Buying a 2002 1.0 Corsa :D
Discussion
Hey guys i am buying A corsa as my first car, and it will have a tracking box fitted. Any of you have a box fitted, if so how is it?
Also, how can i tell if there is something wrong with the car? I don't know a lot, but i know some. Passed my test a week ago, and looking for something small and not quick, so i got a corsa :P
Wish t
ts wouldnt ruin it for us people who just passed to get insured.
Ahh well.
Thanks
Also, how can i tell if there is something wrong with the car? I don't know a lot, but i know some. Passed my test a week ago, and looking for something small and not quick, so i got a corsa :P
Wish t
ts wouldnt ruin it for us people who just passed to get insured. Ahh well.
Thanks
Friend has a tracking box fitted to a brand new mini cooper had no issues so far. He finds can get away with a few mph over say 35 indicated in a 30 and have no fines thus far. Only problem he has had is had something complaining about accelerating too quickly which I found strange.
Oh and with the buying advise get a mk5 fiesta 1.25 instead similar to buy and insure but a far better car
Oh and with the buying advise get a mk5 fiesta 1.25 instead similar to buy and insure but a far better car
1.0-litre petrol breaks its exhaust quite regularly due to vibration or so I'm told. I've also had a few friends that have had gear linkage problems but nothing to expensive. Overall a good first car! I suppose the box is a good way of getting your no claims discount up, but if I were you I'd get rid of it after the first year 
greggy50 said:
get a mk5 fiesta 1.25 instead similar to buy and insure but a far better car
When I was getting quotes for my first car in 2006, the 1.25 Fiesta was consistently 25-30% more to insure than most over mainstream cars in the 1.0-1.3 bracket. A good car, yes- but in my experience not ideal for a first timer.HustleRussell said:
When I was getting quotes for my first car in 2006, the 1.25 Fiesta was consistently 25-30% more to insure than most over mainstream cars in the 1.0-1.3 bracket. A good car, yes- but in my experience not ideal for a first timer.
Probably looking at the zetec I went for a 5 door in granny friendly ghia spec and paid £1700 to insure it aged 18 with 3 points a couple of years ago which was similar to the corsas and other stuff I considered at the time.
The 1 litre is a piece of junk. You need to be very careful with servicing, because the timing chains fall to bits if the oil is/was dirty. The coolant needs closely checked throughout life, otherwise the head gasket goes, and usually warps the head. The ECU and it's associated sensors are crap too. Coil packs, MAF and cam/crank sensors all go with regularity.
That engine isn't even any good as a boat anchor.
You'd be better off with a Micra, Clio, Fabia. Hell, anything but a 1 litre Corsa.
That engine isn't even any good as a boat anchor.
You'd be better off with a Micra, Clio, Fabia. Hell, anything but a 1 litre Corsa.
My wife ran a 1.0 3 cylinder 2002 Corsa for just under 100k miles, in that time it needed a new battery, exhaust back box, some gear linkage bush replacing, and needed a sensor on the block changing when a small oil leak developed around it. I was not fast or particularly well equipped but it worked very, very well. We had it serviced only when needed but kept an eye on the oil level and topped that up when the level dropped (which it did from time to time). Overall a very good first car IMO.
HustleRussell said:
Those engines really need good oil at the right level, and are prone to developing leaks. I suggest you regularly check your oil level.
FoundOnRoadside said:
The 1 litre is a piece of junk. You need to be very careful with servicing, because the timing chains fall to bits if the oil is/was dirty. The coolant needs closely checked throughout life, otherwise the head gasket goes, and usually warps the head. The ECU and it's associated sensors are crap too. Coil packs, MAF and cam/crank sensors all go with regularity.
That engine isn't even any good as a boat anchor.
You'd be better off with a Micra, Clio, Fabia. Hell, anything but a 1 litre Corsa.
To be brutally honest, this is what I wanted to say but thought I'd be nice and encouraging instead. As you say though, many of this engine's problems begin with poor maintenance so hopefully the OP will take this on board. The Corsa C is not a great car. That engine isn't even any good as a boat anchor.
You'd be better off with a Micra, Clio, Fabia. Hell, anything but a 1 litre Corsa.
Re: the ford 1.25- That is a possability I suppose. Down to the OP to do his own research anyway I suppose, my info is 6 years old now...
1.0 Corsa, the only car I know that was at the end of its natural life at 50,000 miles.
http://www.sniffpetrol.com/issue074.html
http://www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?t...
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http://www.sniffpetrol.com/issue074.html
http://www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?t...
Scroll down
Edited by sday12 on Monday 6th August 13:42
I currently am driving both a fiesta and a corsa and I am also 17. I don't like the corsa at all. Slow , tacky,vhorrible clutch lots of other reasons. The fiesta is fantastic and when it comes for me to buy my first car I will be looking at fiestas. All the boy racers want corsa sxi's and think there the fastest thing going. Honestly get a fiesta!
I have a tracker box insurance policy (which thankfully expires in a couple of weeks) Rather than fining you for speeding, it simply affects your renewal next year, but as I don't plan on renewing with that company I just drive at whatever speed I felt was safe. The main drawback of my policy is the "red hours" which means you can't drive between 11pm and 5am - if you do it's an instant £100 fine. This wasn't a massive problem for me, although ironically the only times I've ever exceeded the speed limit by a considerable margin was when I was rushing to get home in time for 11pm......
Geekman said:
I have a tracker box insurance policy (which thankfully expires in a couple of weeks) Rather than fining you for speeding, it simply affects your renewal next year, but as I don't plan on renewing with that company I just drive at whatever speed I felt was safe. The main drawback of my policy is the "red hours" which means you can't drive between 11pm and 5am - if you do it's an instant £100 fine. This wasn't a massive problem for me, although ironically the only times I've ever exceeded the speed limit by a considerable margin was when I was rushing to get home in time for 11pm......
I had what sounds like the same box fitted to my first car and remember doing that. Stuck in traffic in Liverpool city centre for 20 minutes. Remember sitting at EXACTLY 40mph all the way through the Wallasey tunnel and as soon as I got to the do as you like signs on the M53, booting it all the way home. It never quite managed to get to a lepton all the way to the closest junction which was about 7 miles away. Also a 1.0 Corsa! Those engines make a right funny noise when you cane them a bit. ETA
Made it home with about 2 minutes to spare! Always leave plenty of time to get back with the trackers fitted. The fines can be a right pain but it was only £50 when I had it in the car. I was done for using my phone once at about half 10 (I wasn't and the call log proved it but Mr. Plod was having none of that) so after being almost dragged out of the car, sitting in the back of his Astra for 45 minutes whilst they dragged heals over everything after I explained the tracker situation, they finally let me go with 3 points and a fine... At quarter past 11. I didn't fancy two fines in one night so left it at the side of the road and walked a couple of miles home instead. Times like that it can be irritating having it fitted.
Edited by twink on Monday 6th August 13:43
Geekman said:
I have a tracker box insurance policy (which thankfully expires in a couple of weeks) Rather than fining you for speeding, it simply affects your renewal next year, but as I don't plan on renewing with that company I just drive at whatever speed I felt was safe.
I don't think that's quite right... If you do happen to be in an accident they can look at what you were doing at the time (possibly speeding) and then can use that to get out of paying out on the insurance because you were not driving properly.^ The 1.2 is better but the chain/tensioner arrangement is simular and any loss of oil pressure will kill it. This problem is compounded by the fact that they are succeptible to the same oil leaks. Keep an eye on this, and thoroughly check the gear linkage has been replaced, and they're fine.
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