Good to hear you were advised to ignore the reversing camera :)

Mark, out of curiosity, would using the reverse camera automatically fail you in the current test?

Mark, out of curiosity, would using the reverse camera automatically fail you in the current test?

I would suggest that it would, yes - they are intended as a reversing aid only . . . & proper effective rear view vision can only be achieved by using your eyes & looking where you are going

The odd millisecond glance may be acceptable- if the screen is actually in use - if it is possible i would make sure the camera cannot be activated.

Edited December 19, 201510 yr by MONDEO TXS 2.2

Thanks, I know what you mean. The problem is, it wouldn't matter whether I scratched a 2 year old car or a 10 year old one, it would still be very annoying for me and I'd still get it fixed. Plus modern cars are a bit safer, plus insurance is cheaper I've found!

This one had a reversing camera but she told me not to look at it! I was discussing with her about me getting a Focus, and she thought it would be a great first car and wouldn't be too big for me.

I'm hoping not to have a crash as I'm sensible, but if I do I'd prefer to be in a newer car than an older one.

Base it all on insurance!!!! In reality they know best... Even if they are complete twits... They are the ones that get all the stats and statistics!

Sound advice to ignore the camera, I have to admit having driving a brand new 2014 car last year (5 miles on the clock), I have to say I didn't like how lazy I became, it sqwarked at me when I did anything. A focus hatchback is a good size, fiesta is also a good size. I'd say anything bigger can distract attention.

That being said, I've hired a fair few vans not long ago and the wing mirrors are huge and more than make up for lack of visibility out the back... Then again I also have 10 years accident free driving under my belt (which as above is probably more luck than anything else), and so I am fairly aware of surroundings...

I went accident free for 3 days after passing my test. Opps, recovery had to get a crane to lift car off what was left of someone's orchard. Car was stuck on tree stumps.

I enjoyed driving this today :D

Screenshot_2015-12-19-17-49-33-1_resized.png

Instructor was lovely, ironically, she likes Foci too...and has a MK1 TDCI with 130k on the clock and says she will never sell it!

Car was nice, 1.2 had plenty of power. It's nice to drive a car I will actually consider when it's time to buy. My instructor said to go for the Focus though.

The company I used to work for had a 2013 208 1.2 as one of their company cars. A good car, but not one I'd buy with my own money!

In my opinion a MK1 Focus is the best choice for when you pass your test, but it is up to you.

I personally won't have much choice, as I'll be lucky to afford ANY car let alone something brand new.

I'd love a MK1 but I'd be so scared of writing it off though. :( My plan is to have one as a project car in a few years.

I won't be getting a brand new car, my aim is to have one that's 2-3 years old. :)

Best to get something between 1-2 years old if you can afford it. Means you save a lot compared to brand new but still get the balance of the dealer warranty which can be useful. Wait until 3 years and you'll lose that warranty on a lot of cars. :)

Buy a kia and you get 7 years of warranty, not a bad starter car either and the old ceed handles very well in comparison to the focus.

I personally got an old car and it did me well!

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Yes I liked the Rio I drove last year. I do like older cars but I'd be more sad if I crashed one...

I'd think of it as another one off the road....lol

Edit - Removed as completely off topic for this thread lol, my bad. :)

Yes I liked the Rio I drove last year. I do like older cars but I'd be more sad if I crashed one...

I'd think of it as another one off the road....lol

Think of it as an incentive not to crash ;)

The company I used to work for had a 2013 208 1.2 as one of their company cars. A good car, but not one I'd buy with my own money!

In my opinion a MK1 Focus is the best choice for when you pass your test, but it is up to you.

I personally won't have much choice, as I'll be lucky to afford ANY car let alone something brand new.

Have you secured the Mk1 Focus you found last night Jamie?

Have you secured the Mk1 Focus you found last night Jamie?

No that didn't come to fruition, couldn't get the right price, and to be honest it is for the best as even if I could have got an affordable price, it would have left me penniless until next pay day.

Just wish I could somehow come across a few grand... But, short of resorting to burglary, that ain't gonna happen.

We've got the Primera so everything is fine transport wise, I just feel like my life cannot ever progress if I can't even afford a decent car, and even if I could get one then it would take 100% of my funds to keep it insured and taxed, so I would have absolutely NO chance of ever upgrading.

How other people manage to drive around in brand new cars and have meals out every week night is beyond me, unless their salaries are substantially higher or they somehow don't have to pay any bills!!

Probably a combination of both Jamie. I found salaries in the south to be higher overall but then so is the cost of living. There is the nk1 on sale on Essex for about 600 sometimes you have to travel for the right cat.

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No that didn't come to fruition, couldn't get the right price, and to be honest it is for the best as even if I could have got an affordable price, it would have left me penniless until next pay day.

Just wish I could somehow come across a few grand... But, short of resorting to burglary, that ain't gonna happen.

We've got the Primera so everything is fine transport wise, I just feel like my life cannot ever progress if I can't even afford a decent car, and even if I could get one then it would take 100% of my funds to keep it insured and taxed, so I would have absolutely NO chance of ever upgrading.

How other people manage to drive around in brand new cars and have meals out every week night is beyond me, unless their salaries are substantially higher or they somehow don't have to pay any bills!!

This is not necessarily at you, but the answer to your last statement could be a number of things, but a lot of it will be priorities..

Giant tvs with surround sound, game consoles and sky are all the rage, I have my ps3 which is not set up, as for the rest, I don't have them... Personally, I think sky is a waste of money, anything I want to watch is available online, it might not be diamond sharp, but it's there. I don't even know how much it is now, but I remember looking at sky and being told £50pm, which I guess is not huge in terms of less than £2 a day, but it's another massive bill to add to the others, no drinking, no smoking, shopping wisely etc etc

Then on the other side, you have people that would rather have a brand new car than a nice home...so things look rosy for a lot of people (and perhaps are, to some people), but really a lot of people just prioritise their spending in different ways...

Love mushy peas, but I also love peanut butter straight from the jar.

Love mushy peas, but I also love peanut butter straight from the jar.

I go through a fair amount of peanut butter, I add it to milkshakes too

Im gonna be sad here, what peanut butter do you get?

I'd love a MK1 but I'd be so scared of writing it off though. :( My plan is to have one as a project car in a few years.

I won't be getting a brand new car, my aim is to have one that's 2-3 years old. :)

I guess a lot depends on who is paying for the car, how much they are willing to spend on it & vitally, the cost of insurance, as that is unlikely to be great value :(

This is not necessarily at you, but the answer to your last statement could be a number of things, but a lot of it will be priorities..

Giant tvs with surround sound, game consoles and sky are all the rage, I have my ps3 which is not set up, as for the rest, I don't have them... Personally, I think sky is a waste of money, anything I want to watch is available online, it might not be diamond sharp, but it's there. I don't even know how much it is now, but I remember looking at sky and being told £50pm, which I guess is not huge in terms of less than £2 a day, but it's another massive bill to add to the others, no drinking, no smoking, shopping wisely etc etc

Then on the other side, you have people that would rather have a brand new car than a nice home...so things look rosy for a lot of people (and perhaps are, to some people), but really a lot of people just prioritise their spending in different ways...

This is a good point . . another one is how are these apparently great lifestyles funded ? It's comparatively easy to appear to be wealthy with all the material trappings of '' success '' - IF it's funded by excessive debt.

I'd rather have whatever i have & know that it's all paid for, although i do acknowledge this situation does become more possible with age.

I go through a fair amount of peanut butter, I add it to milkshakes too

Im gonna be sad here, what peanut butter do you get?

Sainsburys Crunchy . The wife likes banana and peanut butter on toast.

This is not necessarily at you, but the answer to your last statement could be a number of things, but a lot of it will be priorities..

Giant tvs with surround sound, game consoles and sky are all the rage, I have my ps3 which is not set up, as for the rest, I don't have them... Personally, I think sky is a waste of money, anything I want to watch is available online, it might not be diamond sharp, but it's there. I don't even know how much it is now, but I remember looking at sky and being told £50pm, which I guess is not huge in terms of less than £2 a day, but it's another massive bill to add to the others, no drinking, no smoking, shopping wisely etc etc

Then on the other side, you have people that would rather have a brand new car than a nice home...so things look rosy for a lot of people (and perhaps are, to some people), but really a lot of people just prioritise their spending in different ways...

Yes you are completely right Ian.

I don't spend a lot of money, but it is true that I spend a certain level of income on having a nice home with Sky TV and do drink and smoke.

If I gave all that up then yes I probably could afford a car easily enough, but then I'd come home to a house with no luxuries (and what I call "luxuries" are just the basics to most people) and couldn't even pour a drink or light a cigarette to console myself.

I don't want a brand new house or a brand new car, just a nice house and a nice car with a wee bit of cash left over to save for the future. Surely working 40 hours a week that shouldn't be insurmountable?

Totally agree.

I've worked 30 years of my life to get where I am now.

If I can't have some luxuries to make my life more complete then what's it all for?

Yes you are completely right Ian.

I don't spend a lot of money, but it is true that I spend a certain level of income on having a nice home with Sky TV and do drink and smoke.

If I gave all that up then yes I probably could afford a car easily enough, but then I'd come home to a house with no luxuries (and what I call "luxuries" are just the basics to most people) and couldn't even pour a drink or light a cigarette to console myself.

I don't want a brand new house or a brand new car, just a nice house and a nice car with a wee bit of cash left over to save for the future. Surely working 40 hours a week that shouldn't be insurmountable?

There are far more important things in life than material assets . . . and very few, if any, are more important than health & happiness . . :)

The dog and I had another long walk, in what again, could have easily been May, the temperature of my garage wall was 15°C when we set off, and 17°C when we returned. The weather was alternating sunshine, and then cloud. The forecast was mixed, with the odd heavy shower - but none fell whilst we were walking.

Although from Wimborne onwards, we were being stalked by a very dark grey raincloud. Who dropped her payload moments after we re-entered the house

Love mushy peas, but I also love peanut butter straight from the jar.

I have phases with nut butters, not just peanut: almond butter is another pleasing and moreish one. :)

For decadent indulgence, try a jar of nut butter and jar of runny honey, taking a spoon from each jar alternately :D

There are far more important things in life than material assets . . . and very few, if any, are more important than health & happiness . . :)

If you haven't got your health, and you're not happy - material assets, regardless of how many you've got, make poor substitutes.