Classic Car for beginner?

RonMexico

What do you guys think of choosing a classic to learn how to drive in? I'm 26 and would love to buy a classic as an everyday driver but I am only learning so is this a bad idea? What would insurance be like?

I have about €3,500 to play with.

Looking at something like this - http://www.carzone.ie/search/MG/Midget/200849191133648/advert

shawnee

If you like them the classics would be a great car to learn to drive in. However be aware that you probably won't have power steering, brakes will generally not be as good as modern cars and and you may not have the comfort of the modern cars. In their favour you have a car you really like, they are very easy to work on and usually don't depreciate like the modern cars. Insurance for classics is usually quite cheap provided you have another car. This may prove a sticky point, so I would check this out before you buy. Drive a few of them and make up your mind on which one you like. Enjoy the journey and best of luck.:pac:

RonMexico

Power steering etc wouldn't bother me. Learning in a '99 fiesta does though :pac: I want something with a bit of character and for a learner the options are depressing to say the least.

I quite like MG's - how difficult can they be though and are repairs expensive/parts hard to come by?

Nforce

I'd recommend a classic air cooled VW Beetle as a good beginner car. Extremely easy to work on too.
I'm a bit biased though as I'd a few of them over the years...culminating in a 4 year resto of a '77 Bug that was almost identical to

this one, except it had polished EMPI eight spoke wheels.

corktina

oh do it..go 4 it!!!

.if you dont like it you can always sell it...it not like a Dog being for life....

get something simple with a good Club back up for spares and advice...

S.I.R

best option is either something extremely basic ( i.e corrolla escort or beetle ) or something that this or next year will become classic... relatively new in classic car terms...

carchaeologist

An MGB,a 70s Beetle or a Ford of some description would probably be your best bet for spares availibility and user friendliness so to speak ,and as corky said,you can sell if you dont like it,depricition isnt really an issue,unless you let it rot.Just remember that it wont drive like a modern car,you have to make some adjustments in driving style,but thats part of the fun!:)
You should get classic insurance provided you have a second car to insure it under.

RonMexico

I quite like Beetles, is it possible to get a sporty one for around €4000? What would regular insurance be like for a 26 yr old male on a provisional (the shame )

This one is nice - http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Beetle/wizard/200917192567756/advert

Stephen

Not a good car to learn/do the test in though, its LHD!

RonMexico

True but I was only using that as an example of the type of Beetle I like. It would be interesting to see the examiners face though :pac: If anyone has any other suggestions or links to websites with cars I'd be grateful.

RonMexico

I have to say from looking around I am quite interested in a Triumph Spitfire. Anyone here have one?

biggus

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/57148

--amadeus--

I'm going to go against the grain and say that I don't think this is a great idea, TBH.

First your insurance will be a nightmare. You won't get a classic policy as you won't have a main car and you'll have a mare trying to get a mainstream policy on a proper classic.

Secondly classic cars and modern cars are very, very different. Weaker brakes, no power steering and windows that don't demist are just for starters. They are also less reliable - depending on your experience you may be quite calm behind the wheel but when I was learning I wanted to concentrate on what I was doing, not worry about the car. Now I can drive I can pay attention to what I'm doing and listen out for unusual rattles or feel the changes to the cars behaviour taht are teh advance warnings of trouble. Unless you can control the car through traffic on auto-pilot a classic is simply a risk. My wife has been driving for years, did the advanced driving course and has driven rally cars and go-karts. She refuses to drive the Lotus as it's just too bloody hard.

And then there is the car itself - learner drivers are often quite heavy on teh clutch, for example. A modern car can manage that buta 30 year old british sports car won't.

And lastly (high horse alert) as a driver with a learner permit you shouldn't be driving unaccompanied, until you get through the test why look for a classic that could cost you €2k in fines everytime you leave teh driveway?

Whosbetter?

One car I would deffo recomend is the Capri Laser.

These were brought out in '84 to replace all the 1.6 & 2 litre variants.
Capris were very outmoded by this stage & in the face of increasing competition from hot hatches, Ford introduced the Laser model.

These have all the goodies, ie, sunroof, 5 speed,alloys, full GT dash etc.

Even today, they're very useable. They're good to drive, roomy for a coupe, easy to work on & spares are readily available.
They look bitchin' too!

They don't qualify for the cheap tax yet though, but taxing a 1.6 shouldn't break the bank. Insurance should be reasonable too. I had my first one when I was about your age.

Also, you should be able to get a good 'un in your price range, esp in today's climate.
This is a car you can use on an everyday basis and take to shows at weekends.

Buy one. You won't regret it!

RonMexico

Yeah I have been looking at a Capri actually, I have always loved them, my Uncle used to have a fabulous one. The one I am looking at is a 2 litre but the insurance is not much more than what it would be for a ****ty 1 litre fiesta. Is there anything I should watch out for with a Capri?

Cheers.

Whosbetter?

As regards early Capris, rust is the main enemy.

I tend to ignore those, Mk 1s are too pricey & Mk 2s don't have the right 'look' about them.

The Laser, made frm '84 to '86 is the best bet as far as I'm concerned.
They were all made in Germany, so they dont rust as much as earlier ones.

However, the youngest of these are now well over 20 years old at this stage, so check for corrosion in the strut tops and around the rear spring hangers.
Rot in these places is an automatic NCT failure.

Also, all Lasers are fitted with a factory fitted tilt/slide sunroof.
This is grand, but the drain holes can get blocked & water can get trapped in the bulklhead.
This is very ungood.
If you see a Laser with rust bubbles under the windscreen, avoid it. There could be a great deal of unpleasantness underneath.

As regards mechanics, these were'nt a beautifically engineered car. This means that they were built to be tough & simple.
Any probs in that regard can be fixed easily & cheaply.

Hope this is of help.

RonMexico

Thanks for all the info. much appreciated. If anybody knows of any good ones for sale will you let me know :cool:

Also any recommended websites etc.

carchaeologist

Whosbetter? wrote: »

As regards mechanics, these were'nt a beautifically engineered car. This means that they were built to be tough & simple.
Any probs in that regard can be fixed easily & cheaply.

Hope this is of help.

Yep,cart springs on the rear,and really basic front suspension too,but its all good.
Theres lots of capris about,you can afford to be choosey.
Try donedeal,buy and sell and sites like that