Best car for 18 year old?

Best car for 18 year old?

Author
Discussion

otolith

56,124 posts

204 months

Monday 30th November 2015
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I used to get those EP2 Civics as courtesy cars from the Honda dealership when my Type-R was being serviced. They were extremely ordinary, unremarkable, nothing in common with the EP3 at all in how they drove.

JockySteer

1,407 posts

116 months

Monday 30th November 2015
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A banger that's super cheap to insure (or at least as cheap as possible)
Don't want to be forking out too much at 18 years old. Plenty of time for that in future!

caelite

4,274 posts

112 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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My buddy just picked up an MG ZR 1.4 as his first car (he had been driving his mums mazda for 6months or so). I remember him saying the insurance on that was pretty reasonable, as it was the quickest car he could find sub 1.6. The car looks great, little revvy k series sounds a peach. It wont be the most reliable thing in the world but nice examples can be picked up for a grand.

skyrover

12,671 posts

204 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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BoRED S2upid

19,700 posts

240 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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Pebbles167 said:
They are badged vtec but don't have the different cam profiles that people generally mean. Sadly vtec won't be kicking in yo. The d16 engine is very boring.

Considered a 106 gti/saxo vts? There is a reason teenagers love them. If that's not luxurious enough, look for an older bmw 3 series. Surprisingly cheap to insure and run in many cases.
Not a VTS the insurance will kill him.

Good call on an older 3 series.

Mr_D

703 posts

101 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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How about a circa 2007 Suzuki Swift Sport. In budget, 130bhp, sweet handling and may be ok on insurance, doesn't have the poor image that some other cars have (saxo, corsa, civic bla bla)

I'd avoid a 1.5 n/a impreza.

Blanchimont

4,076 posts

122 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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Have you considered a Grande Punto?

I've got a Grande Punto T-Jet.

120hp, 155lb-ft torque, quick enough, and most importantly, reasonable to run.

I bought mine when I was 19, I paid £600 with a years ncb.

The only time it's failed me is when it snapped a spring, although I think that's more down to the roads by me.

There's a link to the carpool done on my car.

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-carpool/fiat-gr...

I paid £3,500 early last year for mine with a lot of options ticked. Privacy glass, optional alloys, met paint, sound upgrade, rear parking sensors, and cruise control.

It's gone from 49 to 70k with nothing other than consumables, and a clutch.

Ironically, if you're interested, send me a PM as it may be going up for sale in the coming week.

anonymous-user

54 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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The answer is the same as any of these threads - Get off the forums and onto comparison sites/insurers websites and have a play around.

I must have spent hundreds of hours fiddling around with quotes to get an idea of what you'll be able to afford insurance on.

The insurance game is constantly changing and some of the go to suggestions have already been sussed out by insurance companies so it always pays to do your own home work.

Just a work of advice, make sure you don't end up spending all of your money on insurance. I was in a similar position at 18 and got a 2.5k quote on a turbo Toyota soarer, a car I wanted for years and the insurance was fairly reasonable in comparison to what friends were paying for lesser cars.

The insurance was the easy bit, running and enjoying the car with only apprenticeship money made the whole situation bitter sweet. In hindsight I should have stuck with something a bit cheaper until the money started rolling in/insurance costs came down.


Mr Trophy

6,808 posts

203 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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Callybae said:
Insurance on a clio like that would be horrendous surely?
More than likely. I was 19 and bought a Clio Trophy (182 bhp) and from memory I was about 1600/1800 quid for insurance!

What about something like this? http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...

Blanchimont

4,076 posts

122 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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Mr Trophy said:
More than likely. I was 19 and bought a Clio Trophy (182 bhp) and from memory I was about 1600/1800 quid for insurance!

What about something like this? http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...
Sod the Focus, I'll take that F40 please cloud9

Mr Trophy

6,808 posts

203 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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Blanchimont said:
Mr Trophy said:
More than likely. I was 19 and bought a Clio Trophy (182 bhp) and from memory I was about 1600/1800 quid for insurance!

What about something like this? http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...
Sod the Focus, I'll take that F40 please cloud9
With the smoked focus lights surely?

CallorFold

832 posts

133 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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Might be pushing it budget and insurance wise, but, Fiesta ST? Failing that maybe a Zetec S?

Honda Civic Type S?

ETA: Civic Type S might be a bit on insurance actually, didn't realize they were quite that powerful!

E36Ross

502 posts

112 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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Fiesta ST gets my vote.

Or be sensible an get a Zetec S 1.6TDCI. (60+ MPG and still fun to drive)

ferrariF50lover

1,834 posts

226 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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Barge. 4.0 V8, getting on for 300bhp, all leather all electric everything, Jaguar badge, will cost you a couple of hundred quid to insure. To go along the hot hatch route and all you're doing is paying to recarpet the insurance company MD's holiday home in Spain.

otolith

56,124 posts

204 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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Nothing costs you a couple of hundred quid to insure at 18.

Freddy88FM

474 posts

134 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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Pebbles167 said:
Considered a 106 gti/saxo vts? There is a reason teenagers love them. If that's not luxurious enough, look for an older bmw 3 series. Surprisingly cheap to insure and run in many cases.
Until last week I had a 106 GTi for 9 years. It was a fun car but is not a car to buy today. Almost all are dogs, and spectacularly unsafe.

Over over under steer

663 posts

123 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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I had a VW Lupo sport at that age. Cheap to insure, light enough, with skinny wheels and a 100hp nasp engine that loved to be revved.

Great fun (perhaps the most fun car I've driven) and cheap to run and insure

Pebbles167

3,445 posts

152 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
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Freddy88FM said:
Pebbles167 said:
Considered a 106 gti/saxo vts? There is a reason teenagers love them. If that's not luxurious enough, look for an older bmw 3 series. Surprisingly cheap to insure and run in many cases.
Until last week I had a 106 GTi for 9 years. It was a fun car but is not a car to buy today. Almost all are dogs, and spectacularly unsafe.
I'm a huge peugeot fan and have had several. Agree with everything you say. There have been 6 road deaths in the last year within 5 miles of my house. In every one, the deceased were in a 106/saxo, no kidding.

Theo 97

36 posts

107 months

Wednesday 2nd December 2015
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Think outside the box mate look at the 2004 1.6 corolla hatch as the 0-60 is about 10 seconds and the insurance group is 13 or look at a mk4 astra as the 1.6 16v is quite cheap and the 1.8 sxi isnt too bad either

swisstoni

16,997 posts

279 months

Wednesday 2nd December 2015
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If you were my kid I'd be looking at NCAP ratings and working backwards.
Statistically you are more likely to be in prang than most.
No reflection on your driving, but just a fact.