first car (v2)

[SilentDeath]

My second thread on the subject

Looking to spend no more than 2k for car and insurance.
Ive been getting quotes around £800 from quinn direct (1 year named driving but no NCB).

However insurance is easy, finding a nice, good condition used car is a lot harder, esp in my price range. Ive looked at 15+ cars now (mostly fiestas), all look good in the adverts (and im fussy). 5 were on ebay and i didnt win, but the rest didnt look very healthy.

Fiestas seem 10x maybe 20x more common than corsas/micras and all the other small hatchbacks, which is possibly a good thing. Going to look at a corsa tomorrow (which will be the first I will see!).

Ive seen some very horrible fiestas. Two had very loud noticable engine niose probelms (im guessing to do with tappets?), few seconds delay on throttle when de-pressed. horible hard steats, no pas and very bad handling + broken suspension. Seems like its worth getting a zetec engine over a encore.. but not seen many in my price range.

Also had a look at a nice zetec on wednesday, it was a 1.6, blue, amazingly comfortable seats, and almost perfect condition, recent cambelt exhaust and brakes. Its also a good price, newish mot, fsh etc.
Only thing is insurance. Im going to phone up quinn direct tomorrow (as for my quotes so far they have been £200-400+ cheaper) but they probably dont like the idea of a newish driver and a 1.6 SI there website doesnt list any 1.6 fiestas highest seems 1.4


Also considering getting a scooter/moterbike, however I only have car licence so I would need to do CBT training/get protective stuff/insurance/bike and it doesnt seem THAT much cheaper in total, although running costs are maybe 10x less?

Any ideas? Ive wasted many hours this month where i could have been playing eq2

[teachmech]

On the insurance front try the following online

get a quote with an older female relative on with you(I know it sounds daft but give it a try)

For me (at 36yrs full NCD no points) for a group 7 suv

just me £400

me and wife £350

Its somthing like they don't think we will drive all the time so lower the insurance.

Above example was with direct line.

On the car front how about a punto?

[5lab]

to beat fox to it..

why not get a small engined bigger car? something escort sized, or the next size up will be plusher inside, and probably do a higher milage, for no extra cash. get a diesel and the fuel bills will be the same too.. for £1200 you should be able to pick something thats about 6 years old up..

[Konan555]

Ive seen some very horrible fiestas. Two had very loud noticable engine niose probelms (im guessing to do with tappets?)(

Looks like you found yourself a Kent engine (or whatever they where calling them by then? HCS or Endura-E or something). They do sound like a bag of spanners, but they're hardy little buggers.

[SilentDeath]

Looks like you found yourself a Kent engine (or whatever they where calling them by then? HCS or Endura-E or something). They do sound like a bag of spanners, but they're hardy little buggers.

yeah all of them are endura engines (i think) upto 1994/5 which is when they brought out new zetec engines but kept using the old body.

Ive had a look at 5+ enduras and about half the engines sounded ready to be scrapped.

I decided to buy the 1.6SI, insurance is £904 or £814 if i do pass plus (depending on if they let me do it afterwards and get difference refunded).