Is this sensible and reasonable

[Adam_151]

I'm 19, and have had my license for 4 months, I've been insured on my mums car as a named driver since I passed, I'm hopeing to here back on a job I'm trying to get at the moment, now if I get it, I'll need my own car to get to it (its about 20 miles away), and anyway when I'm earning money I would want my own car anyway

Been looking around at cars and insurance, I can't seem to make insurance dip below a grand, I guess this is probabaly quite normal for someone of my age who has only been driving for a few months?, anyway, been looking around, and it seems you can get something like a xsara 1.4 with quite a few 'toys' for about £1600, and from the few places that I've checked around for insurance, the best I can find is admiral, who want £1140 TPFT for me as main driver and both parents as named drivers.

1) would you consider this quote reasonable, or is it silly?
2) are there any other cars I should look at instead to get insurance lower? (I'd be quite flexable, but I don't want to go into the realm of wind up windows... and rust buckets)
3) would you consider a xsara 1.4 a 'sensible' car for someone my age to drive?

EDIT: also they ask about modications, does anyone know whether they'd likely want to add much on if I was to replace a tape radio, with an mp3 radio?

 

[paradigm]

I would say the quote is possibly a little (and I mean only a little) on the high side, but then again that would depend entirely on your postcode it would seem from recent threads.

Its certainly not a bad quote though. And its definately a sensible choice in car!

 

[Confused]

Try removing your dad from the policy with Admiral They tend to like older female drivers rather than older male drivers

That doesn't sound too bad for only 4 months experience. Plus your postcode will have a lot to do with it if you're in a high-risk area!

Xsara is a very sensible car - it's fundamentally the same car as a Pugeot 306, but with different body panels and badge, and about half the cost! The 1.4 may be a little slow, you may well find the 1.6 or the 1.9 diesel aren't that much more to insure, but will provide better performance

No doubt [TW]Fox will be here soon to go on in more depth into how good a Xsara is

 

[Adam_151]

Try removing your dad from the policy with Admiral They tend to like older female drivers rather than older male drivers

tried it with and without, having him on it makes it cheaper by a little (only by a little though)

That doesn't sound too bad for only 4 months experience. Plus your postcode will have a lot to do with it if you're in a high-risk area!

Think I looked at the thing in the sticky, and the whole city is somewhere low to mid risk, 2a rings a bell, postcode = LN4

Xsara is a very sensible car - it's fundamentally the same car as a Pugeot 306, but with different body panels and badge, and about half the cost!

yeah, i've seen that posted on here, and cost would have a higher effect on my choice than the exact shape, etc (I have a penny pinching nature )

The 1.4 may be a little slow, you may well find the 1.6 or the 1.9 diesel aren't that much more to insure, but will provide better performance

Tested the quote with a 1.9TD and it was quite a bit higher, not sure if it was to do with the one I picked to test it on was an estate (been looking through auto trader and putting details of them in, what causes trouble is I can't always match it properly, eg I can do a 1.4i forte on the insurance thing ok, but say a 1.4i LX, there isn't a lx on the insurance thing, theres an LXi, but I think that would be different, otherwise forte would be fortei ?)

No doubt [TW]Fox will be here soon to go on in more depth into how good a Xsara is

I'm pretty sure it was his posts that had me looking into them

Now I just have to hope I have some luck with getting this job

 

[Mackass]

Have you taken PassPlus? Insurance companies like Norwich Union offer 30% off for it.

 

[Puzzled]

Have you tried elephant, they can do my (18, 1yrs driving, no ncb) insurance for £800 while most places want over £1300. Don't know why, but proves that you need to really look around.

Also if you have any teachers in the family, or other jobs like that try adding them as a named driver. It can really bring the price down.

An MP3 player isn't a mod, so don't even mention it. Plus put the annual mileage a little bit on the low side, not stupidly low but no point paying extra for miles you won't be doing.

 

[willd58]

Pass pluss, parents on policy, try elephant. 1.4 will be a little slow, try the 1.9TD, itd what i was aiming for when i first passed.

 

[R0B75]

I dont know much about the car you have been looking, but as my first car I have just bought a 96 VW Polo 1.4 CL for £1400. I have insured it fully comp with zero excess, guaranteed car hire and legal cover for £297 inc monthly payment interest. This was through Direct Line. I have home insurance and the Mrs has her car insurance with them so i got my car registered in her name (as the registered owner) and insured it as her second car with me as a named driver. I can still, as a named driver, build up my own NCB with Direct Line.

Im willing to bet you can get your insurance well under a grand if you try something similar. Only differences being I am older than 25 and I get a slight discount for 1 home and 2 car policies with Direct Line.

 

[richolmes72]

I managed £700 TPFT at 18 with 0 NCB on a Phase 2, 1.6 306 (virtually same as the xsara) but i do have a good postcode. Endsleigh are particularly good if you are still in college.

 

[NickXX]

Try removing your dad from the policy with Admiral They tend to like older female drivers rather than older male drivers

I thought this would be true too. However, adding my Dad onto the policy made it go down more than when I added my Mum on!

Elephant got me my cheapest quote. Tried Direct Line (extortionate), Nationwide (little less extortionate), Admiral (Reasonable), Diamond o) and Elephant which finally got me a quote of £1,600. Direct Line quoted me £2,500..

 

[Adam_151]

Endsleigh are particularly good if you are still in college.

I finished sixth form last summer, and I'm currently unemployed , but the job I'm trying to get is for an apprentice electrician, which would entail me spending some of the time at the local college