First car insurance
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Re: First car insuranceI'm probably going to buy a 1.6 SXI in the month or so.(Original post by 1992LP)
Back in 2009 when I was 17 I had a 2000 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 16v SXI insured for around £1600 with Quinn.
What do you think of it? Would you recommend it? -
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Re: First car insuranceWhen it worked, it was great! I think mine had been ragged and generally not looked after though. Needed a lot of things done, but in fairness it was all wear and tear stuff - wheel bearings, suspension work etc.(Original post by J.Star)
I'm probably going to buy a 1.6 SXI in the month or so.
What do you think of it? Would you recommend it?
Remember they need the camblets doing (do the water pump while you are at it) every 40k which can be expensive depending on where you go.
What finished mine off was it's oil habit - either the valve seals or the piston rings were gone. It drank a litre every 100 miles and required the spark plugs cleaning constantly because of this, so if you see blue smoke, avoid.
Other than that, it was a lovely car. The SXI has brilliant seats, very refined on a long trip, good on fuel, and handles reasonably well. I would have another, but I would buy more carefully next time
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Re: First car insuranceAhh ok, cheers for that buddy(Original post by 1992LP)
When it worked, it was great! I think mine had been ragged and generally not looked after though. Needed a lot of things done, but in fairness it was all wear and tear stuff - wheel bearings, suspension work etc.
Remember they need the camblets doing (do the water pump while you are at it) every 40k which can be expensive depending on where you go.
What finished mine off was it's oil habit - either the valve seals or the piston rings were gone. It drank a litre every 100 miles and required the spark plugs cleaning constantly because of this, so if you see blue smoke, avoid.
Other than that, it was a lovely car. The SXI has brilliant seats, very refined on a long trip, good on fuel, and handles reasonably well. I would have another, but I would buy more carefully next time
Hopefully the one I do end up buying should be in good condition, I'm trying to get one with less than 80k miles. Obviously I still need to be careful though, as I'm only looking to spend £2000 on the car, and the condition of a car can be deceptive.
How much (roughly) would a new cambelt cost?
Also, how many miles would you get out of a full tank driving conservatively in urban environments? -
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Re: First car insuranceFirstly, don't worry about mileage! Mine only had 69k on it when I bought it and all these things happened over 10k miles. Instead, ignore the mileage and go for one with a good service history - that is the important part. You can use this to your advantage, look at the cost of a car with 120k (average mileage is around 12k p/a) car compared to a 60k car(Original post by J.Star)
Ahh ok, cheers for that buddy
Hopefully the one I do end up buying should be in good condition, I'm trying to get one with less than 80k miles. Obviously I still need to be careful though, as I'm only looking to spend £2000 on the car, and the condition of a car can be deceptive.
How much (roughly) would a new cambelt cost?
Also, how many miles would you get out of a full tank driving conservatively in urban environments?
I have to admit, I didn't fix my one and traded it in for £1250 a year later where it was then advertised for £2k, so be careful!
£2k will get you a really nice one, mine was only £1300 and that was for a 2000 car (bought it in 2009) with 69k miles and a partial service history. If you can, go for an SXI or an SRI as they have the sports seats which are lovely. A mate had one that went to 160k before the valve seals let go, and he fixed them and ran it to 220k where the clutch gave in and it went to the scrapheap.
From memory, I got over 400 miles to a tank driving normally, probably nearer 500 miles. Either way, it averaged between 38 and 46 mpg when I had it which I thought was pretty good! Bear in mind that is in the Scottish Highlands where town driving is 3 cars behind a tractor
In all seriousness, I would expect at least 35 mpg in real traffic, and it was certainly fine for that - light clutch, nice gearchange, nice steering etc.
As for the cambelt, try and get one that has had it done recently. I would imagine if you had the cambelt and the water pump changed (preventative maintenance, worth doing) you wouldn't see much change from £200 depending on where you go. You can also use that as a bargaining point if you are buying a car with 80k on it that needs it done.
Also watch for rust - not a big problem if you catch it early but I remember going over my rear arches and the bottom of the doors with sandpaper and primer. Luckily mine was silver so it blended in, but the rust wasn't too bad. Worth being aware of!
They are good cars if you get a nice one, I miss mine a little
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Re: First car insuranceMG ZR would no doubt cost a lot, my mate got one when he first passed and it cost him £3,000 a year, and it was only 1.4. Fiestas are reasonable to insure. Don't know about Corsas or Puntos.(Original post by Michalux)
I'm getting a car next month and ive got few options to go for, Corsa, Grande Punto or Fiesta. I was also thinking about MG ZR, what u reckon about MG?
What u reckon would be the best option? -
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Re: First car insuranceIf u buy a car with modifications (tinted windows, alloys etc) do u have to let know ur insurer about it? what might happen if u dont?
also how much cheaper are quotes on the phone than on the web? i keep getting quotes above 2k on web but i havent tried phone them yet -
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Re: First car insuranceMG may be a bit pricey great cars however I paid £900 on mine aged 19 with 1 yr ncb comp on a 1.4 model(Original post by Bezaberry)
MG ZR would no doubt cost a lot, my mate got one when he first passed and it cost him £3,000 a year, and it was only 1.4. Fiestas are reasonable to insure. Don't know about Corsas or Puntos.
Don't like corsas good on insurance but not a nice car
Grande Punto aren't bad actually quite a big car inside mate has one and I normally don't rate Fiats but whilst the interior is a bit cheap inside its a good looking car and the doors shut with a nice thud. Handle decent enough but aren't that fast as being a big hatchback they are pretty heavy so even the 1.4 is pretty slow.
Fiesta is a good shout as well I personally prefer them to the corsa as they are a lot better to drive but think they are slightly more expensive to insure as well.
Best thing is to go on confused and get a few quotes and can take things from there I have driven most of these cars so if want to know anything just ask
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Re: First car insuranceYes, if you crash and you haven't told them your insurance could be void.(Original post by Michalux)
If u buy a car with modifications (tinted windows, alloys etc) do u have to let know ur insurer about it? what might happen if u dont?
also how much cheaper are quotes on the phone than on the web? i keep getting quotes above 2k on web but i havent tried phone them yet -
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Re: First car insurancePlus if you buy a car that has been barried up with tinted windows etc... it may not have led an easy life(Original post by Bezaberry)
Yes, if you crash and you haven't told them your insurance could be void.
For a first car stick to stock I found even lowering springs would have added like £400 to my policy when asking them
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Re: First car insuranceWell, I've done a quote for peugeot 206 with non standard alloys, bodykit and exterior decorative changes and my insurance went up from 2.3k to 2.4 so i dont think its that expensive when doing it with elephant
do u also tend to get cheaper quotes on the phone when u ring the insurer directly? -
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Re: First car insuranceMine was a new (at the time) Fiat Punto; fully comp £2500 with windscreen cover, courtesy car, breakdown cover etc. Insurer was Endsleigh - I'm still with them now.
Last edited by RB6144; 29-08-2012 at 19:53. Reason: Additional info
but I was the only named driver.
