First Car

JDM Jack

I'm looking to see if anyone has any ideas for what a good first car would be?
Exclude things like insurance and tax for the moment, as I'll sort them myself.
At the moment I'm looking at a Golf, Bora or an A4, basically something diesel (not limited to that though), reliable, good mpg but still has atleast a bit of street cred. I'm mad for anything Jap but a 180 or an Altezza is never going to be practical.

Maybe there's nothing out there but if anyone can suggest some cars or even tell me some good news such as cars like the KE70 being alright It'd be a great help!

colm_mcm

You'll find that tax and insurance are the main reason people aren't driving what they want to drive, don't gloss over them.

It seems from your other posts that you're 16/17 so insurance will be massive on anything that isnt tiny engined.

Should be also noted that a learner permit isn't a driving license, its a permit for you to learn to drive under supervision rather than rack up huge miles (diesel)

JDM Jack

colm_mcm wrote: »

You'll find that tax and insurance are the main reason people aren't driving what they want to drive, don't gloss over them.

By no means am I glossing over them but I want a few suggestion before I seriously consider buying my first car. I don't have much else in life (financially) to be worrying about so all the funds I can get will go to this.

Think of this as means to make my 'longlist', before my shortlist.

mickdw

From your choices and going by the current trend I'm assuming you are going to be slamming them and adding a few choice mods. It's not a good look.
I would go for a nice factory spec A4.

colm_mcm

JDM Jack wrote: »

By no means am I glossing over them but I want a few suggestion before I seriously consider buying my first car. I don't have much else in life (financially) to be worrying about so all the funds I can get will go to this.

Think of this as means to make my 'longlist', before my shortlist.

Just get quotes on a bora or a4 tdi for the craic anyway.

JDM Jack

mickdw wrote: »

From your choices and going by the current trend I'm assuming you are going to be slamming them and adding a few choice mods. It's not a good look.
I would go for a nice factory spec A4.

I won't be making my car look nice for others, I'll build this for myself, slammed or not, if it makes me happy I don't care.

colm_mcm

Will you be fitting an cooo generator?

mickdw

JDM Jack wrote: »

I won't be making my car look nice for others, I'll build this for myself, slammed or not, if it makes me happy I don't care.

Let me guess, cut springs, seriously out of camber suspension, a big exhaust, eyebrows, stupid wheels and tiny brakes. Cheap HID lights and a windscreen visor blocking the whole top half of the screen with the windscreen discs placed vertically at the side of the screen.

brian plank

JDM Jack wrote: »

At the moment I'm looking at a Golf, Bora or an A4, basically something diesel (not limited to that though), reliable, good mpg but still has atleast a bit of street cred.

only in ireland.

JohnBoy26

brian plank wrote: »

only in ireland.

That's not Ireland

JDM Jack

mickdw wrote: »

Let me guess, cut springs, seriously out of camber suspension, a big exhaust, eyebrows, stupid wheels and tiny brakes. Cheap HID lights and a windscreen visor blocking the whole top half of the screen with the windscreen discs placed vertically at the side of the screen.

Camber on a road car is a joke, cutting springs is the definition of retarded, eyebrows - why bother, stupid wheels ? Why would someone PICK stupid wheels and tiny brakes, I'm not looking to kill myself at all. What car enthusiasts do you hang around with?!!

brian plank

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

That's not Ireland

how observant. i was referring to the 'street cred' thing.

JohnBoy26

brian plank wrote: »

how observant. i was referring to the 'street cred' thing.

I know that scene is obviously alive and well in other countries judging from the pic though

JDM Jack

brian plank wrote: »

how observant. i was referring to the 'street cred' thing.

A person can love any car and set it up how they want but a guy who goes all out on a Corsa isn't going to get have as much attention or interest as a guy with a clean AE86 for example, 'street cred' wasn't the right phrase, I just couldn't think of what to say to describe what I mean, as I'm obviously not getting something ridiculous for a first car.

I started a thread for suggestions, obviously not a good idea.

vwhead

i was gettin qoutes on 115bhp bora sports for as little as 990 on my own policy and still on a provisional with no NCB, i done all the reasearch like your self and could wel afford it for a first car and plenty of poke to get you out of hairy situations you might find yourself in, my advice is to go down the diesel route golf bora etc for a first car as its cheaper on insurance and diesel because its your first car no point in lying that your not gunna be living in it for the first 2 months :P but anyway i ended up with a 1.4 astra there about 3 weeks nice little car few nice mods nothing silly or cheap lookin or dangerous and getting insured on it isnt looking cheap at the moment and these are the same companys that were giving me qoutes of under a grand for a bora sport!

my best advice is to go down the TDI route biggest mistake i made was not having the patience to wait any longer to get a bora, hopefully next year when insurance gets cheaper i might get a tezz for a weeknd car or that

YbFocus

mickdw wrote: »

Let me guess, cut springs, seriously out of camber suspension, a big exhaust, eyebrows, stupid wheels and tiny brakes. Cheap HID lights and a windscreen visor blocking the whole top half of the screen with the windscreen discs placed vertically at the side of the screen.

This post and ones above are silly and off topic, just running the chap into the ground. Let him do what he wants, he was only asking for ideas.
This is exactly what was talked about in the latest motors problem thread!

Realistically JDM Jack you'll be lucky to get insured on the cars you want in your first year without paying mad money.
Why not drive something mundane for a year or two and save. Then buy a proper machine when your insurance and pocket allows.
It'll seem crap for a while but it's the right way to go about it

djimi

What kind of budget do you have overall? You can make a long list of any amount of cars you like, but it'll be a pointless exercise if you can't afford to run them!

The cars you have mentioned are going to be a nightmare to insure for an unlicensed teenager. Insurance companies aren't stupid; the more "Street cred" a car has, the more they will be charging you to insure it!

You're best bet is to make your own shortlist of 3-4 cars that you like first and then go off and get some quotes to insure then. Sit down and work out all of the running costs (tax etc) and work out what you can actually afford to run, then start making a realistic shortlist.

Sobanek

Dayyysull!

In all seriousness though, I still don't have my own car after 3 years of driving, simply because I was racking up some discount and at a higher age, insurance is lower. You might want to consider!

Planning to get something fasht, I'm still under 21 and the insurance ain't bad.

JDM Jack

vwhead wrote: »

i was gettin qoutes on 115bhp bora sports for as little as 990 on my own policy and still on a provisional with no NCB, i done all the reasearch like your self and could wel afford it for a first car and plenty of poke to get you out of hairy situations you might find yourself in, my advice is to go down the diesel route golf bora etc for a first car as its cheaper on insurance and diesel because its your first car no point in lying that your not gunna be living in it for the first 2 months :P but anyway i ended up with a 1.4 astra there about 3 weeks nice little car few nice mods nothing silly or cheap lookin or dangerous and getting insured on it isnt looking cheap at the moment and these are the same companys that were giving me qoutes of under a grand for a bora sport!

my best advice is to go down the TDI route biggest mistake i made was not having the patience to wait any longer to get a bora, hopefully next year when insurance gets cheaper i might get a tezz for a weeknd car or that

Thanks

Mycroft H

Prepare to bend over for any insurance for a 17 year old. Especially in what's seen as the cool cars of today.

JDM Jack

I'm getting insured under my mothers name BUT it will still be my car, as she has one under my father and he has own under his company. The budget isn't anything high, I'm not looking to get my dream car as a first car but I made this thread to see if there were any 'inbetween' cars, but I think I'll stick with the TDI's after all.

I mean I've got quotes for Miata's at 1600 and Altezza's at 1800 but that's too much for car that will already have high costs in fuel efficiency and road tax.

Anyway, thanks for all the posts (except mickdw who jumped to a stereotype), helped me make up my mind!

Mycroft H

JDM Jack wrote: »

I'm getting insured under my mothers name BUT it will still be my car, as she has one under my father and he has own under his company. The budget isn't anything high, I'm not looking to get my dream car as a first car but I made this thread to see if there were any 'inbetween' cars, but I think I'll stick with the TDI's after all.

Insurance companies didn't come down in the last shower you know....

EazyD

Having had my license since 17, and speaking 5 years on, I'd strongly suggest the OP takes the sensible route, with a view to building an NCB and funds for what he really wants down the line. By the time your actually getting sensible quotes , you will have already dropped huge money on insurance/tax/consumables/servicing, sure it sucks but we all had to compromise at that age!

thecomedian

JDM I found that certain models were cheaper to insure than others even though they were more powerful.
A Volvo S60 was nearly half the cost of an A4 but it was more powerful.
I'd try the TDIs but I'd look at quotes for the likes of an S40 or the likes.
I'd a Volvo 940 2.3 under my parents insurance for my first few years of driving. Wasn't exactly what I'd wanted but I built up my NCB.

Sobanek

JDM Jack wrote: »

I'm getting insured under my mothers name BUT it will still be my car

You know there is a high possibility that if you crash your car (hopefully not) your insurance will be void if they find out it's your car?

I don't think a 30+ year old mother would have an A4 TDI with plenty of mods Just a heads up.

thecomedian

Mycroft H wrote: »

Insurance companies didn't come down in the last shower you know....

As long as it's in his mothers name it's ok.

Mycroft H

thecomedian wrote: »

As long as it's in his mothers name it's ok.

What now? Just cos it's in mammys name it's okay?

thecomedian

Mycroft H wrote: »

What now? Just cos it's in mammys name it's okay?

Yea, I take it that they are still living at home.

djimi

thecomedian wrote: »

JDM I found that certain models were cheaper to insure than others even though they were more powerful.
A Volvo S60 was nearly half the cost of an A4 but it was more powerful.
I'd try the TDIs but I'd look at quotes for the likes of an S40 or the likes.
I'd a Volvo 940 2.3 under my parents insurance for my first few years of driving. Wasn't exactly what I'd wanted but I built up my NCB.

A lot of it is down to reputation also; an S40 may be more powerful, but you are more likely to see a young lad flying around in an A4 than you are in a Volvo!

The OP may be able to insure something better than a Yaris, but the problem is that the cars that they have mentioned will all have alarm bells ringing for insurers!

JDM Jack

Sobanek wrote: »

You know there is a high possibility that if you crash your car (hopefully not) your insurance will be void if they find out it's your car?

I don't think a 30+ year old mother would have an A4 TDI with plenty of mods Just a heads up.

I'm not buying one already modded, whether it's an A4 or not (most likely I'll go for a Golf). I won't be spending money on any modifications any time soon afterwards either, I'm not made of money.

JDM Jack

Mycroft H wrote: »

Insurance companies didn't come down in the last shower you know....

No, they didn't. Must have been hard to work that one out.

mickdw

JDM Jack wrote: »

I'm getting insured under my mothers name BUT it will still be my car, as she has one under my father and he has own under his company. The budget isn't anything high, I'm not looking to get my dream car as a first car but I made this thread to see if there were any 'inbetween' cars, but I think I'll stick with the TDI's after all.

I mean I've got quotes for Miata's at 1600 and Altezza's at 1800 but that's too much for car that will already have high costs in fuel efficiency and road tax.

Anyway, thanks for all the posts (except mickdw who jumped to a stereotype), helped me make up my mind!

Well I suggested a factory spec A4. I didn't tell you to buy a toy of a car because you are young.
You said you will do what suits you - slammed or not. Im hardly jumping to conclusions at all when you consider this and your dislike for my posts.
The fact that you come on here saying that you will be making a false declaration to your insurers only confirms my opinion.
Just a word of advice. Don't put your life savings into it as the insurers won't be paying out if you have a claim for own damage.

Karl Stein

All the street-cred you could ever want can be garnered by fitting a simple pair of eyelashes on your head-lights.

JDM Jack

Charles Rocher wrote: »

All the street-cred you could ever want can be garnered by fitting a simple pair of eyelashes on your head-lights.

Forgot the bumper mustache :P

Noccy_Mondy

Sobanek wrote: »

You know there is a high possibility that if you crash your car (hopefully not) your insurance will be void if they find out it's your car?

I don't think a 30+ year old mother would have an A4 TDI with plenty of mods Just a heads up.

How would they find out that the OP is the main driver if he was in a crash (god forbid) if say, the car wasn't molested and he was living at home. Just wondering.

thecomedian

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

How would they find out that the OP is the main driver if he was in a crash (god forbid) if say, the car wasn't molested and he was living at home. Just wondering.

This is what I thought too.
How would the insurance company prove otherwise?

mickdw

thecomedian wrote: »

This is what I thought too.
How would the insurance company prove otherwise?

In the case of someone living with parents, keeping their nose clean and not turning the car into a modified mess, insurer might not immediately be able to prove who the main driver was. Because of this, they in many cases load the premium anyway as they Just assume the young person is the main driver so they have their cash anyway. If they can prove it at time of an accident all the better for the insurer.
You wouldn't believe how silly some people can be though. People have been known to register car in own name and try to insure in parents name. Also I know of a guy who was insured in Fathers name but was paying the insurance from his own bank account. This same guy made a claim and when a letter came back saying that they were in investigating the circumstances of his driving the car and would be withdrawing all cover should it be found that he was the main driver, he withdrew the claim and changed companies shortly after.
I also know if a guy who was the same name as his father. Car was bought by young guy. Insured by Old guy but when a claim arose, the father had no idea what he was supposed to be saying to insurers so he gave the game away. He would pretend to be young guy and then get muddled over whether he owned it. Comedy gold. .

thecomedian

mickdw wrote: »

In the case of someone living with parents, keeping their nose clean and not turning the car into a modified mess, insurer might not immediately be able to prove who the main driver was. Because of this, they in many cases load the premium anyway as they Just assume the young person is the main driver so they have their cash anyway. If they can prove it at time of an accident all the better for the insurer.
You wouldn't believe how silly some people can be though. People have been known to register car in own name and try to insure in parents name. Also I know of a guy who was insured in Fathers name but was paying the insurance from his own bank account. This same guy made a claim and when a letter came back saying that they were in investigating the circumstances of his driving the car and would be withdrawing all cover should it be found that he was the main driver, he withdrew the claim and changed companies shortly after.
I also know if a guy who was the same name as his father. Car was bought by young guy. Insured by Old guy but when a claim arose, the father had no idea what he was supposed to be saying to insurers so he gave the game away. He would pretend to be young guy and then get muddled over whether he owned it. Comedy gold. .

In fairness they all sound stupid enough.
It will be ok as long as the car is in the mothers name, the op is named on her insurance and the car where the mother lives.

EazyD

thecomedian wrote: »

In fairness they all sound stupid enough.
It will be ok as long as the car is in the mothers name, the op is named on her insurance and the car where the mother lives.

Except if she has two seperate policy's on two seperate cars with her as main driver on both/son as named driver on one car. Insurance companies aren't stupid you know.

JDM Jack

EazyD wrote: »

Except if she has two seperate policy's on two seperate cars with her as main driver on both/son as named driver on one car. Insurance companies aren't stupid you know.

Except she doesn't have a policy out on her own name. I'll also have the car insured with her for at least a year prior to going name driver, not fully sure if that will help but if it's obvious to me that a mother and son policy is being taken out at the same time then it should be to them too. Anyway, as I said, this thread was about the car aspect.

thecomedian

JDM Jack wrote: »

I'm getting insured under my mothers name BUT it will still be my car, as she has one under my father and he has own under his company. The budget isn't anything high, I'm not looking to get my dream car as a first car but I made this thread to see if there were any 'inbetween' cars, but I think I'll stick with the TDI's after all.

I mean I've got quotes for Miata's at 1600 and Altezza's at 1800 but that's too much for car that will already have high costs in fuel efficiency and road tax.

Anyway, thanks for all the posts (except mickdw who jumped to a stereotype), helped me make up my mind!

To me the way this will be insured seems fine. I don't see a problem with the OP driving his mothers car.

JDM Jack

Hopefully this thread will die down but I do just wanna say that I'm not even at the buying stage of a car yet, that's why I was saying never mind insurance and things like that, I'll sort all that out in my time aswell

JohnBoy26

Charles Rocher wrote: »

All the street-cred you could ever want can be garnered by fitting a simple pair of eyelashes on your head-lights.

JdmRacer

Ya say ya love jap and want something to be insured on and has "street cred" how bout this http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-corolla-vvti-fresh-nct/6372474

bazz26

Stroke My Trout

with wheels and slam like that, that will be a pig

Mycroft H

JdmRacer wrote: »

Ya say ya love jap and want something to be insured on and has "street cred" how bout this http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-corolla-vvti-fresh-nct/6372474

About 1000 euro overpriced. And the bollocks obviously driven out of it.