Car Questions!

[phantomtek]

Hi guys,

I'm at an age now (20) when I am thinking about getting a car (cos the insurance isn't as much as it used to be when I was 17) and probably selling or downgrading the bike.

Any ideas as to what car to get, I want something cheap and cheerful, doesn't have to be fast (1.2 or 1.4 will do) but a low insurance group is preferable and good mpg. Doesn't have to be the best or newest car ever either, currently my favourite car within these specifications is a Pug 106, but getting quotes of around £800 - £1000 TPFT on all cars I've tried so far which isn't that good but screw it, I got my youth!)

Any suggestions, or cars to stay away from? Budget is as little as possible, but can stretch to around £1000 if needed. And before you pour scorn I've seen a few decentish looking Pug 106s for around and under £500!

Cheers guys.

[m0l0t0v]

I'm thinking of this as well (20 jut recently). And might also move 1NCB off my bike to the car (some companies do).

So erm, yeah me too

(thread hijack, but not too much. )
____________________
'99 Hornet 600 , VFR 400 NC30 '92 , Kasawamasaki GT 550 , '98 Hornet 600
**\Tarmacsurfer/** said: It's that immaculately manly coiffure of yours isn't it. One glimpse of your virile locks and the punters can't wait to buy whatever it is you suggest, as it might let them be just a little bit like the Adonis that is our very own Molly Doovydoo said: Its not my fault I can't get it up properly, I just wasn't blessed

[Darth]

Just where you would expect really.If you are going private then you should get a better deal but no piece of mind if something falls off on the way home.

If it were me i'd be looking in Autotrader/ local ads/ ebay and car auctions - obviously helps if have a bit of clue about what to ask and look out for when buying private, if not then take a mate along.

Also best spend £1000 on a clean and well looked after one than £500 on a shitter that will need a grands worth of work doing on it in the near future.

i noticed when looking for a new car the past few times that small frugal cars are going for more than only slightly older big luxo barges these days. If you can afford the insurance and petrol costs then they would be much more enjoyable and comfortable to spend time in than a 106!

[phantomtek]

The main thing is insurance, I wouldn't really feel happy spending more than £1000 on something that doesn't really give me anything e.g. something like insurance etc.

Also what are the arguments for/against a diesel? I've heard that they are piss cheap to insure and cheaper to run, and as a first car fun factor doesn't really bother me as with insurance prices it will never be that fun, its more of an A to B jobby for me! Only need it to be motorway safe - sit at 80mph nicely, or 70 if needed.

Cheers for the information!

[Robby]

Used cars are cheap. Very cheap. And any hatchback will be the same as any hatchback, despite what the pedbois on here will say.

So the big difference in the insurance. Run through quotes for just about everything, and vary your years too.

Marj had a rover metro briefly a while back and quite liked it. You'll probably find it drives almost identically to a newish corsa or fiesta, like the pedbois get so excited about. None of it is hugely unreliable, but equally none of it is bulletproof - ka's rust, VWs eat electrics, vauxhalls are vauxhalls, french cars disintegrate on the inside.

Find something you can insure, then buy one. Then spend the minimum required to keep it roadworthy, and avoid "mods". Particularly engine ones.

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Top 10 cheapest cars to insure for sprogs.

OK, it's aimed at 17 year olds, but the list still applies.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[MarkJ]

Also try quotes on cars with more of an old man image - my 1.8TD Focus Estate is £50 cheaper to insure than the same engine in the Hatchback.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Check the insurance in a Fiat Seicento. Small, pretty cheap to insure, dirt cheap spares, easy to work on and quite fun. Alhough a bright yellow sporting might not be the image you want.

[_Will_]

Suzuki alto
https://www.autoplenum.de/Bilder/P/p0000969/SUZUKI/SUZUKI-Alto---1995-1996-.jpg
Mine will do 45-65mpg (dependant on how economic you want to drive)
Nippy as it weighs feck all.
999cc motor
pretty cheap aswell, my 2002 models got leccy windows/central locking, i love the little thing.
____________________
Past -Honda qr50 | 2004 Peugeot Tkr s 50| | 1996 Yamaha XJ600s Diversion|

[phantomtek]

Cheers for the info!

Done some quotes today on a few cars I like:

1985 Austin Mini - Worth £1200 - £850 Fully Comp w/ £100 excess (Extremely cheap - why?)

2001 Fiat Seicento - Worth £500 - £1,147 Full Comp or £850 TPO w/ £400 excess.

2000 Fiat Punto - Worth £375 - £1228 FC or £867 TPFT w/ £100 or £250 excess

2002 Suzuki Alto or Swift - Worth £600 - £1300 FC or £867 TPFT

Will do more shortly, Pug costs around £850 TPFT - seems to be a trend from Quinn insurance to quote the same amount for small cars!

[Robby]

Minis have always been cheap to insure, and it seems everyone who has ever owned one recommends them. That alone probably makes them worth going on the shortlist.

As for why they are cheap to insure - maybe they avoided the hot hatch bubble in the late 80/early 90s that pushed up insurance for small hatchbacks, after kids put turbo badges on their renault 5 then wrapped it around a tree.
Parts are cheap on minis. I'd still go for the seicento though.

[MarJay]

Danny's got a mini, and he really likes it!
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Phil_G]

Minis will rot for fun tho- if you're after turnkey motoring then I would personally avoid. If you can accept that there will be welding and such needed now and then - go for it!

The pug is a good choice and the diesel will give cheap insurance and good economy. If you're not doing a huge mileage, then I wouldn't bother as diesel is about 7-8p/l dearer than U/L so I would, in your scenario, go for a tidy 1400 or similar..
____________________
1997 Kawasaki ER 500 A1:- Once again, Its merely crap

[_Will_]

[phantomtek]

What a weird way to kick me while I'm down.

I do love the Minis and wouldn't be afraid to get my hands dirty if it went wrong, doubt theres a shortage of supplies for them and my Dad has welding equipment so probably wouldn't be a problem. Still considering other cars though, I reckon something like a Seicento or Cinquecento would have the edge as they are relatively new cars and cost less.

Done another quote, through Tesco (I've heard they accept bike no claims) a Mini FC would be £976, which I consider to be very cheap! Also, if I add my housemate who has only been driving less than six months, it goes up only £14 - which I find very strange seen as on his Mum's oldish 1.4 Renault Scenic it went up £600 when he was added!

So far I know that Direct Line, Carole Nash and Tesco accept bike NCB, any others?

[MarkJ]

eCarinsurance aswell I think.

The Girlfriend had a Cinququqeuequececenqueto straight after passing her test at 18 and insurance was quite cheap for her, I forget how much it was. The handbrake was shocking on it through , had to make sure it was in gear when you parked up. I think the Seicento is more-or less the same car, just updated. Apart from the handbrake the Cinq was pretty reliable. With it being tall and square there was loads of space in the back when you folded the rear seats down.

Are you dead set on going FC, or will TPFT do?

[t121anf]

have you tried adding your parents as named drivers?

[numark1]

Audi A3??

I've been looking at quotes, I'll be 22 when my bans finished. It works out for the 1.6 engine at £750 TPO. Thats with a 1 year ban and 6 points.

You can pick up a 10 y/o with about 80-90k for about 2k. They run forever.

[Kickstart]

[_Will_]

[Villers]

I had a 1 litre Seat Arosa when I was 23-25 and it was brand new. Fully comp at 23 was something like £400. By the time I got to 25 it was £170.

Have a look and see what the insurance comes back as, IIRC it was something like a group 4 car and they should be pretty cheap to pick up. They are basic and tinny however
____________________
RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[LimehouseCBF]

just keep shopping round, when i first passed i had a pug 206 and i paid 2000 a year then went down to 1600 then 1000(tescos and quinn), then i get a toyota celica vvti and went to 1500 then 850(bell) and im 21. Im currently with https://www.bell.co.uk/?media=adwo5 which is for young drivers, plus does 10 month or 12 month quotes
____________________
And on the 7th day the lord said..lets get pissed

[phantomtek]

[Cigaro]

I've just got a Polo 1.4. It's quite nippy, insurance group 5, and handles reasonably well.

Something like that would be a good choice IMHO. Or maybe a Peugeot 306?

[Robby]

A further word on minis, seeing as young Jeff seemed mildly aroused at the idea.

You should get one for around a grand that is reasonable solid, and will definately give a couple of years of cheap motoring and easy spannering before it needs welding. Now if you spent a grand on a ford escort and something terminal/expensive gave up after a couple of years you wouldn't be hugely surprised, people just seem to like keeping minis on the road because they're desirable and out of production.

Also, about half the population of the UK has probably welded a mini back together at some point, it's not a rare or difficult job, and repair sections will be available cheaply. A lot of it will be underfloor so you don't have to worry about an expensive spray job over the top.

Danny was making noises about selling his at some point in the near future when I last saw him. AFAIK it's a 1l, so cheap to run and insure.