I'm thinking of buying a car soon... (1 Viewer)

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Seven

The Dickhead
Aug 25, 2014
1,422
371
UK
lx-fx.co.uk
Hey there,

So I'm 17 in 11 days and I'll be looking at buying a car as soon as possible. Due to work and generic use I have a fairly strict criteria, I already have some notes of my own but I wanted some more opinions and maybe some experienced advice...

- Flat loading trunk (flat floor and flat folding seats)
- Smaller than 2.0L engine
- RHD
- Manual
- Diesel preferred but not compulsory
- Spacious for carrying lots of boxes, bike/car parts, a medium sized dog occasionally

I was thinking Skoda Octavia Estate, although the trunk isn't flat, it ticks the rest of those boxes. I was also thinking Mazda Premecy or (if I have to) the narrow Vauxhall Astra Estate.

So thoughts, comments, questions - help me and possibly some other guys out on this one? :)

1. I will be taking 10 hours of driving lessons prior to my test in a Vauxhall Corsa supplied by the center.
2. I may have to travel long distances sometimes so comfort would be pretty high on the check list.
3. Alarm is a must and an immobilizer is a bonus for bringing down insurance.
4. I will have a black box installed to bring costs down from £4,000+ to less than £1,900.
5. I do practice my theory test and have been getting all passes on mocks.
6. I've been taken (on private land) for some driver tips and for me to get behind the wheel and I have been recommended less than 10 hours lessons, but it's what I'm doing anyway.
 
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4D1L

The Lurker
Apr 1, 2014
497
157
London
stobarttrucking.com
Hey there,

So I'm 17 in 11 days and I'll be looking at buying a car as soon as possible. Due to work and generic use I have a fairly strict criteria, I already have some notes of my own but I wanted some more opinions and maybe some experienced advice...

- Flat loading trunk (flat floor and flat folding seats)
- Smaller than 2.0L engine
- RHD
- Manual
- Diesel preferred but not compulsory
- Spacious for carrying lots of boxes, bike/car parts, a medium sized dog occasionally

I was thinking Skoda Octavia Estate, although the trunk isn't flat, it ticks the rest of those boxes. I was also thinking Mazda Premecy or (if I have to) the narrow Vauxhall Astra Estate.

So thoughts, comments, questions - help me and possibly some other guys out on this one? :)

1. I will be taking 10 hours of driving lessons prior to my test in a Vauxhall Corsa supplied by the center.
2. I may have to travel long distances sometimes so comfort would be pretty high on the check list.
3. Alarm is a must and an immobilizer is a bonus for bringing down insurance.
4. I will have a black box installed to bring costs down from £4,000+ to less than £1,900.
5. I do practice my theory test and have been getting all passes on mocks.
6. I've been taken (on private land) for some driver tips and for me to get behind the wheel and I have been recommended less than 10 hours lessons, but it's what I'm doing anyway.
I would reccomend a MPV like a Ford Galaxy or a Vauxhall Zafira. If you want a saloon I would say a Toyota Prius but you can only find them as a automatic.

Source: Minicab Driver for 2 months at the start of the year.
 

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Max

-- .- -..-
FF Council
Jan 12, 2014
2,396
1
1,206
UK
Is it 16 or 17 you can get a provisional license?

I would concentrate on passing your test first and then buy a cheap (but good) second hand car as your insurance will be lower :)

I ride motorbikes so I don't really have much knowledge about cars...

Provisional is at 17 in the UK, unless you're disabled in which case you can do it a year earlier ;)
 

Seven

The Dickhead
Aug 25, 2014
1,422
371
UK
lx-fx.co.uk
17 in the UK, it can be 16 if you or a direct family member is disabled in which you'd need a car.

I can buy a car and store it on private land so that's not really an issue but of course I am focusing on passing first however if a good deal comes up one can't simply avoid it :P
 

Muzz

The Baron
May 25, 2009
1,709
876
London, UK
www.trucksim.org
Provisional is at 17 in the UK, unless you're disabled in which case you can do it a year earlier ;)

17 in the UK, it can be 16 if you or a direct family member is disabled in which you'd need a car.

I can buy a car and store it on private land so that's not really an issue but of course I am focusing on passing first however if a good deal comes up one can't simply avoid it :p

https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence

"You can apply for a provisional driving licence when you’re 15 years and 9 months old"

Didn't think it was as early as that :O
 

Muzz

The Baron
May 25, 2009
1,709
876
London, UK
www.trucksim.org
Well ****. I swear when I tried to apply online it denied me for being too young...
When did you apply?

Is one of these any good to you?

IMG_1122_5521195433.jpg
 

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Apply for provisional at 15yrs 9mnths, can actually start driving on the roads when you're 17
Gov.UK states,
You normally need to be 17 before you can get a provisional licence and start learning to drive a car.
https://www.gov.uk/vehicles-you-can-drive/y/car-or-light-vehicle/16
The content on Government sites are not consistent from what I can see.

I guess you should try to apply for a provisional now and if they say you have to apply next year you can apply next year. :P
 

Max

-- .- -..-
FF Council
Jan 12, 2014
2,396
1
1,206
UK
Copied and pasted from the link @Muzz posted :p

When you can apply
You can apply for a provisional driving licence when you’re 15 years and 9 months old.

You can start driving when you’re:

  • 17 if you want to drive a car
  • 16 if you want to ride a moped or light quad bike
Your licence will say when you can start driving different vehicles.

Suppose that just means you can have a provisional but not drive a car, which would agree also with what you've found, apart from the bit about the provisional, probably because not many people will apply before they turn 17
 

Seven

The Dickhead
Aug 25, 2014
1,422
371
UK
lx-fx.co.uk
Either way, I still need a passport to apply, ****ing government, been trying to get one sorted for years yet they keep "misplacing" documents or saying I do not exist. It's a long, irritating story.

@Muzz I applied maybe last year after I turned 16. And a Corsa would be useless for me for many reasons. Hence why I stated I'm looking for something like a Skoda Octavia estate. :p
 

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Jul 26, 2014
64
16
I'm assuming from my unfamiliarity with the models in this thread that you are in the UK. Idk if emissions is as big a deal in the UK as it is here in the states but I just wanted to give you a quick reminder that if you are buying used, remember to get up under the car and check the exhaust for rust or leaks. I didn't do that for the first car I ever bought and ended up trying to patch the pipes for a month before I gave up and had a custom pipe built for the exhaust.
 
Jul 31, 2014
215
25
37
I'd say 1999 Renault Scenic. Cheap as dirt, reasonably well equiped, nice high sitting position, good all-round visibility and a lot of room on the inside. It's like a low-budget French party bus. And it doesn't have an incredibly dorky image like the VW minivans, people won't think that you're 103 years old 'cause you have a Mazda Premacy and people won't assume that you don't have a penis 'cause you drive an Opel...
No, if you get a 1999 Renault Scenic people will think that you're into masturbating. A lot. And that you bought it because you think it was luxurious back when it was new. It's French, that means that your new favourite beverage will be wine from now on. Wine and gross cheese will be your breakfast, lunch and diner if you get a 1999 Renault Scenic. You will also have to buy a striped shirt and a velo (that's French for bicycle) and you will wear than striped shirt and ride around on your velo when you don't drive your Renault. You won't call your velo a bike either, no. You will refer to it explicitly as your velo, no exeptions.

And if all else fails, get a Honda Civic, put a coke can where the exhaust tip's supposed to be and slap a ridiculously oversized rear spoiler on it, eventhough it's front wheel drive like all other 17 year-olds do.

No but seriously, a 1999 Renault Scenic is kind of nice, especially for your first car. It's spacious, but it doesn't really drive like a huge car.

What's your budget by the way?
 
I'd also recommend a Hyundai Terracan. Sure it's 2.9l but its a brilliant SUV. My dad drives one and we go shopping with it every day. It has a very spacious trunk and you can fold down the rear seats for even more space. Also they seem to be relatively cheap in the UK. You can get a 2004 diesel model easily for under 4,000 pounds (RHD ofcourse)

Hyundai-Terracan-13168_1093612505416.jpg
 
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