Help - A fairly urgent What Car!
Discussion
Here is a brief explanation of why things are urgent - I was looking at Honda CRX Del Sols, and arranged to look at 3 this weekend after checking with my insurance that i could get insured on one at the beginning of the week.
I called up insurance again yesterday with a registration of a UK one that I was intending to look at, but they decided that a 1.6 FWD Civic Convertible is a sports car, and as I'm under 25 I can't be insured on one, even though they previously told me I could be insured on one at the beginning of last week. Sigh.
So onwards with the story, my mum has arranged to sell her March Cabriolet and the bloke is coming from the Netherlands on 17th August to collect it. This was originally agreed a couple of weeks ago as we thought 3-4 weeks was plenty of time.
She is buying my Civic off me, giving me £1800-2000 to play with, but only 2 weeks to find something now as the CRX idea is out of the window.
Right the assignment is a relatively straight forward one:
Car needs to be:
Cheap to run - low ins., 35+ MPG etc
Diesel can be an option
Looks fairly good - no fuddy duddy boring Mondeos et al
Fairly decent to drive - not disconnected from the road etc. (but not a 'sports car'...)
Something that isn't considered a 'sports car' by my insurance co. - I'm guessing this means 2 seaters and convertibles are out of the equation
So fairly general requirements.
So far we've considered:
MG ZS/ZR/ZT diesels (we already own an MG so we not phased by the stories)
Micras (again)
Daihatsu Cuore (I'm calling up insurance about a possible one tomorrow to see what the costs may be)
Suggest away!
I called up insurance again yesterday with a registration of a UK one that I was intending to look at, but they decided that a 1.6 FWD Civic Convertible is a sports car, and as I'm under 25 I can't be insured on one, even though they previously told me I could be insured on one at the beginning of last week. Sigh.
So onwards with the story, my mum has arranged to sell her March Cabriolet and the bloke is coming from the Netherlands on 17th August to collect it. This was originally agreed a couple of weeks ago as we thought 3-4 weeks was plenty of time.
She is buying my Civic off me, giving me £1800-2000 to play with, but only 2 weeks to find something now as the CRX idea is out of the window.
Right the assignment is a relatively straight forward one:
Car needs to be:
Cheap to run - low ins., 35+ MPG etc
Diesel can be an option
Looks fairly good - no fuddy duddy boring Mondeos et al
Fairly decent to drive - not disconnected from the road etc. (but not a 'sports car'...)
Something that isn't considered a 'sports car' by my insurance co. - I'm guessing this means 2 seaters and convertibles are out of the equation
So fairly general requirements.
So far we've considered:
MG ZS/ZR/ZT diesels (we already own an MG so we not phased by the stories)
Micras (again)
Daihatsu Cuore (I'm calling up insurance about a possible one tomorrow to see what the costs may be)
Suggest away!
Edited by CatfishCKY on Saturday 30th July 21:12
CatfishCKY said:
CanadianScot said:
E46 318? Or would they consider that a sports car?
Whats the fuel economy like on them? It needs to be preferably upwards of 35mpg as both hubby and I commute to work.A 318i e46 should easily be capable of 35mpg+ but it will depend how you drive it. It won't be very fast though. A 320i or a 323i will offer similar economy but far more grunt.
If you are considering MG ZR's and want something sporty, take a look at the Rover 200 BRM. Lovely custom interior, close ratio box and a LSD make it a better performer than the latter MG branded versions.
300bhp/ton said:
I think 35mpg ave is optimistic for many of the cars listed. Well at least I doubt I'd truly average 35mpg in them.
A 318i e46 should easily be capable of 35mpg+ but it will depend how you drive it. It won't be very fast though. A 320i or a 323i will offer similar economy but far more grunt.
If you are considering MG ZR's and want something sporty, take a look at the Rover 200 BRM. Lovely custom interior, close ratio box and a LSD make it a better performer than the latter MG branded versions.
Will even the diesel ZSs struggle with 35mpg+? It's suggested they do about 40-50mpg? A 318i e46 should easily be capable of 35mpg+ but it will depend how you drive it. It won't be very fast though. A 320i or a 323i will offer similar economy but far more grunt.
If you are considering MG ZR's and want something sporty, take a look at the Rover 200 BRM. Lovely custom interior, close ratio box and a LSD make it a better performer than the latter MG branded versions.
We won't be racing it around really, it's my main car, and we'll have the husband's MG TF for uber sporty fun, but I want something that wont be dreary to drive like my Civic!
A BMW may be something to consider then?
With regards to the 200 BRM, I think my insurance will think it to be too 'sporty', but I suppose there is no harm in asking!
Thanks for the help so far, keep em coming!
Best go for one of these then...................
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
Dunno what my dad would make of it though - he said he'd disown me if I got a Mini 
To be honest, you'll struggle to find a good one. Some are for sale at £20k +
This is a little over budget but you can always put in an offer or search down the back of the sofa.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3068816.htm
Non Cooper models are still all right.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3063475.htm
He says he's open to offers in the region of the stated price.
This is a little over budget but you can always put in an offer or search down the back of the sofa.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3068816.htm
Non Cooper models are still all right.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3063475.htm
He says he's open to offers in the region of the stated price.
tercelgold said:
Back when we agreed he was to collect the car on 17/08, we had about a month to find another car for me, which was going to be straight forward if my insurance company covered me on CRXs.
Or do you have an aversion to an overseas buyer?
tercelgold said:
Yes that one.
He isn't a scammer if that is what you're referring to, considering the in-depth questions he had about the specialised car my mother was selling; the fact I've spoken to him several times via email and phone, and that he has paid the deposit to come and collect. How do you have an aversion to him?
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