First car for under £1000

[jizy]

I passed my test first time today and cant wait to get a car. I have around £1000 to spend that i have saved and need advise. I did have a 1991 BMW 316i lined up from a family member but the insurance was £5,500 3rd party! I ideally want something that nippy and is not going to break down all the time. Needs to be around £1200 or under to insure a year.

Please help!

Cheers,

[Rudders666]

Well firstly Jizy, Congratulations mate! Welcome to the club!!

I'd leave the Beemer's alone for now if i were you as they're in a really high insurance group. Personally i'd go for an old, small, nippy car like for instance:
Renault Clio
Fiat Punto
Citroen AX
Peugeot 106/205

something small and with an engine size between 1.0i and 1.2i, that should keep you in the cheap side of things for now.

Peronally i had a Citroen AX as my first car and had no problems with it at all. Also if you wanted to upgrade it at anytime, when you get some experience and cash behind you, you can put in an AX GT engine which are 1.4i or any Saxo engine as it's exactly the same shell.

Hope this helps mate,

Pete

[jizy]

Thanks pete, Il be looking at Saxo's I think, Ide like to carry out a bit of work on my car too. But any other suggestions welcome. I just want something to see me through to 18, then get a nicer newer car. No point spending all my cash on a brand new 1.2 something!

[Rudders666]

Originally Posted by jizy

Thanks pete, Il be looking at Saxo's I think, Ide like to carry out a bit of work on my car too. But any other suggestions welcome. I just want something to see me through to 18, then get a nicer newer car. No point spending all my cash on a brand new 1.2 something!

No definitely don't spend a large amount on a new car with a tiny engine, not unless it has serious scope for modification though i'd never really want to buy a new car as you can get them so much cheaper even when they're "nearly new." Like i say, something small that you can mess about with and tune in little ways, cheap and cheerful, build up your NCB and then get something gradually bigger. Good luck with it all. By the way it'll feel weird when you get driving on your own without someone sat next to you. I did my test in my own car so the instructor shook my hand and got out and i drove off, weird but cool as f*ck!

[smeg]

I have got a 106 1.4 XTon a 92 K reg just insured it today tpf&t total £1129 and a few pence,Im 20 with NCB as only past few months back. (thats with a company call swinton.)

hope this helps
simon

[HDi fun]

Firstly - well done & congratulations!

Try to avoid anyting that attracts police attention - they seem to prey on new drivers, largely needlessly in my opinion. WHoudl pay more attention to the older folks who claim to know it all.

My Dad is one such person - driving for fifty years, but badly.

I get left alone by the police at age 37 and insurance is not an issue but boy did they load it up when I was your age.

If you can stand the dull image, how about Toyota Corolla 1.4i. Cheap to insure, never break and go very nicely indeed.

You might even score something of a result with a decent turbo-diesel. Early ones are noisy and slow but the French HDi's and dCi's are good. As are the VW TDi's. Anything with high pressure injection and electronic control can be modified via the ECU when you get a year or two claim free driving. The gains are silly. My Peugeot HDi is the 2.2 litre 16 valve lump, and it dishes up 192bhp and 330lbft torque after a simple ECU remap (no other Modifications).

The problem with diesels is that the servicing is quite prescriptive and it's not something you can do readily on a DIY basis.

Insurers are catching on that diesels aren't slow any more, but quite often will offer a better premium anyway. 'TIl you bend it, anyway. But let's hope that won't occur!

Dismiss any non-turbo diesel immediately, no matter what the engine size. They're outmoded, slow and loud.

Happy hunting!

[jizy]

Ok thanks for the help, these are the two cars I have chosen, I may go and look tomorrow and buy one, I'm stuck on which one!!! Your advice needed!!

Option 1:

RENAULT Clio RT 1.4 , 5 Doors, Manual 5 speed, Hatchback, Petrol, 1991 H Reg , Silver. NEW MOT, SERVICE HISTORY, Central locking Alloy wheels, Electric windows, Remote locking, Sunroof. Insurance Group:5, £695

Option 2:

1996 P Reg ROVER 220 D Turbo, 5 Doors, Manual, Hatchback, Diesel, Blue, MOT-01-2008. Anti theft system, Driver airbag, Immobilizer, Power assisted steering. Insurance Group:5, £795


Both insurance group 5, so what do u guys reckon?

[HDi fun]

If memory serves me correctly (at my age!) the Rover uses a two litre Perkins diesel with direct injection. Probably a bit too old to tune electronically, but I do know that in the [Rover] 600 it delivered 100bhp. Lots more than the Renault, which is probably about 70bhp.

If I'm wrong then it's the Peugeot XUD unit either 1769cc or 1905cc. Both are lovely, indirect injector fed things but still do 90bhp ish. And they both are refined units for the era.

Neither is very sweetest of diesels but it will certainly go very nicely. Certainly much sweeter than the Renault 1.4 petrol.

Do check the history of any car, and ask for invoices to verify the mileage. Don't be afraid of high miles as long asit's been serviced properly.

Check for diesel exhaust smoke, too. You'll get a bit of grey/black soot under acceleration, but if it's excessive then the turbo's on its way out. I'd expect the Rover to feel pretty lively at low revs. If it's ploddy then the turbo has failed. Don't buy it.

The Renault (like any petrol car) should be totally clean under any operating conditions. If not, then walk away.

I'll stick to my guns here (much as I'm a diesel performance fan) and suggest that you might get better value from a petrol car in terms of servicing and maintenance.

Let us know how you get on.

Kind regards,

Paul Anderson.

[Rudders666]

Originally Posted by smeg

I have got a 106 1.4 XTon a 92 K reg just insured it today tpf&t total £1129 and a few pence,Im 20 with NCB as only past few months back. (thats with a company call swinton.)

hope this helps
simon

Ouch! Mine's £920.59 TPFT for my BMW 318i and i've got a ban and 3 points mate so i feel your pain Simon. Did you have a word with Spoox for me by the way? Cheers dude, Pete

[jizy]

I'm going to look at a few Clio 1.4's, from 1991 - 1995 im on the hunt for a TDi as insurance is the same! I was amazed. i think im going to get the clio and carry out abit of work myself with the help of my old man. Just counting down the days untill I can have an Evo or Skyline!!