Advise on focus

phi1 · 24 Dec 2009 at 20:21

Hi there, I have a Vauxhall Astra 1.6 mk4 but its boring red and not very nice. I am wanting to change my car I am 17 I hear everybody on here says fiesta or focus. I would rather have a bigger car so it has to be a focus. I was running some quotes today and insurance seems to of gone silly. They wanted £3800 I refuse to pay anything over £2000 I am currently paying £1768 TPFT On my own with Quinn direct.

I have heard from some people that the insurance companies put their prices up a lot just before the end of the year so that they can get everything they can get. I ran a quote on my Vauxhall and they wanted £3500 I couldn't work this out at all considering I am got it in insured for £1768.

Anyway I am wanted to find a good focus. I am not sure on what trim etc I should be looking at? If I could get it I wouldn't mind one with leather. I have a budget of £2500 I could add a tiny bit more if required. I don't want to get anything over 100k or older than my Astra which is 2001.
I know I am asking for a lot but I don't know what to really be looking for? Thanks for all the help!

Cheers Phil

Ricochet J · 24 Dec 2009 at 20:25

You can get a Focus which is a better car compared to the Mk4 Astra. But at £2500, I'd advise you keep your Astra. At that price you will not buy a decent Focus that is less than 100k and younger than 2001. At the end of the day, the Focus will be a 9 year old design and may come with its problems. If you have trouble free motoring keep the Astra.

It means you can save your money and buy something better and newer than an Astra or Focus in year or two time.

iaind · 24 Dec 2009 at 20:31

If you prefer bigger cars, just get a Mondeo and be done with it

phi1 · 24 Dec 2009 at 20:32

iaind said:
If you prefer bigger cars, just get a Mondeo and be done with it

I would but insurance don't seem to like that idea! Cheapest quotes were £6000+

Ricochet J · 24 Dec 2009 at 20:34

Like you said in your opening post, insurance quotes are high for one reason or another. Run an insurance quote later on, on a Mondeo and see if the prices go back down?

iaind · 24 Dec 2009 at 20:36

phi1 said:
I would but insurance don't seem to like that idea! Cheapest quotes were £6000+

Speak to your insurer, find out whats going on - ring around different insurers and do the homework. I did and at 17 I could insure a mk1 Mondeo for less than a Fiesta.

phi1 · 24 Dec 2009 at 20:36

Yeah, before I passed they kepted changing by a few hundred but now it's 1000's I guess I can keep the astra till next year and see what the quotes are like then.

Ghuraba · 24 Dec 2009 at 23:05

For £2500 it is possible to get a low mileage Focus. I got one recently 51 plate 1.6, two owners last one a woman for 6 years and it had 61,000 with full Ford Service History in great condition.

A friend of mine just got a Y reg, 1.6 with 6,000 miles on the clock! Yes, 6,000 miles on the clock for £2500. From a woman who bought the car then had some illness and never actually drove the car after that.

You just have to look around, there are so many you can take your pic.

Michael

The_Abyss · 24 Dec 2009 at 23:22

Wow - a Y reg with just 6k on the clock will have all sorts of problems. I wonder if the engine has ever been properly warmed up.

If it has sat idle for years, even more problems.

Ghuraba · 24 Dec 2009 at 23:35

Works fine. Friend who bought it drives all around the UK in it. Must have been driven now and then, not like it was sat in her garage for 7-8 years.

But yeah, low mileage doesn't always equate to best deal just like high mileage does not always mean a bad car.

Michael

mattyprice4004 · 25 Dec 2009 at 10:21

I find car insurance is one of the weirdest things I have ever come across, then again it's all based on claims history I suppose rather than grouping.

The cheapest car to insure I had was a 1.6 Rover 400 at £900 at 18, whereas now an MG ZS diesel (group 12?) costs just as much to insure as a Group 17 Rover 620ti... go figure. I'm 20 years old.

Makes no sense!