Planning ahead. First car options

"djmt1" (djmt1) 10/20/2015 at 13:57 • Filed to: None

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After almost 3 bloody years of sitting on my licence and I can finally see a light at the end of tunnel (The tunnel being living in an area which got an F* on the risk scale which bottoms out at F-). I did some maths and while I’m relying on a couple of very unreliable people I might be able to get my first car by the start of next year. So I’ve set myself a budget of £3,000 for both the car and insurance and have gone hunting around the internet for cars, these are what I have found in budget:

Honda Accord Tourer Type S

Toyota MR2 (The best quote for the previous gen was over £6,000!)

Ford Mondeo ST 24

Volvo 850 T5 GLT

MG TF 135

So yeah these are the five best deals (all under £2,500) within London that are petrol and with a manual. Sure I could get a Smart car or something built in a Malaysian jungle but if I’m gonna eat the first year of insurance costs, I might as well do it in something I might enjoy. Also I still find it weird that convertibles and estates are by far and away the cheapest things to insure, going by the costs I’m never gonna be able to afford a coupé or hatchback.

So what would you people of Oppo choose? Personally I’m most drawn to the Volvo.

CalzoneGolem > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:01

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I’d choose the Mondeo. I might be turning into a Ford guy.

djmt1 > CalzoneGolem 10/20/2015 at 14:02

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I actually grew up with a Mondeo so I do have a soft spot for them.

yitznewton > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:03

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OMG... diesel S2000 wagon??

djmt1 > yitznewton 10/20/2015 at 14:04

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No diesel for me mate.

Svend > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:05

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Ye’, London isn’t very diesel friendly.

yitznewton > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:06

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Just even the fact that this exists... we did get an Accord wagon in the US during certain generations. Though I’m wondering, maybe they Acura’ed something like this here.

Svend > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:06

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Of the cars I’d go for the Mondeo. Parts are easier to source and cheaper.

Textured Soy Protein > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:07

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Get the Honda. A friend of mine had a Ford Contour (the U.S. sedan saloon version of the Mondeo in your photo) in like 1999-2000 and it was a piece of crap even when still relatively new.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:08

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I don't know why, but that Accord looks awesome.

djmt1 > Svend 10/20/2015 at 14:08

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Very true. I’m pretty sure everyone in the UK has some form of interaction with a Mondeo be directly or indirectly.

djmt1 > Textured Soy Protein 10/20/2015 at 14:11

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My mum had one and it was great. The Mondeo was a god at one point in the UK, everyone had one until BMWs got cheaper.

GTI Sprinks > yitznewton 10/20/2015 at 14:11

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Agreed. The Honda Accord Tourer looks so good.

djmt1 > Van Man, rocks the Man Van 10/20/2015 at 14:11

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The wheels look a bit small but that rear end has some good stuff going on.

yitznewton > Textured Soy Protein 10/20/2015 at 14:13

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We had a first-year (1995) I4 Contour from new. It became old immediately, but it held up pretty OK in the long run. For a 90s Ford. Quite mediocre as a car though. From what I’ve heard the V6 version was a decent value though.

T5Killer > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:18

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OMG I want that Mondeo wagon. DROOL!

Mike McChezz > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:33

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p80 volvo cars are aweosme

duurtlang > yitznewton 10/20/2015 at 14:36

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Yes, that generation of Accord was available in the US as the Acura TSX.

RWS Motorsport > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:49

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Mondeo wins hands down right there. St24 v6, yes please.

Have a look at an Mg Zt v6 too, that’s not a bad car and insurance was cheap when I looked a few years back because it’s an Mg but not the zr boy racer wagon.

djmt1 > RWS Motorsport 10/20/2015 at 14:53

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I did but the MG was ludicrously expansive to insure at £3000.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:53

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We had a Mondeo Zetec of that era and it was a fantastic car. That said the Volvo is great too and the MR2 and the Accord. The only one I actually dislike is the TF. Have you budgeted for tax and fuel too? You’d be shocked how quickly that stuff adds up.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Textured Soy Protein 10/20/2015 at 14:55

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The Mondeo was loved over here, we had two and they were great cars. Maybe the US version was a little different or you guys just look for something else in a car.

djmt1 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/20/2015 at 14:57

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I’ve accounted for tax which will probably be at £200 and as for fuel. I won’t be using the car for commuting so that should help keep fuel costs down.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 14:59

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If I’m not mistaken a couple of those cars cost up to £500 to tax. But yeah if you aren’t doing a lot of miles fuel should be manageable.

djmt1 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/20/2015 at 15:01

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All the cars are pre 2006.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 15:02

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Follow on from my last comment, I was mistaken they’re mostly before the 2001 cut off so they get the lower rates.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 15:04

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Yeah I realised just after I posted. Most are only £230 to tax which isnt bad at all. only £85 more than we pay for our Micra.

djmt1 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/20/2015 at 15:05

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Dieselgate withstanding, cars are a lot more efficient now. Seeing what cars paid the higher rate is enlightening.

Textured Soy Protein > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/20/2015 at 15:14

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It could’ve been different than the UK version in one way or another. The platform underneath actually felt halfway decently solid. But it had a cheap crappy plastic interior, its engine made lots of noise but not a lot of power, and its automatic transmission did nothing very well other than technically existing as a transmission.

At least the interior was easy for a couple of high school kids to disassemble when we installed a bunch of aftermarket stereo equipment in it.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Textured Soy Protein 10/20/2015 at 15:19

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The 2 litre petrol in ours was actually pretty good and no automatic here so that wasn’t an issue. The interior was a bit plasticky though, I agree on that part.

RWS Motorsport > djmt1 10/20/2015 at 16:02

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No way! wow your postcode is evil, the ST24 seems like the most interesting of that selection then. Big Ovlov also a pretty sweet barge.

pip bip - choose Corrour > djmt1 10/21/2015 at 05:06

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Mondeo.