Todays car tests

[Craggy]

iv been going through a lot of sh*t lately about how much the williams is costing me. im 21 with a claim and a group 18 car. maintenance costs an arm and a leg too. so i decided i needed a new car with warranty.

i booked a test drive in the clio cup today thinking for sure that when i left id have bought one. drove the cup and loved it while i was in it, very quick, handled like a dream but it lacked a bit of something, not performance wise though. i felt too high in the seat and the pedals are wayyyyyyyyy to light for me. i was offered 3k part ex and very nearly bought one. but i declined and said id think about it cos of the huge (£1887) insurance cost. went home and thought about it but it just to much wonga for me to have a decent lifestyle cos of having to run a house to.

so i pondered on what else was available, and then it occurred to me there was something else on the market iv slated and never even been in one. so i went to my local citroen dealer. checked out a VTS. abs, metalic, all the toys, free insurance all for 10k on the road. this alone had wet my appetite so i needed a ride. what a top motor, serious grin inducing sweet spot in the power band that goes through 7k, great handling and awesome steering feel, not as fast as the cup but great fun and the bang for bucks is unrivalled. the free insurance is so tempting.

both cars lack the character of the williams. paul m warned me about this the other day, when your in your williams you feel special for some reason but i cant really afford to keep it.

not sure what im gonna do yet, gonna sleep on the saxo(not literally) but i may keep the willy. just wish it had free insurance and a 3 year manufactures warranty!



craggy

 

[paddymph]

Bloody hell!! Never thought Id see the day. Its true what you say about the sxao though, i had one for 3 years and until youve driven one you just dont know..... Have you thought about gettin a VTR and Supercharging it? Easily outrun a VTS and probably a 172... I reckon u should keep the Willy if u can...

Paddy

 

[adiclio16v]

what about a 106 gti craggy there same as the vts but i think there better looking and you dont see that many of em about

i dont think you get the free insurance though and they cost a bit more than a vts

id have a vts cos u dont see as many as vtrs and there good cars but a bit to common for my liking

adi

 

[Craggy]

he he paddy, no supercharging me thinks as that would defeat my low running costs objective. 106 is nce motor but the thing that throws the balance to the ickle 1.6s is the free insurance. would love to see the outcome of the vts following the 172 through the strines, its like a speedy little rat up a drainpipe. also the same situ with the 106 adi.

 

[paddymph]

The good thing about Citroen is the insurance and also u really can negotiate ridiculous deals with them... choices, choices!

Paddy

 

[DTWD]

When you say high running costs what do you mean? Break it down for us...or at least me. I am interested.



Paul

 

[Craggy]

no warranty

group 18 insurance and 21 with no ncd and a claim. 1500 tpft is the cheapest quote iv got for renewal. thats without declaring my claim. i need fulloy comp, and a legal fully comp at that! over 2k easy

these cars are very maintenance intensive, and when your like me and not an able mechanic, the simplest of jobs cost a fortune. whereas if you can do it youself it would be cheaper

 

[telford_mike]

Craggy - are you sure you wouldnt get a better price for yours selling it on here? Its not like anyones going to accuse it of being slow or anything.... Might make the Cup a more tempting proposition if you could get another grand or so for it, and maybe youd get a bit off the Cup/VTS for no p/x?

 

[teady172]

How much would you be looking for the williams Craggy. Go on, tempt me!!!

 

[pete bann]

if youve got your williams up to a standard where your happy with it mate whats stoppin you from putting it in to storage for a while? i know youd probably use the money to put towards another car but think......buses.........bikes.........save lots of money!!......lol

its a shame to have to sell it but theres nothing saying that you wont be as happy with a new saxo or pug?

pete

 

[desmondo]

Feck me Craggy. Tempted by the dark side eh? Dont know about the Saxo cause Ive never driven one, but one thing I do know is that there all over the roads - common as muck mate. Might be a nice fun halding car as you say but you have a special car mate - a WILLIAMS. And swapping a Williams for a VTS is just mad.

Also the free insurance is only for a year - what you gonna do next year when you get a similar bill?

 

[Craggy]

never fear chaps, i have a financial package drawn up that allows me to store the willy instead of selling it, all for the cost of owning and insuring the williams, without the unexpected maintenance costs thanks to the warranty, what i forgot to mention is that my girlfriend(who i live with) is on the brink of passing her test. she could never get on the willy insurance but the vts is doable. so i get to keep my piece of history for now. well see eh. might not get a new car at all is citroen wont accept the peanuts im prepared to offer!

 

[coolspot007007]

I was looking at a similar problem - high running/tuning costs of the 16v. I had a look at a 172 but that was 1500 more on the insurance, then there was a GTT which would be about 300 quid cheaper on insurance. The GTT is appealing but is dated and the lack of stuff that it doesnt have that i get in the 16v has would do my head in. Then the Saxo, also 300 quid cheaper on insurance, but you get a year free for a kick off, endless mods, easy/cheap to tune, and fix! Its damn annoying! Itd be the ideal choice, but i just cant do it!

 

[GR7]

Craggy

Why dont you go for the VTR? Only group 7 and about 5mph slower than the VTS. John from Demon Tweeks has just got himself a new black VTR with free insurance and he says it is great for the money.

Your girlfriend would get insured easily too.

 

[rt172]

Craggy - I think Im going to go and have a test drive in an Impreza WRX turbo this week if I can find an old style model at a garage. Ive just got a quote for insurance from Tesco and its only £3/month more for fully comp. on a WRX. Ive wanted a Scooby for ages and now they are available at about £8k I might save myself some money on the 172 and get myself my car of my dreams (well, not quite a P1, but getting there!).

Rhys

 

[paddymph]

Bloody hell at this rate theyll be no more Cliosport!!

 

[rt172]

Yeah, but Paddy....a Scooby for gods sake! I didnt realise that I could afford to drive one until last Friday. Saw a lovely looking R-reg 1998 Red one for £7495 on a forecourt in Sheffield. Would prefer black or blue, but very very tempting indeed!

Rhys

 

[Daz]

mmmm, Scooby. The ultimate car to own, ever.

Daz.

 

[HardcoreSax]

I think a standard VTR would be a bit of a come down after driving a Williams. At least the VTS has got some grunt, and you can tune them up to around 150-160bhp fairly easily.

Craggy Ill warn you about Citroen Dixon in Doncaster now...

They are sh*t, if I have to take mine to a dealer, I go over to Rotherham!

 

[jonm]

A VTS is £11,800. Its the VTR that is £10k on the road.

 

[Craggy]

jonm, citroen have a deal on at the minute, where you pay no vat!!!!!, vts is 10,350 with metalic paint. i negotiated the 350 off. straight 10k!

=vts

free insurance for 3 people fully comp

1 year breakdown cover

3 years warranty

6 years ncb with direct line (who are cheap) if you go without a claim!

that is a pretty awesome package.



craggy

 

[paddymph]

Sounds like y made your mind up mate. Dont let the "Saxo are sh*t" posse put u off, theres loads of them about for a good reason, as you know if youve driven one.

And Rhys, yeah, totally agree mate.....

Paddy

 

[Ben H]

This is how Id do it:

Step 1: Find a nice warm garage for the Willy. Use it on an occasional basis - club meets, blasts etc. Spend £1k and get an old 1.2 Clio/old Golf/Volvo. Use it for work. Insure it as your main car. Get your gf insured on it

Step 2: When your renewal for insurance comes up, get classic insurance. The Willy will be your second car, used only for meets, shows etc in their eyes - probably doing low miles.

Step 3: Sit back and think of what to do with the money youve saved

 

[2 live]

he he im kinda in the same situation now lol

i wanna go throttle bodies etc on the willy..the girlfriend says not.

cos its used as an evryday family car its gotta be mild mannered in town traffic......

this is where bens plan comes into action lol

get a nice little 4 door clio/golf or summat and use that as main car till my policy is up for renewal, by which time the new box and rest of mods should be done and strip meets and club meets is what its gunna be used for.....now who wants to come rob a bank with me? iv got a 1/2 decent getaway car sat outside lol

jon