Opinions, young drivers fast cars
Discussion
A thought has just popped into my head, it could be complete nonsence but I'm sure you guys will let me know if it is. Aged 17 a young driver will be paying 3k+ for insurance on a Corsa 1.2, and 8k+ for anything with more power than a hairdryer.
My first car was a 1.2 punto and I couldn't stand the useless thing. It was a 54 plate and handled like a hovercraft. On a few occations I nearly rear ended the car infront, once following a porsche in the wet on a dual carriageway. He braked quite needlessly and hard for a roundabout so I slammed all on, difference being his car stopped and mine didn't until I was about 2inch off his back bumper and I was roughly 2lb's lighter. I had a big braking distance too, the car just did not stop in the wet from 70mph.
Now my second car was an Mg Zr 160, I drove it like a complete tool but never really came that close to crashing. All round disks, chunky tyres and sporty suspension meant I could change direction/stop pretty quickly. I would say for me personally I was less likely to crash the MG than the Fiat even though the insuance was 3000 on the Fiat and 7800 on the Mg.
Anybody see the angle I'm coming from? or should I just shut up and keep my stupid idea's to myself?
My first car was a 1.2 punto and I couldn't stand the useless thing. It was a 54 plate and handled like a hovercraft. On a few occations I nearly rear ended the car infront, once following a porsche in the wet on a dual carriageway. He braked quite needlessly and hard for a roundabout so I slammed all on, difference being his car stopped and mine didn't until I was about 2inch off his back bumper and I was roughly 2lb's lighter. I had a big braking distance too, the car just did not stop in the wet from 70mph.
Now my second car was an Mg Zr 160, I drove it like a complete tool but never really came that close to crashing. All round disks, chunky tyres and sporty suspension meant I could change direction/stop pretty quickly. I would say for me personally I was less likely to crash the MG than the Fiat even though the insuance was 3000 on the Fiat and 7800 on the Mg.
Anybody see the angle I'm coming from? or should I just shut up and keep my stupid idea's to myself?
I do get you, but to be honest starting off with an absolutely rubbish car prepares you for a lot of life's little challenges.
I went from a 1.1 206 to my current car (2.0 Civic) last summer, and can safely say that it's an all round safer car... but if it wasn't for having a car like I did to throw around and get used to more limited handling parameters, I probably would have lunched the Civic by now.
I went from a 1.1 206 to my current car (2.0 Civic) last summer, and can safely say that it's an all round safer car... but if it wasn't for having a car like I did to throw around and get used to more limited handling parameters, I probably would have lunched the Civic by now.
I think you've proved exactly why young drivers pay so much on insurance. They can drive a cheap Punto in to the back of a Porsche, landing the insurance company with a very pricey repair bill.
Approaching a roundabout, in the wet, following too close to a car you know full well is capable of shorter stopping distances, and it still nearly caught you out.
edit: I've just noticed you say you're paying £7800 for the insurance on the MG! Ruddy hell.
Approaching a roundabout, in the wet, following too close to a car you know full well is capable of shorter stopping distances, and it still nearly caught you out.
edit: I've just noticed you say you're paying £7800 for the insurance on the MG! Ruddy hell.
Rubbish cars are much better. I am glad I had the chance to develop a bit of skill in cars with poor brakes, bad handling, crap tyres, not much power, and heavy steering.
People are spoilt by modern cars so much that when things get tricky they have no idea what to do. Learning to drive in Snow using a ford sierra on Nangkang tyres is a much better way to do it IMO.
People are spoilt by modern cars so much that when things get tricky they have no idea what to do. Learning to drive in Snow using a ford sierra on Nangkang tyres is a much better way to do it IMO.
The worst thing young drivers can do is learn to rely on their car to keep them out of trouble, IMHO. My first car was an MGB older than I am and I think I'm a better driver for it because any car that I drive now has more grip, better resolved suspension, better brakes, etc.
Edited by kambites on Tuesday 5th April 10:32
EDLT said:
You were following the Porsche too closely. If you are relying on an MG's speed and brakes to keep you out of trouble you are going to have a massive accident.
Obviously he wasn't if he didn't crash 
But I agree with the OP. I went from an old Subaru to an e36 to an 8L S3 and each time the extra safety from better handling, better brakes etc made a big difference.
Thankfully s
theaps like the old Puntos, and the likes are becoming a thing of the past - anything in the last 6-7 years will have ABS, decent suspension, and decent tyres. The days of 155-80-13 tyres and disc brakes the size of 10p pieces are gone.
My first car was a Mk1 Clio diesel. It was shocking, handling was non-existant, brakes were worse than useless, and it did 0-60 in about 30 seconds, making joining motorways positively dangerous.
theaps like the old Puntos, and the likes are becoming a thing of the past - anything in the last 6-7 years will have ABS, decent suspension, and decent tyres. The days of 155-80-13 tyres and disc brakes the size of 10p pieces are gone.My first car was a Mk1 Clio diesel. It was shocking, handling was non-existant, brakes were worse than useless, and it did 0-60 in about 30 seconds, making joining motorways positively dangerous.
EDLT said:
You were following the Porsche too closely. If you are relying on an MG's speed and brakes to keep you out of trouble you are going to have a massive accident.
There is always someone with better brakes than you!The brakes on a s
t car will be fine to stop you if you drive it correctly. I have a st car to drive every day.I hate to think what the insurance will be after the massive accident if it is £7800 at the moment.
Colonial said:
Well it sure as hell isn't taught to them as part of a driving test.
It comes with experience.
Indeed, but if they jump straight into a car with ESP, ABS, and every other "safety aid" under the sun, what's going to happen the first time they try and drive a car without those things?It comes with experience.
HellDiver said:
Thankfully stheaps like the old Puntos, and the likes are becoming a thing of the past - anything in the last 6-7 years will have ABS, decent suspension, and decent tyres. The days of 155-80-13 tyres and disc brakes the size of 10p pieces are gone.
My first car was a Mk1 Clio diesel. It was shocking, handling was non-existant, brakes were worse than useless, and it did 0-60 in about 30 seconds, making joining motorways positively dangerous.
I think every young person should be forced to live with a stheaps like the old Puntos, and the likes are becoming a thing of the past - anything in the last 6-7 years will have ABS, decent suspension, and decent tyres. The days of 155-80-13 tyres and disc brakes the size of 10p pieces are gone.My first car was a Mk1 Clio diesel. It was shocking, handling was non-existant, brakes were worse than useless, and it did 0-60 in about 30 seconds, making joining motorways positively dangerous.
t heap or two when they are starting out. Safety feature ruin cars, I have had 4 cars that have had traction control fitted and have never once seen the point of it. StottyZr said:
A thought has just popped into my head, it could be complete nonsence but I'm sure you guys will let me know if it is. Aged 17 a young driver will be paying 3k+ for insurance on a Corsa 1.2, and 8k+ for anything with more power than a hairdryer.
My first car was a 1.2 punto and I couldn't stand the useless thing. It was a 54 plate and handled like a hovercraft. On a few occations I nearly rear ended the car infront, once following a porsche in the wet on a dual carriageway. He braked quite needlessly and hard for a roundabout so I slammed all on, difference being his car stopped and mine didn't until I was about 2inch off his back bumper and I was roughly 2lb's lighter. I had a big braking distance too, the car just did not stop in the wet from 70mph.
Now my second car was an Mg Zr 160, I drove it like a complete tool but never really came that close to crashing. All round disks, chunky tyres and sporty suspension meant I could change direction/stop pretty quickly. I would say for me personally I was less likely to crash the MG than the Fiat even though the insuance was 3000 on the Fiat and 7800 on the Mg.
Anybody see the angle I'm coming from? or should I just shut up and keep my stupid idea's to myself?
Even I'm shocked at that price, I reckon you could easily shave a few grand off that and I don't often admit that on this website.My first car was a 1.2 punto and I couldn't stand the useless thing. It was a 54 plate and handled like a hovercraft. On a few occations I nearly rear ended the car infront, once following a porsche in the wet on a dual carriageway. He braked quite needlessly and hard for a roundabout so I slammed all on, difference being his car stopped and mine didn't until I was about 2inch off his back bumper and I was roughly 2lb's lighter. I had a big braking distance too, the car just did not stop in the wet from 70mph.
Now my second car was an Mg Zr 160, I drove it like a complete tool but never really came that close to crashing. All round disks, chunky tyres and sporty suspension meant I could change direction/stop pretty quickly. I would say for me personally I was less likely to crash the MG than the Fiat even though the insuance was 3000 on the Fiat and 7800 on the Mg.
Anybody see the angle I'm coming from? or should I just shut up and keep my stupid idea's to myself?
kambites said:
Colonial said:
Well it sure as hell isn't taught to them as part of a driving test.
It comes with experience.
Indeed, but if they jump straight into a car with ESP, ABS, and every other "safety aid" under the sun, what's going to happen the first time they try and drive a car without those things?It comes with experience.
I believe there was a study of car model vs single vehicle accidents, and the cars most likely to be involved in single vehicle accidents were the ones with the best brakes. At the time I believe it was the Porsche 911 and the Peugeot 106 GTi which were the top two...
With regard to the OP almost hitting the porsche in the wet, then I think that was poor obs and not being aware of the capabilities of the car or the road conditions. In other words, you were too close!
With regard to the OP almost hitting the porsche in the wet, then I think that was poor obs and not being aware of the capabilities of the car or the road conditions. In other words, you were too close!
StottyZr said:
7800 on the Mg.
Do you seriously pay that much for insurance or is this a typo?If so you need to get some comparison quotes when your renewal comes up! I'm 21 at the end of the month and expect I could probably insure all sorts of exotica for far less than £7.8k :O
Why is it so high, did you have an accident in the Fiat?
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