I shall be looking to get rid of the Scort towards the end of the year in favour of something with a bit of poke.
Realistically I think I'm limited to up to a 1.6 because of insurance as I'll be 20.

What do any of you recommend? Pros/cons and past experience? Problems etc etc.

Any thoughts would be appreciated

 

If you are only 20 I would recomend buying shares in an insurance company! possibly and older "classic" they can be quite quick too!

 

A fiesta zetec s would be a nice little car whether it be a mk5 or mk6 version

 

mk1 focus rs

 

Big factor will be your budget, how much you looking to spend on a car and insurance?

Also I wouldn't rule out anything bigger than a 1.6, you may be suprised.

 

Fiesta Zetec S is a nice cheap and fun car. What about the Fiesta ST for something a bit newer, despite being a 2 litre it falls nicely in the luke warm hatch category

 

I'd go for a boggo Focus 2.0 Zetec ESP or a MK5 Fiesta Zetec-S... both low insurance, both very good fun to drive and neither will break the bank to run.


Cheers,
Grant

 

Mk5 Fiesta Zetec S

 

1.7 Puma. No question.

 

one of them stanza things 1.3 turbo?

 

Have you considered a zetec s TDCI? not the quickest car by any means but cheap to run ect and good fun to drive.

XR2I? Classic insurance?
mk5 zetec s good fun car and still look good IMO.
As said a puma could be a good choice, I Know everyone things there a bit girly but there quite capable-basically a go faster fiesta.


OR.......A sportka ...................Hear me out on this one.............YES there abit girly.....YES your mates might take the piss( I know, I had one, LOVED that car)......BUT..there REALLY good fun and can look really good with a few well chosen mods, I found that insurance for me was considerably cheaper on a sportka than a zetec s,you get full leather if you get an SE.....and I doubt any of your mates will have one, Its always good to be different.

EDIT: I was 18 when i had my Sport.


Just my 2P worth

 

As an insurance friendly car for a 20 year old?

 

+1


Or if non ford, a saxo is a good option, horrible image but great cars.

 

Starlet galanza or even an gt could be a good shout......some were never registered as turbos either i believe, Bloody expensive for what they are tho...
Quick aswell.

 

as said whats your budget?

a good all rounder is the puma, 1.7l is ins group 13. 125bhp and good chassis. only thing that lets them down imo is the brakes. std ones are pony.

i have upgraded mine to mk3 mondeo callipers and focus st170 discs, the brakes are now awesome.

im thinking about getting rid of mine soon in favour of a ford ranger or similar pickup truck lol

your a fair distance away from me tho but just in case, mine is a 51 plate with just under 60k miles.

 

Saxo VTR, great car, light, cheap, easy to fix, great handling,simple and 40+ mpg. People say that they have a bad image but that should not put you off.
Watch for failing clutch, rear beam and head gasket problems. Some seem to rot very badly where the boot floor meets the inner whell arch and under the ecu as well.

If the 1.6 8v VTR is too high n insurance then its sibling, the 1.4 forte, is not a bad car and quick nippy. Could also check out the pug 106 quicksilver as well (same shell and share many parts with the saxo)

I might get flamed for suggesting a french car on here but thats life!

Good luck with what ever you get mate

 

mate of mines got a MG ZR 1.4 105 bhp.
in all honestly its quite good

cheap to buy aswell.

 

Budget is going to vary depending on how much I get for mine, at a guess it would be around Ł2500-3000. Any idea what mine is worth? 89 1.3 Popular, at the minute it's on just under 31k miles with a full Ford service history.

A Zetec S is a definite contender, as is a VTR. I've thought about a Glanza, but heard they're not too good on fuel?
I'd love something older, especially an XR2 or 2i, but reliability is quite a large contributing factor!

 

Oh, I'm not saying mine is worth 3k, that's with my other pennies too

 

The mk 5 zs is group 6 insurance and is basically a puma with a stiffened fiesta shell. A couple of cheap mods will see it handle very well as a road car, lots of scope for n/a tuning when u get some more budget too. Beware of rust tho!

 

Handle great.
Comfy.
Look ok.


Just the usual head gasket worries.

 

Good luck finding somewhere that will insure an under 21 on anything 'performance' or on a classic policy. I had to wait to 21 to insure my XR3i due to its performance marker lol!

I'd agree with the Mk5 ZS, great chassis, good fun to drive and decent on insurance. As deano suggested a warm diesel can offer some great bang for buck action, plus they seem to be insurance friendly. I went from a Fiesta mk6 to an Audi A4 TDCI and amazingly the Audi was cheaper to insure.

 

R5 GTT.... 1.4...must be able to get a classic policy on one, lovely little cars

 

205 1.6 gti.

 

If you want something older get a top notch Zetec XR2i or RS1800.

I wouldn't have any worries about reliability, just rust. But your budget would buy top end

 

Insurance can be high as people have been known to put 1.8's in the 1.4's and not tell anyone, i found this out when buying mine.

But dont get a ZR (As they are really GAY) get a ZS its what i've got and TBH its not that bad and cheap. I just want a ford again so i hate my MG lol.

As for the head gasket, mine was done before i got mine and it seems bullet proof! Start on cold morning with no trouble and wont die on high revs!

 

You would be surprised, doing your homework and knowing the right places to look can help, Ive had my Cosworth since I was 19, anyway it's out the scope of the OP'S question as he want's a "warm hatch".

Back on subject I would recommend a Honda Civic type S? Now I have never owned/driven a Honda but been in a mates Type R Integra a few times and know there reliable good cars and have fine engines.

Another mate had a Glanza V turbo (AKA Starlet GT turbo) and again there nice cars and a better option than a VTR in my opinion, for example you get A/C in the former, the VTR you don't, it's also more powerful!

Martin

 

Glanza turbo for sure.

 

So it's looking to be either a Glanza V, or a Zetec S Fiesta. Huge difference between the two really!
I'd of thought the Glanza would be crazy insurance for me because they're turbo?
Thanks for the input guys!
Ben.

 

What size engines were the 16v XR2i?

 

1.8

Martin

 

Polo gti? Around 2001 reg. kel is getting one. She got a couple of quotes between Ł400-500 and she only been driving 2yrs with no ncb. You can get a nice spec one for around 2k

 

BIL N KEL
save up and buy as many gearboxes as possible

puma or mk5 zetec-s for me

 

ford focus 2.0 mk1 zetec hands down!! forget about fiestas and pumas even a 1.25 fiesta cost more to insure than a 2.0 focus.

 

Mk2 escort with a 1600 xflow, reckon you should get one for the top end of your budget, might not sound that great, but, 1 day, you'll find yourself at a roundabout, deserted and in the rain, then try arguing against that choice

 

i feel sorry for young lads nowerdays with insurance, before i was 20 i had insured 205 1.9 gti, rover 620 turbo, sierra xr 4x4 etc and have never paid more than a grand for insurance and that wasnt that long ago im only 28 now!

 

think you might find the puma 1.7 is insurance group 25. 8 insurance groups above the focus 2.0 and fiesta 1.6

 

hows that work when a cossie is group 20? or have they changed something?

 

20 used to be the highest IIRC but there are 50 now.

 

Lol as there's hundreds of them out there to choose from??