Cardie

After just 14 lessons Ive passed my test (wooo!) with 2 minors

Now im after a car, I didnt get one already because of insurance, I wouldn't want to be in a position where ive bought a car for £300 and the insurance is £5000!

Thing is, what should I be buying? I know I dont have much of a choice for my first car but I don't want to be driving around in a 1.1 saxo or a MK1 micra

I have had a look at a few Clio 1.2's and they dont seem to be too bad on insurance (looking about £1900-£1800) and the cars you can get for about £800. I was hoping to insure our MK2 Fiesta but as thats sold it would of been too impractical. (Twin 40s ZVH) with about 8MPG and struggling to start all the time!

Ive done quotes and had a look at things like 1.2 clios, corsas, novas but I really don't know what else to look for now!

Any ideas?

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

I would go for something like a MK2 Fezza etc, as classic insurance could be an option, which should to be cheaper, also add a millage restriction, if your only going to do low millage as this will being your premium down, the same applies if you add a parent to the policy!

Martin

darrenb16two

I'd get a mk4 escort 1.3 bonus and S2 rep it mate

Cardie

Ive tried adding parents to the policy it doesnt seem to do anything for me, goes up if anything! and I cant use a classic policy until im 21

PileOfRust

+1

Fiestas are getting expensive mate, my original choice was gonna me a mk3 or mk4 escort 1.1/1.3 to Rs turbo rep it,

Don't get me wrong, the fiestas are cool little cars but getting a cheap one in good nick is rare, panels are rare and expensive and parts are starting to get scarce too

PileOfRust

Need2insure

Try them

My mate can get insured on anything below a 1.4 for £1900... That includes punto gt turbos and starlets, and can do any mod to his car so long it doesn't increase engine capacity

RS Grant

iTrader: (1)

MK5 Fiesta Van... sling on the ZetecS bodykit/wheels and it'll be a cool little runner which won't cost the earth to run/insure.


Cheers,
Grant

Turbo Transit

before you pick a car, run LOTS of insurance quotes on many different motors.

My mate ran some quotes a while ago and the differences were astounding.

He'd been quoted about 1100quid on a 1996 corsa, and decided to try some other cars for comparison.

It would have been cheaper for him to insure a 2008 C2 VTR, than his 1.2 Corsa by a few quid, and a 2005 clio was significantly cheaper than an identical 2000 model, which was still cheaper than his corsa. A Volvo C70 T5 was slightly more expensive than the corsa at around 1500, but an A4 TDi Quattro came in at over 3 grand, despite being slower than the volvo and worth a similar amount.

Due to the way the statistics work, something thats a bit rare and oddball can often be cheaper, as less of them get crashed so the insurance companies algorithms see them as cheaper cars to insure.

So look a bit outside the box, dont assume and older cheaper car will be cheaper to insure, as the above shows it simply isnt the case.

Lastly, never pay in installments. Stick it on a credit card (preferably a 0% one) if you must, because even a credit card at 20odd percent is usually cheaper than what the insurers end up wanting if you pay in installments.

tejy

iTrader: (1)

This is exactly what I did. Payed under a grand for the car, insurance was around £1400 for the first year that I drove, 2nd year went down to £1100, 2 years and a few thousand pounds later its got a rebuilt rs turbo engine in which goes like fuccccccccccckkkkkkkk! .. only problem is now I cant afford to insure it because I've spent all my monies on it lol

*edit* have a look at my resto thread if your serious about going for a bonus.. it will give you a few ideas of what to expect along the way .. not going to lie it was all worth it in the end though!

RS331

Just insure it as per the logbook, dont declare rs turbo lump, the bodys are identical to every escort that shape, if you crash and do some real damage to the engine your looking at intercooler and rad, engine mounts and again the same work to be done to the chassis as the panels are the same etc, dont let insurers fuck you.

i had a mk4 cabriolet 1989 and i dropped a 2OO+BHP lump in it but got it insured as per the log book, XR3i cabriolet .

when i was running it standard 1.6 MFi at 18 my insurance on third party was "£2,500" emagine how much it would of been if id of said it had a 200+BHP turbo engine in it, ill tell you, they would of either not insured me or they would of tripped the price to near £7,000 i recon.

my advice is insure it as a bonus mate and safe a small fortune lol.

if your getting a new car after passing a test your going to have problems with everyone because you are a high risk, stay away from high risk cars or cars classed in their eyes as cars used for speeding by young people

my insurance now is only £219.07 Fully comp with a classic insurance policy.

you could try adrian Flux but sometimes they are Mickey mouse, they advertise "we insure younger drivers with faster cars" but they want to know the ins and outs of a cats arse an 10 times out of 10 get you a quote which is bullshit, for example my SLE Jaguar X-Type 2.5 AWD spirit fully comp was only £484.00 i had an RS Turbo at the same time insured, called adrian flux and they told me that it would cost me over £1,500 and im well over 25 !!! i told em to fuck off effectively

RS Grant

iTrader: (1)

Giving a new driver this advice is fucking retarded you cunt.

Just let himself get fucked by some wanker on the internet who has told him that not declaring an engine swap is the right thing to do.... However if the worst does happen and he crashes then he will discover that by not declaring his engine swap, he has rendered his insurance void and after being convicted he will not be able to insure anything for the next few years.


Cheers,
Grant

luke19790_3

Have you told the insurance company that your car is modified?

Oranoco

Fucking Hell there's some terrible advice here for a new driver.

1. Do NOT modify it as the premium will jump. Cosmetically or performance wise.

2. Do NOT fail to declare items to insurer. Putting a big engine in and telling them it's still 1100cc is fraudulant. If you think insurance is high now try it after having a policy refused.

Try stuff like the Fiat Sceciento Sporting. Add a parent to YOUR policy as this may help (although you say you've done this). I'm afraid whatever you do it'll cost. Don't be tempted to get mum or dad to insure it and you be a named driver as this is illegal.

Good luck

Less.

Classic fords like the mK1 Fiesta people seem to be able to get quotes around the £1500 to £1800 mark on them,oh just seen you thought about a MK2 Fesata yeah with those mods you will dry bumed with a cactus

Ka and Corsas and such like seem to be around the 3k mark

Fst

You can get a box put on them as well by some insurers and that takes the policy down. My sis in law did on a mini at 18 went down £800 doing 4000 miles a year. My advice is go for a "boring" car first then go from there.

fogulbennett

go for a mk5 1.25 fiesta 5dr not the coolest thing on earth or fastest but cheap too insure at 19 with 6 points i was £68 a month! my own policy with my mum a named driver doing 8000 miles a year that was with the co-op insurance! i found going too big companies like aviva etc were cheaper for me too insure anything good luck!!

Cardie

Cheers for the info! Ive been having a look at mk5/4 fiestas and there all around the £2100 mark (everything from 1.25 to 1.8diesel) turbo diesels were a little bit more, Still clios seem to be the cheapest, nice good looking car but what about reliability?

Thanks again!

Rab

Ford ka. Great fun to drive, and a group 2!

cossiejay

mint answer ,direct and straight to the point

deano2690

try an old beetle or something along those lines.........
Not the fastest thing in the world by a long way, but easy to maintain, cheep and plenty full parts and loads of specialist insurance company's for them.

Same with old minis i belive

Rab

Well, Grant is not known for sitting on the fence!

neilscott83

Bang on brilliant little cars.

deano2690

+1
I Managed to insure a sport for not much more than a 1.3 collection when i was 18.....
(21 now)

great fun to throw around, far better than a clio or corsa as far as driving is concerned

matts1

MK5 fiesta 1.25 , will be cheaper than the ka and possibly less rust issues. Tough little cars if kept maintained, and with soooooo many on the market, you will be able to pick and choose colour/condition.

If you get the right colour then after 6/12 months you could look to make it into a Zetec S rep as you may be earning a bit more and the insurance may not be too horrific - but maybe so check lol!

zetec-Sam

iTrader: (2)

Buy a cheap shitter, don't modify it, build no claims, then buy a decent car in a few years. It'll drop quick, I've only been driving 3 years, but can insure a modified 200sx comfortably

MikeyRobbo

Think outside the box, you want a car that is not common for youngsters to drive, you'll get screwed on the common ones, like i did, group 2 KA, 6k

phil_rs

iTrader: (3)

Finally someone speaks some sense!

p.s. Replicas are fuckin' wank anyway!

James B

KA's are nice cars. I had one I shared with my gf. Was a nice dark blue colour and OZ alloys already on it just didnt declare them as I hadnt fitted them myself.

Ive had my license 4 years but could only start to afford my own car last year as I was doing a very low pay apprenticeship so now with 4 years experience and 1 years NCB I pay £1100 for a Fully Comp + my gf on it for a mk2 focus 1.6

It gets cheaper very quick. I shopped around once I got my renewal and 1 yr NCB and I got over £1000 off of my policy..

xr2wishy

iTrader: (2)

here's a thought if you want to go everywhere slowly, try a morris minor, get the old man to insure it and have you as an additional driver, my brother in law has done this and insurance is a whopping £200 a year for both of them with zero no claims bonus.
just a thought, other than that, just ask a broker what they recommend for cheap insurance.

James B

Do not do this..

My best mates girlfriend was doing that, Her mum was the policey holder on a mk 5 Fiesta and she was a named driver but using it as her commute and personal mileage. She had an accident in it and her insurance refused to pay out, then fined her £300 iirc and also made her pay up the rest of the outstanding policey payments. Then she had difficulty getting insurance as it was considered fraud.

Dont just come back with 'so dont have an accident then'

phil_rs

iTrader: (3)

Doing a pass plus scheme can also bring down your insurance loads, in most cases it is equivalent to 1 year NCB

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/motoring...ers/dg_4022426

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...vers/DG_182846

Java=Blue

Classic Mini

they handle like fookin go-karts and cheap as chips to insure

zetec-Sam

iTrader: (2)

Woo, more piss-poor advice! Don't do the above, it's fronting and illegal!

Most insurers couldn't care less about Pass Plus anymore I'm afraid.

Oranoco

Pass plus did nothing for my brother when he was 17, he's 29 now. 1600 then to insure a 1.2 Nova third party.

RS331

Oh well each to their own, i managed 3 years insuring it from paper ie XR3i but with an RS lump in it, i paid well under the possible premium for 3 years, now that car is scrapped ive properly declared my current escort and its very cheap now given my no claims and no convictions and no bans all declared under the bonnet to answer your question Luke.

screw the system like they screw new drivers, most of the time if you crash people dont bother with insurance and do it privately because people dont want to pay for it being their fault.

to make another solid point on this comment, the police ANPR system shows , insured taxed and MOT'd from your registration plate, once they see this on their system they have no reason to stop you, insurance isnt a lawfull matter but a legal requirement, if you meet the requirement what can they do ?

again have a small scuff, go private, have a heavy crash go through insurance if it wasnt your fault, there is at no point going to be an inspector knocking at your door asking to look under your bonnet unless you cause a fatality ! in which will be investigated.

Magnum PI

As my old mum said to me when i was 17 & just passed my test:

"2nd class driving is better than 1st class walking!"

Don't bother with anything deemed 'cool' or 'desireable' by your peers. So look for something thats looked upon as an 'old mans car'. If your mates take the piss, then leave them in the rain at the bus stop, while you remain dry and able to go anywhere in your car.

In 1992 my 1st car was an Austin Montego 1.6 - really uncool, but it was a Ford Sierra equivalent, a lot cheaper to insure and did the job at the time i was looking at Golf's/escorts etc and were all mega expensive.

At the end of the day you want something cheap, to run for 12 months, while you build up your own No Claims Bonus. - there's the clue it doesn't matter how much of a shitter it is as long as it lasts 12 months & gets you your 1st year insurance under your belt to get that initial 30% NCB

after 12 months you can then look for a better car as you will have some NCB & therefore be less of a 'risk' and afford to insure something better/cooler.

Also opt for one of these policies that restict milage or usage between certain times, with a tracker perhaps.

I'd be considering the following:

Fiesta 1.25 Zetec - maybe pushing it a little as a cool little car
Rover 200/25 or 400/45 - mega cheap to buy, should last 12 months, then you can trade in for somethig better

luke19790_3

????????? so you told the them this was standard

Java=Blue

It IS standard ? lolol

luke19790_3

honest its standard

RS331

Correct