Need some advise.

BloodBath

Hey I just have a couple of questions for all you car savvy people.

I have been in college for the last few years and because of this (lack of money) I have yet to own a car. I don't have my license yet and haven't been insured on any car.

I will be starting work soon and i'm planing on buying a 94/95 1.6L Honda Integra as my first car. Just wondering what kind of insurance I would be looking at paying on this. I will be 23 next month so i'm hoping this will bring it down a bit. I can also get my full licence before I get the car.

I know the easiest way would be to ring the insurance company but I was wondering if anyone had any estimates.

Secondly does anyone have any experience with Integra's. I heard getting replacement parts is a pain and expensive. I'm planning on modding it a little. Just alloys, suspension, skirts ,valances and spoiler and was wondering where the best place in Ireland to get this kind of stuff is or would I have to go to England?


BloodBath

IrishRover

Sorry to be telling you what you don't want to hear, but at your age with no NCD and a drivers's licence held for less than a year I think you should forget an Integra and get something more reasonable. You need to clock up a few years' worth of no claims bonus and get a bit older too!

As soon as an insurance company hears the word "Integra" coupled with your stats, they will either tell you they can't or won't quote you on it or will quote a very high 4 figure sum. You probably knew this youself anyway!

If you want stealthy Honda power in a car that hasn't developed a "name" for itself, look out for a Honda Concerto with the 16v DOHC D16A9 engine. This engine was also used in the CRX. Although it's not vtec, the redline starts at 7,200 rpm and it is a very powerful engine for a 1.6 litre. It has 130 BHP as standard and responds very well to breathing modifications.

I'd say insurance would be reasonable enough on this compared to an Integra (or even a Civic!) but it still won't be cheap given your age and lack of history. You may need to get something with a smaller engine as a first car in order to clock up some accident free miles under your belt!

Victor

Go to random insurance company website. Put is a fake name, but your real (but not to give away your identity) details. See what it says.

BloodBath

Damn that's really not what I wanted to hear

So there's not a chance. It's not even the v-tech Integra, just the standard 1.6 one or are they all v-techs?

I really don't want to spend the money on anything else. Had my heart set on the integra but anyway. What if I was to get insured as a named driver on my mums Colt for 6 months - a year. She hardly ever uses it and I wasn't planning on getting the Integra for about 6 months anyway so I don't mind waiting.

I was hoping for insurance under 3k but maybe i'm dreaming. What if I did the advanced test? Does that actually bring the costs down much? This is just basic 3rd party insurance I want btw.

I'm amazed at how some people get such low insurance. I know an 18 year lad old who is insured on a 3L monster jeep for 500 euro. This is as a named driver and I think they get farmers insurance but it's still beyond me.

Have you got any good sites for online quotes. I tried one and it said it couldn't process it and it would have to be dealt with by them personally. I guess this is a bad thing.

Thx for the advise so far, i'll look into that car rover.

-edit- omg it's ugly and I can't seem to find one newer than 91. Is that the last model? Maybe with some modding it might look alright but I wonder if there is much available to actually kit this car out and make it look half decent.

BloodBath

jesus_thats_gre

What do you think of the motor in IrishRover's signature?

A friend of mine used to drive a similar car, the Rover 216 GSI. It was a 91 but was very well spec'd but also had a Honda 1.6 engine and Honda gearbox. It was quite a popular car for more mature folk but when pushed would out accelerate any other 1.6. What I am saying is, you would be able to get one for very cheap if you checked enough, tidy it up a bit and still have a nippy car. I would also assume the insurance would be reasonable enough, especially when compared with Integra..

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www/cars_search.asp?modelexact=1&lid=search_used_cars_full&make=ROVER&model=200&min_pr=75&max_pr=&postcode=SW19+3RQ&miles=1500&max_records=50&source=0&sort=3&ukcarsearch_full=SEARCH

Note the spec on some of them and they go like the sh!t. They can also be tidyed up with a bit of work. I genuinely fell in love with this car when I was 18 or 19. The only car that could scare me as much was a 94 Saab 900 2.0T and the drive shafts kept snapping on that

[url="javascript:more_info(200434157682615,89,'CARS',1,200434157682615,490,560);"]ROVER 216 GTi, H reg.[/url]MOT, half leather sports trim, electric sunroof, mirrors, PAS, c/l, alloys, good condition throughout, p/x to . . . . (trade)

[url="javascript:more_info(200434157506801,173,'CARS',2,200434157506801,490,560);"]1991 H Reg ROVER 200 1.6 216 GTi 16v Twin Cam[/url] Sports & Performance Cars 3 Doors, Manual 5 speed, Hatchback, Petrol, Red, MOT-10-2004. ABS, Alloy Wheels, bumpers in color, Central Door Locking, half leather interior, Leather Gearknob, Leather Steering Wheel, Manual Sunroof, . . . . (trade)
£145
173 miles

[url="javascript:more_info(200434157494491,29,'CARS',9,200434157494491,490,560);"]1993 ROVER 220 GTi , 1993,[/url] L reg. good bodywork/tyres/alloys/exhaust, needs starting motor and attention to back wheel bearing, spares or . . . . (private)
£250
29 miles
[url="javascript:more_info(200434157453926,204,'CARS',4,200434157453926,490,560);"]ROVER 216 GSi 1.6, J[/url] reg. 5dr, grey met, security coded, MOT Mar, taxed Oct, SH, immobiliser, CL, ESR, EW, stereo, towbar, economical, good condition, bargain. . . . . . (private)


[url="javascript:more_info(200434157642122,159,'CARS',3,200434157642122,490,560);"]ROVER 216 GTi 16V, K[/url]reg. British racing green, MOT, EW,CL.EM, alloys, sports seats, excellent condition inside & out. 3 door, sunroof, credit cards welcome. . ono. 07767 .

[url="javascript:more_info(200434157490354,14,'CARS',9,200434157490354,490,560);"]1990 ROVER 216 GTi DOHC ,[/url] 1990, H reg. 92000 miles, 5dr hatchback, sunroof, electric windows, years MoT, radio cassette, excellent condition. . . . . . (private)
£450
14 miles
£375
204 miles

Nuttzz

BloodBath wrote:

-edit- omg it's ugly and I can't seem to find one newer than 91. Is that the last model? Maybe with some modding it might look alright but I wonder if there is much available to actually kit this car out and make it look half decent.

BloodBath

your priority should be to get on the road as cheaply as possible and build up that NCB, at 23 there is plenty of time for you to get a flashier car later.

Crawl, walk, run.......

Gmodified

no license, no ncb ,23 and Honda

get the mortgage to pay the insurance .

I can also get my full licence before I get the car.??

not this year , waiting list is still a big factor

buy a smaller car without honda badge

unkel

Hey BloodBath

What the other posters have said unfortunately...

1. get your full license asap
2. get on your mums Colt straight away as a named driver. You will probably need a full year as a named driver before it makes a difference
3. after the first year, buy a 1.0l car and drive it for another year with your own insurance and full license (about €1.5k ballpark)
4. then you'll be 25 and provided you'll have had no claims, you could drive something a good bit faster, like that Honda for around the €2k mark with a bit of luck

Hope that helps

P.S. if you can't bear the thought of 3. then start digging very deep for the insurance...

Hagar

Leaving aside wants and wishes, I would advise you to to buy a car that gives you a reasonable chance of living through your first year's driving.
It's sad to see so many young people thinking "I've got the money, I can drive that".
The truth is you can't, even with a shiny new licence. Why do you think young men's insurance is so high? Its because they die in cars they thought they could handle but couldn't.
Forget the power until you have the experience to handle it, Then be moderate with it.

Gmodified

Hagar wrote:

.......... Why do you think young men's insurance is so high? Its because they die in cars they thought they could handle but couldn't.
Forget the power until you have the experience to handle it, .........

i agree with the first car theory but have to disagree with insurance costs as there is many reasons why insurance is high as it is and yonger drivers are only part of it.

Merrion

My advise would be for you to go and work in the UK for a year. Do your test there in about a month and buy the car there. Insure it with one of the main players (Axa, AA - whatever) and then when the year is up bring it over here and swapp your full UK licenmse for an Irish one. As you will have owned the car for more than 6 months no VRT will be payable and you _should_ get the years NCB credited on your new insurance....

BloodBath

Thx Jesus but no way in hell would I buy a Rover. No way in hell would I buy any English car for that matter. No offence to fans of the cars, it's just not my taste.

no license, no ncb ,23 and Honda

get the mortgage to pay the insurance .

I can also get my full licence before I get the car.??

not this year , waiting list is still a big factor

buy a smaller car without honda badge

I said I didn't plan on getting the car for 6 months. The waiting list isn't that long in my area.

What the other posters have said unfortunately...

1. get your full license asap
2. get on your mums Colt straight away as a named driver. You will probably need a full year as a named driver before it makes a difference
3. after the first year, buy a 1.0l car and drive it for another year with your own insurance and full license (about €1500)
4. then you'll be 25 and provided you'll have had no claims, you could drive something a good bit faster, like that Honda for around the €2k mark

Cheers Unkel, i'm working on it. This was my original plan anyway, I just tried to jump a step. I'd really like to get the Integra after a year on my mums car though. Do you think I could get it under 3k after one year ncb?

Leaving aside wants and wishes, I would advise you to to buy a car that gives you a reasonable chance of living through your first year's driving.
It's sad to see so many young people thinking "I've got the money, I can drive that".
The truth is you can't, even with a shiny new licence. Why do you think young men's insurance is so high? Its because they die in cars they thought they could handle but couldn't.
Forget the power until you have the experience to handle it, Then be moderate with it.

That's a very steriotypical view there Hagar. You hear what the insurance companies hear. 23, new driver, Honda Integra and you think boy racer. I don't want the Integra because it's fast. I'm just a fan of the car and I have the parts picked out for it already. Only visual, nothing performance except for better suspension and brakes. I have just as much chance of killing myself in my mums 1.3L colt as I do in the Integra. It's down to how I drive not what I drive. Young mens insurance is so high because of the idiot boy racers who kill themselves and ruin it for the rest of us. I've seen them myself and i'm amazed and some of the **** they do. I seen one of them in a 206 overtaking a car that was overtaking. He was in the other lanes hard shoulder with traffic coming towards him. It's idiots like this that ruin it for the rest of us. If I was a girl in this situation i'd get insured no problem.

Thanks for the advise Merrion but I've no plans on moving to the UK for the sake of getting a car a bit sooner.

Anyone know anything about the advanced test?


BloodBath

mike65

BloodBath wrote:

Anyone know anything about the advanced test?


BloodBath

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=93780

http://www.iam.org.uk/Pressroom/News_Releases/Archive/nr0117.html

Mike.

a_ominous

hi Bloodbath
by advanced test are you thinking of the Ignition test? That's only available with Hibernian. And you must have a full licence. So get on yer ma's insurance and start learning to drive. Get a few lessons from a professional. I'd go on personal recommendations for this. Could also try Golden pages for instructors who say they've IAM / RoSPA accreditations. IAM run the Ignition course for Hibernian.

When I was starting out, no Irish insurance company gave any discount for drivers that have passed advanced tests. I believe this is still the case. I've done an advanced test on the bike and I do receive some discount for it.

On a more general note, insurance companies group vehicles according to risk. Risk is higher for young male drivers _as a group_. They will not say, "grand you're not a boy racer, so that'll be 1000 euros". Your age profile is a higher risk, the car you want is a higher risk. Insurance _will_ be high. You just have to accept that for now. Hopefully things like the MIAB will have an effect, but that will take a few years for any appreciable difference.

We've all been there. It's tough. Group hug anyone?

unkel

a_ominous wrote:

We've all been there. It's tough. Group hug anyone?

LOL

It was traumatic, but not THAT traumatic

Hagar

Sorry if I came across as a stereotype but I'm not speaking on behalf of the insurance companies. I'm a father with a son about your age and I am concerned for him as a driver and by extension other young men with full lives in front of them. By all means enjoy driving your chosen car, don't be influenced by me or anyone else where matters of personal taste are concerned, I wouldn't drive an English car either. Just don't die to look cool. I know people who did.

aodh_rua

When I was 23 I was in much the same position. Started out in a 98 1.9 diesel Golf. Quinn Direct insured me for around €3300. They're a great car, but you might find it difficult to get one cheap.

If you want to get insured for under three grand, you're really going to have to opt for a lower cc and hope Quinn Direct are generous until you get your licence and a few years worth of ncb.

jesus_thats_gre

Simple, get insure as a named driver on your mothers car and drive that..


OR

And I just thought of this. You said your mother rarely drives her Colt. Ask her would she be willing to drive an Integra. Buy the Integre and get your mother to use this instead. You should check the price out just in case it works out cheaper.. Example, I drive my father 1.6 Primera. My insurance is 1,000 as a named driver. It would be at least 2,000 grand if I was the policy holder.

BloodBath

Thanks for the concern Hagar but it's probably not going to happen for a while yet anyway.

Aodh you got insured on a 1.9 for 3300. How long ago was that?

Good thinking Jesus but she would have to transfer her insurance to it and i'd have to get fully insured on the colt would I?

I think i'd sooner pay the cheaper premium as a named driver but I'm not sure if insurance companies respect that as much as full insurance. Probably not.


BloodBath

Kaskade

insurance companies hate hondas because they are much faster than other cars with the same size engine, ie a 1.4 civic is way faster than a 1.4 astra (im talking 1995 or so cos dont know much bout the new ones).

You dont necessarily have to go to a 1L initially just look for a low grouped car, like a nissan almera or something similar. Just keep getting quotes until you find one that is suitable.

The ignition course would really bring the price down and I cant see why you couldn't get an Integra insured on that. Only problem is that hibernian dont insure imports so you would have to get the uglier roundy lights irish model.

Usually you need 2 years as a named driver to get benefit, I know that is that case with quinn direct.

I always find quinn direct and brittons to be the cheapest for faster jap cars.

Nuttzz

BloodBath wrote:

I can also get my full licence before I get the car.

unless you have an in at the test centre there is no way you can be 100% sure to pass your test first time, I think they have a luckly bag system at the test centres myself

Tommy Vercetti

get a piece of **** until you are 25 (and don't crash it!), after that you will get insured on just about any car you want to, it's rough but that's the way it is

BloodBath

Damn I hate this country.


BloodBath