Thinking of saving for a new car but I need some help

West · 2 Jul 2006 at 14:42

Hey guys...

Im thinking of saving some cash in the region of £800 or so for a new run around... but I dont know what I want... now by the time ive saved the cash up, I will have 1 years no claims (Touch Wood) and I will be 18... Now one thing that worries me is Insurance, atm I pay £1200 on my Fiat Cinquecento as the main driver and my parents as named... but bare in mind im still under provisional...

So what kind of cars can I get on that sort of insurance scale? that are actually bigger than my Cinquecentos beastly 1l Engine

[TW]Fox · 2 Jul 2006 at 20:33

Would it not be a good idea to concentrate on passing your test and getting a bit of experience first, then think of a new car?

MNuTz · 2 Jul 2006 at 21:15

do you even start getting NCB until your on a full licence? Or can you get it on a provisional?

Puzzled · 2 Jul 2006 at 21:19

MNuTz said:
do you even start getting NCB until your on a full licence? Or can you get it on a provisional?

I was told by directline that any ncb I earned as a named driver was only from when I got my full license.

Hopefully it will be different for the OP.

West · 2 Jul 2006 at 21:50

Test is less than 4 weeks away... and im quietley confident, I just want some options so I can start to save Fox...

MNuTz · 2 Jul 2006 at 21:53

probably anything under a 1.4 for your first car if your worried about insurance.

It depends what you want from a car!

What size car are you after?
Whats more important? Speed, looks or extras.
Are you going to want to tinker with it?
How old a car are you after?

Chris1712 · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:09

Provisional/Full makes no difference to insurance costs in the first year. At all, zilch nada nothing.

Not really sure what to recommend at this price point, dont see the point getting rid of the chento tbh, only thing better worth spending on is the likes of a mondeo ghia.

West · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:16

The Fiat prolly wont last me the year, I can see a few things going on it already... But I want a car that will atleast look nice, its basically gonna be a work run around doing 14 miles a day 5 days a week and the occasional run to Manchester and London probrably, so will need to hold its own on the motor way...

Glaucus · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:40

West said:
The Fiat prolly wont last me the year, I can see a few things going on it already... But I want a car that will atleast look nice, its basically gonna be a work run around doing 14 miles a day 5 days a week and the occasional run to Manchester and London probrably, so will need to hold its own on the motor way...

the chinqo is fine for all off that, it will happily cruise at 90 on the motorway. I doubt it will break down. Even when you see some niggaling things. They jsut run and run, pretty much bomb proof.

Unless you need something else I odn't see the point of changing it, any other car will be a leap in insurance as well chinqo group 1 even a diesle AX is group 4

paradigm · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:42

AcidHell2 said:
the chinqo is fine for all off that, it will happily cruise at 90 on the motorway.

Cruise "Happily" will it? I doubt that totally. It will "do" 90 (possibly, with a tail wind and a hill, maybe a push), but it certainly won't be "happy" at 90. I sure as hell wouldn't be "happy" doing 90 on the motorway in what can only be described as a bean tin.

[TW]Fox · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:47

AcidHell2 said:
the chinqo is fine for all off that, it will happily cruise at 90 on the motorway.

No it wont, you just think it will, probably becuase you've not really cruised in anything else at 90mph on the Motorway. Small junk like Chinqo's are awful at high speeds, they are unstable, unrefined, noisy and, dare I say it, downright dangerous. They have neither the brakes to brake hard from 90mph nor the suspension to keep the car stable. Yours had comical levels of bodyroll leaving the RR day carpark at 5mph.

It always makes me cringe when I'm cruising in comfort at about 80mph indicated and I watch a succession of old Fiestas, Saxo's, Chinqs etc pass at approx 90ish. They look like they are right on the limit of their capability.

Glaucus · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:50

[TW]Fox said:
It always makes me cringe when I'm cruising in comfort at about 80mph indicated and I watch a succession of old Fiestas, Saxo's, Chinqs etc pass at approx 90ish. They look like they are right on the limit of their capability.

90 is 84 gps.. you can get them to 95 indicated and hold them there. Yes the suspension is crud but motorwas are straight more or less. drove one for over 3 years and there bloody good for what they are

... But what ever you can arfue all you want I've driven them and to there limits. I know exactly how they behave..

on a 2nd note put mine on ebay today for buy it know at £150 with no mot or tax and someones bought it

. LOL just hope they pay.

[TW]Fox · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:51

They are horrible with few, if any, redeeming features beyond the 'they are cheao to insure and easy to park' line.

Glaucus · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:54

[TW]Fox said:
They are horrible with few, if any, redeeming features beyond the 'they are cheao to insure and easy to park' line.

dont break down, fir a surprising amount in *** back. no slope on boot back seats down. Its a pretty usfull size. cheap on petrol.. If you dont care about image and you want a small cheap car there great... Ok there compartivley uncomftable compare to my golf and noise. But thats not the point of them

paradigm · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:54

AcidHell2 said:
90 is 84 gps.. you can get them to 95 indicated and hold them there. Yes the suspension is crud but motorwas are straight more or less.

But what happens if you need to change lanes quickly (to avoid a situation) or brake harshly? The chinco will unfortunately not fair too well at that.

Also at 95 indicated, surely it is about to blow up

Glaucus · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:55

paradigm said:
But what happens if you need to change lanes quickly (to avoid a situation) or brake harshly? The chinco will unfortunately not fair too well at that.

It does ok, I never crashed it and I do like lane swaping.

paradigm said:
Also at 95 indicated, surely it is about to blow up

sounds like it but you can't blow those engines up.... If you get a downhill you can get them off the clock..

iCraig · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:56

Also, when you're hitting on a girl that knows absolutely nothing about cars, saying you drive a Cinquecento, it sounds almost like an exotic sports car.

[TW]Fox · 2 Jul 2006 at 22:57

iCraig said:
Also, when you're hitting on a girl that knows absolutely nothing about cars, saying you drive a Cinquecento, it sounds almost like an exotic sports car.

But giving her a lift in a Mondeo with leather seats...

oh hang on wrong thread, damn way too much Mondeo pimping tonight

Scania · 3 Jul 2006 at 00:32

West said:
Test is less than 4 weeks away... and im quietley confident

I have a mate who said that (or similar) to me about 6 years back, he's yet to pass his test. :eek:

Chickens 'n eggs.......

[TW]Fox said:
It always makes me cringe when I'm cruising in comfort at about 80mph indicated and I watch a succession of old Fiestas, Saxo's, Chinqs etc pass at approx 90ish. They look like they are right on the limit of their capability.

Agreed.

No matter what speed you drive at, such cars will always try to be faster! :rolleyes: