60six
Posted a lot
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Posts: 1,658
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Nov 20, 2010 23:24:23 GMT
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Having a hell of a time at the moment after offering to help a lady friend buying a car. She's 30 and has just passed her test. She can only have an auto. I have trawled the autotrader/ebay/freeads/gumtree now for a week and all I have seen is two overpriced dogs. (a micra for 960 which wasn't even remotely clean, scratched, dented, mismatched hubcaps, dirty interior) and a golf mk4 which was really dirty but drove well - had a severe oil leak, which was an advisory on the last two MOT's motinfo is well worth using on your smartphone when you see any car motinfo.direct.gov.uk/internet/jsp/ECHID-Internet-History-Request.jspMust be sub £1000, auto, under 1.6, clean, and insurable for her. Oh, and not yellow  A 998cc micra costs 770 to insure, a 1.6golf auto SE costs 870, but a corolla 1.3 sport auto is 1200 to insure. Insurance companies at the moment are totally off the wall. It's just a random number generator, as the spec of the cars makes no difference. Does anyone have any other car recommendations? I was trying to stick to just J A P (why does it not let me type thewordJAP) and german but now I am really scratching my head on this one. I personally don't like any french car made in the last 15 years, but if there is a good one then let me know My french car issue is down to the ren 2.2dci which is an insult to modern day technology, but that's another story. Thanks for your help - Never known buying a car for someone sooooo difficult. |
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Last Edit: Nov 21, 2010 11:05:30 GMT by 60six
Some 9000's, a 900, an RX8 & a beetle
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Copey
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,845
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Nov 20, 2010 23:57:35 GMT
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all I can suggest is avoid popular cars with new drivers, Fiestas, Corsas, Saxos etc as they are all popular with new drivers and insurance companies know it
I would guess summert like a volvo or a skoda would be a good choice, or possibly a Ford Mondeo, even bigger engined versions of these cars could possibly be reasonable due to the fact first time drivers wouldnt really think they would be cheap to insure
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Last Edit: Nov 21, 2010 0:00:44 GMT by Copey
1990 Ford Sierra Sapphire GLSi with 2.0 Zetec
1985 Ford Capri 3.0 (was a 2.0 Laser originally)
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,199
Club RR Member Number: 170
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I am not too sure about going for the unusual choice.
For my Mondeo V6 (I am 25 with 7 years NCB on the 306, and living in what is considered a good area) the insurance companies wanted near £1.6k! Even if I had the NCB on it, they would still want £900 Fully Comp. Fortunately, the company have insured it.
But I do agree to some degrees with you. My Porsche 944 S2 was cheaper to insure than both my Mondeo V6, and my old Peugeot 306 GTi-6, despite being the quicker car out of the 3 in more ways than one.
Either way, if you do go for a Mondeo, the 2.0 Auto is to be avoided, there are chocolate fire guards that have a longer life than the CD4E 'box. The 2.5 seems to have a stonger box but frugal it is not. The TDCi Auto 5 speed is not too bad but it needs to be religiously serviced on time.
Micras cost alot as many percieve Micras as being bulletproof.
The other car I was going to suggest was a Focus 1.6 Auto which years ago won Auto family car of the year. But I cannot imagine you getting a good one for under £1k (£1.5k maybe but then I am surprised you found a half decent Golf Mk4 for that money, a car which naturally has strong residuals). The Foci are built well and are long lived (my 1.6 Zetec was on 165k under my ownership with no real issues.
As a retro choice, Austin Allegro?
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The golf is a nice choice. And i can say they do drive nice, Very smooth like a big car. My mums just traded here mk4 1.6se auto in for a 207cc , She paid 3.5k a few years back and still got 2k for it, even with a couple of faults. One being the imobiliser. They go wrong on a regular basis. The problem being when you go to start the car, It will start , and run, Then immidietly cut out. Over and over again and the one out of ten times it starts and will keep going all day..  To fix this VW told her you need all 4 keys the car was supplied with. Or at the very least the plastic key tab that has all the relivent car data on it. So make sure you get that if you buy one. |
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md
Part of things
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ek civic? normally a few 1.4 autos knocking about on the autotrader etc...
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the only other input i can think of, Is my cousin had a red micra auto for his first car (2 actually the first one's box went)
The don't drive very well. They are quick/nippy for autos but very jolty. Something you might find if the car you pick is too small.
Any auto ive been in thats small seems to jolt thru the gears.
Given that i absolutely hate golfs. I cant praise the slosh box ones enough...
My mums and my mates old mk2 gl were both nice drives.
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Remember the days when sex was safe and motorsport was dangerous. Vintage bling always attracts pussy. |
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Was anyone else concerned that this thread was about buying a car for someone who had died recently?
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Nov 21, 2010 10:44:37 GMT
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Thats exactly the same problem i had with my ex, she learned to drive late and had a dodgy hip and shoulder so was stuck in an auto, she couldnt get classic insurance until she had been driving for 3 years so we had to find a smallish cheap auto with power steering for her.
I tell you i've never been so frustrated in my life, had i been able to persuade her to try a big car it would have been no problem, the world is full of 300 quid luxo barges, she was insistant she wanted something small and easy to park in tescos.
The dogs, wrecks, ruins, accident damaged piles of poo we looked at over those couple of months was amazing, i never new there were so many over priced heaps of junk around.
We ended up getting her a mk2 Astra in the end which was tatty but mostly solid and i nursed it through three MOT's while she waitied until she could get cheap insurance on her pinto powered Mk1 Escort auto.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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60six
Posted a lot
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Posts: 1,658
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Nov 21, 2010 11:01:22 GMT
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I tell you i've never been so frustrated in my life Damn right - so many heaps of curse word that the minute you see it, you know it's no good. Plenty of 525's and big passats, even spotted a volvo / daf variomatic thing that was quite nice, but wouldn't even know about how to fix it. I have spotted an N reg peugeot 306 auto 1.8. I know nothing about these - Are they any good? I know it's french but I have never heard anything bad about them. |
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Some 9000's, a 900, an RX8 & a beetle
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60six
Posted a lot
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Posts: 1,658
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Nov 21, 2010 11:02:13 GMT
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Was anyone else concerned that this thread was about buying a car for someone who had died recently? I am having to rename this thread because of YOU! ;D |
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Some 9000's, a 900, an RX8 & a beetle
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hamps
Posted a lot
www.medwayrscentre.co.uk
Posts: 2,077
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Nov 21, 2010 11:16:08 GMT
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i have a mk2 golf driver for sale see advert on here, lovely car £800 ono
and i also have a polo glx auto which is also a beautifull car currently my wifes car as she can only drive auto too.
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Nov 21, 2010 11:19:25 GMT
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I unfortunately hooked Marian onto autos so am in a similar boat . From many years of running autos I would recommend Japaneses cars ( or derivatives like Rovers) as the autos go on forever . Generally an auto is expected to last 100,00 so try to buy something with lower milage if poss. Also autos don't like being sat about as they such water into the trans fluid and the plates and bands are held on with water soluble glue so not a good combination. You can find many low milage small cars cheaply as many people buy then when they retire and hardly drive them ...they doall tend to be brown though  For the last 6 years we've run Rover 416 autos , bought cheap enough to throw away should the auto play up. |
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Last Edit: Nov 21, 2010 11:20:53 GMT by kapri
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60six
Posted a lot
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Posts: 1,658
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Nov 21, 2010 11:19:54 GMT
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I would have the mk2 but they rarely have power steering - A must for my friend.
Polos are really thin on the ground, as for autos .....
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Some 9000's, a 900, an RX8 & a beetle
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60six
Posted a lot
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Posts: 1,658
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Nov 21, 2010 11:22:57 GMT
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The other car I was going to suggest was a Focus 1.6 Auto which years ago won Auto family car of the year. But I cannot imagine you getting a good one for under £1k (£1.5k maybe but then I am surprised you found a half decent Golf Mk4 for that money, a car which naturally has strong residuals). The Foci are built well and are long lived (my 1.6 Zetec was on 165k under my ownership with no real issues. As a retro choice, Austin Allegro? Thought about allegro, but no autos! Foci (plural for focus?) are just out of her price range, otherwise I would consider. |
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Some 9000's, a 900, an RX8 & a beetle
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Nov 21, 2010 11:24:09 GMT
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Last Edit: Nov 21, 2010 11:29:27 GMT by pauldaf44
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hamps
Posted a lot
www.medwayrscentre.co.uk
Posts: 2,077
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Nov 21, 2010 11:24:19 GMT
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My mk2 has power steering and is auto, and the polo is auto
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Nov 21, 2010 11:35:46 GMT
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Be wary of a Micra auto. They are CVT and have a steel belt that can be troublesome. New belt alone is something like £500+. I think Fiesta have a CVT model as well but don't know if they are more reliable.
We had a G reg 4 door MKII Golf 1.8 GL auto with pas. Great car but bit thirsty (under 25 mpg in normal driving even though good mechanical condition and new Weber carb). If you can live with economy then they get my recommendation.
Paul H
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hamps
Posted a lot
www.medwayrscentre.co.uk
Posts: 2,077
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Nov 21, 2010 11:40:46 GMT
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the golf is a great auto, drive nice, as said the 1.8 is thirsty we had a few, but the one I have for sale is a 1600, so its much better.
our polo also is very good on fuel
yes the fiesta is cvt and can be trouble as the micr and most small autos!, inc fiat etc! oh and the peugeots and renaults are terrible!
we found the small engined auto's we have had are juicy and unreliable, due to working hard, which is why we now stick to german.
we had a mondeo 2.0 auto that was rubbish too\\\\\!
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Last Edit: Nov 21, 2010 11:46:17 GMT by hamps
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Nov 21, 2010 11:49:19 GMT
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I had a Mazda 626 auto that lost reverse gear, common fault apparently and expensive to fix, my dads 2 litre auto mondeo ate its gearbox and that when we found out you pretty much cant buy a second hand auto box for them as they ALL die.
My ex's mum has had a bubble shaped CVT micra since it was 2 years old and its never let her down, hers has power steering and that makes its value quite high though, when it got hit up the back the insurance company were going to write it off until we pointed out it had PS and they repaired it instead, doubled its value apparently. :S
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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