First Car

Z Draci said:
If you're so concerned about safety, just buy any old car and get a full FIA approved roll cage welded in. Also, get a racing seat with a 4-point harness. Don't forget to wear a helmet too!

If you're going to die, you're going to die no matter how safe of a car you're driving. Driving is all about taking the risk to do so. If you don't put yourself in a dangerous situation, you can avoid most accidents.

That is so true, Z Draci. Sorry mate, maybe I overreacted with the safety thing. As I said, dont buy a car just because of Ncap score. I was looking for a Saab before I got my car. Actually I did found a '97 Saab 900 turbo that I really wanted (I didnt care about the 2 stars, didnt even know it took 2 stars untill know) but the seller was asking too much. I was lucky my parents had the money to buy me this Volvo. For example, my dad had started with a romanian car (an old one, it was called Dacia 1100 or something, from like 1994. Safety features: 3 point seatbelts. Nothing else, no reinforcements in side doors, no airbags, ABS etc. And he didnt die, although he had a crash...the car wasnt happy after that crash, but it got fixed.) Anyway, it depends on how you drive and sometimes, on luck. If you drive safely, you'll never have problems. Think of all the people that buy old, really old porsches or ferraris (for their beauty, I'd get one...and old ones--meaning like 60-70s cars--didnt have airbags and stuff...Dont even know if they had seatbelts.. :roll: ). Its not like you'll die just cause your car took 1 or 2 stars in Ncap. As I said, look for a car for your needs. Look at insurance costs too (dunno how Saabs are at insurance costs) and maybe maintenance costs (prices for parts etc).

Either way, dont rush as I said, try to study the market and your choices. Also, research on sites like www.cars.com (click where it says "research") to see standard equipment for each car and stuff.

I still cant believe it took only 2 stars (more like 1 cause one was crossed out) in Ncap because in NHTSA it took 4!.
Dunno what to say...guys...any other ideas? :?

Edit: Its still your first car, I know everyone wants nice cars (BMW, Mercedes etc- I wanted one too!) but sometimes its better if you start with a modest or "so-so" car as you'll really appreciate cars for what they are. If you start with a BMW, sometimes you get too spoiled or worse, you can risk your life because BMWs are begging you to rev them and go fast...
 
Volvo_S70 said:
Edit: Its still your first car, I know everyone wants nice cars (BMW, Mercedes etc- I wanted one too!) but sometimes its better if you start with a modest or "so-so" car as you'll really appreciate cars for what they are. If you start with a BMW, sometimes you get too spoiled or worse, you can risk your life because BMWs are begging you to rev them and go fast...

Too true. I was desperately wanting a Commodore VS SS as my first car. I got a Mk 3 Golf CL. Hell, I'm probably having more fun in the Golf than I would have in the SS... although I can't lose the arse in the Golf, at least not without trying hard.
 
i'm also considering buying my first car, my price range is same as yours PaulMay. At the moment i'm considering late eighties volvo 240 or 740. You can get one that is driven ~300000km here for 1500 euros~1000?. Pretty reliable and made of real steel :). They have no ABS so I'm little concerned how I am going to get used to it, cause I have never driven a car without ABS.
 
hakusil said:
i'm also considering buying my first car, my price range is same as yours PaulMay. At the moment i'm considering late eighties volvo 240 or 740. You can get one that is driven ~300000km here for 1500 euros~1000?. Pretty reliable and made of real steel :). They have no ABS so I'm little concerned how I am going to get used to it, cause I have never driven a car without ABS.

Mine hasn't got ABS either, and I have never had problems with it. Even with the cars that I drove with ABS I have never activated it that much...

But if you are in accidents all the time or on the road ALOT ABS should be a good thing...Otherwise...well..
 
Don't worry about NCAP, their ratings are overrated as only head on and side impact tests are completed and they are all in 'ideal' conditions. It is a guide, but only a rough guide to how safe a car is.

Z-Draci hit the nail on the head. If you want something reliable, economical and good value for money, buy Japanese. Add Mazda and Mitsubishi to his list though. Something like a Mazda 323 would be a great first car.
 
Jostyrostelli said:
Mine hasn't got ABS either, and I have never had problems with it. Even with the cars that I drove with ABS I have never activated it that much...

Don't know about NL, but in Finland's winter ABS is very useful. Especially when you have no experience stopping a car on bad surface without it.

Although I never owned a car with ABS (but driven ones a lot), there were situations I wish I had ABS on my own car.
 
MXM said:
Jostyrostelli said:
Mine hasn't got ABS either, and I have never had problems with it. Even with the cars that I drove with ABS I have never activated it that much...

Don't know about NL, but in Finland's winter ABS is very useful. Especially when you have no experience stopping a car on bad surface without it.

Although I never owned a car with ABS (but driven ones a lot), there were situations I wish I had ABS on my own car.

Oh yeah forgot about that. That could be useful in wet conditions, but the solution for that is, don't drive too fast. You'll be ok.
 
Xeon SX said:
Ultra_Kool_Dude said:
I vote for buying a bike - much more performance and fun for much less $$$.

yeh and then kill yourself. nice advice...

Hey I had a bike.... GS500E.... A couple of days ago, the piece of shit's fork suspension gave out when I hit a pothole @ 30 MPH. I flipped over the bars and I landed on my ass. I severely bruised my tailbone and my back is completely sore. Thankfully, my leathers and helmet saved me from more severe injuries.

I sold it yesterday. I kicked the fucker over a couple times before the buyer came by and picked it up.

Don't get a bike... Bad choice...

P.S. - Sorry for my poor choice of words. I'm just really ticked off and a bit scared....
 
New car for under 1000 pounds? :shock:
 
I'm sure that if you want to spend 1000pounds and want a bmw with a 1.6l, you could find an e30 316i with either the earlier m10 or a later model with an m40. Great cars, very safe for a 20yr old design, and fairly reliable if maintained.

good luck finding a car!
 
Z Draci said:
If you're so concerned about safety, just buy any old car and get a full FIA approved roll cage welded in. Also, get a racing seat with a 4-point harness. Don't forget to wear a helmet too!

can you beleive we aren't allowed to have a roll cage in our car?

it would make the car to strong, and if you would hit another one, that one would have to much damage :roll:
 
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