I'm selling my Gixxer and buying a car ...

[L-Jam]

It will probably be the saddest day of my life. Worse than when my friends told me wrestling wasn't real, worse than when you first realise you will most likely never become a millionaire, even worse than the day Gangham Style came out.

Now, the blow is softened by the fact that I will be investing in another bike at some point (definitely within the year). But I need a car for professional life at the moment, the motorbike just isn't practical.

Now, I call upon BCF. Being a bike petrol head my quest for knowledge inevitably has led me to pick up a lot of now-not-useless information about cars. That, and my Dad is a used car dealer, so checking over the car, getting a good deal, finding a car, bargaining, selling my bike etc. will not be a problem.

So, my bike will fetch AT LEAST £4k. Minimum. Working with this budget for a car AND one year's insurance (next year full time job = worry about that in one year).

The bike money has to therefore fund

A car
Insurance
Tax (if not inc.)
MOT isn't going to be a problem, nor is minor work.
Consumables, although with the range of cars I can hopefully choose from, getting a car that will sustain itself for a year shouldn't be a problem.

So, with that in mind, I want car suggestions!!

I am 21 with 5 years NCB on a bike - is there no company that considers transfers?

Obviously insurance will dictate what I can realistically get; this is my secondary call-upon-BCF-wisdom-plea, to tell me everything I can do to get this down. Will getting my parents to take out a new policy (not using the NCB they already use for their cars) and having me as a named driver help?

Cars I have thought about range from 1.2 Fiesta (probably the basic type if I am really struggling with insurance), to an Audi A4.

Car criteria:
not too chavvy
not too "old man" or "family" (I own a 750 gixxer for God's sake )
reliable
30mpg at least, anything less and fuel will seriously dent the wallet
insurable
faster than a 1.2 fiesta
doesn't have to be world's fastest car, I'm not buying for the speed, I get that from bikes thanks!
Nice inside, something you would be proud to take your girlfriend out in!
Generally looking for something with a bit more 'class' than shitty Saxo's et al.

Let's get some discussion then !!

Thank you in advance for the replies.
____________________
Journalist, student, egotist.
Click here if you're a young biker, wondering what to do after a moped/125!
Skp 50 --> GS 500 --> CBR600F with custom HRC paint jobby --> GSX-R 750 K7, beautiful!

[Blackwolf]

I got my A4 for a qualitatively good price. I was Splitting between an S2000 or a Rangy.

Volvos and A3s are coming down in price now.

Effectively you need something thats recently been serviced and isnt going to cost you for a year.

Shop around. Piston Heads isn't too bad to get a feel for cars. You could get a banger for a year got £500

Pocket the rest.


https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars


Some random selections..

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/jaguar/x-type/jaguar-x-type-2-5-v6-auto-se-silver-sat-nav-2002/1129342

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/audi/a4/audi-a4-b6-2-4-v6--6-speed-manual-sport-2002-cabriolet-convertible-2-4-leather/1049263


Fuck it..

A 3 series..

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/bmw/e46-3-series-98-06/bmw-3-series-e46-318i/1134847
____________________
Current: Ducati Multistrada 1200s

[L-Jam]

Don't want to go the banger route, the Bimmer is a bit chavved what with being lowered and the fake M badge, I think asking to insure a convertible is a bit much at 21 so the Audi's out And the Jag, too "Old man"!

Thanks for the ideas so far though pal.
____________________
Journalist, student, egotist.
Click here if you're a young biker, wondering what to do after a moped/125!
Skp 50 --> GS 500 --> CBR600F with custom HRC paint jobby --> GSX-R 750 K7, beautiful!

[mentalboy]

Why not have a long chat with someone who works in the secondhand car industry. It's a bit of a long shot but if you've got any used car dealers in the family they should be able to give you some sound advice
____________________
Make mine a Corona.

[Polarbear]

[Vracktal]

--cheap and cheerful category--

Honda Civic
>Some models are old man, some are chavvy, not family though.
>Can be bought for <500
>Can be insured for <1k
>Nippon reliability
>4cyl, decent mileage
>Faster than a 1.2l Fiesta because Vtec niggaaaaaa
>Probably mostly manual controls but some toys on some models
>Less class than an Essex bird but you can't have it all *shrug*

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Cars-Motorcycles-Vehicles-/9800/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=honda%20civic&_sop=2

--sensible and practical category--

Toyota Camry

>A bit old man/family but less so than an Avensis an not chavvy
>Can be bought for <1.5k
>Can be insured for <1.5k
>Nippon reliability
>4cyl so good petrol mileage
>Can outdo a 1200cc Fiesta
>Leather n shit errywhere
>Pretty classy

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Cars-Motorcycles-Vehicles-/9800/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=toyota+camry

--batshit insane category--

Subaru SVX

>Definitely not old man or family
>Can be bought for <2k
>Can be insured for <2k if bike no claims is transferrable
>Nippon reliability
>Good petrol mileage on the motorway due to dem 'yrodynamics
>3300cc Flat 6 so significantly faster than a 1200cc Fiesta
>All electric errything inside and AWD
>Guigiaro design so classy as fuck

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Cars-/9801/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=subaru+svx
____________________
2007 BMW R1200R: On road
2009 BMW G650X Challenge: On road
1975 Norton Commando 850: Off road, awaiting recommissioning

[thegubner]

Another vote for asking your old man, he'll be able to tell you not only the most popular car on the pitch but the ones that have the least comebacks for problems after sales.

Failing that, use the knowledge you've picked up, you said there was a lot of it.

[P.]

[Rogerborg]

WRESTLING ISN'T REAL?

I don't want to be That Guy, but I wouldn't go putting any money down until you have that £4K in your hand. Plenty of people looking for bikes, but everyone wants a bargain.

Look at SEATs and Skodas, they're VW's without the badge premium. But then your dad could tell you that.

One out of left field, I rate the Rover 75 / MG ZT. You say "old man", I say "grown up, refined and well specced". Skip the petrol engines, they're either fragile or thirsty, find a low mileage diesel and (along with the usual checks) listen for both front and rear fuel pumps activating when the ignition is turned on.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Ichy]

My personal philosophy is that a car is a car is a car, gets you from a-b (hopefully). I see too many young people at work spending £500 -£1000 every MONTH on insurance just to have a car that looks good.

£4000 isn't much money really. How much are you willing to spend on insurance? £500 or £2000? Either way it's a chunk out of the money. What about tax? That can be an easy £100-£300.

Cars are not like bikes, they get used. You will not find a legitimate 05 plate with less than 60k on the clocks, most likely much more. There is a risk that it will need spares and you should consider how these will be funded.

A Golf, Focus, Corsa, Fabia, Ibiza or any other bland, average, car will do what you want and should not be a money pit. At the end of the day the choice is yours and if you are set on having a R32 then you will anyway.
____________________
https://www.metacafe.com/watch/1972097/how_to_behave_on_a_forum/

[Ichy]

[thegubner]

that milage point fron marki is not strictly true, may be hard but not impossible. Genuine low milage motors do come up.

I was offered a Mk2 fiesta with only 27000 on the clocks the other day.

[Ichy]

You are right, they do come along. I brought a MK2 Escort with just over 20k on it in about 1996 from an old lady, one owner from new. She only used it to pop to the shop occasionally and it had been sat for a few years in a garage.




It needed a new engine and a massive amount of welding to make it useable.
____________________
https://www.metacafe.com/watch/1972097/how_to_behave_on_a_forum/

[Al]

[Blackwolf]

[Suntan Sid]

[L-Jam]

Guys, I get that I should ask my Dad. Low and behold, I have, hence why I have a starting point. What I asked for was MORE opinions, so that I can have a wider view of what people consider to be nice cars, than one man. You wouldn't go into a car dealership with no research would you? So why would I deny myself the opportunity to have a good discussion with my Dad as opposed to him telling me "get this".

With the whole 4k thing, don't worry, I'm not putting anything down until the bike is sold.

Suntan Kid.. I don't know, maybe because they're criteria I picked?

Blackwolf, are you saying I could potentially insure an Audi quite easily? What would be the best way to go about it?

Marki, my personal philosophy is also that a car is a car and a bike is a bike. However, I prefer better bikes to worse bikes, and prefer better cars to worse cars. Preference doesn't dictate my life, it just allows me to enjoy it a bit more. A girl is a girl, they get you a baby, earache and money loss, you still want to pick the nicest one though don't you?

£4k is a lot of money to me The insurance/vehicle is on a slider. If one costs more, the other will have to cost less - it's a pot that has no limit either way. I don't want a banger though, the same as I wouldn't ride around on a gs500 when I saved up for a GSX-R.

The reason I don't really want a 1.2 Polo, Saxo, etc is because at the end of the day I've saved up x amount of money, so don't see why I should go for a 'bottom of the pile' car when I can have a 'middle of the road' car for the same price. I'm not saying Polo's, Fiestas etc., are bad cars - they're not - it's just that all my mates have them, they are very basic, bland and boring. When one of my mates got an 07 Astra, it was so much nicer to drive around in etc.

Conversely, I don't want a car that will be a money pit, and I didn't mention R32, like I said, I'm not after a car with TEH POWERAAZZZZ because that would be a whole new level of insurance, one which I'm unwilling to pay.
____________________
Journalist, student, egotist.
Click here if you're a young biker, wondering what to do after a moped/125!
Skp 50 --> GS 500 --> CBR600F with custom HRC paint jobby --> GSX-R 750 K7, beautiful!

[MeatHelmet]

Have a look at a renaultsport Clio. 172 or 182. You can pick them up for peanuts now and they are probably one of the best hot hatches made in recent times.
____________________
Bike - 2003 Kawasaki ZX6R 636 Ninja (A1P)

[Ichy]

[Benno]

I managed to buy both a bike and a car, both relatively decent, for less than 4k with some to spare!

But you can get quite nice Ford Escorts for reasonable prices, and since they're fords there should be lots of spare parts around...Golfs are also reasonably priced, cheap to run/insure, and somewhat reliable. Any Nissan should do you well also, Japanese are great makers of vehicles.
____________________
I'm autistic. That means I'm smarter than you.

[haroman666]

I'm going to ignore whatever criteria you've set out for the car...

Try an insurance quote on a 1.2 2000 Corsa.

I can insure f&t for £500. So you may be able to too. Then you can buy the car for £500. Add £500 for tax and consumables and you only need to spend £1500 if that.

Is that not a sum of money you could drum up asap and keep the bike? Or sell bike for £4k, spend £1500 on that and then buy another bike with the remainder of your money?

Just a thought.
____________________
The mistresses: 2000 Honda CBR600f, 2000 Honda VTR1000

[L-Jam]

[Ichy]

[cromwell]

[cromwell]

Also if you were selling the GSXR in six months, I'd probably be all over it.
____________________
"unbelievable"
Current - Suzuki Bandit 600
Ex's - Yamaha YBR 125