Panda 100 BHP for first car.

[melvster]

I have passed my theory test and am about to start having lessons, for my first car i have my eyes set on a Panda 100 BHP however there is a problem, the cheapest car for sale is £4500 which is a bit over my intended budget of up to 4K max. Because i cant afford a Panda 100 HP yet i am thinking of waiting a while before i start having driving lessons so that once i pass, i will be able to afford one, i dont want anything else for my first car as nothing else has the character of the Panda. I have 2 important questions, do you think it will be a good first car, insurance group 4/5? and finally will i be able to afford a decent one for 4K in about 10-12 months?

Your thoughts will be appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Adam

[Targarama]

First of all you need to make sure you're factoring in the cost of insuring any first car.
Secondly, when I aspire to things I cannot afford I save up and wait until I can afford them. Why can't you do this?
Finally, you might find it useful to get a year's driving under your belt in a £1k to £2k value car - this will help you insure the 100HP for less than most of your salary.

Edited to add: you may be able to pick up a 100HP for a little over £4k in 12 months time. None will be shabby yet, they're solid little things.

Edited by Targarama on Wednesday 11th August 14:18

[melvster]

I have done an insurance quote with the Co-Op on my dads policy which is fully comp and allows me to build up a no claims bonus, the quote came to £1053 which is very reasonable. Also i am saving up for the Panda, it will be my hard earned the will purchase the car. My dad will pay the insurance.

Edited by melvster on Wednesday 11th August 14:20

Edited by melvster on Wednesday 11th August 14:21

[otolith]

melvster said:

I have done an insurance quote with the Co-Op on my dads policy which is fully comp and allows me to build up a no claims bonus, the quote came to £1053 which is very reasonable. Also i am saving up for the Panda, it will be my hard earned the will purchase the car. My dad will pay the insurance.

I sense this will not go down well.

What you are suggesting sounds like fronting.

[melvster]

otolith said:

melvster said:

I have done an insurance quote with the Co-Op on my dads policy which is fully comp and allows me to build up a no claims bonus, the quote came to £1053 which is very reasonable. Also i am saving up for the Panda, it will be my hard earned the will purchase the car. My dad will pay the insurance.

I sense this will not go down well.

What you are suggesting sounds like fronting.

The Co Operative is a 100% true policy and not a scam, i dont see the problem with insuring my car with them.

[otolith]

The quote you have is with you named as the owner and main driver of the car?

£1053?

[melvster]

otolith said:

The quote you have is with you named as the owner and main driver of the car?

£1053?

Dad is the owner and a user of the car, i am a named driver and also a user.

Edited by melvster on Wednesday 11th August 19:13

[anonymous-user]

Have you considered a Suzuki Ignis Sport, Seat Arosa Sport, Ford SportKa or a Citroen C2 GT! All offer similar thrills to the Fiat and may be available cheaper!

[melvster]

MonkeyMatt said:

Have you considered a Suzuki Ignis Sport, Seat Arosa Sport, Ford SportKa or a Citroen C2 GT! All offer similar thrills to the Fiat and may be available cheaper!

Dont like the Suzuki that much, dont want the Arosa as it is too old, KA, never liked, the C2 is my other option, probably a 1.4 VTR if possible, i think the insurance group is only 3.

[anonymous-user]

melvster said:

MonkeyMatt said:

Have you considered a Suzuki Ignis Sport, Seat Arosa Sport, Ford SportKa or a Citroen C2 GT! All offer similar thrills to the Fiat and may be available cheaper!

Dont like the Suzuki that much, dont want the Arosa as it is too old, KA, never liked, the C2 is my other option, probably a 1.4 VTR if possible, i think the insurance group is only 3.

They are way off budget! the 1.6 GT is also a far better car!

[melvster]

MonkeyMatt said:

melvster said:

MonkeyMatt said:

Have you considered a Suzuki Ignis Sport, Seat Arosa Sport, Ford SportKa or a Citroen C2 GT! All offer similar thrills to the Fiat and may be available cheaper!

Dont like the Suzuki that much, dont want the Arosa as it is too old, KA, never liked, the C2 is my other option, probably a 1.4 VTR if possible, i think the insurance group is only 3.

They are way off budget! the 1.6 GT is also a far better car!

I take it you mean the C2 1.6 GT?

[anonymous-user]

melvster said:

MonkeyMatt said:

melvster said:

MonkeyMatt said:

Have you considered a Suzuki Ignis Sport, Seat Arosa Sport, Ford SportKa or a Citroen C2 GT! All offer similar thrills to the Fiat and may be available cheaper!

Dont like the Suzuki that much, dont want the Arosa as it is too old, KA, never liked, the C2 is my other option, probably a 1.4 VTR if possible, i think the insurance group is only 3.

They are way off budget! the 1.6 GT is also a far better car!

I take it you mean the C2 1.6 GT?

Yep thats the one! I test drove most of the cars in this class a few years ago! The Panda strangely was too expensive at the time too! I ended up looking for a C2 GT and bought a VTS instead as I found a good one and insurance wasnt an issue! Did think about a 1.6 VTR but the gearbox was dreadful. The Suzuki was the best drive but the wife thought it was too raw and basic. The SportKa has an awful interior (very dated). The Panda is certainly the best of the bunch though a Seicento or Punto sporting are pretty good too if you fancy a cheap high revving IT hatch!

Edited by MonkeyMatt on Wednesday 11th August 23:13

[petrolveins]

Having scan-read the thread, I was in a similar boat to you about a year ago, I desperately wanted a Panda 100hp, looked at the co-op for insurance like you, now I didn't see your age but I know that a named driver only builds up a no claims if they are over 21 so it may not be what you think.

Anyway to cut along story short, my parents who paid for the car, didn't like the panda, so we looked at other things. Ended up with a 2008 skoda fabia 1.6, pretty happy really, fraction of a second slower to 60 than the panda, got more toys and a better spec generally, cheaper to insure, and more comfortable too.

HTH

ETA: sorry just seen you set a budget restriction, well perhaps look at an older fabia then.
Also just to add, I think it would be better to be the main driver, with a lesser car to get some ncb. Because the likes of privilege or direct line, whilst giving a named driver ncb, it can only be used through them, and when you want to use it when you become the main driver it'll work out more expensive. So just get something smaller and cheap, get the best price you can as a main driver, get a years ncb, and a years driving experience and then hopefully you can get the panda.

Edited by petrolveins on Wednesday 11th August 23:34

[anonymous-user]

petrolveins said:

Having scan-read the thread, I was in a similar boat to you about a year ago, I desperately wanted a Panda 100hp, looked at the co-op for insurance like you, now I didn't see your age but I know that a named driver only builds up a no claims if they are over 21 so it may not be what you think.

Anyway to cut along story short, my parents who paid for the car, didn't like the panda, so we looked at other things. Ended up with a 2008 skoda fabia 1.6, pretty happy really, fraction of a second slower to 60 than the panda, got more toys and a better spec generally, cheaper to insure, and more comfortable too.

HTH

Fabia doesnt come even close to Panda for fun!

[petrolveins]

MonkeyMatt said:

Fabia doesnt come even close to Panda for fun!

That entirely depends on how you drive it!

[HereBeMonsters]

melvster said:

otolith said:

The quote you have is with you named as the owner and main driver of the car?

£1053?

Dad is the owner and a user of the car, i am a named driver and also a user.

So your Dad is the MAIN user of the car? My arse.

[anonymous-user]

HereBeMonsters said:

melvster said:

otolith said:

The quote you have is with you named as the owner and main driver of the car?

£1053?

Dad is the owner and a user of the car, i am a named driver and also a user.

So your Dad is the MAIN user of the car? My arse.

Who cares! thousands of people do as it is the only way for them to afford insurance! At least the car will actually be insured!

[y2blade]

MonkeyMatt said:

HereBeMonsters said:

melvster said:

otolith said:

The quote you have is with you named as the owner and main driver of the car?

£1053?

Dad is the owner and a user of the car, i am a named driver and also a user.

So your Dad is the MAIN user of the car? My arse.

Who cares! thousands of people do as it is the only way for them to afford insurance! At least the car will actually be insured!

I put my hands up and say that I did the same for my first two years of driving (my old dear was down as the main driver and I was a named driver)....the insurance was crippling even on a small car when I started on four wheels

[anonymous-user]

y2blade said:

MonkeyMatt said:

HereBeMonsters said:

melvster said:

otolith said:

The quote you have is with you named as the owner and main driver of the car?

£1053?

Dad is the owner and a user of the car, i am a named driver and also a user.

So your Dad is the MAIN user of the car? My arse.

Who cares! thousands of people do as it is the only way for them to afford insurance! At least the car will actually be insured!

I put my hands up and say that I did the same for my first two years of driving (my old dear was down as the main driver and I was a named driver)....the insurance was crippling even on a small car when I started on four wheels

I was lucky in 1998 a 205 GT cost me just over £800 to insure fully comp on my own policy! today for a young driver a similar car would cost thousands! Im sure he would rather have his own policy but its almost impossible these days! it is the reason so many people have no insurance!

[charliedaker]

Big thumbs up for the Panda!

Absolutely cracking little cars!