Ford Capri first car??
Discussion
Hi, I’m brand new to piston heads however I have scrolled through the forum for months now. I’m 17 and a first time driver and love classic cars, I prefer them to the modern hatchbacks all my friends drive, I have been looking at buying a Ford Capri as I have found a few that are reasonably priced and have found quotes for insurance to be around £1000-£1500/year for comprehensive cover. My question is is it suitable for a first car? I plan to use it daily to and from school (about 45mins a day) and on the weekend just driving around socially. What model would be most suitable for someone like me? If a Capri isn’t the best choice, what is a good classic for a first car?
Thanks
Thanks
Drove Capri's aged 18 to 24 and never had any issues parking, even when very inexperienced.
Safety features\ young drivers ? young drivers have always been a hugely higher risk. Its just that insurance companies are applying a heavier levy as time passes due to todays blame culture, and probably the amount each claim costs. When I was young everyone I knew around my age group were in cars that cost £500 to £1000 , or about 2 months wages in todays money - NOT the £10k 12-24 month old keeping up with the Jones' cars youngsters seem to be choosing these days. Hell my first car cost me a 3 weeks wages to buy and 3 weeks wages to insure - and wasnt a million years ago - Im still under 50.
Without all todays safety features I wonder how people in their 40's and 50's managed to survive to this age.
Safety features\ young drivers ? young drivers have always been a hugely higher risk. Its just that insurance companies are applying a heavier levy as time passes due to todays blame culture, and probably the amount each claim costs. When I was young everyone I knew around my age group were in cars that cost £500 to £1000 , or about 2 months wages in todays money - NOT the £10k 12-24 month old keeping up with the Jones' cars youngsters seem to be choosing these days. Hell my first car cost me a 3 weeks wages to buy and 3 weeks wages to insure - and wasnt a million years ago - Im still under 50.
Without all todays safety features I wonder how people in their 40's and 50's managed to survive to this age.
It's RWD.
It has no traction control / ESP / ABS / Airbags.
The suspension and bushes will like be very tired and need refreshing for it to handle well.
You are 17 and likely to want to use it to its fullest potential
On the strength of all the above, I highly recommend getting yourself onto an IAM or RoSPA advanced driving course ASAP, to help you avoid having an accident or losing control in the first place!
You should also get yourself onto a skidpan or RWD-training course so you learn what loss of traction/control feels like in a controlled environment (rather than on a diesel spill on a roundabout in town on a rainy evening in November). Definitely find one that doesn't use those cradle things - I can't see how they are at all realistic when compared to how a tyre and the surface interact and 'feel' through the wheel/seat of your pants.
It has no traction control / ESP / ABS / Airbags.
The suspension and bushes will like be very tired and need refreshing for it to handle well.
You are 17 and likely to want to use it to its fullest potential
On the strength of all the above, I highly recommend getting yourself onto an IAM or RoSPA advanced driving course ASAP, to help you avoid having an accident or losing control in the first place!
You should also get yourself onto a skidpan or RWD-training course so you learn what loss of traction/control feels like in a controlled environment (rather than on a diesel spill on a roundabout in town on a rainy evening in November). Definitely find one that doesn't use those cradle things - I can't see how they are at all realistic when compared to how a tyre and the surface interact and 'feel' through the wheel/seat of your pants.
If you can find one that’s not too rotten underneath and you can get insurance then go for it.
I had a couple of Capri’s when I was a teenager and loved them, my first proper learning driving was driving a Capri 1.6L.
They were all crap (unless you had a V6 of course) even back then the brakes were woeful and the engines were gutless and the cars were slow. See if you can get a drive in one before buying one as you might hate it. The chances of finding a half decent Capri for little money now is virtually zero it’s a 30 year old Ford after all.
A late model 2.0-S or Laser with recaro seats and 5 speed would be a nice find- but probably worth £5k to £10k for a decent one.
Don’t expect cheap Capri to give you lots of power sliding fun, you won’t be doing any of that, the driving experience is more like a Cortina hatchback!
I had a couple of Capri’s when I was a teenager and loved them, my first proper learning driving was driving a Capri 1.6L.
They were all crap (unless you had a V6 of course) even back then the brakes were woeful and the engines were gutless and the cars were slow. See if you can get a drive in one before buying one as you might hate it. The chances of finding a half decent Capri for little money now is virtually zero it’s a 30 year old Ford after all.
A late model 2.0-S or Laser with recaro seats and 5 speed would be a nice find- but probably worth £5k to £10k for a decent one.
Don’t expect cheap Capri to give you lots of power sliding fun, you won’t be doing any of that, the driving experience is more like a Cortina hatchback!
swerni said:
I had one at 17 and managed not to die 
Me too, despite many an attempt . Mine was a 1.6L, really slow and quite thirsty. I liked it although my mates thought it was a knob’s car. Cost me the princely sum of £50 without an mot back in 1992, plus a further £60 for a set of white seller wheels with tyres.
If I remember rightly insurance was an eye watering £550.
I learned all about carrying momentum and cadence braking (no abs of course).
It was a non interference engine too, so when the cam belt snapped I just got it towed home and fixed it.
Scrapped it in the end due to a bit of rot. And a Fiat UNO 70S that I’d just bought.
swerni said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Given the accident rates for young drivers, a Capri will have none of the safety features we take for granted in a modern car. I wouldn't have wanted my 17 y/o in one.
I know this will be ridiculed on PH, but c'est la vie.
I had one at 17 and managed not to die I know this will be ridiculed on PH, but c'est la vie.
D_Andrew said:
Thanks for the responses guys, but after reading them, I guess I'm on the fence mainly due to safety features, is daily driving one really that dangerous?
Back in the 70s or 80s, we just took it for granted. It was no worse than anything else. But by today's standards, then yes. I doubt it would earn a single Encap star. If you have a big accident, you'd be far more likely to survive and avoid life changing injuries in any modern car, even something much smaller, like a Citroen C1. As I said, all this will be completely ridiculed by the PH masses.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Back in the 70s or 80s, we just took it for granted. It was no worse than anything else. But by today's standards, then yes. I doubt it would earn a single Encap star. If you have a big accident, you'd be far more likely to survive and avoid life changing injuries in any modern car, even something much smaller, like a Citroen C1.
As I said, all this will be completely ridiculed by the PH masses.
We are talking a out very low value / low performance cars, at this price range don’t be expecting too much in terms of ncap ratings. As I said, all this will be completely ridiculed by the PH masses.
The main thing here is it’s a low power low perrormance car - a 1.0 Micra will be quicker than a 30 yr old Capri 1.6! I had the misfortune of having a Capri 1.3 once, 4 speed, 60 bhp.
I also remember my 1.1 Fiesta feeling a lot faster than my 1.6’ 75 bhp Capri!
Try not to crash it and you will be fine, if you do crash remember it will turn into a pile of iron oxide that needs sweeping up as much as towing away:
Ps
Mums-net is over there somewhere (try google).
RSTurboPaul said:
The suspension and bushes will like be very tired and need refreshing for it to handle well.
Having owned a Capri from new, "handle well" is not an expression that springs to mind! I crashed mine within a few weeks of getting it. Understeer was horrendous, although I guess would be somewhat better on today's tyres.Firstly I'd just like to say it's great to read of someone in their teens wanting something different! :thumup: OP.
My first car in 1976 was a clapped-out 1967 Cortina and I spent nearly as much time fixing it as driving it, but I loved it (although I probably wouldn't now)!
Then in the 1980s I had a couple of Capri 2.8 Injections and loved them, and they handled really well for cars of that era.
I wouldn't want another as I'd probably be disappointed with the performance now, and they are getting too dear.
But OP, if it's what you want then just get one and enjoy it.
My first car in 1976 was a clapped-out 1967 Cortina and I spent nearly as much time fixing it as driving it, but I loved it (although I probably wouldn't now)!
Then in the 1980s I had a couple of Capri 2.8 Injections and loved them, and they handled really well for cars of that era.
I wouldn't want another as I'd probably be disappointed with the performance now, and they are getting too dear.
But OP, if it's what you want then just get one and enjoy it.
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