Clio 172 Learner Driver Decision

[bossy_01]

Hi Guys,
I'm new on here and just wanted your opinions on a few things. I have a bit of a desicion to make. I want a fun / track car and my girlfriend needs a car to drive in. Budget wise for whatever we do is about £5-6K and that has to include insurance. So I reckon I have two options:
Firstly - Buyer a banger for the GF and get a phase 1 clio 172. The downside to this is i don't really like the look of the Ph1 (sorry guys) and it would push the budget to the max, because I'd feel uneasy about the GF going around in a complete rust bucket due to safety issues...the clio 172 PH2 is a pretty safe car.
The second option is buy the clio 172 and let the GF drive it and learn on it....but is this wise due to the power...
My theory is to go with option two, that way the GF gets a car to drive and I get the clio I want...we only have the bills of running one car...insurance wise the clio is coming in it around £1600 (I'm 21 with no NCB and she is 20 on a provisional liscence)...
Went to look at clio today, looked in good nick, but couldn't test drive it due to needing a new coil pack. Car is advertised at £3900 and is silver, 2002 51 plate and has just under 80K on the clock. Has FSH so presuming belts have been changed but this will be checked out. Does this seem a fair price??
Anyway sorry for the long post, just need a bit of help / advice.
Chris

 

[lemonnobby]

I would go with opition 2 if it were me.
the 172 has to be pushed to get the power out of it, so around town a learner should be ok. its out on the open road they might get carried away.
Look about there loads of 172 out there at the mo and its a buyers market.

 

[Aluco]

Option 3.

Make her pay for her own damn car and insurance !

Or check out the insane cheap flame red 172 in the for sale section that needs 4 new shocks and a knocking noise sorting out !

if your 21 and shes 20 (presumably legally female) then insurance will be fairly cheap anyway.

 

[Ads_172]

If you can afford the insurance (should actually bring it down slighter having her on it) then get her learning in the 172 mate.

My missus drove my 172 whilst on a provisional and she's always found it very easy and to drive / control at speed. It's made her a better driver for it, too.

 

[len_beach]

Option 2 for definite.

The car you described sounds very expensive IMO.

'If' I was to sell mine (64k 51 plate), I would expect no more than £3500.

 

[bossy_01]

I'm liking the sound of the support for option 2. She sticks about an extra £300 on to the insurance, which I don't think is bad at all.
Option 3 is a no goer aspart of the £5-6K budget will be made up of her hard earnt cash anyway. Its a joint thing.
And just to clear up any uncertainty, she is defo legally female!
The car I looked was at Evans Hershaw (or what ever it is), its a Pegeout franchise, so I am hoping I can get a bit off...was looking around the £3500 mark.
It is defo a buyers market, but most ppl are still wanting a ton for their cars, there is one on ebay an 02 or 52 with 50ish k on the clock is advertised for nearly 6k. CRAZY. Most the auctions on ebay arn't hitting reserves, so aint selling. Autotrader is not got much to excite in the price range. I really want black, so that limits choice a bit, but I would go with dark blue or silver at a push if the car and price was right.

 

[Aluco]

Bought my clio from evans halshaw last year for £5600

Struggling to sell it for £4k now. There terrible and will lie to you all the way. Buy private mate the markets ripe for it at the moment.

 

[Jamie]

I think you can do much better than £3900 for a 2001 172 tbh.

As for 'power' - yes the 172 is a pokey car especially for your first but it is no super car and women aren't generally too arsed about ragging the back off it so I am not sure how concerned I would be. My biggest concern would be parking and my alloys.

 

[Dickie_172_cup]

even better one-how about buy a reasonable priced 172,then with the leftover money buy something like an old 200sx turbo for your track/fun car.you'll get one of those mega cheap.
RESULT,means you can drive both.

 

[ChrisD172]

Ive got the L plates in my boot, the little lady is learning to drive in my car, shes fine, id rather she was in somthing that was decent and safe

 

[bossy_01]

Yeha i heard the turning circle aint that great on the 172, but hey I'm sure she will get used to it. Being able to adapt, will make her a better driver.
I will just have to accept the alloys will get scuffed and there maybe a few scuffs along the way. What can u do about it, what happens happens, shes a sensible one so she wont wreck it on purpose, she will try her best!

 

[bossy_01]

safety 1st!

 

[ChrisD172]

Yeha i heard the turning circle aint that great on the 172, but hey I'm sure she will get used to it. Being able to adapt, will make her a better driver.
I will just have to accept the alloys will get scuffed and there maybe a few scuffs along the way. What can u do about it, what happens happens, shes a sensible one so she wont wreck it on purpose, she will try her best!

Fire in 1 condition then, when she passes she pays to have the wheels refurbed, simple

 

[Don]

Don't get a 172Cup...as the insurance will nail you for the learner. My other half couldn't get insured on the Cup because she only had a provisional license, all is fine now she's passed, but the 172 will only be silly when its being 'used'! General usage it will be fine.

 

[Ads_172]

Good point about the wheels getting knackered... my missus mounts the kerbs as if she's in a 4x4.

 

[bossy_01]

Its funny you should mention insurance. I was looking at a cup, but decided against it as i like having the air-con etc that you get with the 172. The cup bizarly was always about £200 cheaper to insure than the non cup version. I couldn't fig out why.
That was with both elephant and admiral...
It really dont make sense....
As for kerb wheels, i quite like the idea of putting a set of 182 wheels on, although i dont like the idea of paying £500 for a set....So i guess i will just stick with the originals....how much damage can she really do to the wheels, whats a few scuff here and there. I want the car for the driving experience mainly....

 

[ChrisD172]

Putting my missus on my insurance (Learner) cost an extra £10, can hardly grumble at that

 

[Brett]

I'd let my gf drive my car. She's a rele careful driver. although likes ripping the rubber splitter of her mums dynamique on kerbs at work lol.