First Car Struggles - Urgent help needed!!
Discussion
Hello all,
My 17th birthday is coming up rapidly which presents to me the all important question, what first car! I've always had a passion for cars and this makes me detest the idea of owning a super basic first car (e.g. i10, citigo, fiesta...). Consequently, I wish to own a car that is cheap to insure; relatively cheap to buy (below £3,500) and something that stands out of the crowd. I wouldn't mind doing some minor work on the car as I aspire to be an engineer and it would probably help prepare for my future career. I also have no preference over how many seats are in the car - a 2 seater would be perfectly adequate - or how old the car is.
Therefore, if anyone has any recommendations of what car to buy, I would be extremely grateful.
Ben Slingsby
My 17th birthday is coming up rapidly which presents to me the all important question, what first car! I've always had a passion for cars and this makes me detest the idea of owning a super basic first car (e.g. i10, citigo, fiesta...). Consequently, I wish to own a car that is cheap to insure; relatively cheap to buy (below £3,500) and something that stands out of the crowd. I wouldn't mind doing some minor work on the car as I aspire to be an engineer and it would probably help prepare for my future career. I also have no preference over how many seats are in the car - a 2 seater would be perfectly adequate - or how old the car is.
Therefore, if anyone has any recommendations of what car to buy, I would be extremely grateful.
Ben Slingsby
Eyersey1234 said:
In terms of insurance try running a few cars through confused.com, compare the market etc and see what comes out cheapest. The 2004 shape Fiat Panda is a good steer.
I have tried a few cars on insurance websites and everytime I have managed to get an insurance cost of over £4000. However, I have been trying MX-5's and Lotus Elan's...oopsThere's nothing wrong with those cars you mentioned!
There's not really a way to cheat the insurance system. Just keep running cars through the comparison sites until you find the compromise that you can afford and accept. We were all in your position once so we know how it is, and that's how we learned that sometimes you just have to suck it up!
There's not really a way to cheat the insurance system. Just keep running cars through the comparison sites until you find the compromise that you can afford and accept. We were all in your position once so we know how it is, and that's how we learned that sometimes you just have to suck it up!
Hate to be that guy but go for something like an Toyota IQ build up your no claims & then let your second car be an MX5.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
I would suggest something slow but a bit more fun than your average fiesta. Suzuki Jimny or something like that. Hilarious to drive, can be taken for cheap off roading fun, lots of mods available, even have a convertible. Super easy to work on too.
No idea what insurance is like though...
No idea what insurance is like though...
drgoatboy said:
I would suggest something slow but a bit more fun than your average fiesta. Suzuki Jimny or something like that. Hilarious to drive, can be taken for cheap off roading fun, lots of mods available, even have a convertible. Super easy to work on too.
No idea what insurance is like though...
Probably quite high. I imagine you can do more damage with one than you could with Fiesta.No idea what insurance is like though...
Insurance is going to be the biggest factor here as you know.
What I would do is quote something like a Citroen C1 or something cheap as chips for insurance and see where you stand and then quote something like a Fiesta ST for comparison.
Most hatchback type cars have a sport version but at 17, the insurance is likely to be thousands.
What I would do is quote something like a Citroen C1 or something cheap as chips for insurance and see where you stand and then quote something like a Fiesta ST for comparison.
Most hatchback type cars have a sport version but at 17, the insurance is likely to be thousands.
I bought a Renault Twingo GT for my son last year. Nice little warm hatch and not bad to insure. Plus you could get a decent one for under your budget and put some of the spare money towards insurance. I think we pay around £1400 a year with a black box fitted (nearly all insurers insist on a black box for a new driver).
Beware with your insurance tho - it'll be really cheap when you're learning, but once you pass your test it has the potential to rocket. Therefore you need to run different scenarios through the comparison sites - one as a learner and one as a newly qualified driver to find the best deal for your first year.
Good luck!
Beware with your insurance tho - it'll be really cheap when you're learning, but once you pass your test it has the potential to rocket. Therefore you need to run different scenarios through the comparison sites - one as a learner and one as a newly qualified driver to find the best deal for your first year.
Good luck!
I know it sounds dull OP, particularly coming from a bunch of petrolheads, many of whom, like me, have enjoyed sports cars for a long time. But at 17 it really is a case of suck it up, get something fairly normal and dull for a couple of years before going for something more interesting or sporty.
As has been said, we've all been there, I had too pretty dull cars (Triumph Dolomite and Fiat Uno) before I got into my first interesting car at 21.
Even if you went for quite an old sports car, as a daily or only car I on't think you can insure it on a classic policy. So either way and whatever you do, you'll be looking at high insurance costs.
Also, don't be tempted to get something interesting and having a parent insure it with you as named driver, it used to be the case that this would not build your own no claims, so a waste of money really.
At 17, all cars can be fun, because at the time it's all so new.
As has been said, we've all been there, I had too pretty dull cars (Triumph Dolomite and Fiat Uno) before I got into my first interesting car at 21.
Even if you went for quite an old sports car, as a daily or only car I on't think you can insure it on a classic policy. So either way and whatever you do, you'll be looking at high insurance costs.
Also, don't be tempted to get something interesting and having a parent insure it with you as named driver, it used to be the case that this would not build your own no claims, so a waste of money really.
At 17, all cars can be fun, because at the time it's all so new.
Typical first timer cars have high insurance premiums compared to some leftfield choices, try a mid sized saloon for example and they will often come out cheaper.
Most young insurance these days comes with blackbox stipulations so something sporty may not be able to be driven spiritedly.
Most young insurance these days comes with blackbox stipulations so something sporty may not be able to be driven spiritedly.
untakenname said:
Typical first timer cars have high insurance premiums compared to some leftfield choices, try a mid sized saloon for example and they will often come out cheaper.
Most young insurance these days comes with blackbox stipulations so something sporty may not be able to be driven spiritedly.
This gets mentioned in most threads like this but with no examples.Most young insurance these days comes with blackbox stipulations so something sporty may not be able to be driven spiritedly.
I can't see a C1 being more expensive than a VW Jetta/S40 for example.
GreatGranny said:
This gets mentioned in most threads like this but with no examples.
I can't see a C1 being more expensive than a VW Jetta/S40 for example.
You would be surprised, when young it cost me more to insure an 1.4 MG ZR than a 340bhp Saab 9000.I can't see a C1 being more expensive than a VW Jetta/S40 for example.
The neighbours kid (early 20's) opposite my parents swapped out his low spec fiesta for a 3.0 S type Jag (hand me down) and got a reduction in the insurance.
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