ClioSport.net

Register a free account today to become a member!
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

Important --- first car ?



BREMBO

ClioSport Club Member
  V6 Mk1, Golf GTI Mk5
Hey hoping to get my first car soon and needing some help as what to get, im going to be sitting my test soon. Basically i would like something special, but as we all no insurance is crazy.

I will have 5k+ to spend on a car and probaly insurance as-well. I would love a 172cup but really dont see that happening unless i took out a loan and insurance was put under my parents name... :nono: a no go, but a lot of people do it.

I have a good job, and have a good income, so another idea is to take a car out on finance use that for a year or 2 sell it... get something better (and for the record one thing i would really like to do is own a Clio V6 by 20/21... life ambition! :approve: )

So the facts: I'm 18

Cars: Saxo VTR/VTS, Clio 172(cup) or a car on finance(probz something v crap)

Money: 5k maybe 6

My car is going to my pride and joy and im not going to run it into the ground/wall by being a t**t.

Any ideas what i should maybe do ? :rolleyes:
 

DrR

ClioSport Club Member
  VW Golf GTD
I'm 22, if i could do it again, i'd just ran a shitbag of a car till i'm 21 then get something VERY special when i was 21.
 
  2 wheel power
^^ What he said. Id just buy a relatively nice car for a grand or something and just drive that for a while.
Wouldnt go on finance, my brother did it thinking his job was well paid and got truly buggered, having no money left after repayment etc
 
  BMW M3
Yeah, id do the same if your after a V6 by 21. I had a crappy 1.3 (xr3i wannabe) escort from 17 till 19 and got too impatient and bought a 182 and then had to pay for it lol.

I sometimes just wonder if i could afford a little more speed or 'cooler' car if i kept the escort till now.

Decisions eh !
 
Last edited:
1.2/dci cheap car reasonable cheap to run and save your money till its cheaper. You'll crash the car so why crash an expensive car.
 
  197cup
i agree with all - buy something decent to tide u over till ur 21 then get something s**t hot - dont go on finance you always loose - i'm a car salesman an you might think youhave a good deal but you will always end up with negative equity
 
  visualize whirled pe
All good advice.
A nice nippy car will do you well and you can make it look nice enough and still have enough for insurance without eating too much of your 5 grand. Any 1.2 or 1.4 is more than enough for the first couple of years after you pass your test.

I had £5k burning a hole in my pocket at 18 too! (nearly 10 years ago!) back then I nearly spunked the lot on a Calibra 4x4 turbo and insurance, but had second thoughts and I'm very glad I didnt now, there's plenty of time for quick cars.
At 18 £5k is a great start to set you up for a mortgage / travel the world / start a business. I wouldnt go burning money on insurance for performance cars, you'll kick yourself after spending bonkers amounts dosh and being further away from your dream of owning a vee.
 
  2 wheel power
True I have around 4k sitting in my bank for the day i turn 18 (thanks gran!) and I was going to spend it on a nice car, have been talked out of it by family and friends and instead I'm going to use the money to travel, much better than having a slightly quick car at 18
 

brisa4984

ClioSport Club Member
on engine sizes a 1.2 is a gud startin car. Most are economical, cheaper to buy, repair, insure. This all helps to save for your majour car when youve built up ure no claimes..

Even when ure 21,22 a v6 is still going to be high on the insurance. Eg. i started when i was 18 and have 4 years no claims and now have a 172 at 800 quid insurance. Your going to be lookin at more than that for a v6. Better start saving now.
 
  ST
Christ matey thats expensive with 4 years NCB, i'm 22 on my own policy with 1 years NCB with my mum on it, 50/50 accident in 2005 when i had my dynamique, £950 on my 182..
 
  Scenic mk1 (F3R)
hi i say go for a 1.2 for now and save the rest.

im 21 with 2 claims and 3 points i have 1 years no claims and my insurance renewal on the williams will be £1300 with my sister (who's a cop) then my dad as named drivers
 
Brembo, follow everyone's advice, there right, just get a cheaper, small engined first car. You are going to get raped with insurance if you go under your name, but its worth it when you've built up some no-claims and your insurance dramatically drops each year. I've spent over £2000 on insurance in the last 2 years and thats on small engined cars (a 1lt citroen ax at 17 cost me £1200 to insure tpft and then my 1.2 8v clio the year after cost me £850 fully comp) I'm turning 19 and my insurance is due again now, should only be about £650 fully comp with 2 years no claims now though, which is quite a drop.
 
  liquidized RacingBlue 182
lol, got a requote aswell they offerd £300 less but im looking for a new car for the summer so not sure if i shood keep 182 but drops quite alot for 10 months driving!:p
 

Martin_172

ClioSport Club Member
do what im doing/done...

get a 1.2 16v for a year or 2 then a 172 (getting one next summer hopefully)

1.2 16v has more than enough power to have fun if you make it handle.

theres also the 1.4 16v and 1.6 16v and the DCi range too.

at the next dry meet ill be more than happy to take you a run in mine if you want and let you see just how quick a 1.2 can be down a backroad, let one of the 172s try to keep up ;) :)
 
Last edited:
  mini cooper (RIP 172)
like already said just get a cheap car until your 21ish then get what you want!

or if you really need a good car (performance wise) get a saxo VTR coz its cheap, good performance (0-60 9secs?) also not bad round bends! but the best thing is its only insurance group 7! vts is 12ish and 172/182 is 16 (which would be silly money at 18 just passed)

but get you own insurance and start getting you "no clames bonus"
 
  Turbos.
The 1.2 16v Clio is a great first car really. Cheap, nippy, looks pretty smart, insurance group 2/3 and most importantly IMO, is a 4 Star NCAP.
 
  mini cooper (RIP 172)
The 1.2 16v Clio is a great first car really. Cheap, nippy, looks pretty smart, insurance group 2/3 and most importantly IMO, is a 4 Star NCAP.

what he said, my gf has one and its not fast but it is fun to drive.

still puts a smile of my face and ive got a 172
 
  Meg on pistonheads £6995
MINT 'O5' dCi 80 dynamique with air for 5K

If you thing they're slow, try mine (re-mapped to 110bhp & 172lb/ft)- quicker than a mini cooper

group 3 insurance, £50 a year to tax, 18K service intervals, 60mpg

you could save a few £100 a month at same time and get a 'proper' hot hatch in 2 years!
 
  mini cooper (RIP 172)
MINT 'O5' dCi 80 dynamique with air for 5K

If you thing they're slow, try mine (re-mapped to 110bhp & 172lb/ft)- quicker than a mini cooper

group 3 insurance, £50 a year to tax, 18K service intervals, 60mpg

you could save a few £100 a month at same time and get a 'proper' hot hatch in 2 years!

another good idear!

but because its you first car it prob will feel fast anyway! my 1st car was a 1.1s metro i thought it was well fast (at the time)

if you gat a 172/182 as your 1st car you will just get used to it and when you change your car you will have to spend a bucket of cash to get a better/faster car! even the Vee is not a masive amount faster

ps i know your car int slow black kro pulled at 110+ lol
 
  EK4 SIR CIVIC 185 BHP
i got a 172 and im 18 too, but i drove my sisters 1.2 clio 16v to college today, its smoother, the clutch is way better lol less noise, it feels good i cant describe it properly lol. the speed is kinda slow but gets you from A - B so doesnt bother me :D
 
  clio 16v,saph cossie,rs's
buy a clio 16v or a rs turbo,waste of maoney£5k on your first car,buy a vtr-106gti for £2,5 and do it up
 

E11OOT

ClioSport Club Member
  Evo 6/Ph1 v6/R34
if you were after a VTR you could probs get one and insure it...only group 6 i think. but if you were going down the clio route i would advise a DCi 100bhp insurance group 5. Then when you are 20 go for a 172/182 etc....before 20 the cost of insuring a 172 is mega, @ 20 it still breaks the bank but you can kinda justify it!
 
  133/225/CLS AMG
In my opinion buy a nice but sensible car for the first few years!!

I had a 1.2 93 Clio Oasis as my first car which served me from 17 to 19 then I got a 1.2 X reg Clio which I put nice wheels on and a decent sound system.

Got a good insurance quote at 21 and went and spanked my cash on a brand new Clio 172. Then at 23 ordered myself a Meg 225, its definitely worth the wait.

Just enjoy the novelty of driving and any Clio will put a smile on ya face, doesn't have to be an RS. The DCi idea sounded good to me!
 
A slightly fragile but definitely exciting alternative is a MK1 106 rallye. 1.3 8v, but don't scoff it has 100bhp, sound lovely when you change the induction setup and exhaust. Even has a baby 'coming on cam' feeling :) they look fairly pretty and it has a lumpy idle from the high lift and long duration cam.

Make sure you get one with low miles though, and plenty of history.
 


Top