Good first car?

phi1

phi1

phi1

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It's getting to the point where I am starting to look at cars, I have a budget of around £1000 Can push to £1500. I won't need to budget any lessons as my mum is a instructor and has agreed to teach me. I had been looking at several cars but I am unsure on insurance. I have been riding moped/50cc motorbike for a year will I have a year’s no claims?

These are the cars I have been looking at,
Fiat Punto 1.2
Focus 1.6
Clio 1.2
MG ZR 1.6 (not so keen now)

I want a car that can get me a-b but at the same time not be really bad. I am going to do my bike test to have the fun :)

Any suggestions would be great.

Also I was chatting to my mum, she was saying that if I was to buy a car and then she used her car as only lessons rather than for everything. She said she would insure it and put me as a named driver? Is this illegal? Does she have to own the car?

Thanks Phil
 
Finding somewhere that will take the 1 year moped NCB will be hard. Its best to assume you wont have any NCB and if they do honor it, its a bonus.

I agree, of those cars definately the focus. The Clio and the Punto are small, crappy, will cost as much and carry the 'learner driver, its going to get crashed' image. The ZR will likely be much much more to insure.

TBH, a Focus is the best way to go.

As for named driver, if your only a named driver yet are the main driver you must state this, otherwise its fronting, which, altho im not sure if its illegal, is enough for the insurance company to refuse to pay out should they find out.
 
Focus is the best choice.

Fiat Punto 1.2 - Italian cars aren't the best for reliability.
Focus 1.6 - Good ride and handling, cheap to fix, reliable.
Clio 1.2 - Not as reliable or as good to drive as the Focus.
MG ZR 1.6 (not so keen now) - Probably expensive to insure, not as good as the Focus.

Re insurance be aware that "Fronting", whereby an experienced driver puts themselves down as the main driver when really it's the newly qualified driver, is not allowed. If you searched this forum for "Fronting" you'll find plenty of discussions.

I would also consider a Fiesta.

Rgds
 
Looks like focus it is, I shall do a quote on one now and see what it comes out like.
 
a £1000 focus will not be worth owning, you may get a half decent 1.6 Zetec for 1500 but dont be too upset when you dont find many focuses in that price range. Don't be Tempted by the 1.4 Focus, i have the same engine in my Fiesta and it is a very Lazy engine and mine is the 90ps version, the focus 1.4 has only has 75ps.
 
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phi1 said:
MG ZR 1.6 (not so keen now)
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To be honest, if insurance cost is a factor you might as well get a Rover 25 rather than a ZR - ok, its not got the sports suspension, but its much cheaper to insure as well as cheaper to buy. Also, while the 1.6 is torquier I think its not that different power-wise compared to the 1.4, which has enough for a nice a-to-b car. To be honest, the interior quality is a bit hit-and-miss (very nicely designed, very cheap dashboard plastic), but they drive well and are comfy compared to most small cars of their era... which is slightly before the Focus. I like the Rover, and it would do everything you need, but the Focus is the best option from that list, if more expensive than a Rover 25.
 
There's no such thing as a 1.6 ZR. The 1.4 ZR works out at £1000 a year to insure - my 1.4 Fiesta works out at £600 and i'm 21 with 1 yr NCB.
 
I just did a quote on a 1.4 focus, It's £2285 TPFT!!! then just out of interest I changed myself to female and it came out at £989 TPFT how is that fair! I don't have a criminal record or any points or anything. Live in a good area! Theres no way I can afford £2k on insurance. Looks like I will need to find something cheaper. Or if not just do my full bike test but then it means I always have to be on the wind/rain/snow etc...
 
Get a focus! Lovely cars to drive, plus the 3 door imo is a nice sporty option for a young fella.
Don't get an MG whatever you do, the ZR will fall apart everywhere.

Or as mentioned earlier get a fez, I loved my fez!
 
i'd shop around. I was being quoted 2k when i passed but i managed to get that down to £1300 by phoning around. My renewal quote this year was £1000 but i phoned http://www.premiumchoice.co.uk/ and got it down to £530 and i had to pay £100 when i brought by Fiesta 2 months into the policy
 
phi1 said:
I just did a quote on a 1.4 focus, It's £2285 TPFT!!!
Click to expand...

This is cause women drivers are seen as more reliable... less likely to plough themselves into a tree at 100mph, and generally more cautious.
Dont get many female racers do ya? (no offence to any ladies)

My 1.3 MK4 Fiesta cos me £940 for my first year when I was 17.
perhaps something along those lines? The facelift model (Mk5) is also rather nice car, good fun, parts are cheap, not bad looking and insurance friendly
 
Dont buy the 1.3 Fiesta, the Endura-E engine is based on a 50 year old design! Get a 1.25 or 1.4 MK4/5. If you get the "Zetec" trim level you will be treated to the better suspension and mine rides similarly to a Focus.
 
Janesy B said:
Dont buy the 1.3 Fiesta, the Endura-E engine is based on a 50 year old design! Get a 1.25 or 1.4 MK4/5. If you get the "Zetec" trim level you will be treated to the better suspension and mine rides similarly to a Focus.
Click to expand...

wasnt saying get a 1.3, I was just comparing the price of insurance.
 
Not the best engine in the world for performance.
However i'm led to believe that they are more reliable than the 1.25 and tend to last longer?

you a member on fiestaturbo?
 
I wouldn't really say so, the endura's need a bit more care and don't like being stressed out. The 1.25 is a cracking engine and will be much better than a 1.3 in every way.

i'm only a member of ZSOC.com at the mo.
 
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