Youngsters and Elises

jj · Post by jj » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:36 am

Or a soon to be for sale mint 171bhp clio williams......

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:36 am

Love the Elan! Might be a little unreliable though?

Also love 106 Gti's and Rayles, my other bro has a GTi I've always been a fan.

CSK_423 · Post by **CSK_423** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:31 pm

GregR wrote:Thinking about it, I'd tell him to get a 106 Ralleye Not too common, and those in the know know its a cracking little stripped out GTI - without the chav of a 106 quicksilver on 18 inch rims

I would second this comment the 106 rallye wether it be s1 or s2 are crackin cars, quick and handle very well. Cheap to run and fix.... loads of fun.

Alt. the saxo VTR or S depending on insurance and the 106 GTi....

I owned a 1.3 golf for the 1st year or 2 then a saxo VTR then a VTS, at the age of 19 I think I probably just changed from the VTR to the VTS

dr al · Post by **dr al** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:05 pm

I agree that looking back it would have been fabulous to have the elise age 19, i just know i'd not be here now if i'd had it.

I certainly know that when i got my first car i ragged the nuts off it constantly, it was only a 1.25 75bhp fiesta (that's why i'm still alive) but i reckon i'd have ragged whatever i had, so a great thing it wasn't too fast!

If he does get an elise, just make sure he does a few driver training days as SOON as he gets it! - so many storys on the forums (piston heads, seloc etc) of folk stacking their elises within a week or two of getting them.

I guess the thing to remember is that to us 120bhp is not a lot, but not that many years ago, having 120bhp made a hatchback seriously hot, and they killed plenty of people!

just my 2p's worth, but i reckon it's better to cut your teeth on an underpowered FWD understeering car before you start learning to safely rag a rwd tail happy one.

A.

thinfourth · Post by **thinfourth** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:14 pm

I must say as much as i would of loved an elise aged 19 i think it would of killed me.

i learnt to drive in wrecks and my first few cars were wrecks my parents bought me a skoda rapide coupe as a first car But thats another story.

Anyway if he wants to not follow the rest at his age group and go against the flow the insurance on landrover is not too bad and if you spend a wee bit of cash on a boggo one you have a very individual and fun car. if he wants a quick shot in the shed then he can have a look and a quick trundle round the block

I have seen some seriously smart looking ones for not so much

bertieduff · Post by **bertieduff** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:02 am

Plenty of sense in this post...I'd probably be dead if i'd the elise at 19...even at 34, thinkin I'm now sensible I've had some big scares in it...and yeah, wot do you then have to aspire to if that's your first car?
Still, depends on him- if it's his pride and joy he might be a bit more careful- my first motor was a 1500 triumph spitfire at 19, the rear end was a nightmare, but I was more interested in posin than speed and don't remember any major scares due to my drivin. But the elise just begs you to push it more every time....and bet your ass he'll make mistakes. Not to mention the other kamakazis out there he will come across. Sure we've all had near misses due to some other idiot's efforts. The liz just doesn't leave room for error, so unless he's the careful type (and few are at that age) he'll bomb it and likely come to a sticky end...You don't know how easy it is to total a car until after the fact....deffo be worried about it! Not worth dying for.

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:34 am

He wants a VX now :S

Cheers for the offer Thinfourth, I mention it to him!

He's probably more concerned with posing than driver satisfaction etc.

So after all the posts I guess the criteria are:

1. Something safe.
2. Something cool.
3. Something sub £10K

Sanjøy · Post by **Sanjøy** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:36 am

150ps TT

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:06 pm

kenny wrote:I am probably in the minority that think its not that bad an idea. Provided he can get a reasonable(ish) insurance quote and he isnt a complete bampot then it would be a great car to learn in.

Most young guys only think of power and are out to buy the fastest car they can get there hands on thinking that speed automatically makes them fantastic drivers only to wrap it on a wet corner. The Elise will teach very quickly some important lessons.
Also worth thinking about a VX as its one insurance group lower, I think

Then again.......

From the CTR forum, owner was a 19 year old who freely admitted he was driving too fast. Lost the back end, hit a rock and flipped it.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:10 pm

kenny wrote:
kenny wrote:I am probably in the minority that think its not that bad an idea. Provided he can get a reasonable(ish) insurance quote and he isnt a complete bampot then it would be a great car to learn in.

Most young guys only think of power and are out to buy the fastest car they can get there hands on thinking that speed automatically makes them fantastic drivers only to wrap it on a wet corner. The Elise will teach very quickly some important lessons.
Also worth thinking about a VX as its one insurance group lower, I think
Then again.......

From the CTR forum, owner was a 19 year old who freely admitted he was driving too fast. Lost the back end, hit a rock and flipped it.

ouch............

GregR · Post by **GregR** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:11 pm

I hope to heck there was no-one else in that car with him!

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:08 am

FWD 150ps TT sounded like a good plan Sanjoy, still insurance group 17 however

Post by **simon** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:02 pm

Saxo VTR would be a great choice.
I know they're driven by the max power brigade but they're great fun (and cheap) cars. Pretty much the same as a VTS/106GTi just a little slower and easier on the wallet. He'd still be able to indulge in the delights of lift-off oversteer and would be fairly easily modified if he wanted to go down that route. At 19 he should really think himself bloody lucky he can have a car of his own at all.

Post by **Shug** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:09 pm

simon wrote:Saxo VTR would be a great choice.
I know they're driven by the max power brigade but they're great fun (and cheap) cars. Pretty much the same as a VTS/106GTi just a little slower and easier on the wallet. He'd still be able to indulge in the delights of lift-off oversteer and would be fairly easily modified if he wanted to go down that route. At 19 he should really think himself bloody lucky he can have a car of his own at all.

Damn right... I was driving a clapped Fiat Panda at that age.... Remember drafting a range rover on the M80 to get the speedo to read 90 ('twas a 4 speeder too, so probably turning 14,000rpm) 5-up (two being 15st+ rugby players)

Gave it to my sister as a runabout after I'd done with it and the rear subframe totally collapsed the week after!

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:10 pm

Didn't get my first car till i was 21

lucky sh*tbag.