40 replies to this topic

[Stevie Dubyah]

Can you get an original Mini for that wedge these days? Maybe classic insurance and depreciation-proof.

[JamesC]

Classic insurance for young drivers isnt so easy to find now.  I had a Triumph Spitfire as my first car in 2003.  All my mates were running around in Fiesta's/Nova's paying £1000+ insurance while I had mine for sub £500 on a classic policy.  My cousin looked at doing the same thing recently and couldn't find a classic policy that would allow anyone younger than 21 to drive.

[mbes2]

1.8i MGF . sorted

[Samwise]

Might be a silly suggestion but take a look at the new 1.0 Ecoboost fiesta's? Got the Zetec S version myself (125bhp) which is good fun.

Small Turbocharged petrol car, bluetooth for music/phone (and really good speakers actually), Tax is FREE, its a 3 cylinder 1.0 car so it drinks petrol like one and is insured like one too!

I'm 22 now but when I got the car last year is was about £20 more to insure the £12500 Zetec S compared to my 10 year old 1.4 Clio and ofcourse I was saving money on the tax and petrol costs.

[Tibbles Stryker]

Toyota aygo, still a little fun....well ish, cheap as chips to run and they have an airbag or too, I'd hate my kids to have anything faster I can remember what a loon I was in my 1980 fiesta bravo, I could anticipate how little grip I had to maximise sliding out of a corner at maximum mph 🚔

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

what your after does not exist.

 

either pay through the nose or drive a sh*t box.

 

An ordinal mini would prob be the best compromise

[TheRealVXed]

Fiat Punto Sporting my brother has one, great car.

 

Either that or I would fully endorse the Swift Sport.  I have had two and they are hilarious.  For slightly cheaper insurance try the Suzuki Ignis Sport.  Basically the same car

 

 

[techieboy]

Might be a silly suggestion but take a look at the new 1.0 Ecoboost fiesta's? Got the Zetec S version myself (125bhp) which is good fun.

 

Had any problems with it? The missus is hovering over the order button for one. The only thing putting her off currently is a 14-week wait for a factory build.

[NickB787]

I am in the same boat very soon I wonder how much insurance will be for my 17 year old son to learn in my VX, might be a bit me thinks

[Rudy]

I am in the same boat very soon I wonder how much insurance will be for my 17 year old son to learn in my VX, might be a bit me thinks

 

Dirt cheap - comparatively speaking!

 

Some specialist insurers base the whole learner driver experience on the fact that you are in the car.  I did this with my daughter a while back and it was about 80 quid a month on any car.  IIRC a company called marmalade. 

[ollie2007]

Just buy Rudys automatic Metro😜😜😂😂

[Hark]

Why is mpg or low tax much of a consideration when insurance is £3300? I think if you'd have me with something with some go or that was rwd when I was 17, I'm not sure I'd be here to tell the tale.

Edited by Hark, 20 November 2014 - 05:59 PM.

[Samwise]

 

Might be a silly suggestion but take a look at the new 1.0 Ecoboost fiesta's? Got the Zetec S version myself (125bhp) which is good fun.

 

Had any problems with it? The missus is hovering over the order button for one. The only thing putting her off currently is a 14-week wait for a factory build.

 

 

No massive problems but this was compared to my first car (the clio) had it just over a year now but I haven't put any Miles on it. I bought it from ford as a nearly-new car. Ford's guys had put 11,000 miles on it within 6 months, fair amount but i've only put 2000 miles on it since.

My only problem with it has been the gearbox, reverse can be "hit and miss" shall we say, as unless you stop in neutral first before going in to reverse it can sometimes not engage the gear properly (having spoken to my local ford dealership they've said this is common with this gear box and i've not bothered pursuing it further as its not the end of the world). Oh also with the gearbox they were a bit daft and forgot to put a 6th gear in it (atleast in the Zs version, not sure about others) which I find doesn't cruise along at 70 very well as the RPM sits a bit higher than i'd like on a long motorway journey.

It will hit Ford's MPG figures with solely Motorway driving however i drive around a congested city 85% of the time so that's a bit irrelevant, also I like to enjoy driving the car more than most

 

As I said above I got the Zetec S version which includes the 125bhp engine, meaner looking black grill, front splitter thingy and a factory fitted spoiler but misses alot of the bells and whistles that the other models have such as automatic lights/wipers, parking sensors, cruise control, heated seats, etc.

Bit of a long winded mini-review but I do very much like the car despite what I put above, everything else it does superbly and I didn't have much choice at the time due to money, scrapping my old car etc but i don't regret it at all.

 

Sorry to derail the thread a bit, back on topic:

 

I wouldn't insure a 17 year old on a VX if you somehow manage it in the first place. I struggled to get insured on ours before I was 21 and even now i'm only able to insure it because its in a multi-car with my fiesta

[Captain Vimes]

Mk3 mr2? Cheap as chips now and they have bolt on wings and panels to reduce insurance costs.. No idea if they'd insure a young driver on it and it has no boot...

[don.hasi]

Proton Satria GTI http://de.m.wikipedi...i:Satriagti.jpg Already with Lotus DNA inside handles superb. Cost near to nothing. Best fun for bucks, honest. Drive one, you will understand...

[Ali87]

My first car was a shagged out 206 followed by a C1. Although not as cool as a lot of suggestions it was a complete riot and shamed many bigger cars on the roads round me! You can rev the tits out it's wee Toyota engine and it puts a massive smile on your face going round corners on 3 wheels while being p*ss cheap to run. My dad loved it so much he kept it when I got a company car and he often uses it over his mx-5

[Ali87]

Toyota aygo, still a little fun....well ish, cheap as chips to run and they have an airbag or too, I'd hate my kids to have anything faster I can remember what a loon I was in my 1980 fiesta bravo, I could anticipate how little grip I had to maximise sliding out of a corner at maximum mph 🚔

this but a C1 - the same but cheaper! Have to remember most young guys are complete fandans as soon as they pass their test. I would have definitely done myself a mischief if I'd started with a faster motor.

[drunknmunky]

what your after does not exist.   either pay through the nose or drive a sh*t box.   An ordinal mini would prob be the best compromise

Exactly right! The only way to get something even remotely fun for him is to insure it yourself and put him as a named driver, some companies let this count to building up his no claims aswell so in couple years will be a lot better for him. You might try a mk1 Mr2 maybe?

[Mangham54]

 

what your after does not exist.   either pay through the nose or drive a sh*t box.   An ordinal mini would prob be the best compromise

Exactly right! The only way to get something even remotely fun for him is to insure it yourself and put him as a named driver, some companies let this count to building up his no claims aswell so in couple years will be a lot better for him. You might try a mk1 Mr2 maybe?

 

 

 

But certainly don't do this, if he/she is the main driver... as that will invalidate the policy.

[-Dab-of-Oppo-]

He won't be doing this I have told him a policy in his own right from day one is the way to go. People 'fronting' really annoy me especially when it is so blatant as having something like a chavved up Saxo supposedly belonging to your retired parents. I've told him that if he does for his own good I'll be the first to dob him in. I disagree to some extent that something fun that's insurable on a budget does not exist. He doesn't expect to get anything with much go the pleasure or fun factor will be derived more from a communicative chassis with good feedback and chuckability hence the interest in a Swift which from my experience handles as well as anything in that sector. Paying upwards of 3k on insurance has been ruled out so the Swift is still looking the best option as it will only cost a negligible amount more than what the cheapest of cheap cars would anyway.

Edited by -Dab-of-Oppo-, 12 December 2014 - 04:15 PM.