# 19 year old struggling on what car to buy



## calmac (Aug 13, 2012)

hi just wondering if any one could help as my mind's abit gone on this, basically i have £3000 to buy a car i had a civic sport but unfortunately it has been written off, i haven't made a claim as they will increase the insurance beyond belief at my age (19) so i was wondering what cars are about that are roughly the same, the only one i can think of being mk6 zetec s any suggestions? 


only other option reali is to buy another civic and take the wheels and seats off and fit them to the new one so i have the same car ? plus i have just had a new gearbox put in the civic (common problem) so i could take it out and have it spear along with a lot of other stuff?

thanks :wave:


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## XxHarDinGxX (Sep 24, 2011)

I'm 19, and have have this for a few months now.


IMG_4185 by Joe_Harding, on Flickr


IMG_4010 by Joe_Harding, on Flickr


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## avit88 (Mar 19, 2012)

do you want a fast car? ie sub 10sec to 60mph?


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

mk4 gti?


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

avit88 said:


> do you want a fast car? ie sub 10sec to 60mph?


Lol. Welcome to the 70s.

At 19 I would look for something sensible and even more so since he has already written off a car.

Personally I would look at Japanese again.


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## Car Key (Mar 20, 2007)

Yaris T-Sport? (Ins Gp 15)


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## Matt. (Aug 26, 2007)

Why not go for a Aygo or C1 or Corsa D. 

Surely you can find a early model for £3k ~


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

So, you wrote off a car or someone else did? If it was you, I suggest buying a boring standard clio/civic and keeping it standard too.


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## jcf1966 (Jul 21, 2012)

I think you will find they will want to know about any accidents so you will. Ot be able to hide the accident any way, please please don't go down the road to hide it as it could kick you in the backside.

Why don't you take your advanced driving test this will help a lot and you will learn a great deal and then go for a standard car for now remember anyone car drive a car fast enough to be dangerous.

I could take you down country roads were you will never get to 60mph and have a great time and all cars you will buy will do 60.

Just step back build your insurance and your skill and go from there. My first car was an auto Nissan Mira now it is a jaguar XF 3.0 and an Audi TT. I know it is not easy mate you will get there but have another accident and unless you have a lot money you will end your driving for a long time.

Wishing you well

James


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Is this 3k to buy or 3k to buy, insure, maintain, tax, fuel etc?

sent by someone from somewhere by magic


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## tones61 (Aug 21, 2011)

__
https://flic.kr/p/5024721258

:driver:


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

tones61 said:


> __
> https://flic.kr/p/5024721258
> 
> :driver:


I had a proper Panda, it was awesome. Rusted nearly as well as a mk 3 Golf!.

sent by someone from somewhere by magic


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## calmac (Aug 13, 2012)

im not looking for anything fast because the insurance is a kick in the balls, the crash happened on my way home the police worked the speed out to be 50 in a 60 and 3 cars left the road at the same point that night within about 5 minutes of each other but ended up different places ie further down the road there had been alot of farming going on and still was(has been mentioned that there was diesel on the road), on the insurance front if they ask i will have to tell them but as far as im a wear you don't have to say anything if you haven't made any claim? (correct me if im wrong im only young so reali dont know)



PugIain said:


> Is this 3k to buy or 3k to buy, insure, maintain, tax, fuel etc?
> 
> sent by someone from somewhere by magic


its 3 grand just for the car, just putting it out there to see what people can think of

im buy no means in a rush not aloud to drive untill my spines fixed, only got to use my DA once


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

Classic Mini


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## calmac (Aug 13, 2012)

Natalie said:


> Classic Mini


you have no idea how many times me and my dad have nearly bought one of them and stuck a bike engine in it :car:


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## zsdom (Aug 30, 2011)

If you want a sensible car that can also have a bit of a hoon in why not try the Mk6 ZS will cheap to buy & insure

Check out zsoc.com for buying advice & maybe some inspiration on what can be achieved during ownership


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...radius/1500/page/2/postcode/dn185ex?logcode=p


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

If you hit something, which you inevitably did, I don't see why you couldn't have a claim raised against you. Speed means precisely f all.

I don't see why you'd want anything unusual at your age since a: You've already written off one car in what is tbh a short space of time b: Insurance will be high and c: You'll no doubt have damage to the next car.

The reason insurance is a kick in the balls, is because people in your age group have accidents the most.


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## calmac (Aug 13, 2012)

RisingPower said:


> If you hit something, which you inevitably did, I don't see why you couldn't have a claim raised against you. Speed means precisely f all.
> 
> I don't see why you'd want anything unusual at your age since a: You've already written off one car in what is tbh a short space of time b: Insurance will be high and c: You'll no doubt have damage to the next car.


believe it or not i hit nothing at all, just into a filed but as it slid on the corner it hit the bank in the grass or somthing, the corners not sharp and i know the road because for 3 years i must have gone down it at least once a week if not more, iv only put it up to see what suggestions i can get like i said something similar to the civic sport i had ( not fast but looks nice)


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## Junior Bear (Sep 2, 2008)

what about a corsa 1.4 16v sport?

i really miss mine, bonded with it


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## calmac (Aug 13, 2012)

Junior Bear said:


> what about a corsa 1.4 16v sport?
> 
> i really miss mine, bonded with it


never thought about them, a mate has one, what are they like to live with ? i do a couple hundred miles a week and now suffer back pain if sat down for a while


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

calmac said:


> believe it or not i hit nothing at all, just into a filed but as it slid on the corner it hit the bank in the grass or somthing, the corners not sharp and i know the road because for 3 years i must have gone down it at least once a week if not more, iv only put it up to see what suggestions i can get like i said something similar to the civic sport i had ( not fast but looks nice)


If it was literally a field and private property and they haven't launched a claim, I guess it's unlikely an insurer will go after you.

Iunno, a celica, mx5, mr2 or something? If I was your age again, I'd be spending it on something more interesting than a car. Then again, think I did get a CTR when I wasn't much older and did like it very much, ho hum.

If the back pain is going to last (and hopefully it won't) i'd just get another civic or accord or something comfortable.


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## Junior Bear (Sep 2, 2008)

calmac said:


> never thought about them, a mate has one, what are they like to live with ? i do a couple hundred miles a week and now suffer back pain if sat down for a while


Standard suspension is pretty comfortable

Mine was on coilovers, then I changed to a koni setup. Both pretty bouncy but that's how I liked it, planted.

Comes with all the extras, air con, electric windows etc. was like top of the range of its day really

But in general the car was brilliant. I thrashed the **** off it for 50,000 miles of ownership and it never skipped a beat until the day it died at 89k lol

Brilliant car IMO


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## calmac (Aug 13, 2012)

RisingPower said:


> If it was literally a field and private property and they haven't launched a claim, I guess it's unlikely an insurer will go after you.
> 
> Iunno, a celica, mx5, mr2 or something? If I was your age again, I'd be spending it on something more interesting than a car. Then again, think I did get a CTR when I wasn't much older and did like it very much, ho hum.
> 
> If the back pain is going to last (and hopefully it won't) i'd just get another civic or accord or something comfortable.


yer no damage to any of there land at all just my car and back, i've looked at a celica before but the insurance is a bit steep, i would have more money but its gone towards my bikes, i was meant to be getting a ctr about two weeks before but it wasn't very tidy , it is looking like another civic if im honest the one before never let me down


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## calmac (Aug 13, 2012)

Junior Bear said:


> Standard suspension is pretty comfortable
> 
> Mine was on coilovers, then I changed to a koni setup. Both pretty bouncy but that's how I liked it, planted.
> 
> ...


thanks mate i will have to have a look but i keep swaying towards the civic again


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## Glaschu (Sep 16, 2012)

calmac said:


> im not looking for anything fast because the insurance is a kick in the balls, the crash happened on my way home the police worked the speed out to be 50 in a 60 and 3 cars left the road at the same point that night within about 5 minutes of each other but ended up different places ie further down the road there had been alot of farming going on and still was(has been mentioned that there was diesel on the road), on the insurance front if they ask i will have to tell them but as far as im a wear you don't have to say anything if you haven't made any claim? (correct me if im wrong im only young so reali dont know)
> 
> its 3 grand just for the car, just putting it out there to see what people can think of
> 
> im buy no means in a rush not aloud to drive untill my spines fixed, only got to use my DA once


If the Police were involved you'll need to declare it to your insurance, regardless of whether you make a claim or not.

It may seem pointless, but if the next crash you have involves serious damage, injury or even the death of a third party you'll find your insurance company will just wash their hands of you. Don't think they won't find out about it, that's what loss adjusters get paid for....


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## calmac (Aug 13, 2012)

Glaschu said:


> If the Police were involved you'll need to declare it to your insurance, regardless of whether you make a claim or not.
> 
> It may seem pointless, but if the next crash you have involves serious damage, injury or even the death of a third party you'll find your insurance company will just wash their hands of you. Don't think they won't find out about it, that's what loss adjusters get paid for....


thanks mate i didn't know that if the police was involved you had to say, potentially save me some hassle in the future:thumb:


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## Summit Detailing (Oct 9, 2006)

Toyota Starlet SR?


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## Glaschu (Sep 16, 2012)

calmac said:


> thanks mate i didn't know that if the police was involved you had to say, potentially save me some hassle in the future:thumb:


The fact that you've posted about it on an internet forum is a bit :wall: too. Obviously not saying they'd find it, but when someone's on a bonus to find reasons not to pay out on a claim Google, FB etc will be on their radar for evidence.

When my car got nicked a few years back the loss adjuster asked for a photocopy of my licence, I asked why and she responded that she needed it to see if I had any parking tickets recorded on it as the car had been on a double yellow when stolen. :lol:

Obviously that's nonsense, but she was looking for any excuse to get to see my licence in case I had undisclosed points, so she could negate the claim.


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## calmac (Aug 13, 2012)

Glaschu said:


> The fact that you've posted about it on an internet forum is a bit :wall: too. Obviously not saying they'd find it, but when someone's on a bonus to find reasons not to pay out on a claim Google, FB etc will be on their radar for evidence.
> 
> When my car got nicked a few years back the loss adjuster asked for a photocopy of my licence, I asked why and she responded that she needed it to see if I had any parking tickets recorded on it as the car had been on a double yellow when stolen. :lol:
> 
> Obviously that's nonsense, but she was looking for any excuse to get to see my licence in case I had undisclosed points, so she could negate the claim.


well as far as i was aware you didn't have to people on here have said otherwise, not like iv got another car yet so not like any thing illegal has been done, i know where your coming from about young lads smashing cars up then they seem to think its a right to brag


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## AliBailey88 (Oct 13, 2009)

I had this at 19, was proper cool smoking around in this with all my mates in! *****es thought i was rich to lol. This was about 5 years ago and i paid 2k for it, was quite quick to for a barge.


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## Jdm boy (May 13, 2011)

If I were you I would be looking for something cheap and deisel to potter around in for a few years until you can build up your NCB again, 

As you said you do a few hundred miles a week so a deisel would be your best option or a small petrol.

And you are going to get stung for insurance due to being 19 and a claim
on your insurance!! 

I would be looking at a mk3 or mk4 golf tdi, reliable,cheap and easy to run 

I'm not too familar with insurance and tax over in yer shores but it's very expensive to run a car over here even without a claim!!


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

He has said he is dnt claiming :wall:


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## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

Well seeing as the op asked about what car id be looking at the following
Golf / polo tdi
Mk4 fiesta or newer depends on price.
Clio
Corsa
Punto.
Then possibly starlets, swifts and any other mini cheap cars.
Take it you will want a little bit of street cred!
Anything which is cheap to insure I can remember my insurance at that age!


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## Glaschu (Sep 16, 2012)

Strothow said:


> He has said he is dnt claiming :wall:


It doesn't matter whether he claims or not, you're supposed to notify your insurance company if you have an accident, regardless of a claim.

Obviously most people wouldn't report a crash if there was no need, but if the police have been involved then the crash is on record and if it's on record the insurance company can easily find out.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

Glaschu said:


> It doesn't matter whether he claims or not, you're supposed to notify your insurance company if you have an accident, regardless of a claim.
> 
> Obviously most people wouldn't report a crash if there was no need, but if the police have been involved then the crash is on record and if it's on record the insurance company can easily find out.


He is notifying his insurer, it's not a claim and it probably won't have any effect on his premium.

Jdmboy clearly hasn't read what calmac said.


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

Glaschu said:


> It doesn't matter whether he claims or not, you're supposed to notify your insurance company if you have an accident, regardless of a claim.
> 
> Obviously most people wouldn't report a crash if there was no need, but if the police have been involved then the crash is on record and if it's on record the insurance company can easily find out.


On what record?!

A blow out on the motorway = police involved.

Reported to insurance? I think not.


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## Maggi200 (Aug 21, 2009)

My mate is looking at the moment and for the price he could buy a corsa he could have a tidy mid 90s 3 series and insure it. Would be a rather gutless version of course but statistics and all


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## shonajoy (Jan 27, 2009)

calmac said:


> im not looking for anything fast because the insurance is a kick in the balls, the crash happened on my way home the police worked the speed out to be 50 in a 60 and 3 cars left the road at the same point that night within about 5 minutes of each other but ended up different places ie further down the road there had been alot of farming going on and still was(has been mentioned that there was diesel on the road), on the insurance front if they ask i will have to tell them but as far as im a wear you don't have to say anything if you haven't made any claim? (correct me if im wrong im only young so reali dont know)
> 
> its 3 grand just for the car, just putting it out there to see what people can think of
> 
> im buy no means in a rush not aloud to drive untill my spines fixed, only got to use my DA once


Wonder if the farmer will have to pay out? It's illegal for them to contaminate roads with horse manure, and certainly diesel I'd have thought. I'd try and find out especially since you have back up of the other cars also going off!


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## calmac (Aug 13, 2012)

shonajoy said:


> Wonder if the farmer will have to pay out? It's illegal for them to contaminate roads with horse manure, and certainly diesel I'd have thought. I'd try and find out especially since you have back up of the other cars also going off!


i have thought about this myself but there is no proof of who split it, there is a good chance it could have been them but with no evidence i cant do anything which is annoying but life's life i suppose


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## Jdm boy (May 13, 2011)

Lol sorry I misread the first post and I thought he said he HAD claimed, my bad


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## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

Mk4 Golf, a diesel one. You can pick them up for well under 3k. Solid, comfortable & reliable. Drive it for a couple of years to build up your ncb then sell it on for not alot less than you paid for it.


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## tom_sri (Sep 20, 2009)

For me id go for a E46 318 coupe.


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## Has7412 (Aug 16, 2012)

i would recommend a mk5 golf sdi group 4 insaurance for 3k you an get a 06/55 plate if you look hard enough and no turbo so less to go wrong


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## chrisgreen (Mar 30, 2012)

I'm going to take a different angle on this and say that given the OPs age, and the fact that most insurance companies are hitting young drivers with astronomical premiums on even basic cars at the moment, he might be better off slumming it for a couple of year to build up some NCB and to get over the all important 21 age point, at which stage insurance starts to come down by a noticeable amount and a hot hatch will be more economically manageable to insure.

While not remotely fashionable, looking at something like a Rover 100 (not a Metro, the 100 has a completely different and better engine, and improved side impact protection) will hold you in good stead for a few years, cost naff all to buy and insure, and will be cheap to run. Parts are cheap and plentiful, they can be fixed with nothing more than a spanner and some swearing.

Alas, the more popular and far better Rover 200/Rover 25 is still considered a hot hatch among insurers and so you'll still get hit hard on insurance, even on a modest 1.4. The plus side to the Rover 25 is that it's a doddle to replace all the Rover badging with MG badging (thus making it a MG ZR), making it less embarrassing to drive.

I stayed with bangers until I was 22 in order to avoid paying 4-figure insurance premiums and colossal repair bills, and it worked well (especially when I had a head-on crash aged 20 - only cost £300 to repair my car, insurance company wrote off the brand new Fiat Punto that hit me). Mind you, age 22 and flush with a lot of dot-com money, I did go a bit mad and bought a 4.2L supercharged V8 Jag. Insurance cost - £4,000pa for first year.


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## Glaschu (Sep 16, 2012)

chrisgreen said:


> I'm going to take a different angle on this and say that given the OPs age, and the fact that most insurance companies are hitting young drivers with astronomical premiums on even basic cars at the moment, he might be better off slumming it for a couple of year to build up some NCB and to get over the all important 21 age point, at which stage insurance starts to come down by a noticeable amount and a hot hatch will be more economically manageable to insure.
> 
> While not remotely fashionable, looking at something like a Rover 100 (not a Metro, the 100 has a completely different and better engine, and improved side impact protection) will hold you in good stead for a few years, cost naff all to buy and insure, and will be cheap to run. Parts are cheap and plentiful, they can be fixed with nothing more than a spanner and some swearing.
> 
> ...


The problem with oldies like the Rover 100 is that they tend to be more expensive to insure than newer, more expensive cars. In my case a £500 Citroen Xsara diesel (non turbo :lol: ) bought as a winter stopgap was £150 more p.a. to insure than £15k worth of Lexus :lol:


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

As far as I am aware, insurers ask you if you have had any accidents *or* claims in the last 3 or 5 years... certainly that is what I was asked when I got insurance for both the Volvo and the Subaru... the use of the word "or" would suggest you have to declare an accident whether or not you have made the claim. Never ever take any chances on that front, as an insurance company could invalidate your insurance quicker than you can dial the number to make a claim!

If it was me, I would bite the bullet on getting something quick and get something sensible, enjoy driving it and build up some claim free, accident free years... insurance for under-25 will always by a sore one, I remember paying 2 grand to insure a 1.4 LSi Astra when I was 17... build up no claims on a cheap car, build up driving experience too, and then treat yourself to a nice car with the money you'll have saved when you can get sensible insurance costs 

Corsa D? Cheap to buy, cheap to insure, cheap and easy to fix (good for learning your way round a car as well).


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## NickCW (Dec 29, 2007)

Personally if you have had an accident and not claimed to save your insurance I wouldn't bother telling an insurance company for the sake of it, unless it was a major accident with people involved etc that has been recorded and could come back to bite you.
I mean lets say you scrape the wall on your garage, and you don't claim - technically thats an accident but why would you tell them? Again it all depends on *circumstance*.

Onto the type of car and lets face it its unrealistic to say drive around in a metro, its not going to happen is it?
When I was your age I had plenty of people telling me to drive for want of a better word rubbish stuff, rather than help me get something half decent which, i'd rather give some meaningful advice rather than advice which will be ignored.

Personally the cars I would look would be Jap stuff, they are quite often low on insurance due to the older people who tend to own them, they are safe and boast good reliability and they are fun.

Having read your post my first choice all day long would be a 1.4 Civic (something like the EK), about 10/20bhp more than an equivelant 1.4 from Ford/Vauxhall of the same era and when stripped out can go suprisingly well. They rev nicely and seem to free up with a good exhaust system too.

Second options would be the Suzuki Swift sport, little 1.3s that fly along again good bang for the buck.
Also depending on insurance but the 1.6Vtec Civic EK's are great, about 160bhp and mental for the cost really, i've known more mature people who have owned them and never actually realised how fast they are as they don't rev them..

Ford focuses can be had cheap, and a little 1.6 goes well enough but again due to the fact that you owned a Civic sport I would replace it like for like.

Basically you'll kick yourself in the future if you waste too much money now, so look for stuff thats small on engine size for insurance costs but yet offers the best bhp and chassis, then make it handle well and it will be safe and you will handle it, yet it will be fun.
Stripped out EK Civic would be my choice.

HTH,
Nick


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## NickCW (Dec 29, 2007)

Oh and I forgot to add that although diesels offer great performance relative to insurance costs (that midrange torque!) I would be careful of going for a diesel if your short on money, they can cost a lot to put right and have a lot more to go wrong than a petrol, of course not all diesels have the following but some of the common failures are:

Diesel fuel pumps - On a golf a few hundred pounds
Injectors - Up to £200/300+ each and there are 4..
Fuel injection pumps - Can be into 4 figures...
DPF's - Spec specific but again expensive
Turbos - etc.

Of course it depends if its common rail and turboed etc but still,

Just food for thought.


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## CoOkIeMoNsTeR (Mar 6, 2011)

My bro is 18 and drives a Peugeot 307 1.6 HDi 110

Admiral insure him, and have some crazy system where some cars are cheaper then others just because of trim level. eg, his S spec 110 was cheaper then an S spec 90, but a 110 se was more than a 90 se. XSi spec was excatly the same, but he couldn't find one. 2.0 HDi 90 or 110 bhp was over £1.5k MORE!!! than the 1.6 110 

Nice car, just a total shame it sounds like a tractor :lol:


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## aimyv6 (Jul 17, 2011)

When I first passed my test I had a 3.0 Clio v6 for my first car I was insured with admiral for 1500! Depending on your budget car wise I wouldn't rule out performance cars until you've done a few quotes as I thought I would never be able to get insured on 3.0 car for my first car which proved wrong in my case but maybe been female has its advantages


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## Junior Bear (Sep 2, 2008)

Like boobs!


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

I'll suggest something different. Go for an odd, un common choice of car. I paid more on a 1.2 fiat punto ( common teenage lad car- low power) than I was getting insurance quotes on volvos, Alfa 156s sport wagons, and seat Leon's/golf mk4s all with much bigger engines. 

Popular teenage lads cars= higher insurance premiums.


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