Buying Advice - Wanted!

[pkr]

HI guys,

Still pretty new to this so bare with me.

I'm turning 18 in may - cheaper insurance>new car. I want a Mk7 Fiesta Zetec S TDCI & im generally looking for any advice from your experience of buying/owning one, what to avoid etc.

Also, is there any optional extras you'd recommend as a must?

Cheers in advance :P

[coysht]

If there is any possibility that you will want bluetooth, USB port or a spare wheel - make sure you order them from the outset. There are lots and lots of people on this forum who regret not getting these for one reason or another and have found that it's expensive to add them at a later date.....if not almost impossible in some cases.

TBH if you can afford them, get them anyway as they could well make the car that little bit easier to sell down the line.

I have to ask though, if you're after cheaper insurance, surely a £15k (rrp) car with sporting credentials isn't the best choice for an 18 year old?

How much do you expect to pay on insurance? I'm thinking a couple of thousand minimum (unless its under someone else's name) which seems mad to me....thats more than my first car!

[Amie07]

Don't think your insurance will be any cheaper at 18 to be honest, doesnt really get cheaper till you get a few years driving and no claims under your belt.

As for the car choice, if u can afford a car like that for your first car, good on you!, and id go for every option possible!, if money's no object.

However if you arent buying the car outright and are having it on 'credit' i would seriously reconsider, otherwise you'll lose sooo much money, and you'll prob get bored with the car pretty fast and want something new, as you do when your 18. I know this from growing up with a boy-racer brother who must've got through about 10 + cars in his late teens/early 20s! :P

[lmclaney]

Like everyone else has said insurance won't be cheap. I'm have a Zetec S 1.6 TDCi and I'm 23 with 1 year NCB and I pay just over £700 a year - so you may pay a lot more than that.

It's a fantastic car and the TDCi engine has enough power and good fuel economy. I drive pretty quickly and I'm averaging 47MPG, which compared to my previous petrol 1.2 its over 15MPG more - so it's cheap to run.

I don't have any extras which I'm not too bothered about, but it would be nice to have the USB so I can charge the iPod which of course the standard 3.5mm jack cannot do.

Also, choose wisely with the colour. I have the panther black which I think looks awesome but it's a pain to keep clean. I would probably have gone for the white if I could choose again.

[evilfish5000]

Id reccomend as well the usb mainly as the pack its part of gives you 6 Speakers instead of 4 also the spare wheels is must you never know when a puncture will hit.

In terms of insurance im 23 with a zetec s petrol with 3 points and 2 claims on my insurance against me. My insurance for the year is close to the 900 mark my younger cousin who is almost 18 said he did a quote on my car saying he owned it and was getting ridiculous quotes of £2700 the biggest of the quotes being £7900. The tdci is group 4 (old groups rating) so id have a guess that insurance would be roughly £2000 mark.

[pkr]

Well, when i said cheap insurance i still meant £2200 fully comp ha. I've had quotes and i can afford that as it's pretty much what im paying now when im 17 for a 1.3ltr 1998 ford ka! & trust me, the car is probs worth £100 at the most, the steering clunks when you turn the wheel & in general it's a little rust box so im used to paying stupid insurance! :D

In the insurance companies eyes the diesel aspect of the car must detract the "boy racer" appeal, as the petrol Zetec S got quoted at over 5grand. I'm not really the boy racer type, i just want something tidy i can keep until the end of my apprenticeship.

So, so far im up to having usb connection & bluetooth :P.

Cheers for the help so far

[Squeeze-Bob]

Have you tried Ford Insurance, otherwise Tesco or the like sounds crazy but sometimes the company you'd think was least competitive can actually torn out best? I remember when i was your age i used to get quotes which were about £900 diference from cheapest to most expensive!! keep shopping around

PS. I couldn't live without the USB!!!

[sidge]

Well I can't comment on insurance companies for 18 yr old's any more now that I am 29. However I have just had to start again with my insurance due to losing my NCB due to a small accident and the cheapest company for me, by quite a bit, was Admiral.

More on topic - I have a Fiesta Titanium, now I only collected it today, but I can already say the bluetooth, usb and keyless entry and push button start are well worth having, if you can afford them that is.

[Maffoo]

To be honest there was barely any difference between my quotes for a Zetec S and a Titanium 1.6 TDCI... I'll be 21 when I buy my insurance and it'll be about £1300 with 2 years experience (but no NCB)

[Nug878]

Insurance won't be cheap at all for you mate. I know this because I'm roughly the same age as you, bit older though as I just turned 19.

Even with a year's NCB under your belt a Zetec S would be through the roof for you I'm afraid. Have you considered the 1.4?

Get some quotes off the insurance companys online. I recommend Endsleigh insurance for young drivers ... :)

Good luck!

[pkr]

The insurance companies rip you off left right & centre. My girlfriend hasn't passed her test, but just as an experement i put in that she passed her test today and she was wanting a quote on a 1.6 Titanium with dress up kit etc - 1/3 of what they quoted me with a years NCB and shes 17 with no driving experience at all!

I'm torn between a Zetec S 1.6 TDCi or a Titanium 1.6 TDCi w/ dress up kit. £100 difference between them on fully comp insurance quotes, think i could get used to the kit inside! (Especially compared to my current motor: Ford ka 1998 :P)

Can anyone clarify what the "computer" is on the Fiesta? I've seen numerous on autotrader claiming to have them & just wondering from personal experience if it's really worth it.

Cheers!

[Danzzza]

ive just bought my second years insurance, 1st year in my own name though, its still £600 cheaper than my 1st year driving though :)

[Jack_P]

Ill be honest youll be lucky to see anything under £2k for insurance, is it worth it?

[pkr]

Yes i've never wanted one so much since i've been dodging about on these forums :)

[Rogue_Shadow]

The car : Having driven the TDCI I can safely say its a brilliant little motor. Compared to the Petrol, there is virtually no difference apart from you have bags loads more torque to play with.

Very quiet aswell, its not like older diesel engines that rattle and grunt :)

If your buying New, the Zetec S comes with USB & bluetooth as standard ( Not sure if it will stay like this though)

Definitely worth having, the voice control it a good laugh.

However you will also find the TDCI more expensive than the Petrol model. New or used

Insurance: I recommend Admiral because they not only take into account your NCB but how long you have held your license (Including months!) E.G - The difference between holding a full licence for 1 year and 2 months compared to 1 year 5 months was £200 :D

Also depends greatly on were you live AND park the car.

Me - Cornwall, 19 years old, 1 year 8 months FULL licence, 2 years no claims, parked on driveway fully comp = £799

(Was upset today I saw another Sea Grey ZS , BUT, it was a 9 plate, and no Streetpack :P )