater than your ability to control them. In winter weather or wet roads, it is quite likely you would end up cornering far too fast, losing it and coming to grief in a big way.
Boring advice? Sorry .. yes. I've seen too many accidents with young males under 21 driving cars at speed and crashing - and in some cases killing themselves or their passengers . or both.
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Carmad, it's boring old fart here again,
17 years old, worked for two years and saved 10 grand?. Whatever happened to school leaving age of 16? Don't wish to sound resentful but I've just competed 32 years of work and in all that time have barely saved a penny! You must be on a bl**dy good whack to save that much - far more than me! But I wish you good luck and hope you enjoy your new car. I have very fond memories of my mates first car, a Morris Minor convertible with aside valve engine where we could take the head off, de-coke it and polish the ports before going out for a bomb round on Sunday afternoon! Or my first car a 1949 Sunbeam Talbot 90 (KVN 577) which was 20 years old, cost 40 quid, built like a tank but had a 2.2 litre engine and went like a rocket (well about 90 mph after 5 miles of "accelleration")- it had 20 inch wheels which you would be very jealous of!, and leather upholstery and a column change which could be operated with the little finger while holding the wheel.
Good luck
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Actually, if you live with your parents and start even part time work at 16, it's quite possible to have saved £10K in 2 years, if you're very restrained! :)
I love call centres... :D
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Hi, You'll have to excuse me if I repeat anything that?s already been said only I have 'skimmed' my eyes over all you views.
Well I can?t really grief much on the ?new car? that should be an ?old car? as I only passed my test in July and I have a T reg 306. But I have technically been driving for 2yrs with L-plates on an older model, so got a little more experience than some. But we?ll see. I went for a newer model simply because I feel safer driving a new car (airbag etc). But even so I spent half of £10,000.
I wouldn?t be happy driving a ?gti? job as I?d be scared I?d get carried away with the quickness. I do plan to get something faster but when I?m more experienced. I drove my other half?s car and pood myself at how quick it went and how I was no-way ready for that.
Also a faster car can tempt you to drive faster, meaning the possibly of breaking speed limits and you only have 6 points to play with for the 1st 2 yrs.
You said you were going to buy a new car & it?s reminded me of something I heard. I watched the 1st program in the new series of Top Gear this wk and they had a few words of advise on their about buying brand new cars...don't bother! The depreciation is so high on new cars that its really not worth wasting the money on one, and said you may as well just flush the money you'll waste down the pan. If I was gonna spend that sort of money, and had to save it up first I'd want it to go far. You can get very good deals on 'nearly new' cars. My partners car, a 406 Coupe is £23,000 new...we got one 3 yrs old in ex cond for £8500. And ex-fleet cars are good ones to go for as they r usually new and have been kept up together well.
The only plus on some brand new cars is that they give away a yrs free insurance (sometimes more) but you?ll have to look in2 that 1.
And finally, try Elephant.co.uk for insurance. They were the cheapest quote I got out of hundreds and they are good with claims (I made 1 with them this yr), and they paid out in 3 wks?and more than the going rate!
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But compleatly forgetting to give advise on what car...
... Peugeots are nice to drive. Although parts are expensive.
Didn't get on very well driving a Corsa, but it was the previous shape.
What about a Renault Clio (new), they are not bad and they do some quite sporty looking versions.
Oooh Audi A3, nice, second hand around £10,000. Go on, Go on, Go on.
New 206 GTi looks very, very nice. Not out in uk yet but I know of someone who's imported one already.
Peugeot 106 Quiksilver - now thats another looker and probably quite nippy.
"206 Big" you what? Ok what about a Smart Car then? He he he.
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hi
sorry i havent replied at the moment but a lot of things have been going on. I found myself travelling up with my mum to newcastle on thursday to discover a close family member was admitted to hospital. Unfortunately she passed away the following day and it was discovered yesterday she had cancer. As you can imagine its been a hell of a few days so cars have gone out of the window.
However, the day before (wednesday) i did put a £300 deposit down to hold a zetec fiesta and that can be transfered to any other car that motorpoint sell if i decide its not what i want.
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