skoda_kid

hmmm, looks like ur all swaying me 2wards sticking with the skoda


Saxo_boy, do u drive a saxo by any chance??

LG John

Nope, Pug 406 V6

My cars from first to last in order: 1.3 Polo CL; Saxo VTS; MY99 Impreza (modded); Pug 406 V6 (blew it up ); Pug 406 (still going....)

Brendan Hughes

Because most of us were too, at one point

MJW

I think I'd have to agree with Saxo Boy here and suggest you stick to a FWD drive car till you get some no claims (and experience of dealing with other road users) under your belt. All it takes is a greasy roundabout and an unintentional throttle lift in the Beemer to knack your no-claims - and more importantly your pride and confidence !
Its hard starting out I know, I was the same when I'd just passed my test. Have you considered the Advanced driving test as well ? Might save you a bit on the insurance in the long run.

skoda_kid

Something called Pass Plus has just started up, basically its an advanced test that you have to take within 3 months of passing your test. It includes motorway driving. You have to pass 6 modules, which can be completed at the rate of 1 a lesson, to get your certificate. By passing this course you get a NCB to go with your new, clean license!

I am certainly going to take it after a month or two of experience after passing my test.

Is this the one you meant MJW ??

Also, anyone know how much i will save on my insurance with having the 1 NCB by passing this test??

MJW

Yep, that's the one. More info here :

http://www.passplus.org.uk/

There's a list of insurers there to check out too, though I expect the saving will vary between different insurance companies.

VWV6

Skoda Kid my advice would be don't modify your car in any way at all. Spend your cash so you have some decent tunes in the car but nothing too OTT,an Alpine HU with ICE Link and Ipod is pretty cool and not that pricey- if you already have the IPOD that is!

Then spend whatever you have left getting some driver training. Do a skid pan course or similar and improve the one component that makes the most difference- the driver.
That way you'll be able to leave the sad case chavs for dead in any case as you'll actually be able to get 100% out of whatever car you happen to be driving.
I used to do quite a bit of traffic light GP action when I was younger and most of it is in the launch and gearchanges, especially when you consider they aren't going to have a lot of power either.
Get trained and stick it to 'em.

skoda_kid

VWV6 thanx alot for the advice.
I was going to put a nice HU and ICE link in the car, and ironically Alpine is my first choice, my best mate who i mentioned ealier in the thread has got a nice Alpine system in his BMW. I have an Ipod, loaded full of 'Kroozin' tunes, so im sorted.

Will consider the driver training, have you taken it yourself? Is it expensive?? And more importantly, will it knock my insurance down like Pass Plus does??

If it helps me wipe the smug grin of a chavs face, im all up for it!!

VWV6

I've done my fair share of driver and rider training. As you'll find out there's always plenty of room for improvement.

Perhpas the place to start would be pass plus then a IAM course if you feel that way inclined. When I did my IAM course it included some high speed demo runs by class 1 police drivers. Well worth a go to see how the other half live without worrying about speed cameras and all the other bull we have to put up with.

As for other more fun training it depends where you live really, lots of airfields do handling days which will cost you the price of a couple of good nights out but well worth it. The last one I did included anti-hijack techniques, great fun.

Needless to say I didn't try any of it out on the road- honest.

skoda_kid

Just got an insurance quote online from the AA -> £1339!! and thats third party!!

Being a college student i dont have any other time to work other than 2 evenings a week and a saturday, looks like i might have to go on my dads clean record.

Any other younger drivers on their parents insurance??
Or if you have got your own how much do you pay??

cheers guys

LG John

Online insurance quotes are hardly ever favourable to anyone other that a 40 year old women, married 2 kids, clean record, nice post-code, FNCD and driving a 1.0 polo. To get competative quotes at your age you usually have to phone around.

skoda_kid

ta bud, i thought online was going to be the best way, clearly not

staffs Mike

the aa are theives dont bother with them at your (our) age. if you do pass plus norwich union are really good, they will knock 50% off but you will need to call them dont bother with online quotes. Admiral are good for young drivers as well, if you're going on to your own insurance they do a 10 month policy where you get a full years no claims at the end. Tesco are also worth a shot.
I really would not bother modifiying that car becasue if you ever want to sell it the kind of people who will want it will not want induction kits and big bores on it.

skoda_kid

Cheers Mike. A few people have reccomended Norwich Union to me. 50% is a huge amount, think that is enough to persuade anyone to go with them. First time i have heard about admiral, doing ten clean months and coming out with a NCB is also very appealing, if i took out a policy with them then i will have been driving only 10 months and got 2 NCB (one from Pass Plus, one from Admiral). Sets me up nicely for upgrading the car in a few years!


As far as modifying the car goes, big bores and Induction kits were not in my mind, im not a ricer! I was just thinking perhaps a K&N Filter, maybe re-mapping it, just nice and subtle bits, nothing obvious. And definatly nothing to the exterior!!

Cheers