New drivers and their first car

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1994 Nissan Sunny 1.6 SR - 3dr in a metallic green/blue.

Epic car, nothing went wrong, cost peanuts and had a bit of pace with 100hp. My mate's took the **** constantly, like I cared.

Sold it to some annoying haggly boy and only realised just before he arrived that the arches on both sides had rotted away internally whilst covered with dirt. Chin up boyo, hope you enjoyed that find you stupid *****

 

[ganesh]

My first car was a 1.4 1999 clio, it was ****. Terrible driving position, huge bus like steering wheel, horrible stiff clutch, no rose tinted glasses here.

 

[Jumper118]

I'm 17 and i got myself a 06 plate suzkui alto. Don't see the point in getting in getting a new car which is just as slow.

 

[GhostWKD]

Won't go into car history (had maybe 18 cars? I like to try new things ) but I remember a few years ago when I got my first S2000 there was a kid in a brand new vauxhall corsa thing who shouted something about me being in 'daddies car'. Must be said I found his viewpoint highly ironic given the fact his car was worth much more than mine!

First car was a Fiat Cinquecento though, by the time I was on my third (2 of them got rear ended!) I was fitting a T15 turbo to 1.2 Punto engine in the thing - a lot of money wasted but good times had.

 

[Gaygle]

I think it also comes from the fact we are a lot less practical and hands on as a society than we were 20years ago. Back then people weren't as scared to buy bangers because they expected them to break down, but it was ok because they/theyre dad would be able to fix it.

Nowadays people won't even attempt to fix anything on their cars and generally don't know a lot about them. Hence they think they must get a brand new car with a warranty because new apparently equals reliable and even if something did go wrong, the dealer will fix no questions asked.

This is further compounded by cars being lots more complicated than years ago, engine bays being a lot more cramped and the fact people travel further to go to work so reliability and quick, no hassle repairs become more of a priority.

 

[Hagar]

I think it also comes from the fact we are a lot less practical and hands on as a society than we were 20years ago. Back then people weren't as scared to buy bangers because they expected them to break down, but it was ok because they/theyre dad would be able to fix it.

Nowadays people won't even attempt to fix anything on their cars and generally don't know a lot about them. Hence they think they must get a brand new car with a warranty because new apparently equals reliable and even if something did go wrong, the dealer will fix no questions asked.

This is further compounded by cars being lots more complicated than years ago, engine bays being a lot more cramped and the fact people travel further to go to work so reliability and quick, no hassle repairs become more of a priority.

When you could trace faults in the ignition system visually, get a basic tune with a small screwdriver, a light bulb on two wires and a battery (or a cigarette paper) across the points.

Fuel systems were a carburettor and a filter to check. Again a small screwdriver to adjust and set the idle and jets.

Nowadays i do little with my 2.2L honda diesel. It just looks too complicated.

 

[Sasso]

My first car (I did share my mums 1.25 fiesta prior to that ), I was gifted my grans 93 plate Ford Escort LX 1.6 DOHC going back 8 years now when I was 18 xD I cannot express how over joyed I was to get given. I loved it so much and would be a good boy and help my gran clean it in the years prior. She was getting on a bit and saw no need to have it as she rarely ever drove it, so on condition of it being a gift, I would have to come get her for sunday lunch....DEAL!!!! xD

loved that thing so much! then chavs existed and tried to steal the damn thing /cry

but soon....I shall own my own car again (instead of sharing ).....soon my A4.....soon...... (petrol not diesel...well.....the 3.0tdi if after many more months of waiting and I cave)

 

[almoststew1990]

My first car was a Nissan Almera in 2007. It was bought by my Dad for £1200, with him as a named driver on my stand alone policy (£800). I guess I am one of 'those' kids.

I wasn't a member of this forum back then but if I was I would have asked for advice on which car. My Dad did ask me what I wanted, I said a Mk4 golf, but at the time they were way out of budget. In the end he chose this as it had "a lot of metal around me". If I had looked on line, one of you fine people might have said that this car has/had the second lowest NCAP score of one star, and this was after an early recall of non-functioning seatbelts. So investigating online is a good idea and it is much easier to find information on what car to buy.

However, judging by the pictures of me sitting in it, I was ******* ecstatic to have a car, who cares if it was ugly and has the same 'streetcred' as my Grandad and I'm not critical at all.

It's been a brilliantly reliable car electric windows, mirrors and sunroof all still working, but then I haven't done anything stupid in it or been in any accidents. I'd much rather have this than say a 2004 corsa/fiesta. Of course there were the kids sitting in their Lancer VII or whatever it was thinking they were the height of cool, and my mate driving his mum's 318is who thought it would make him knee deep in clunge. I think these kids are the minority though.

 

[Dis86]

Mine was a 1.0l N reg Punto.

Proper shed. Great fun though until some daft mare ran a red light straight in to the side of me, bounced me into oncomming traffic and then ****** off from the scene. Luckily her plate fell off and she left most of her paint on the side of my car so police managed to trace her but were unable to prosecute due to 'lack of evidence' however her insurance paid out eventually.

It still ran after that but one of the doors was seized shut and it was never quite the same.

 

[almoststew1990]

Hmm... it's worse than I remembered!

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/nissan_almera_1999/39.aspx

"The Almera suffered a major seat belt failure during the frontal impact when it was first tested a year ago.

 

[matthab]

First car was a 1.0 1996 Corsa with no power steering or abs just bogs standard spec. I have to admit I did pack it with a stereo, lowered it and put a big exhaust on it.

I'll freely admit I looked stupid and heavily regret it now.

 

[HangTime]

I'd hazard a guess that if the internet wasn't around, most on here would just look at a dealers or Auto trader and pick a car and be done with it.

I think you answered your own question. The internet IS around, and because of that, people have a very convenient research facility literally at their fingertips. It applies to almost anything, not just cars but computers, schools, coffee machines or whatever.

Also if there was no internet, chances are you wouldn't even hear about most of the 'critical' new drivers, because you'd have no communication channel with them. They would be asking their mates or reading motoring supplements, so unless you happened to know them, you'd be none the wiser.

 

[The_Abyss]

My very first car was a VW Beetle - the original kind - K reg. I'd spent two years doing it up (a full restoration) with my Dad before I passed my test.

Once I passed it I drove it for a couple of months and really didn't like it, plus the engine was not reliable (we hadn't done the electrics properly). So we sold it and I had a hand me down of my uncle's car - a Cavalier SR which was an amazing car for someone my age, considering I was still at school. That lasted me until my first week at university, when it was stolen, recovered and then written off. I went without a car for a couple of years and then bought a Nova 1.2 Club (half financed by my Dad, until I paid him off). That lasted me four years, and I really loved that car - I still consider it my real first car, as I paid for it.

£2,200 to buy it - D reg. £1,500 to insure it (Eagle Star) in the first year. I was on £9,500 a year back then - I think it was around 1993, to put it into perspective for those that are learning now and thinking that insurance is expensive for them.

However, because of the relative simplicity of the cars back then and because of the upbringing I had, I did all my own basic serving. Head gasket, spark plugs, cleaning our the carburetor, oil change - all without a second thought. I took my Nova from 30,000 miles to 115,00 miles, and when I gave it to my brother it gave him another 20,000 miles too.

I can remember being very jealous of my mate who also had a Nova but he had five gears. I only had four. What a car meant to me back then is very different to what a car means to me now. I'd like to think that I'm just as enthusiastic about my cars now, but compared to them I;m certainly not. I used to really love my car, and had the time to really love it too. A far cry from today when I don't really care if it is clean or not, and the only servicing I do myself is to top up the washer fluid and maybe check the oil level at the same time.

Odd how things work out. Or, just normal as you get older!

 

[adam cool dude]

1995 Peugeot 306 1.6 XS in black. Paid 700 for it and a grand in insurance. Sebring back box and upgraded exhaust manifold. Was a beast for a first car till I reversed it into a bollard.

 

[Voxination]

I still maintain my 1L K11 Nissan Micra (gift from parents) was basically a 911. Managed to not crash it as I hardly drove it, saved the crashing for my second car (bought outright by me) which got reversed into a bollard and then put in a ditch lol.

 

[HumanShield]

I loved my first car for a while, and now do not! Focus 1.6, bought for £500 about a year and a half ago. Had driven a Vectra for a few months before hand.

The Focus is still fine, and serviceable. Its been crashed once, i fixed it, carried on driving it, and have no reason to change it for the small amount of driving I do in it to and from work. Rusty ******* thing though!