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Coffee House => Coffee House Boards => CH / General => Topic started by: Boot_WB on June 23, 2008, 10:23:02 PM
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I passed my driving test today! Second time round - failed the first time due to a relatively minor error which I should have avoided, but hey-ho!
Now I'm looking out for a car: 4 wheels, some seats, some sort of engine... but this is where my knowledge ends.
My priorities are:
Reliability
Fuel consumption (cost)
I don't give a monkeys about what it looks like, the enjoyment of the ride, what make, etc, as long as it runs with low maintenance and fuel consumption costs.
I'll be using it for a 35-40 mile each way commute Monday-Friday, mainly on A-roads; town driving will constitute a low proportion of my driving, as I have my bike for shopping, etc.
I have the vague impression that I should probably be looking for a 1.4 litre diesel, but by saying this I am not implying any sort of understanding. When people start talking about cars in this way I tend to switch off.
Advice please?
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Congrats! Freedom awaits!
I really would like to get another car, but I'm going to wait until I can afford a Hybrid though :-)
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I've heard a lot of good things about Honda.
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A Golf, a Polo or a Fabia. They're nippy, quite economical, reliable, and are all VW Group cars so the parts are relatively cheap and readily available.
I had several Fabias on 6 month loans and they are *very* nice cars. Every time I replaced the car the features got better and better. The last one I had had air con, electric everything, CD player, the works. And the interior and exterior are really smart too.
Golfs, Polos and Fabias also regularly feature in "Best Of" awards, so you know you're getting good value for money and reliability.
Edit - Oh yeah, and congrats :-) All the best drivers pass on their second attempt.
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Congrats
Thanks guys :-)
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motorollin wrote:
Edit - Oh yeah, and congrats :-) All the best drivers pass on their second attempt.
I guess I'm unique then... I passed first time... twice! :-o
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Congrats Boot_WB :pint:
By an amazing fluke I drove from my second driving lesson to the test centre and passed 1st time. Even my instructor was in shock :lol:
Remember that passing your test is only the beginning. It will take many months to learn all the dangers of being out there on the road :nervous:
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Boot_WB wrote:
I passed my driving test today! Second time round - failed the first time due to a relatively minor error which I should have avoided, but hey-ho!
Now I'm looking out for a car: 4 wheels, some seats, some sort of engine... but this is where my knowledge ends.
My priorities are:
Reliability
Fuel consumption (cost)
I don't give a monkeys about what it looks like, the enjoyment of the ride, what make, etc, as long as it runs with low maintenance and fuel consumption costs.
I'll be using it for a 35-40 mile each way commute Monday-Friday, mainly on A-roads; town driving will constitute a low proportion of my driving, as I have my bike for shopping, etc.
I have the vague impression that I should probably be looking for a 1.4 litre diesel, but by saying this I am not implying any sort of understanding. When people start talking about cars in this way I tend to switch off.
Advice please?
Well done :-)
Shop around and test drive a few to see what you like. Personally, I'd go for a Fiat Punto. Cheap, stylish, economical.
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Boot_WB wrote:
I passed my driving test today! Second time round - failed the first time due to a relatively minor error which I should have avoided, but hey-ho!
Now I'm looking out for a car: 4 wheels, some seats, some sort of engine... but this is where my knowledge ends.
My priorities are:
Reliability
TVR Chimera... OK, they break down all the time... but they look great and I'm sure ideal for impressing the ladies/guys/German supermodels/whatever takes your fancy...
Fuel consumption (cost)
Still gotta run with the TVR Chimera... OK, with that 6 litre truck engine it drinks petrol like a wino... but they look great and I'm sure ideal for impressing the ladies/guys/German supermodels/whatever takes your fancy...
I don't give a monkeys about what it looks like,
Still gonna go with the TVR Chimera... they look great and I'm sure ideal for impressing the ladies/guys/German supermodels/whatever takes your fancy...
the enjoyment of the ride,
I think, TVR Chimera... OK, it's a sports car, the ride will be as hard as rocks... but they look great and I'm sure ideal for impressing the ladies/guys/German supermodels/whatever takes your fancy...
what make, etc, as long as it runs with low maintenance and fuel consumption costs.
Yeah, yeah... but it's a TVR Chimera... they look great and I'm sure ideal for impressing the ladies/guys/German supermodels/whatever takes your fancy...
Advice please?
I'd suggest a TVR Chimera...
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bloodline wrote:
Boot_WB wrote:
I passed my driving test today! Second time round - failed the first time due to a relatively minor error which I should have avoided, but hey-ho!
Now I'm looking out for a car: 4 wheels, some seats, some sort of engine... but this is where my knowledge ends.
My priorities are:
Reliability
TVR Chimera... OK, they break down all the time... but they look great and I'm sure ideal for impressing the ladies/guys/German supermodels/whatever takes your fancy...
Fuel consumption (cost)
Still gotta run with the TVR Chimera... OK, with that 6 litre truck engine it drinks petrol like a wino... but they look great and I'm sure ideal for impressing the ladies/guys/German supermodels/whatever takes your fancy...
I don't give a monkeys about what it looks like,
Still gonna go with the TVR Chimera... they look great and I'm sure ideal for impressing the ladies/guys/German supermodels/whatever takes your fancy...
the enjoyment of the ride,
I think, TVR Chimera... OK, it's a sports car, the ride will be as hard as rocks... but they look great and I'm sure ideal for impressing the ladies/guys/German supermodels/whatever takes your fancy...
what make, etc, as long as it runs with low maintenance and fuel consumption costs.
Yeah, yeah... but it's a TVR Chimera... they look great and I'm sure ideal for impressing the ladies/guys/German supermodels/whatever takes your fancy...
Advice please?
I'd suggest a TVR Chimera...
Whilst a very Nice car Could he afford the insurance!!!!
having just passed his test what ever car he gets the insurance will hit hard, so that's something to take into consideration, for the first year driving something cheap and cheerful to build up the no claims.
like Moto said a small VW or a Vauxhall Nova/Astra or a Small ford easy to service and get spares anywhere.
Happy Motoring :-D
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as an ex ford mechanic, you cant go wrong with a fiesta
easy to work on, good fuel consumption, and not to many electrics (expensive on all cars)
second choice vw polo or golf excellent build quality :-)
fiat :-( cam belt MUST be replaced at 60.000, h/gasket usualy fails at this milage too, also the rear radious arms. good nippy engine and fuel consumption.
try to stay away from cars with a lot of electrical gadgets until you can afford it?
find a good mechanic to go with you to inspect the car
£20 should grease his palms enough
:-)
the choice is yours
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twizzle wrote:
as an ex ford mechanic, you cant go wrong with a fiesta
easy to work on, good fuel consumption, and not to many electrics (expensive on all cars)
second choice vw polo or golf excellent build quality :-)
fiat :-( cam belt MUST be replaced at 60.000, h/gasket usualy fails at this milage too, also the rear radious arms. good nippy engine and fuel consumption.
try to stay away from cars with a lot of electrical gadgets until you can afford it?
find a good mechanic to go with you to inspect the car
£20 should grease his palms enough
:-)
the choice is yours
So what you are saying is he should get a TVR Chimera... :inquisitive: :-D
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dont you mean a buggatti varon :-D
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twizzle wrote:
dont you mean a buggatti varon :-D
Foreign rubbish! ;-)
-Edit- Oh wait... that's right, it's German... in that case, yes you are quite right :-P
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Boot_WB wrote:
I passed my driving test today!
Well done! Now where's the pie to celebrate?
Advice please?
Depending on what you're willing to spend I'd suggest some kind of Ford, Fiesta or Focus are nice cars.
VW tends to be a bit expensive on the second hand market (at least over here in Holland), but that's mainly because they're usually pretty well built.
And if you don't mind driving a cheap Korean copy-car, try a Daewoo Nexia. I currently own one and it's just an Opel Kadett/Vauxhall Astra, only with a different badge (and slightly better looks). They're cheap as hell but they're pretty decent cars.
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Well, after a bit of juggling the finances, and checking insurance quotes on various makes/models, I went with TVR Chimera.
Only joking, I went with (although adapted) Moto's suggestion and bought a Skoda Felicia - year 2000 (basically a VW Polo). £5 change out of £900 - I could have probably done better, but I need to get on the road, and whatever I buy, as it's my first car, it's going to be a learning experience.
@Bloodline
After just coming out of a 4-year relationship, the only thing I want the car to help me "pick up" is the shopping tbh (hey it's kinky, but each to their own!).
If it makes you feel better I can just go and burn down a few acres of virgin rainforest - should have the same effect as running the Chimera for a few months :-P
Electrics are minimal (manual EVERYTHING), has a full service history, and has just had its MOT.
Went to the public library in Sheffield yesterday and scanned half the Haynes manual :lol: - will pick one up via Ebay for the rest. After a good check through the basics (fluids, tyre tread, drive belt, general condition under the hood) everything seems OK. It's a bit of a change from the Toyota Yaris (power steering, electric windows, air con, etc) that I learned to drive in, but it's got a reputation as being reliable, cheap parts, and (relatively) low fuel consumption. Only trouble is it is a petrol engine (1.3 litre), but if it proves reliable over the next couple of months, I may shop around for a quote for LPG conversion - with my current job it would earn its money back in 8-12 months, so if the car lasts that long it would be worth it.
I need to do a more in-depth check over, ie checking the brake shoes, etc but as it has just come out of its MOT I think that can wait until next weekend.
Thanks for all the advice guys!
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Two important things to consider are the increasing costs of fuel and the new UK Road Tax Rates wich will come into play soon.
The bottom is starting to fall out of the diesel car market, especially the large and medium sizes. They are becoming virtually unsaleble. Bargains will be easy to find.
Many people are now using waste cooking oil to fuel their diesels and some are making biodiesel now the excise duty limit has been raised. You can now make up to 2,500 litres of biodiesel entirely duty free. Converting rapeseed oil, etc. into biodiesel is a simple, but potentially hazardous hobby, but thousands are doing it. It easly halves the current fuel costs. It's important to have an older type diesel engine to run on cooking oil without damaging it. Plenty of info on the Internet and many discussion forums.
Info on the new Road Tax rates can be found HERE (http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/CARS/news/41183.html)
JaX
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Boot_WB wrote:
Well, after a bit of juggling the finances, and checking insurance quotes on various makes/models, I went with TVR Chimera.
Thanks for all the advice guys!
Well you know, I'm just glad I was able to help! It's nice to think that my advice was of some use to you!