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Original post by IndiaCaitlinn
Apollo - I think it might be an independent one in my town :smile:


am with BSM only reason why is cos I have the same instructor my mum had 10 years back! sounds odd but I find myself lucky cos my mum siad he is really good

Apollo is really good too, my friend passed her's two weeks ago and trust me its a realyy good company byt it depends on what instructor u have got (not putting u off or anything)

I'll be posting every so often on this thread, u'll never know if we have the same question

well good luck for ur next driving lesson! :smile:
best of luck :smile:
Original post by sim12345
am with BSM only reason why is cos I have the same instructor my mum had 10 years back! sounds odd but I find myself lucky cos my mum siad he is really good

Apollo is really good too, my friend passed her's two weeks ago and trust me its a realyy good company byt it depends on what instructor u have got (not putting u off or anything)

I'll be posting every so often on this thread, u'll never know if we have the same question

well good luck for ur next driving lesson! :smile:
best of luck :smile:


Ahh cool thats good then! :smile:
My instructor seems really good so fingers crossed I'll pass first time! :tongue:
Thank you, you too! :smile:
Reply 2622
Hi everyone,
I'm looking into buying a second hand Ford Fiesta Zetec, 3 door, 1.25 engine, 2009 model. It's only had one owner and has done about 17000 miles. And it's silver :smile:

What think you people?
I know nothing about cars :s-smilie:
im searching for my 1st car, so far im thinking Rover 25, cheapest quote i got was 1.6k (only used comparison sites only so far). I was messing around with many cars and was quotes 2k for a land rover freelander. What do you guys think about rover 25 as first car? ps im looking to spend £1000 or less
Original post by sundogs
Hi everyone,
I'm looking into buying a second hand Ford Fiesta Zetec, 3 door, 1.25 engine, 2009 model. It's only had one owner and has done about 17000 miles. And it's silver :smile:

What think you people?
I know nothing about cars :s-smilie:


The Fiesta 1.25 makes a good first car, either in it's newest form or one of it's older forms. If you can afford it, go for it.

I possibly wouldn't go for one as new as that as a first car, but that's entirely up to you.
Reply 2625
Original post by GTAMADDOG
The Fiesta 1.25 makes a good first car, either in it's newest form or one of it's older forms. If you can afford it, go for it.

I possibly wouldn't go for one as new as that as a first car, but that's entirely up to you.


Thanks for your advice!
I'm going for a newer one so that it will last really, I'm at university most of the time and will need it for holidays and once a fortnight at weekends. I'm hoping it will last for at least 3-5 years.
Reply 2626
If you could choose between these two cars and colours, which would you pick?

1. Vauxhall Astra SRi (New) (Red - Metallic)
2. Seat Leon SE Copa (New) (Red - Non-Metallic) OR (Black - Metallic)
Original post by TheGodfather1
im searching for my 1st car, so far im thinking Rover 25, cheapest quote i got was 1.6k (only used comparison sites only so far). I was messing around with many cars and was quotes 2k for a land rover freelander. What do you guys think about rover 25 as first car? ps im looking to spend £1000 or less


Don't get a Freelander. My uncle is a Land Rover mechanic by trade and apparently they are nothing but trouble. Plus a 90 or discovery is so much better looking and more reliable!

Rover 25 is a good first car. Only thing to look out for is gearbox problems and head gasket failures. A couple of electrical issues but nothing to worry about really.
Original post by IndiaCaitlinn
Ahh cool thats good then! :smile:
My instructor seems really good so fingers crossed I'll pass first time! :tongue:
Thank you, you too! :smile:


my plesaure :smile:
and thanks
Reply 2629
toyota yaris..
Original post by sim12345
had my too, I was nervous though however, it just went away and I pretty much enjoyed my first lesson even though I went off the clutch way to quick on my first and second gears, how did your's go on?

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to know when u have ur first driving lesson did u go on the main road after going round a block like 6 times? because my instructor said "right ur going on the main road now" I was thinking to my self okay, but are u sure? ever happened to anyone by chance? and what do I do about my clutch as I seem to take it off really quick on my 1st and 2nd gears? (I really don't want this to become a habbit, even though it was my first lesson today, still)

sorry for the very long reading

Thanks


Heyyy, congrats on what may be a very long but worthy journey to passing and then driving independently.

It is normal for any decent instructor to let you have a taste of the main road on your first lesson but it does depend on how familar and comfortable you seem to grasp the cluth and gearing system.

When it comes to the cluth, just remember to come up slowly between gears, and when your about to get going again :smile:, theres no rush and the car is sure to stall if you don't :frown:
Original post by Born'nBred
Heyyy, congrats on what may be a very long but worthy journey to passing and then driving independently.

It is normal for any decent instructor to let you have a taste of the main road on your first lesson but it does depend on how familar and comfortable you seem to grasp the cluth and gearing system.

When it comes to the cluth, just remember to come up slowly between gears, and when your about to get going again :smile:, theres no rush and the car is sure to stall if you don't :frown:


I haven't passed just yet but yep I need to be calm with the cluth
thanks :smile:
Reply 2632
i passed on friday

im insured on my parents VW passat now... and its fast :smile:
Reply 2633
If I have no way to go on a parents etc insurance and I will be passing my test by the end of the summer (hopefully) is it reasonable to expect to be able to pay £1000-£2000 for a car and no more than £3000 for insurance?
Original post by Mess.
If I have no way to go on a parents etc insurance and I will be passing my test by the end of the summer (hopefully) is it reasonable to expect to be able to pay £1000-£2000 for a car and no more than £3000 for insurance?


Perfectly reasonable. Anything more for insurance would be a rip-off.

Put your parents and girlfriend as named drivers on your policy, it should bring it down.
Original post by Mess.
If I have no way to go on a parents etc insurance and I will be passing my test by the end of the summer (hopefully) is it reasonable to expect to be able to pay £1000-£2000 for a car and no more than £3000 for insurance?


Look up insurance on a 1l Corsa, whatever age is within budget, and that'll be your ballpark figure for small common cars, which are usually cheapest to insure.
Reply 2636
Original post by Kevmeister
Perfectly reasonable. Anything more for insurance would be a rip-off.

Put your parents and girlfriend as named drivers on your policy, it should bring it down.


Girlfriend was only insured for one year before moving to Canada and she hasn't had a car since she got back, would that still help?

Unsure whether my dad would let me me :beard: Don't see why not though!

What car would you recommend as a good first car?

Original post by Pony Jack
Look up insurance on a 1l Corsa, whatever age is within budget, and that'll be your ballpark figure for small common cars, which are usually cheapest to insure.


Will do :yy: Is there any car you would recommend as a good first car that won't make me look like a boy racer and will actually proctect me if some arse crashes in to me?
Reply 2637
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Mess.
Girlfriend was only insured for one year before moving to Canada and she hasn't had a car since she got back, would that still help?

Unsure whether my dad would let me me :beard: Don't see why not though!

What car would you recommend as a good first car?



Will do :yy: Is there any car you would recommend as a good first car that won't make me look like a boy racer and will actually proctect me if some arse crashes in to me?


It's not about how long you, her, or anyone's been driving, but merely how long they've had their licence. Insurers don't distinguish between somebody who passed 5 years ago and hasn't been able to build up a no claims discount for whatever reason, and someone who passed 5 years ago and hasn't been driving. Thankfully they don't presume everyone in this position has been having crashes every year, so prices come down.

I passed before I went to uni, in January 2008, and haven't had my own car since until last month, and insurance came down from the ridiculous figures you're getting then, to just over £600 a year TPF&T now, all through having had my licence for 4 years.

As for non-boy racer cars, annoyingly they're boy racer cars by virtue of being cheap to insure so every chav can afford to insure them. I don't really have any experience to be able to recommend anything, and I know there are people on here in a much better position to do so. I'd guess either something safe and modern, or old and unable to get up to the speed to have a serious crash! :p: I've gone for the latter and got a bargain of a Renault 5 off fleabay for next to nothing, and it's perfectly capable.

Another thing - try little tweaks when you're getting your quote to see what shaves pounds off - street parking vs driveway vs garage, variations on your job title (for instance I could have reasonably put sales assistant, supermarket cashier, adviser, usually with slightly different prices), that sort of thing.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Mess.
Girlfriend was only insured for one year before moving to Canada and she hasn't had a car since she got back, would that still help?

Unsure whether my dad would let me me :beard: Don't see why not though!

What car would you recommend as a good first car?



Your dad doesn't have to give you permission. :wink2:

As for a first car, personally I'd go for something Japanese - Starlet, Micra, Swift - you may get a Yaris. All should be low insurance as they're not 'hip' cars.

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