General Advice

[Danny S]

I can't get my head around what i want, as far as motoring is concerned. So as a motoring forum perhaps you can offer some advice.

I earn, well lets say XXXX amount.

Now X goes on insurance, which will come down a bit hopefully.
XX Goes on fuel and food, general living. (Phone bill etc)
X Either gets saved or spent on tax or mot whatever is needed that month.

I live at home so don't have that many outgoings.

Now i "fancy" a new car, i like new things and have got kinda bored with my current drive. It currently does about 30-35mpg and i put about £200 or more in a month. Thats a third of my incoming money.

Do you think that is a bit ridiculous? What should i be doing about it?

I look for advice as i'm 18 next month, and i get the feeling the average age of this forum is a lot bigger than that

My current car i bought without considering any of the pro's and negatives of. I was annoyed at my old car and rush bought this one. (fail)

Current options as far as i can see:
(*)Sell my car for a similar priced small diesel and save on fuel tax and insurance, hate driving (ie Corsa CDTI, 206 HDi)
(*)Sell my car and buy a large VAG diesel, save on fuel. (Bora TDi)
(*)Sell my car and get another mid 30's petrol car that i will enjoy driving. Pay excessive insurance and moan for a bit, but enjoy the power when i dare give it some. (Rover 200 BRM PLEASE, or a Mk3 Golf GTi)
(*)Sell my car and get a small engined petrol car. Save on insurance and some fuel. Wish that i had a larger engine. (Honda Civic Ek series probably the favourite here, although i have a soft spot for saxo's)
(*)Keep my car and admit that life starts out crap, admit that i have to keep the car now that i decided to buy it. (Vauxhall Astra)

Sorry for what probably made little sense! But if someone could point me in the right direction?

Oh, and i'd like to think that i'm a Pistonhead!
Dan

[HBLC]

Choose option X.

[Danny S]

I wasn't sure where to post this tbh

Its kind of finance, kind of general gassing.. So i guessed the lounge was more of a everything that cant go anywhere else?


And i don't want a new car, and definitly DONT want finance. I probably have about 3k including my car if i were to get a new car

[Danny S]

JDMFanYo said:

Danny S said:

And i don't want a new car, and definitly DONT want finance. I probably have about 3k including my car if i were to get a new car

Oh, I somehow interpreted "Now i "fancy" a new car, i like new things" as you wanting a new car..

Ah, sorry about that. I'm the type to say "new" when meaning something that is new to me...

[300bhp/ton]

Danny S said:

What should i be doing about it?

In my mind the answer is obvious - get a V8!!!!!

HTH

Danny S said:

I look for advice as i'm 18 next month

[edo]

Sorry, you spend a 3rd of your income on fuel?

fk a duck.

[300bhp/ton]

edo said:

Sorry, you spend a 3rd of your income on fuel?

fk a duck.

Easily done if you don't earn much tbh. And if they are young and happy living at home for a bit and their parents are ok, then I say go for it.

Of course if they want to get their own place, then they need to prioritise differently.

I think if they do the former, then they should just get the most barmy thing possible and enjoy it. At the end of the day they can always flog it and get some/all money back and buy something more sensible.

[A911DOM]

edo said:

Sorry, you spend a 3rd of your income on fuel?

fk a duck.

I hope thats not a criticism chap! - this is bl00dy pistonheads ya know, not W.I Pies and Pastries

If I were you OP, I'd try and leave some money over for important stuff like:

Socialising
Car maintenance should something go wrong
Everyday food and drink, mobile phone, bills, rent etc (not necessarily in this order you understand).

We're assuming you live with your folks, you clearly have an interest in motoring and are obviously employed...

I'd be tempted to go for something older and different (car-wise) and hope you can find an understanding classic insurer.
But then to you I'd probably be an old codger

(Im not by the way!!!!!!!) verdefensivemodeoff:

[Odie]

Whats your current car?

Get a mk1/mk2 mx5 and enjoy. Im not just saying this because its the thing to say, this is genuine advice.

Edited by Odie on Thursday 1st July 15:27

[Curry Burns]

£200 is about what I spent in a month, but that is doing 1400+ miles a month (sometimes topping 2k) in a Corsa that's doing 43MPG.....

[R1chardP]

I had a phase 1 306 turbo diesel which was great fun and quite economical as well. Sort of combines your options 2 and 3 because even though it is not quick, its got lots of torque, is quite light and handles well so you can have some fun when you want. If you get a non-HDi (the IDI not the common rail engine) its got a great turbo whistle as well - mine did anyway, maybe the turbo was shagged. With an older car you can tinker with it much more easily and cheaply than a new one.

If you've got 3k, at least half if not more of that will go on insurance regardless of what you buy and you could get a cracking 306 for £1500.

You could also get pass plus which only costs a hundred quid or so and gives about the same as 1 years NCD.

[Danny S]

[redacted]

[Danny S]

[redacted]

[R1chardP]

Danny S said:

I have thought about the Dturbo's tbh, a lot of chavs seem to have got hold of them before i can though will look into it tho cheers mate

Mine wasn't a DTurbo (which was basically an XSi with the XUD in it IIRC), just a sedan turbo diesel (SLDT) but they both have exactly the same engine and any improvement in suspension (if there really was any) over the normal TDs will be long gone by this time. You would be lucky to get one with less than 100k on it given that they havn't been produced for 13 years and by that time the dampers are probably pretty shagged.

Long story short, don't restrict yourself to the DTurbo or even a 3-door because they are much more likely to have been frigged about with. A 5-dr hatch with the XUD turbo diesel is a fun car with a very good engine and should do you proud. Good luck with the search, if you want some tips on things to look out for send me a PM because I've got a long list of things to check from my ownership experience.

[crofty1984]

Odie said:

Whats your current car?

Get a mk1/mk2 mx5 and enjoy. Im not just saying this because its the thing to say, this is genuine advice.

Edited by Odie on Thursday 1st July 15:27

To brazenly copy and paste something I wrote earlier:

In real life, as much as it'a a cliche' I'm going to say my Mk1 MX5 is the best car I've owned. And it will be better once I can afford a turbo for it. My reasons being:
Pretty cheap to own and run
easy to work on
the roof comes off!
it feels like my old 3.2 911 when you drive it (as in it's a proper piece of machinery that YOU are driving)
that gearchange
you can rev the nuts off it
it's so much fun!
Don't have to worry where I park it
not just a track/race car

I've had more/less practical cars and more expensive/cheaper, better off road, more/less powerful, more refined long distance, etc. But as a complete package it's just right.



Or perhaps something more classic? Spitfire? Dolomite? Moggy? mini?
That point about it being not unlike the 911 to sit in wasn't just my opinion either. Coming from amodern car, you'll feel like it's something you need to get to know.