Need some help

[CJ Loves Ruf]

Hi, I need some advice from the PH massive in the form of my first car. I’m 17 (18 in late August) and have a budget of £4,500. I’m really confused, I want a car that’s fun to drive and not too expensive to insure but at the same time dependable and cheap on petrol. I don’t know. My heart tells me to buy a ford escort mk1 and fit rally lights and mud flaps on it and sod the reliability, but would that be wise? I don’t know a lot about engines and mechanics but a suppose I could learn. So what would you guys and gals recommend? Any advise welcome.

Many thanks

Cameron

[kazste]

if you can get a mk1 for that go for it!

you on the right lines though something old but special, Alfa 33???

[jeebus]

I had a mk1 escort as my first car, It was 1997 and and paid, wait for it... 50 quid as the guy couldn't wait to get rid of it.
Then a mk3 golf pulled out on me and wrote it off. The only car i have ever owned that I still miss.

[richcorsavxr]

what about original mini

[CJ Loves Ruf]

richcorsavxr said:

what about original mini

bit small I'm 6"4 rugby player type.

to the other OP- Interesting never considered an Alfa? Don't suppose parts would be cheap?

[gj88]

Capri Brooklands if you can get one for that budget. I've not checked prices of them though!

[stewy68]

Alfa Sprint Cloverleaf (105)..........Just because I want one.

[sparkyclarky]

No easy answer! Being 17/18, any insurer is going to take a long run up and kick you in the bks... mind you at 6' 4" they'd be brave!

Diesel cars are good these days - thing is, I guess you're after some street cred?

Thinking polo 1.4 diesel..... - any car you 'modify' will get a 6'6" wrestler type insurer to kick you in the gonads....

[Colin 1985]

Have you considered something like a MG ZR, my first car was a rover 216 (similar shape) and at the time I thought it was much better than the equivalent Corsa or Saxo. It wasn't that reliable but everything that did break was cheap and easy to replace.

I take it you're too big to fit in a MGF or something like that.

[juansolo]

Sub £1000 Snotter for your first car. Get the driving like a t**t phase out of your system and the crashing. Build up some now claims and some savings and in a couple of years buy something interesting.

Alternatively, if you can behave, buy a classic sports car and get your hands dirty. One of my biggest regrets when I was younger was not buying an MGB GT. Ended up with a MG Metro instead...

[stewy68]

juansolo said:

Sub £1000 Snotter for your first car. Get the driving like a t**t phase out of your system and the crashing. Build up some now claims and some savings and in a couple of years buy something interesting.

Alternatively, if you can behave, buy a classic sports car and get your hands dirty. One of my biggest regrets when I was younger was not buying an MGB GT. Ended up with a MG Metro instead...

I loved my MGB Roadster and miss it bad. Learned a lot from that car.

[entwisi]

hated my BGT. much preferred driving the rusty old triumph vitesse to the shiny MG.

now the vitesse, that was a car i miss along with my zephyr and mk1 escort.

[kazste]

Parts for alfa 33 not as cheap as others but should get for significantly less than your budget so enough left over for any repairs.

Mmmmmmm red alfa with black alloys, or is that just me?

[Superhoop]

I had a MKII Escort as my first car, until a 19 year old lad in his Dads Carlton GSi decided that I was much further away than I actually was - Still miss the car now...

Be prepared for doing a few repairs to keep it sweet, and a crap heater in teh winter months. I think you'll be lucky to find a solid, reliable MKI for £4.5K though (Have you seen the prices they command recently)

I also had an Alfa 33 sportwagon (The estate) as my third car - It was great, and pretty quick in its day - Think Astra GTE 8v quick. Parts weren't the cheapest, but there are a few good Alfa specialists around that were always really helpful. Unfortunately, it also came to a sad end when a drink driver pulled out on me, which totalled the car - One I definitely miss......

Oh and don't forget to check for rust - I looked at about ten before I got mine, all with the same spots rusting. Rear arches, A pillars if it's ever had a screen fitted, and they tend to suffer badly around the sunroof