Personally, I'd have them driving round in a 1.6D Volvo V70, but that suggestion went down like a cup of sick, though the insurance ( even on 10 yr plus ) is through the roof. I agree on the 107/C1/Aygo, that engine is bomb proof, and we had one ( for my daughter to learn to drive in during covid) but they get to a certain age, and then they rot.
Young un"s first car.
- Thread starter Scruffy
- Start date
Corsas, Festers, all rot at the same age. Its not unique to 18 year old 107s.
Whatever you buy, purchase a clean one and spend a morning treating the underside. On a 107 its a delightfully easy job as there are no plastic unedertrays that require removing and the sills have very convenient blanking plugs that are a cinch to pop out to squirt your juice inside.
That also makes it very easy for a buyer to eyeball for rust - there are no unnecessary panels and trims to hide corrosion. Unless you want to start removing panels its not at all easy to eyeball the undersides of most other hatches from the mid 00s onwards.
We bought our daughter a Clio when she past her test last year. It has been faultless so far and is a nice car to drive, she loves it.
The wife had a Capture for 5 yeears (traded in this year). Two issues over the 5 years - water pump threw its bearings, fixed under warranty. Intermittent brake warning which wasnt showing up when scanned by them. After several visits to dealer it got left with them and told to keep it until sorted. Still not much getting done. After a phone call to Renault UK the dealer was on the phone 20 mins later to say they actually had parts on order to try, sorted.
The Clio though has ran perfect
and would get another for the young lad when the time comes.
The wife had a Capture for 5 yeears (traded in this year). Two issues over the 5 years - water pump threw its bearings, fixed under warranty. Intermittent brake warning which wasnt showing up when scanned by them. After several visits to dealer it got left with them and told to keep it until sorted. Still not much getting done. After a phone call to Renault UK the dealer was on the phone 20 mins later to say they actually had parts on order to try, sorted.
The Clio though has ran perfect
and would get another for the young lad when the time comes.
Just dug out the wee 108 for my young lass.
Shes 17 next week.
We got it for my laddie for when he passed his test and when he got a new car I put it away In the garage for my daughter.
It’s only got 31k miles on it.
Have arranged for a full valet for her.
Shes 17 next week.
We got it for my laddie for when he passed his test and when he got a new car I put it away In the garage for my daughter.
It’s only got 31k miles on it.
Have arranged for a full valet for her.
of course its Purple Gordon
Haha.of course its Purple Gordon
Young lass is a chip off the old block.
She’s got seat covers with purple butterflies on them. Purple steering wheel cover and a load of other purple bits mats etc for it. She’s even bought pug puddle lights for when she opens the doors.
It’s got a banging sound system in it that I fitted for my laddie. 10” sub and amp in the boot.
She’s super excited to get driving it.
And when that's done you can get the car cleaned up too.
Bought #2 daughter a Twingo when the first batch of the series 3 appeared in 2014. She was 17 and it was her choice from a list of group 1 insurance category cars I gave her. She's still running around in it 11 years later. A slightly quirky car, but one that works.
Fwiw, #1 daughter got a Panda under similar conditions three years earlier, and she's still running that nearly 15 years later
My daughters 08 plate Aygo is pretty bullet proof. It's been on its side at least once, lived in London last 5 years and has associated war wounds. But its only done 65k miles. Now resides with us in Northumberland as a pool car for when she or her brother come to visit. £20 tax is nice too
Renault is the parent company of Dacia who use Renault engines.
Watch the Renault/Dacia chain drive engines. They like to munch on their timing chains. Usually the neglected ones, but not always.
I’d rather have a chain than a wet belt, like in the Fiesta Eco Boom!
I bought my girls, and wife when she was a district nurse, a diesel Toyota Yaris. All 3 were remarkable. The last of them has just been sold, with 210000 miles after 15 years use. Unfortunately the diesel version was discontinued around 15 plate, i think so is likely to be too old for a realistic choice, although i have just bought another as a run around.
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Id sooner have the wet belt - in the Fester its easy to eyeball the belt at the top pulley through thenfiller assess its condition, so you've plenty of warning should any driver be bothered to look. There is even a tool you can insert to measure the belt and check for any telltale swelling.
Conversely, timing chains are in sealed chests and until it makes a noise (or, even worse, the engine stops making any noise!) you cant check them without major disassembly.
Even worse, many timing chain motors (BMW are fond of this) aren't designed to be replaced and require the engine be removed to swap out the chain, which is spendy.
When a cam train fails it doesn't matter what it made from - you're up sheet creek.
Ducati Motorcycles used a tower shaft to drive the cams via a bevel gear, I wonder if this method was ever used by any car manufacturers. Not referring to the desmodromic valve operation though that is an interesting thing on its own.
Everyone goes on about wet belt fords, and I can honestly say hand on heart I have never seen any of our customers cars give an issue. I have only just replaced my first eco boost belt this week, not because of issues, just because it's only done 27k miles and they plan to keep the car.
Now, wet belt pugs. That is a different story, done loads due to them breaking up and clogging the oil strainer or just as precautionary measure due to them showing signs of cracking. I'd say they are worse than eco boosts!
On Peugeot's you can, fiestas you cant
Daughter uses Admiral Gold now and car previously with Collingwood own insurance under her name before passing test. Though she learnt in a Yeti 170 4x4, a parental vehicle and on passing her test received her Dacia Duster 4x4 under her own ownership and changed the to Admiral Gold insurance because Collingwood only covered drivers who are learning. Curious, why should the car be registered in a parents name? No penalty that we could see and explored a few options and variations though she only had ownership on passing her test. The vast majority of her learning was under Mum and some from me also but took a few lessons to be modern and up to date, we are older.
I have never had any formal lessons myself. I learnt to ride and survive on motorcycles long before becoming bored sitting in the passenger seat of my wife’s car, so drove as a provisional for a little while, before putting in for my test with out any instruction of any sort much to the disapproval of friends who said it could not be done. I remember the test instructor being amazed at my confidence and ability and his jaw dropped when I explained how I got their, after passing of course. I did however have many tens of thousands of miles driving in all weathers including 50 mile commutes each way in the snow on Motorcycles and pushbikes. I never wanted to leave bikes but one wonders away for marital bliss. Working in hospital theatres casualty dept's and outpatients one does see and become involved with some of the very worst cases of bike accidents and I would very strongly dissuade any relative or personal friend. I do say however it was immensely rewarding and difficult to explain to a non rider why it is so satisfying and rewarding a past time. I think only to say surviving against all odds, adrenalin and the absolute necessity for 100% concentration all of the time shutting all else out and being at one with ones machine experiencing the environment and its forces and threats. It is a little more cocooning and remote in a car but one should use the same attention span and intensity of concentration but the experience is different.
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