My first car?

[James]

My first car was a 12 year old Dog Sh** Brown Volvo 340GL

Or for special occassions an old landrover with chewed seats and a permanent odour of dead animal

The ladies loved 'em .... .... .... .... .... .... NOT



For the budget you mentioned would prob reckon a fiesta; simple, cheap parts, cheap to run ..
306d might be a good option as mentioned too, check for any eletrical repairs..

[RogerM]

Mini, by which I mean a proper one not the insult that BMW stuck under the badges!!!

I still get a stupid grin on my face when ever I drive one, it doesn't matter if it's my misses' near stock MPi, my turbo or 1380 or a classic old mk1 with a 33bhp 850 under the bonnet ..... still the most smiles per pound in any front wheel drive car. When I bought my pickup (now mid resto) I drove it around like loon in the yard I collected it from until it ran out of fuel ..... like a kid in a sweet shop ... lol

Take somebody with you who knows about them though as there are some major pitfalls (and bodges to cover them up) with Mini's.

There is, never has been nor ever will be a better small car to have fun with than a classic Mini, I was totting it up at a club meeting a week or so back ..... I think I have had more than 50 of th little beggers!!!

[RogerM]

Originally Posted by Rich D

Yeah, there is no good way of breaking the news about racing toy cars is there . If they don`t do it then they wont "get it" !

My good lady and I first met when I got home (I was in a house share with her sister and a mate from work at the time) from a national at Basingstoke back in 2002 and before we were even properly intorduced she dived in and helped me unload my car into the house .... 1/2 hour later we were in the pub and next month we'll have been together 6 years ....... and she still packs / unpacks my car for each meeting .... although now it's so I don't forget stuff / get mud on things!!!

You have to find the right woman (she also loves proper Minis nearly as much as I do!!) then it won't matter that you spend a stupid amount of time and money on model racing cars!!


Naturally she'd suggest a classic Mini for a first car too.

[mobile chicane]

Originally Posted by sparrow.2

Hadn't actually realised it sounded that sad


There is a deeply dark side to our hobby that you can't tell anyone you meet especially women... No matter how you start you always get "the eyebrow", followed by the sad smile. Usually end up feeling like you ought to be wearing a hat with a propeller on it...

Thank god I wakeboard too. Infinitely better opener!

The car is cool though, slept at many wakeboarding events in it too. It kinda grows on you

I have to race motorbikes to make up for it and I have a long tertm girlfriend

[low13]

im 17 in september and i'm thinking of getting a 205 1.9 gti,ok insurance aint to cheap (1300 quid a year on my dads policy) but i reckon a pretty good first car and some can be picked up for about a grand add yamaha r1 carbs on it and about 170 hp -200 hp is expected

[MK999]

I looked at classic minis as a first car, but to get one in decent nick seemed to be around £1000-1500 and going up as they become more of an iconic classic. Whereas my (admittedly rather less cool) 45k mileage new as they get Nova cost me the grand total of £220

[super__dan]

Rog you and I disagree on so much, the mini is one of the most overated owners cars there can be IMHO.

I do agree the handling is ace, but they are REDICULOUSLY expensive for what they are, REDICULOUSLY unreliable and rust faster than you can say rust. My ex had one totally rebuilt and resprayed, with new panels built for her 21st and within 12 months both doors were well on the way with other patches coming out. I had to fix it numerous times (thank god they are simple) so if you're remotely interested in reliablity, don't bother. I could go on at this point but will leave it.

To be fair I didn't feel like this when I was 17 though, maybe I'm just getting old! However the Nova's I had at 17 were a much better car for racing all over the country.

[Spoolio]

If you want nice handling, economy, reliability, cheap bits and ease of resale plus half-decent insurance, you will not beat a Ka or an up to 2001 Fiesta. I agree the Ka's looks are an acquired taste and it may be a bit girly but to be honest I've always found that is the other persons point of view not mine.

Just watch out for rust and shot front suspension arms (and check the aircon if fitted. If it doesn't work negotiate a discount. If it DOES work, just expect it to pack up without notice).

I don't care what the McD's car park mob says, you cannot get a Polo or Corsa to ride nicely AND handle sweetly at the same time, you can have one or the other and the other usually involves stuffing monster rubber under the arches which then totally knackers the steering feel and makes it ride like it has concrete wheels.

You can't beat a Micra or Starlet for reliability but I suppose we all have our pride .

Saxo's and 106's are OK if you have small feet and don't intend to crash. I'm not biased, I had 2 106's but they don't compare to a Ka at all.

Clio's - some are good some are very bad - at your price point I'd steer clear, you may get a good 'un but you are more likely to end if with a ropey old dog that'll cost a fortune in electric bits.

Well said that man about the Peugeot 306, especially the diesel. If you could run to a DTurbo it's a bit of a stealth motor. We have an HDi (90BHP) estate and over a twisty road I can't imagine you'd need any more power - its the torque that moves you out of corners anyway. The ride and handling is sublime.

Don't even consider AX's and old Minis (got one of them too) as reliable first cars, far too fragile and, just well, old and er, unreliable. You'll need all your money for insurance and fuel.

Good hunting.

[i4n]

Originally Posted by low13

im 17 in september and i'm thinking of getting a 205 1.9 gti,ok insurance aint to cheap (1300 quid a year on my dads policy) but i reckon a pretty good first car and some can be picked up for about a grand add yamaha r1 carbs on it and about 170 hp -200 hp is expected

No offence mate - but are you having a Giraffe!

You'll be dead within a week with that much power under your right foot and so little experience - and just think about the poor innocent person you crash into when you lose control. Start small and work up to something with that much power.

I'm not a saint when it comes to driving but I've got the years behind me to figure out when to go a bit dolally (country lanes at 2am for example) and when to drive like a nun (school start finish time around town). Must be doing something right - over 13 years and not a speeding ticket (yet).

Matt - I'd hate to be in your position again but all I'll add to the mix is I started with a 1.2 Clio (the original one, on a K plate) and it was amazing. I'll admit the parts were expensive as it's French but you can do most of the service jobs yourself and it was plenty fast enough (I think I had an indicated 115 out of it on the M6....................)

[Spoolio]

Originally Posted by low13

im 17 in september and i'm thinking of getting a 205 1.9 gti,ok insurance aint to cheap (1300 quid a year on my dads policy) but i reckon a pretty good first car and some can be picked up for about a grand add yamaha r1 carbs on it and about 170 hp -200 hp is expected

1. Why would you want to bin a perfectly good injection system for something that only produces peaky top-end power and won't start properly on a cold morning when you are late for work (which is what happens in the real world).

2. Peugeot 205 GTi (1.6 or 1.9 doesn't matter) + too much entry speed + sudden realisation you ain't gonna get round that bend + a bit of brake = "Hello Mr & Mrs low13, this is PC Plod. I'm afraid theres been an accident. Oh and here's the bill for the wall/hedge/bus stop he hit on his way into the field".

Don't do it matey - I know it sounds tempting but listen to us old farts - start small and work your way up. Just because old hot hatches are cheap doesn't mean they are a good idea as a starter car. Second car fair enough but as you are statistically more likely to stuff your first car, it'd be safer if you were going slowly. Plus there aren't enough old 205s/Astra's/XR3's left for the classic brigade and if you shag up one more that'll be one less for people to enjoy .

Put it another way. You've never driven an RC car before. Then you get an RC10 with a 6.5 brushless in it. You WILL crash it right?

[Kev B]

This was my first car.(cost £1100) 17 and paid £500 Fully comp insurance compared to over a £1000 for a 1l nova. No the SR in the background was not mine but my Mums car!

I would say early mini or beetle, dirt cheap insurance and lots of fun. And teach you alot about mechanics. Uno turbo for a quick shed!

[quincey]

matt stay the hell away from 205's lift off oversteer,the roof is spot welded on and comes off with ease-ask steve about a certain penmachno accident and his mate who killed himself and 2 others just drivin home,the 306 is a better bet, the mini not as bad as people think ive had loads of them and so's steve;if your gonna get one make sure its been looked after or restored properly not bodged if its been welded then you will be chaseing rust for ever and ever-but mine takes tarvin roundabout at 70mph no prob's and burns off most euro boxes to 60 just its hopless anywhere like motorways(too noisy).
pug 106 rallye's are good motors or toyota aygo's and micras you seen steve's.
just get your test out of the way first and go from there.

[ashleyb4]

The funniest first car ive ever seen was my uncles and he had a morris minnor it made me chuckle it was really good nick though. Now all he drives is chaved nova's and corsa's he has had a load of them and i mean loads must of had atleast 100 cars and he is only 35 He must of had every version of nova from GTE to GSI he even had a really nice opel manta to.

A

[RogerM]

Dan ..... not going to get into a crazy debate on this one but I feel I have to say that I ran my 1380 as a daily driver on the 200 mile round trip daily commute to London for work when I was doing that crazy journey for about 18 months without a niggle, it has never been welded or painted since it left the factory in 1989.

My better halfs MPi is 8 years old and is only just begining to show it's age a little but far from rusty!

I will say though that they do require much more preventative maintainance than a modern car but hell ... that is half the fun.

I think it is true to say with any "classic car" your have to buy the best example you can find or get a specialist to do the work and anything to do with the body should be bare metal job all over.
My two current projects ('78 Candice's turbo-to-be & '65 pickup) have both been back to bare metal before I even though about buying panels.


Each to their own I say.


Another car to throw in is the good old Golf ..... practical, reliable and still much more fun than most cars could ever hope to be.

[traffman]

Ford ka , pug 106 rallye?

[AndyF]

How about a landrover?

A short wheel base soft top for the summer. May cost a lot in fuel but pre 1971 and you pay no road tax. Insurance is very cheap too.

And

Just think of the space for RC kit or other things 17 year olds do in cars.

[ben]

And just think how slow it will go

[MK999]

Nova GTE-GSi is only really 2 models since it's the mk1 and mk2 top end sports spec (yeah my Essex flatmate turned into something of a Nova geek )

[Chrislong]

regarding the Mini, heck ive had enough to know.

You have got to be a car enthusiast to own one, specifically a Mini enthusiast really. For most who just want to park the car, turn the key and drive, don;t get a Mini please - its a waste of a good car and it CERTAINLY WILL rust before your eyes.

Roger, I looked at an unregistered Mini Cooper Sport 500 back about 8 years ago, and it was rusting before it had even seen owner #1. They were built in from 59 with tinworm, and still had tinworm uptil the very last one.

I have rebuilt 2, and rebuilt properly. BL didn't paint under the panels, so under the wings were pretty much bare metal, and when Ive done them they have been pre-painted, welded properly, then painted again - this was just underneath. I did a Mini and used it daily for two years and after two years it needed a rebuild again!! although it had been waxoyled 6monthly too! It got sold and I rescued another.

The next thing is, how did you justify using a 1380cc mini daily, it'll drink more fuel than a modern 200bhp hatch!!!! They certainly aren't as economical as modern cars, they were in there day, but not now. I had a 1275cc Mini with a few tweeks, and when I did the London to Brighton it averaged 20mpg.

Really, I love Mini's, please leave them to the enthusiasts to own otherwise there'll be none left.

[Richard Lowe]

How about looking for somthing the next size up but a bit older? For my first car I looked at the usual suspects (Fiesta's ect) but they all felt like little tin boxes with buzzy, gutless engines.
(I ended up with a comedy F reg 1.4 Cavalier, but only because my Dad sold me it for £1! It had no power at all, but as it didn't have any grip either and the dampers were stuffed it was good fun )

The lower end/older Focus or Astra is really cheap for what you get, will be reliable and cheap to fix, my little Astra hasn't missed a beat in the 5 years I've been thrashing round in it. It can hold it's own against my friends new Civic type-R round corners, I get raped on the straights though with a 1.6