14k 19 y/o

[MatthewJC]

Last time I posted on here I got slated by people who were telling me to spend my money on other things.

But here the deal I'm 19 and I have 14k which HAS to be spent on a car (not insurance) for my placement year. The car will be used for commuting and general social use.

Being 19 insurance rates are rediculous otherwise I would love and s2000 which has been my favourite car since I was younger. But that will have to wait.

The other day I was browsing another car sales website (sorry) and came across a 1.9 tdi Audi a3 cabrio. (For 13.5k) I know it is regarded as a girly car but I thought it had quite abit of style and brand image for a 19 year old. I know it will sound like st but I can only afford to insure tractor engines.

Just wanted to know your thoughts or any other suggestions.

Thanks

[Or888t]

My immediate thought is that, i'm in the EXACT same possition you are in, although my current budget is 0, and yours is fourteen thousand pounds
Genuinly though, why on earth does the money "HAVE" to be spend on the car, as opposed to split insurance and a car (and more sensibly a whole bunch of savings for when you can afford something a little more "fruity")?

[Or888t]

Just checked your profile, tbh i remember your original thread, and i'm afrade, i think you going to get a very similar responce than you did the 1st time round.
Unless you are willing to spend ALOT less, with around a 50:50 split on insureance, and car.

Edited by Or888t on Monday 29th November 02:46

[MatthewJC]

Well I managed to get 1k out of the budget to go travelling with.
But my graded gave me' the money for a car as he did my sister. (well he bought her the car but I couldn't drive then so I got the money) and my mum says it's disrespectful to spend it on other things, which I agree with.

So i am just doing as I'm told and spending it on a car. I had to convince them to let me but a 2nd hand car lol.

[MatthewJC]

Trust me if it was up to me i wouldn't spend it all on a car! I'd save for a house and pay off some student loan.

But it's not up to me. So I'd just like some advice on making a good purchase.

So if people say to save it they may aswell not reply AS THAT IS NOT AN OPTION.

[shirt]

lotus elan s4 or a +2 with lots of cash left over or even a zetec conversion. or a very mint mgbgt, mk1 escort, triumph gt6, etc. and,bank the rest. all of which are miles better than an audi mummobile.

failing that, a £2k shopper. wait until you have a job before you chuck money at cars.

[MGZRod]

An audi A3 cabrio has brand image? True, but not necessaraly great image(imagine?).

What about something like a E90 316 if your going for dullness? residuals should be alright for it.

[Classic Al]

Yep, I agree, get a Lotus +2 Zetec conversion. Bit of a brute to drive, but worth it:

[GlenMH]

You don't have to spend it all at once! Why not 2k now for a snotter to build up some NCB and then the other 12k when you have some experience and perhaps your daily commute is shorter?

[MatthewJC]

That lotus is extremely nice and if it were up to me I'd have something like that but unfortunately, mother rules.

Had to fight to be allowed a 2nd hand one. "get a brand new car then you'll be covered by warranties" etc
So basicly:
In the 13k - 15k price range.
Cheap to insure
Within past 3 years.
(they are mums rules which can't be changed as much as I'd like to!!)

So I thought the Audi was different (it was White) personally never seen a cabrio in person, 60mpg ish and got quoted 2k insurance which isn't bad for 0 no claims 19 year old. £150 ish a month.

So suggestions within them regulations would be greatly appreciated.

Again, don't say save it cause the prospect of having the money after uni appeals so much to me' but is not and option

[Carpie]

MatthewJC said:

Well I managed to get 1k out of the budget to go travelling with.
But my graded gave me' the money for a car as he did my sister. (well he bought her the car but I couldn't drive then so I got the money) and my mum says it's disrespectful to spend it on other things, which I agree with.

So i am just doing as I'm told and spending it on a car. I had to convince them to let me but a 2nd hand car lol.

I'm guessing that 'graded' is meant to mean 'Grandad'.

In which case I very much doubt he would find it disrespectful for you to save it towards a deposit on a house.

But if your family are the type that needed convincing to let you buy a second hand car, I very much doubt they would see the sense in this.

Seriously though, £3k on something nice and suiting a 19yo (E46 coupe would be my suggestion) plus insurance and pop the rest in a nice safe investment somewhere so you can use it for a mortgage deposit later on. That's the wise option, and no one in their right minds would think it a disrespectful use of an inheritance.

[MatthewJC]

It wasn't an inheritance. Right to end the discussion of saving the money.
Let's say I'm a spoilt tt who doesn't need to save it.
(I'm not as we are not wealthy he just sold his house and wanted to treat his only grand children. but it seems the only way to progress this thread)

[MatthewJC]

Also looking into that lotus. It is beautiful. And would strongly consider when I can afford to run "a weekend car" aswell.

[MGZRod]

A White Audi isn't different at all. I swear Audi Aberdeen make all thei sales to my estate, several White A3' A4/5 and Q5/7. Audi do a nice orange, I've seen an S3 going about like that, try be different... Please.

[Pigeon]

MatthewJC said:

But my graded gave me' the money for a car as he did my sister. (well he bought her the car but I couldn't drive then so I got the money) and my mum says it's disrespectful to spend it on other things, which I agree with.

I don't think insurance for the car counts as "other things", after all the car is useless without it.

Indeed it could well be argued that it's more "disrespectful" to blow the lot on a car which you then can't use so it sits in the garage losing value, since that's just wasting it.

[Hitch78]

There comes a time in a man's life when he has to grow a pair and tell mother to go and get bent. Stuff her rules; it is your money. Buy what you want.

Plus, who gives a hoot if you spend 14k on a car? It's your money.

[Classic Al]

The silver Lotus in the picture above belongs to the Classic Car Club. If you get membership with them (I think you need to be over 25 possibly) you can borrow it and other cars for the weekend.

[MatthewJC]

So he gives my sister a brand new mini but as i couldn't drive he gave me' the money to buy the car on my placement year. He basicly gave me' the money upfront incase he didn't live to give it me. So I'm not gonna turn around it him and give him the big fk you I'm doing what I want with this money and there's nothing you can do about it. I'm going to say okay I'll spend it on a car because i know if I was old enough you would have already bought me one without giving the money directly to me!

[MatthewJC]

It won't let me edit posts on my phone, sorry.

But insurance will be coming out of my wages 18k for my placement year.

Agreed not different in general a White Audi is different...for a 19/20 year old. Especially when my friends have clios and 106's.

[BlueMR2]

Does your mum have the money or do you have it in your account?

I'd consider spending up to £10K on a nice usable older car pre 2001 at least to avoid stupid car tax raises.

Get something classic even if you get cheaper insurance.

You can get alot of nice cars for £10k. Porsche, Lotus even a Merc SL convertible.

Don't waste you money on a modern car that will lose thousands in depreciation, that kind of waste would be disrespectful to your Grandad.

The £4k saved will be a nice slush fund towards repairs and give you a few hundred extra towards insurance for a few years as well.

Alot of 90's and even some 80's cars were very well built and much more reliable and solid than modern cars and will provide safe fun transport for many years.

Who do you think is having more fun, the guy who dropped £18k on a focus turbo diesel or the guy who dropped £10k into a TVR.

If you have to spend all the money on motoring at least make it worth while. Consider some tutoring on driving defensively and driving safe at a reasonable pace rather than drive 2 foot from the car ahead and wonder what went wrong when you end up in the car infront.

Spend wisely and you will gain alot more from the experience than £5k depreciation on a dull modern car.