New Car, £3.5k tops

andrewdodd13

andrewdodd13

andrewdodd13

Associate
Joined
26 Jan 2009
Posts
848
Location
Amsterdam
I mentioned it in the other post I made, but I'm looking for a new car. Basically, I have £3.5k max to spend. However, I've only got 1 years no claims (renewal to 2 years [assuming I don't crash in the meantime] 2nd November) and I'm not really wanting to pay more than £1k for insurance. I also do a lot of miles (200 a week minimum), so I'd prefer something which gets more than 35mpg (mainly extra-urban driving at 75.. 70).

Obviously it's not like buying a PC cause you can't just buy a cheap car from a retail shop, so I'll have to look about and wait for the right car to appear on the used market.

The only other main constraint I have, is that I live with my parents (I'm a cheapskate student ;)) and my dad is very vocal on types of cars (he's a traffic cop). He has a Vectra 2.2 DTi, his last car was a Vectra 2.0 SRi, and the car before that a Cavalier 2.0 SRi. Notice a pattern here? I've noticed a lot of people here aren't fans of Vauxhalls in general.

An example of this, there was a nice Skoda Fabia (03 1.4 Elegance [110] with 21k miles) for £3k, which was nice all over, but my dad was just like "it's a Skoda", I don't want that in my driveway. He went to look at it, thought it was quite nice, enquired for me, it had sold. :(
 
Last edited:
Why on earth are you letting your parents have a say in what car you buy? Your dad is evidently a bit clueless when it comes to car decisions anyway based on the last couple of purchases he has made. In my mind his opinion would count for nothing.

The fact that he criticized Skoda directly while driving around in what he does is quite funny given that Skoda (VAG) cars are a cut above Vauxhall anyway.

Choose the car you want, tell your dad that you are not in any way interested in his input on the matter.
 
Your dad sounds like a moron. No offence, but he clearly knows nothing about motors and seems rather ignorant to boot.

I'd rather have the equivalent Skoda (the Superb... which is apparently superb ^_^) over the Vectra anyday of the week.

If you want cheap insurance, you'll be wanting something small like a Fiesta. I've had a look on Autotrader and there are quite a few in your price range, around 2003-2004, 50k miles, Zetec trim, with the 1.25L engine.

Another option would be something like a Toyota Yaris, or indeed the excellent Skoda Fabia.
 
Haha oh dear. You should be able to make your own choice. Hearing 'lol skoda' coming from your dad who is an avid VX nut is somewhat hilarious considering all he drives is Vauxhalls being a traffic cop. I'd say let your dad deal with his ignorance and pick a car that YOU like, not what your dad likes. My dad doesn't like MX5s for no particular reason but he's going to have to deal with it when one pops up on the drive :)
 
bledd. said:
how old are you?
will you have your own insurance? or on your parents, as a named driver..
Click to expand...
I'm 19, will still be 19 when insurance is due for renewal. My dad has his own insurance on the Vectra, and, being a cop, thinks that my mum being the policy holder on my car when she never drives it (she has an 08 Swift, company car, company insurance), is insurance fraud.

Janesy B said:
Haha oh dear. You should be able to make your own choice. Hearing 'lol skoda' coming from your dad who is an avid VX nut is somewhat hilarious considering all he drives is Vauxhalls being a traffic cop. I'd say let your dad deal with his ignorance and pick a car that YOU like, not what your dad likes. My dad doesn't like MX5s for no particular reason but he's going to have to deal with it when one pops up on the drive :)
Click to expand...
His argument was basically "If it was as good as VW then it would have a VW badge." Funnily enough, he quite likes MX-5s but they're a bit harsh on insurance for me. :(

The reason he gets to influence, is because without him my budget is only £1.5k. I should've mentioned that. :)

OneTime said:
Nice 02 - 05 Renault Clio tbh. Low insurance group and decent cars (imo) with high MPG.
Click to expand...
Umm, ew. :P I've never liked Clios. :)
 
Last edited:
It sounds as if he is really very uneducated with regards to the car market, and the insurance market as you mention the above.

Rather worrying that a traffic policeman has made that incorrect statement regarding the insurance. :(
 
Thats not fraud, how is it fraud? I'm a named driver on my dad's Focus 'just in case' I need to drive it, I haven't driven it yet and I haven't been done for fraud yet.

Your dad sounds like mine, has so many misconceptions and hates so many cars for no real reason. Maybe he should be posting on OcUK :p
 
Janesy B said:
Thats not fraud, how is it fraud? I'm a named driver on my dad's Focus 'just in case' I need to drive it, I haven't driven it yet and I haven't been done for fraud yet.

Your dad sounds like mine, has so many misconceptions and hates so many cars for no real reason. Maybe he should be posting on OcUK :p
Click to expand...
The difference is yours is "just in case", which isn't fraud at all. What we're talking about is my mum being the Policy Holder even though she would never actually drive the car (because her Swift is likely to be much better [although I hate it, the clutch just makes me rage]).

jonarob said:
Just save time and buy a Corsa now before your dad makes you buy one.
Click to expand...
Funnily enough, he doesn't like Corsas. My mum had a 1.0 and he hated it (because it was slow - nothing ever went wrong with it).
 
Last edited:
andrewdodd13 said:
The difference is yours is "just in case", which isn't fraud at all. What we're talking about is my mum being the "Named driver" even though she would never actually drive the car (because her Swift is likely to be much better [although I hate it, the clutch just makes me rage]).
Click to expand...

This makes no difference at all mate. My mum is named on my cars, yet she has access to over a hundred grands worth of car at my parents house. It still isnt illegal for her to be named on my policy.
 
show him this thread

tbh, if you're 19, you'll get raped on insurance with most things, so adding one of your parents as a named driver is a must (and totally legal)

getting an insurance policy on the car in their name, then adding you as a named driver would push it down further (but this is essentially illegal)


weird, we have almost exactly the same post count :p
 
andrewdodd13 said:
The difference is yours is "just in case", which isn't fraud at all. What we're talking about is my mum being the "Named driver" even though she would never actually drive the car (because her Swift is likely to be much better [although I hate it, the clutch just makes me rage])
Click to expand...

YOUR insurance policy with your mum as a second driver?

or

Your mum's insurance policy with you as a second driver?


The first is perfectly fine, the second is fronting and is fraud.
 
I have no intention of driving it though? Surely I should be locked up :) I'm sorry but your dad is wrong on this occasion.
 
Yeah, plus, if her car breaks down, she'll be able to use yours, surely? That's a perfectly valid reason for her to be on your insurance, regardless of how often or whether it's actually happened.
 
Confused said:
YOUR insurance policy with your mum as a second driver?

or

Your mum's insurance policy with you as a second driver?


The first is perfectly fine, the second is fronting and is fraud.
Click to expand...
The second. Obviously everyone else is getting the wrong idea.

As for adding either parent as a named on my policy, for my dad it added £8 last year and adding my mum would've cost £200.

My mum's car hopefully never breaks down - she gets a new one every three years. :)

Edit: Yeah I just realised I said "Named Driver" in my last post. Replaced with "Policy Holder" (which is what I meant).
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom