Your opinions please

[Will]

I pay around about 1500 for my clio fully comp, but as soon as they sort out a claim and update the national server it drops to 900 (one of my claims is pending so cant get a new quote yet, even though i got a letter through nearly 2 years ago saying its sorted.) :?

Thanks for all your advice, im edging towards a 182 cup, my budget is around 11k so i can get a decent one and insure it for about that. Ill probably be searching the tinternet for a v6 spoiler and recaros

 

[quik5i1ver]

Feel like a kill joy saying this but all the same I thought I might add my comments.. I have owned my Trophy since end of Dec and prior to that I had a Ka. I had owned the Ka from new since I started uni and was driving my mum's escort prior to that. My opinion is, it's wise to bide your time, drive something with less power and ghet experience. I pushed that car to it's limits and learnt to respect where those limits were. The great thing about it was, it had tiny wheels and a lawn mower engine but that meant that when I messed up and tried to get round a roundabout too fast or the like, I wasn't travelling at horrific speeds. Although it was a huge frustration having a pretty boring car, I enjoyed every drive and it has made me more cautious and careful moving onto the clio as I have had around 5 yrs worth of experience.

At the end of the day, 3k is a hell of a lot to pay to insure a car, sure, it would be oooh so worth it because they are a hoot to drive At the end of the day it is very much your decision, my personal advice would be find something cheeper with awesome handling and a little less power, enjoy that and then go for it in a couple of yrs maybe... I heard that 106gti's are really good fun to drive..Not sure on others to recommend...

Hope this doesn't sound too old man-ish!!!

 

[nitro]

Feel like a kill joy saying this but all the same I thought I might add my comments.. I have owned my Trophy since end of Dec and prior to that I had a Ka. I had owned the Ka from new since I started uni and was driving my mum's escort prior to that. My opinion is, it's wise to bide your time, drive something with less power and ghet experience. I pushed that car to it's limits and learnt to respect where those limits were. The great thing about it was, it had tiny wheels and a lawn mower engine but that meant that when I messed up and tried to get round a roundabout too fast or the like, I wasn't travelling at horrific speeds. Although it was a huge frustration having a pretty boring car, I enjoyed every drive and it has made me more cautious and careful moving onto the clio as I have had around 5 yrs worth of experience.

At the end of the day, 3k is a hell of a lot to pay to insure a car, sure, it would be oooh so worth it because they are a hoot to drive At the end of the day it is very much your decision, my personal advice would be find something cheeper with awesome handling and a little less power, enjoy that and then go for it in a couple of yrs maybe... I heard that 106gti's are really good fun to drive..Not sure on others to recommend...

Hope this doesn't sound too old man-ish!!!

My sentiments exactly..... apart from maybe getting a 106 GTI instead, they are still flying machines.

I started with a humble 1.3 popular escort, affectionately named the "ned mobile" it was even fun to drive!!!........ Had a few really hairy moments in it, but learned loads.

 

[Steve]

My sentiments exactly..... apart from maybe getting a 106 GTI instead, they are still flying machines.

Um, sound advice indeed, my first car was a 205 GTI. I read about the car's inherent lift off oversteer characteristics a week after finding them out for myself. Luckily the AA truck coming the other way had very good anti-lock brakes, the white van man up his chuff did not, alas.

 

[nitro]

My sentiments exactly..... apart from maybe getting a 106 GTI instead, they are still flying machines.

Um, sound advice indeed, my first car was a 205 GTI. I read about the car's inherent lift off oversteer characteristics a week after finding them out for myself. Luckily the AA truck coming the other way had very good anti-lock brakes, the white van man up his chuff did not, alas.

:lol: years later I had a nice new 306 GTI-6, I had a sideways moment at Auchencillens (spelling?) roundabout that would have made Tiff impressed !.... luckily came out ok though.

 

[Cue]

Feel like a kill joy saying this but all the same I thought I might add my comments.. I have owned my Trophy since end of Dec and prior to that I had a Ka. I had owned the Ka from new since I started uni and was driving my mum's escort prior to that. My opinion is, it's wise to bide your time, drive something with less power and ghet experience. I pushed that car to it's limits and learnt to respect where those limits were. The great thing about it was, it had tiny wheels and a lawn mower engine but that meant that when I messed up and tried to get round a roundabout too fast or the like, I wasn't travelling at horrific speeds. Although it was a huge frustration having a pretty boring car, I enjoyed every drive and it has made me more cautious and careful moving onto the clio as I have had around 5 yrs worth of experience.

At the end of the day, 3k is a hell of a lot to pay to insure a car, sure, it would be oooh so worth it because they are a hoot to drive At the end of the day it is very much your decision, my personal advice would be find something cheeper with awesome handling and a little less power, enjoy that and then go for it in a couple of yrs maybe... I heard that 106gti's are really good fun to drive..Not sure on others to recommend...

Hope this doesn't sound too old man-ish!!! ops:

Totally agree with this stance. Get a light, small car with a small (ish) engine. sub 1000 kg and a 1.3-1.6 would be ample. Then gradually learn how the car reacts and greater and greater speeds.

I stress if you go too fast too soon in it you'll stuff it into a tree or aleast have a hairy moment that you won't be able to control, which will teach you nothing of how to control the car.

My advice would be forget the hot hatch for a year spend less money on a car, less insurance and invest in an advanced driving course. Next year you'll be amazed at the difference 1 years no claims and an advanced driving cert will make to the insurance quote. Also in 5 years time it could be the difference between a prosche and a brand new clio...... invest in the future.

 

[quik5i1ver]

Glad that I'm not alone in my feelings

I had a driving day at Silverstone last year in a 355 and exige then fast ride in an Exige S. That along with driving my boss' Boxter, and my dads 3 series, I felt that I had gained respect for cars with more power than my Ka and I had learned to drive well within my limits in a new, more owerful car.

When I first went to pick up my Ka, I was given a 2.0 focus as it wasn't ready. I didn't even have it for 24hrs before understeering round a roundabout and mashing a wheel and the suspension - that was the best lesson in my eyes - I was young and inexperienced in far too powerful a car.... :shock:

 

[drexel]

Well got my insurance from greenlight, £757.75 fc 8)

 

[duffer987]

Would have to concur with the folks here to 'build up' to a Trophy or another example of a 'sporty' car. Also if you jump right into the best car out there, then where you gonna go next?
Browsing the Yank car forums (350z's, Civic Si's etc...) the amount of kids who jump straight into one of them is incredible and leads to thread topics such as 'Is it hard to drive the 6 spd 350z w/o prior experience driving stick', 'How many of you guys warm up your engines' and 'How to stop wheel hopping when shifting from 1st to 2nd' :shock: :lol: