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Saloon and Estate Car's | First Car | Young Drivers™

Thank you for answering my question , this won't only benefit me but many other people whom have similar questions in the future. 11/05/15

I'm a male if that matters. Hello later this month i will be turning 17 , I've never been in attendance of a driving lesson however, i have been behind the wheel on private land a number of times practicing the basics so it can be fair to say i'm not an absolute amateur.


In addition i have been studying the theory books as far back as 2005 ( yes I've always wanted to drive ) so they theory exam "should" be "easy"

Car usage
- Not use for commuting to 6 form
- possibly lots of motorway events ( depends if plane ,train or bus is cheaper )
- 5-10 miles would be my most common driving session mileage
- I guess mainly just I will be in the car , but extra passengers very possible

Insurance

The area of London i live in has shockingly high insurance due to it being a place with one of the highest general insurance claims in the UK , so everyday i'm getting quotes using auto-trader ( cars) and compare the market for ( insurance ) but the popular hatchbacks for my age are expensive REALLY EXPENSIVE.

Budget

CAR = £1000 on car although i don't mind going up to £2000
INSURANCE = monthly and as low as possible ( no budget on it yet ) less than £2000 would be ideal

Estate Cars and Saloon Cars CAN SAVE ME?

So many people my age will not be looking at these cars for a number of reasons , so i was wondering is there a gap in the market in which i may sneak up an affordable larger car with cheaper insurance ?

Are LARGE Cars Unwise for new drivers?


Please recommend Cars ( BELOW )

is a Saab unreasonable?
Mondeo or Vectra?

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
why do you want a car so big? the bigger the engine the higher the insurance,get something small,much more economical although a mondeo or vectra isnt unrealistic insurance might be a bit more than 2g,possible with a black box,maybe.
Reply 2
No Bigger engine is a factor but not the only factor , a bigger engine doesn't mean faster car as its heavier.

I've been told larger cars may have cheaper insurance , What 17 year old wants a mondeo e.t.c?

oh on that note a 2006 onwards VW passat is also on my mind.
Reply 3
You want a 1.2 or 1 litre engine so essentially a small car. From what you've said, your area is really bad so you're probs looking at £3000+ for insurance. You also wouldn't have held your license for a year so that'll push up the price.
Reply 4
Original post by vela1
You want a 1.2 or 1 litre engine so essentially a small car. From what you've said, your area is really bad so you're probs looking at £3000+ for insurance. You also wouldn't have held your license for a year so that'll push up the price.



i probably have an idea but is 1litre engine car due to my inexperience , cost , or insurance cost? because 1.2 litre ford fiesta were more expensive then comparable 1.6 models e.t.c , so it really seems like a luck game.

Is compare the market the best source for insurance or would Tesco Black box or directline be of better recommendation.

and f*** all u i**** who keep claiming in my area.

I may not even get full comp insurance tbh.
Reply 5
Original post by LevelTV
i probably have an idea but is 1litre engine car due to my inexperience , cost , or insurance cost? because 1.2 litre ford fiesta were more expensive then comparable 1.6 models e.t.c , so it really seems like a luck game.

Is compare the market the best source for insurance or would Tesco Black box or directline be of better recommendation.

and f*** all u i**** who keep claiming in my area.

I may not even get full comp insurance tbh.


Due to insurance cost. Generally speaking, the smaller the engine, the lower the insurance. Although, the year of the car matters also and sometimes its just down to luck as you said. Look at different comparison sites but that is a good site. Heard mixed things about the black box. Some have said that it isn't reliable and there isn't much difference in cost, others have said the opposite. Personally, I wouldn't get it. When you get your first car you're not going to drive properly, you want to enjoy it. I'm not saying you'll drive like an idiot e.g overtake on a bend, but if the road is completely open you're not going to go 30mph. Not encouraging you to break the law, just being realistic.
Reply 6
Original post by vela1
Due to insurance cost. Generally speaking, the smaller the engine, the lower the insurance. Although, the year of the car matters also and sometimes its just down to luck as you said. Look at different comparison sites but that is a good site. Heard mixed things about the black box. Some have said that it isn't reliable and there isn't much difference in cost, others have said the opposite. Personally, I wouldn't get it. When you get your first car you're not going to drive properly, you want to enjoy it. I'm not saying you'll drive like an idiot e.g overtake on a bend, but if the road is completely open you're not going to go 30mph. Not encouraging you to break the law, just being realistic.



Great honest response thanks.
I had a Peugeot 206 for 3 weeks as a first car, after I slightly destroyed it I got a focus diesel estate.

Cost a bit extra (£2-300 I think) for the focus from the pug.

In london btw

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Original post by LevelTV
Thank you for answering my question , this won't only benefit me but many other people whom have similar questions in the future. 11/05/15

I'm a male if that matters. Hello later this month i will be turning 17 , I've never been in attendance of a driving lesson however, i have been behind the wheel on private land a number of times practicing the basics so it can be fair to say i'm not an absolute amateur.


In addition i have been studying the theory books as far back as 2005 ( yes I've always wanted to drive ) so they theory exam "should" be "easy"

Car usage
- Not use for commuting to 6 form
- possibly lots of motorway events ( depends if plane ,train or bus is cheaper )
- 5-10 miles would be my most common driving session mileage
- I guess mainly just I will be in the car , but extra passengers very possible

Insurance

The area of London i live in has shockingly high insurance due to it being a place with one of the highest general insurance claims in the UK , so everyday i'm getting quotes using auto-trader ( cars) and compare the market for ( insurance ) but the popular hatchbacks for my age are expensive REALLY EXPENSIVE.

Budget

CAR = £1000 on car although i don't mind going up to £2000
INSURANCE = monthly and as low as possible ( no budget on it yet ) less than £2000 would be ideal

Estate Cars and Saloon Cars CAN SAVE ME?

So many people my age will not be looking at these cars for a number of reasons , so i was wondering is there a gap in the market in which i may sneak up an affordable larger car with cheaper insurance ?

Are LARGE Cars Unwise for new drivers?


Please recommend Cars ( BELOW )

is a Saab unreasonable?
Mondeo or Vectra?


Are you sure you need a car in London?

The reason for the higher costs of insurance will mainly be due to your postcode rather than your age.

To get cheap insurance in London as a young driver usually your only option is to opt for a blackbox type insurance.

You could try some larger sized cars just ensure it is equipped with one of the lesser powered engines.

Saabs at that price range are best avoided, they do cost a lot to maintain and it is unlikely you will be able to find cheap insurance on them. Older models also face a scarcity in parts these days.

Mondeos and Vectras are good choices, look for an estate and one with lower power output diesel engine ones.
Reply 9
Original post by Alfissti
Are you sure you need a car in London?

The reason for the higher costs of insurance will mainly be due to your postcode rather than your age.

To get cheap insurance in London as a young driver usually your only option is to opt for a blackbox type insurance.

You could try some larger sized cars just ensure it is equipped with one of the lesser powered engines.

Saabs at that price range are best avoided, they do cost a lot to maintain and it is unlikely you will be able to find cheap insurance on them. Older models also face a scarcity in parts these days.

Mondeos and Vectras are good choices, look for an estate and one with lower power output diesel engine ones.


I'm looking for a very basic car , because my usage will be basic especially as i live in the capital , basic smaller cars really don't appeal to me , and the other popular hatchbacks are too expensive compared to some larger viechles.

Would a medium sized car Ford Focus , Toyota Avensis be the best of both worlds

The only small basic car i would get is a Proton Car i mean that's as bad as it gets.
Original post by LevelTV
I'm looking for a very basic car , because my usage will be basic especially as i live in the capital , basic smaller cars really don't appeal to me , and the other popular hatchbacks are too expensive compared to some larger viechles.

Would a medium sized car Ford Focus , Toyota Avensis be the best of both worlds

The only small basic car i would get is a Proton Car i mean that's as bad as it gets.


The Perodua Myvi is a better small basic car to get, I'd imagine it would be as cheap as chips to buy as well.

Ford Focus would be a good choice. Avensis will be pricey to buy unless it is a tired old junk.
Go for a mondeo.
Original post by Alfissti
Are you sure you need a car in London?

The reason for the higher costs of insurance will mainly be due to your postcode rather than your age.

To get cheap insurance in London as a young driver usually your only option is to opt for a blackbox type insurance.




Not all of London is connected by tubes, and transport is rarely punctual.

As for that being the best option, I wholeheartedly disagree. There are many options:

- Limit mileage.
- Buy a better security system (alarm, immobiliser).
- Park it in a garage or on a drive way.
- Don't use it for commutes.
- Join an owners club and accept offers for club discounts.
- Opt for higher excess (not recommended).
- Fronting (Definitely don't do this, but it's theoretically an [illegal] option).

The box is certainly one option, but it has its several pitfalls, including: mileage limitation costs and constant scrutiny for mistakes (which could lead to having to pay extra, hence losing the financial benefit in the first place).

I'd recommend looking much deeper into each of the pros and cons of all of the above options. Insurance is unfortunately very complicated and expensive.

As for the car, try for the obscure and opt for European and British built popular cars, as parts are cheap and plentiful (hence sometimes premiums!). But avoid your basic superminis, as you may be surprised what you find. Saloons and estates are a good call!
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 13
Original post by ibbyn
why do you want a car so big? the bigger the engine the higher the insurance,get something small,much more economical although a mondeo or vectra isnt unrealistic insurance might be a bit more than 2g,possible with a black box,maybe.


Common misconception.

A 1.8 MGB GT costs me EXACTLY the same to insure as a 3.5 litre version.
Original post by LevelTV
Thank you for answering my question , this won't only benefit me but many other people whom have similar questions in the future. 11/05/15

I'm a male if that matters. Hello later this month i will be turning 17 , I've never been in attendance of a driving lesson however, i have been behind the wheel on private land a number of times practicing the basics so it can be fair to say i'm not an absolute amateur.


In addition i have been studying the theory books as far back as 2005 ( yes I've always wanted to drive ) so they theory exam "should" be "easy"

Car usage
- Not use for commuting to 6 form
- possibly lots of motorway events ( depends if plane ,train or bus is cheaper )
- 5-10 miles would be my most common driving session mileage
- I guess mainly just I will be in the car , but extra passengers very possible

Insurance

The area of London i live in has shockingly high insurance due to it being a place with one of the highest general insurance claims in the UK , so everyday i'm getting quotes using auto-trader ( cars) and compare the market for ( insurance ) but the popular hatchbacks for my age are expensive REALLY EXPENSIVE.

Budget

CAR = £1000 on car although i don't mind going up to £2000
INSURANCE = monthly and as low as possible ( no budget on it yet ) less than £2000 would be ideal

Estate Cars and Saloon Cars CAN SAVE ME?

So many people my age will not be looking at these cars for a number of reasons , so i was wondering is there a gap in the market in which i may sneak up an affordable larger car with cheaper insurance ?

Are LARGE Cars Unwise for new drivers?


Please recommend Cars ( BELOW )

is a Saab unreasonable?
Mondeo or Vectra?

I have a Saab 9-3 Aero Sport as my first car (been driving less than a year). My insurance quote for it was cheaper than a Renault Clio 182. Despite my car having 210bhp.

A car this size for me is perfectly fine, as I live in a small city. I shudder to think what it'll be like driving about and trying to park in London.
Reply 15
Original post by thisistheend
I have a Saab 9-3 Aero Sport as my first car (been driving less than a year). My insurance quote for it was cheaper than a Renault Clio 182. Despite my car having 210bhp.

A car this size for me is perfectly fine, as I live in a small city. I shudder to think what it'll be like driving about and trying to park in London.


I won't be driving in central London as public transport is easier , quicker and cheaper ( such as free bus travel ) .

i'm really interested in the saab but 200+bhp in a fairly heavy car.

How do you handle your saab 9-3? and what year is it from e.t.c?

I would get a smaller car but seen as my usage will be on the low side i'm not too concerned about fuel economy, in addition the quotes i'm getting for astra's , fiesta's e.t.c are getting higher , whileas the quotes for vectra's are actually cheaper than the typical 17 year old cars.
Original post by LevelTV
I won't be driving in central London as public transport is easier , quicker and cheaper ( such as free bus travel ) .

i'm really interested in the saab but 200+bhp in a fairly heavy car.

How do you handle your saab 9-3? and what year is it from e.t.c?

I would get a smaller car but seen as my usage will be on the low side i'm not too concerned about fuel economy, in addition the quotes i'm getting for astra's , fiesta's e.t.c are getting higher , whileas the quotes for vectra's are actually cheaper than the typical 17 year old cars.

My Saab is somewhere between 7-14 years old, just find a good used example under 100k miles.

It is a heavy car, maybe slightly slow in starting off, but pretty decent when turbo kicks in after a noticeable lag. Handling is fine, I have damped lowered sports suspension (aero sport kit), alloys and yokohama tyres. Just not that comfortable, feel every bump etc, I guess that also doubles for good feedback.

I'm not very good in tight spaces, but I can't blame it on the car. Fuel economy is not very good, 20mpg in town and 32mpg maybe on motorways. I just use the midpoint 26mpg.
Reply 17
bump

now able to drive

possibly going university in 9 months

Is an sallon / estate car still viable option?

Opinions on these cars? ( not all salons or estates... )

1. VW Golf 2007 era

2. Vw Passast 2006 era

3. Mazada Rx-8

4. Saab 9-3 2006


All cars are between 1.2k and 2k.


Can anyone recommend an estate or saloon between 500 pounds and 1k?
If insurance is Ok...

Golf - yes, but make sure you get the suspension checked - has a tendency to need a bit of TLC after 100k miles. Not a big job, but something to consider.
Passat - yes, same as above. And avoid the 170 like the plague, unless you get a DPF and EGR delete.
Saab - maybe... These have a tendency to break. Not all, but there are horror stories out there.

Mazda - no! It burns oil like nothing else, is abysmal on fuel, and will cost you a fortune in insurance. As a daily, unless you've the knowledge, tools and time, stay away. As a track car however, not a terrible choice.


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Reply 19
Ok thanks what about a

1. Seat Leon 09 onwards instead of a golf?

2. toyota Avenis instead of a VW passat?

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