ThePollitt
Posted a lot
Fix up, look... at that car on eBay!
Posts: 4,696
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:00:23 GMT
|
My generally brill cousin, Katt has recently passed her test, so she needs a ride. She'll have about £800 to spend and she wants something funky. The question is, what? Something retro would be nice, but it needs to have all the modern stuff in terms of being warm and safe. Basically, something that you'd be comfortable with her being in if she was your little cousin. Insurance is going to be an issue, so keep that in mind too. So, we're looking for something cool and safe, what can you lot tell me? Chris
|
|
|
|
|
markbognor
South East
Posts: 9,970
Club RR Member Number: 56
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:05:47 GMT
|
She could do a lot worse than a sub 1000cc mid nineties nissan. Go hello kitty mad, but with wide wheels and some lowering and it would be cracking.
|
|
|
|
MK2VR6
Posted a lot
Mk2 Golf GTi 90 Spec
Posts: 3,329
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:06:10 GMT
|
Morris Minor. 2 door to be on the safe side. Radials rather than crossplies to be extra safe. Oh, and lapbelts retro-fitted if she wants to be triple safe. My '69 2 door did me proud as my second car at the age of 18. Plus she will get fond of it. I rediscovered mine after not seeing it for 15 years and felt gutted that someone had allowed this to happen.... This one is a little tidier, ideal for her!
|
|
Last Edit: Dec 13, 2010 22:18:17 GMT by MK2VR6
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:10:52 GMT
|
Buy a mk2 polo, Spend the change on lowering and wheels.
|
|
|
|
ThePollitt
Posted a lot
Fix up, look... at that car on eBay!
Posts: 4,696
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:13:35 GMT
|
Good advice so far.
Do include pics though, she is watching this thread!
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:17:05 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:22:05 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:32:28 GMT
|
Insurance is the killer...even on a Micra or an Acclaim from my experiences recently looking for something for my son. Footman James will cover a new, young driver on a pre-75 popular classic provided the owner belongs to a large, recognised owners club. My 17 tear old son has a Triumph Herald which will cost him under £600 to insure if when he passes his test.
Pre 75 Toledos and 1300s got the same low quote (1300 Dolomites didn't - it was the age), whereas a DAF (tiny engine!) and an Acclaim missed out too. I didn't try Morris Minors, Minis, Austin 1300s and the like, but I reckon they'd qualify.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:34:59 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:41:58 GMT
|
Get a Nissan Micra, or Ford Ka. And LEAVE THE MODS ALONE.
Even if you sniff at lowering, alloys etc it will make the premium skyrocket.
|
|
|
|
|
RobinJI
Posted a lot
"Driven by the irony that only being shackled to the road could ever I be free"
Posts: 2,995
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:44:24 GMT
|
1300 mk2 golf. It's what I picked when I was 18 and needed a new car after my £250 polo failed its MOT on massive sill rust. As you know, they're cool, they're retro, have potential, the 1300's are really good on fuel, cheep to insure, reliable, ect.. The polo, was a good little car, but I just can't help but think the golf was more practical, handled better and was more comfy and more versatile: The golf: Oh, and the result of me deciding to test the whole safety thing, turns out they are pretty tough, this went sideways off a 7 foot drop into a tree-stump covered woodland at about 40mph. I managed to walk away with nothing more than a bruise and being a bit shaken up. Despite how it looks the passenger area was actually pretty intact: PS, I think she'd struggle with insurance on an MX-5, plus although they're surprisingly tough in most crash's, without a roll bar they're far from safe if they end up rubber side up, and with a roll bar she's got even less chance of insuring it. I'm not sure I'd recomend one as a first car anyway, everyone gives their first car a little thrash every now and then, just because they can, even girls. In the cold and wet even my 1600's rather lively if you get tempted to drive a touch quick, I can imagine a new driver ending up facing the wrong way with a confused expression on their face rather quickly.
|
|
Last Edit: Dec 13, 2010 21:55:24 GMT by RobinJI
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 21:50:26 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 22:02:47 GMT
|
personally i would go for a beetle or a minor (shock horror, i didnt say a panda ;D)
|
|
1993 Fiat Panda Selecta 2003 Vauxhall Combo 1.7DI van 2006 Mercedes Kompressor Evolution-S AMG SportCoupé
"You think you hate it now, wait til you drive it"
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 22:05:56 GMT
|
Suzuki SJ or Vitaras are cheap to buy and tough, higher insurance group than you'd think but Highway do 4x4 insurance that came out at half the cost of the cheapest other quote i had, also the insurance scheme run by www.suzuki4u.co.uk/forum/ is odd, it gets cheaper on modded ones for some reason, a LOT cheaper!
|
|
Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 22:47:25 GMT
|
Buy a mk2 polo, Spend the change on lowering and wheels. mk3 polo. 1L injection, more about, do better mpg, should be a similar driving experience to what she's learnt in too. the rest will be spent on insurance. zero mods.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 22:51:50 GMT
|
polo micra starlet corolla lupo
|
|
2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 23:05:00 GMT
|
A K11 Micra. My wife had a purple 1.3 GX, it was a great little car, nippy and easy to drive, cheap as chips to run and repair. Run this for a year or two, build up some no claims and get some experance under your belt and save up for something nice, Job done.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 23:05:38 GMT
|
one o'dese
|
|
|
|
Roobeh
Part of things
Posts: 502
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 23:11:01 GMT
|
don't even need to say it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 13, 2010 23:36:23 GMT
|
Buy a mk2 polo, Spend the change on lowering and wheels. mk3 polo. 1L injection, more about, do better mpg, should be a similar driving experience to what she's learnt in too. the rest will be spent on insurance. zero mods. Not from my expirience of mk3's For one... They are identical to a mk2 so drive the same handling wise.. (brakes are a little easier but not better as the calipers are the same) two, The 1.0 injection lumps are awefull strangled things... A well set up pierburg with a 1.0 and 5 speed box is excellent. Thats based on owning 16 polos of mk1/2/3 variants... 85/90 miles to a tenner.... mixed driving..... They wont be anything like driving a modern. They just arnt... modern cars are big squishy boxes with absoultely no feel. A polo will be a whole new learning curve, Tbh they drive like they are older. But they were the same at the end of 94 as they were in 75 underneath... Not to mention, Mk3s Look too bland, Not meaning to be horrible about them. But they were just a make do by vw. The mk2 was a whole new body... the mk3 was a set of new headlights in essence...
|
|
Last Edit: Dec 13, 2010 23:37:40 GMT by retrowagen1234
|
|
|