1st Car

[K1RC]

Next year I'll be turning 17 so I've started searching around for a car for myself already, maybe a project that'll be ready for when I get my license. Anyway after a little bit of searching I found that there are plenty of great cars I can afford but the insurance sometimes breaches the £10,000 mark! So I wondered if anyone had any advice on a car that'll be relatively cheap to buy and insure but also fun to drive? Any help and advice as always will be appreciated, thanks

[E-Revonut]

Subaru Impreza

[PBO]

Neil may be better informed to answer but...

The UK has different insurance laws to most other countries, if you start researching insurance costs that will likely give you a range of cars to consider. Here's the first page from a Google serch http://www.carpages.co.uk/car-insurance/

I remember TG doing a similar exercise & I think they found a Volvo estate was the best deal??

[brainanator]

I've always liked Subarus. They last a long time, well built, not expensive, and important to me, all wheel drive. I live in a snowy area.
Not sure what you would really need in the UK though, never been. :) Good luck!

[K1RC]

I could afford a Scooby easy its just the insurance for a 17yr old would be upwards of £20,000 I'm guessing which is way too much... PBO yes TG did do a "best car for 17yo challenge" but I think it was more of a joke than anything else

[mini_t racer]

have you looked into get traders insurance

[Arct1k]

Honestly with UK insurance buy a basic car which is cheao to repair - civic or such - With no driving hstory your basically screwed. Normal approach is to use parents insurance policy with you as a named driver until you get to 21.

[K1RC]

Arct1k my parents are very reluctant to let me drive on their policy in case I screw up their no claims... Can you explain traders insurance? I haven't heard about that?

[mini_t racer]

http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&sugex...w=1024&bih=629

[K1RC]

Sorry that link doesn't work it just takes me to Google...

[Arct1k]

Just buy a cheap car. I've got a Daewoo Matiz with v low miles (approx 15k) stuck in a garage at my folks place I'd sell or even trade for rc stuff.

[gumleguf]

The classic; A Citroen Saxo mkII 1.6 VTS. Should be relatively cheap and if you can find one in great condition it's a terrific little car. SO MUCH fun to drive and with around ~100bhp and low weight it can move too. If you lower it and buy some nice wheels (like 16" oz superturismo) it's a true little racer. :o)

Was my first car and I still miss it from time to time:

[K1RC]

Found quite a nice saxo vtr for £795 and the insurance is still £2000+ haha still, its heading in the right direction at least !!

[gumleguf]

Make sure it's a mrk II.

I even installed a Saxo Cup short shift gear shift, a Saxo Cup carbon air intake and a very nice Remus exhaust. There are so many things you can do with the Saxo and it's an easy car to work on.

[nativepaul]

Saxos are a no no for insurance here, i have a 17 year old mate that wanted one but ended up with a 106 as even though there the same car more twats crash saxos, £2000 is a very good price indeed for a VTR, I assume that is with a black box fitted, my buddy is paying around £1300 for a £500 106 1.1 with black box fitted, think he said it was near 2k without. if you want something fast and insurable or cheap to insure even without speed it pretty much has to be something uncool apart from the original Mini, but they cost a fair whack to buy these days. if I was 17 i'd be looking at Skoda/volvo for a bit of speed, or kia/hyundai for cheap a-b transport.