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Hello people. I have had a couple of threads now, one extremely useful and informative one on the Hillman Imp, and one of the Bond Bug. Basically I can't decide what to get, and I'm after a first car. So I thought instead of keep making threads on different cars as I find out about them, I'd just post a thread which I'm going to show you my current considerations, and ask for other options. All of the cars below are very different from each other. But basically I want a car that is a bit different, and has something about it that normals cars do not, but it also has to be cheap to insure and run being my first car. I'd also quite like something British, but if I can get something particularly good that isn't then I'm open to it. So far then I've considered:- Hillman Avenger+ Lots of interior space + good size boot + looks good when modified a bit - Less sporty - Drinks more than the Imp Hillman Imp+ Can seat four people + Will be cheap to insure + Good handling + Fun + Can look good when done up + Doesn't drink a lot - Not the most interesting thing visually - Not that easy to get hold of Triumph Spitfire+ Looks brilliant + Great fun with the top down + Good handling + Fun + Good parts availability + Sounds good - Not the cheapest to insure - Only two seats Bond Bug+ Looks amazing + Doesn't drink much - Hard to find - Not that cheap to get a good one - Not that cheap to insure - Dodgy handling being a three wheeler - Limited parts availability Land Rover Series III+ Look good (imo) + Could be great fun off road + Nice high up driving position + Lot's of space to put things like luggage + Can carry a lot of people - Drinks a lot - Not great handling on road Basically feel free to correct any of the above, or suggest other cars etc. I have a budget of £2000 for the car, and I don't want to be paying more than £1600 for insurance. Thanks
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Last Edit: Mar 8, 2009 20:57:06 GMT by yantorsen
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,538
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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Keep the options very open. As Seth says, the Imp is British enough!
Would avoid the Landy. While they're very simple, they're also very heavy so costly to run and a pain to work on.
Go French! Citroen 2CV! C'est fantastique! (sorry, it's the rules that I must always recommend a 2CV)
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1986 Citroen 2CV Dolly Other things. Check out my Blog for the latest! www.hubnut.org
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I know Rootes pedigree is very British. But it was owned by Chrysler when the Imp was about. To be honest that isn't really a major minus point, but I had to think of some more for it as there isn't many others.
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Keep the options very open. As Seth says, the Imp is British enough! Would avoid the Landy. While they're very simple, they're also very heavy so costly to run and a pain to work on. Go French! Citroen 2CV! C'est fantastique! (sorry, it's the rules that I must always recommend a 2CV) Cheers for the advice on the Landy. But I don't think I'd want a 2CV really, it's French for a start
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,538
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Imp = 1963. Chrysler = 1967 Very much a British, nay Scottish car. And with a racing car engine too.
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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Imp = 1963. Chrysler = 1967 Very much a British, nay Scottish car. And with a racing car engine too. Oh ok, fair enough. In that case I shall remove that minus point. Still lacks the flare of the spitfire and bond bug though.
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The early Imps were Rootes Imps, the later ones were Chrysler UK, and believe it or not, they are errrr, the same virtually. They were all built in the UK and were shipped abroad for other countries. The Imp, and Rootes group are all very British. The Imp is very good on petrol, excellent to drive, and cheap to modify, you can get your friends in it and even for a camping weekend there is plenty of room (get a roofrack if you need more!)
I too have been looking at other old cars recently. Land Rovers just drink like its going out of fashion. My friend had a 2a 2.25 petrol, and that used so much fuel it was unreal. Cruising speed was about 50-55, anything over that was uncomfortable. Although it was good to get 8 people in it and cruise round with no roof, it crippled him financially. Spitfires are too expensive, imo. And a Bong Bug, well, as an every day first car i'd avoid it due to the handling, I get the feeling you would come unstuck quite quickly.
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Oh, also, there was an Imp sport sold on ebay last week, a local car to me and known by the club, only sold due to the owner passing away and it went for around £600, and wouldnt need that much for the mot as it was used regularly.
Imps come up quite often, you just need to constantly look for a good one.
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Sound advice there purehillmanimp.
In what way do you think that a spitfire would be too expensive.
I mean they don't cost much more to buy than an Imp, parts are probably cheaper, it's just be a couple of hundred more to insure, and it'd drink a little bit more.
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Last Edit: Mar 4, 2009 0:06:44 GMT by yantorsen
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How much do they go for? The ones ive seen have been going for more than I would personally pay for an Imp. But then i'd also buy an Imp that needed some work doing to it. I got given an Imp a while ago, don't hear of many free spitfires!
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How much do they go for? The ones ive seen have been going for more than I would personally pay for an Imp. But then i'd also buy an Imp that needed some work doing to it. I got given an Imp a while ago, don't hear of many free spitfires! Spitfires can be had for about a £800 (for a runner with curse word bodywork), to about £1500 for something in pretty good nick all round, up to around £6000 for a mint show car. Imps seem to be about the same, except they never get quite as expensive as £6000 unless they have been tuned perhaps.
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I don't think handling is really a concern for your first car. I don't mean that as an older person trying to frown on youth, etc. but good handling is wasted in a sense, in your first car. I wouldn't agree with imps being boring - I think they're very different looking and could attract a lot of positive attention. They're more unusual than an old Triumph or MG too.
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I don't think handling is really a concern for your first car. I don't mean that as an older person trying to frown on youth, etc. but good handling is wasted in a sense, in your first car. I wouldn't agree with imps being boring - I think they're very different looking and could attract a lot of positive attention. They're more unusual than an old Triumph or MG too. According to the telegraph there one of the ugliest cars of all time www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2754191/The-100-ugliest-cars-60-41.html?image=15Personally I don't think there ugly but still. To non car savy people an Imp will just look like an old banger/classic of not much interest. Whilst a spitfire is an elegant open top sports car. Handling is a concern, as I'll probably have this car for a while.
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tycho
Part of things
Posts: 151
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Ditto on avoiding a series 3 Landrover. I wouldn't say that they are a pain to work on. You need about 3 different spanners, a big hammer & a bin to put the Haynes manual in as it's always wrong, but they are awful to drive. Really not a pleasant experience at all & the diesel ones are slower than walking.
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nizzer
Part of things
Posts: 217
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Sorry to keep carrying on the anti LandRover theme but an early series model wouldnt be a wise idea in my honest opinion. many don't have servo assisted brakes, they all have VERY heavy steering and the turning circle the size of the moon, along with a massive thirst for fuel and not much speed. All in all it doesnt add up to a great experience for an inexperienced driver. Series LandRovers are great! but only if you really like LandRovers! All Landys are extremely fun offroad and have good on road presence so not much gets in your way but if you want one for the sake of it get a defender with power steering. They are also dirt cheap to insure.
As new driver you want something small and nippy that is easy to drive and will flatter your (to start with) limited talent, you also want something economical because trust me you will do millions of miles after passing! if it was my choice i would go for an imp or something like a mk1 fiesta or early nova. Spitfire will be fun but 2 seats will get inconvenient quickly.
£2000 you will get a lot of choice to be honest! Look at a few to get the feel of the car you want and don't dive straight in, get something thats right because you want to be driving it not having to do sills or arches etc 3 months into ownership.
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non car savy people an Imp will just look like an old banger/classic of not much interest. Whilst a spitfire is an elegant open top sports car. I'd be inclined to disagree, my Imp has always got a lot of positive attention, loads of admiring looks. One woman even came up to me and said 'wow your car is so cool, do you mind taking me home in it?' At petrol stations i've had the same, people telling me how 'cool' it is. Parked outside a pub a couple of young people came out to talk about it, then you get the 'I used to own one of those' or 'I passed my driving test in one' from the older people, who appreciate that its another old car on the road. I can honestly say in 6 years I could count the negative comments on one hand. Excluding the jokes from people I know
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I'd say buy the imp, you obviously like them and want one and we should all strive to achive what we want. Not to mention you can't really go too far wrong with one and you can always sell it for similar money if you change your mind. Or if you're hankering after some off road action why not look at suzuki jeeps, cheap to insure, good mpg, four seats some of them are rag tops etc. Or don a shell suit and buy a vitara fat boy .
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I like your approach.
Personally, I think you're money will go further with an Imp.
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Prob worth going to see some things, maybe there's some RR'ers near you who'd show you round their motors? Or some sort of classic car club, local shows etc for ideas.
Landy, easy to work on but lots needing maintenance. Meant as off-road utility truck, not designed for road manners. 17-20mpg. Noisy inside. 2 seats up front, back seats not the most secure things in the world safety wise. Hence going 3 up front in mine (it's a lightweight anyway). Parts mostly dirt cheap, insurance usually cheap.
Of the above, the Imp sounds good though.
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'66 Amazon <-> '94 LS400 <-> '86 Suzuki 1135 EFE
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