[Mk2] [Generic] Insurance for 17 year old

[andyj]

Sorry for boring insurance thread but my 17 year old son just passed his driving test. I've a REV 3 NA he could have. Do we really have to sell this car and buy a 1.0 litre Corsa to get him on the road? Dilemma isn't it ...cars just so cheap these days and insurance just so expensive!

[Martin F]

Sorry for boring insurance thread but my 17 year old son just passed his driving test. I've a REV 3 NA he could have. Do we really have to sell this car and buy a 1.0 litre Corsa to get him on the road? Dilemma isn't it ...cars just so cheap these days and insurance just so expensive!

so true, tbh though i would prefer my son to learn the ways off the road in a 1.0l corsa, especially now winter is approaching, he will also have more fun in a corsa and can go cruising for some chicks with his mate... etc.etc.etc

[Ben]

My first car was a 950cc Citroen AX... which I spun twice. Within 3 months. If I'd had an mr2 (even the mk1 I have now) I'm fairly sure I would have killed myself or someone else. Obviously, I'm in no situation to judge your son's driving capabilities, but the idea of 17 year old at the wheel of a powerful, rear wheel drive car is, frankly, terrifying. Plus, you have little or no chance of getting insurance for him unless you have a hefty bank balance!
Sorry to bring you back to earth, but I'd say let him round the edges off a hatchback for a year or so, there's less chance he'll damage himself or others. He can also build up some ncb, in preparation for a more fun car in the future.

[James Junior]

Firstly keep the rev3 without a doubt!

Buy a 1.0 banger for 600 quid with tax and a years MOT for your son to cut his teeth in. Once your son has got his wings, had the obligatory few knocks and scraped a years no claims then maybe consider the MR2?

Maybe use it as encouragement for good driving i.e. offer it to him provided he gets a years no claims on the banger without picking up any speeding points?

He will not be happy in the short term, but it is best for his safety and for him in the longer run.

As others have mentioned, at that age young boys are a liability with the best will in the world! I know I was. A high (ish) powered rear wheel drive car would have been the end of me!

To put insurance in perspective my GF recently passed her test at 23 and insuring a 1.0 micra at our address cost her 800 quid! I bet your lad would pay at least twice that even on a 1.0 due to his age and inexperience. Also she has already had two bumps through inexperience - you wouldn;t want that happening to the MR2!

If I were you though my overruling motivation would be his safety though. No disrespect to him, but at that age with no driving experience he is not ready for a rear wheel drive mid engine car with as 'fiesty' handling as the MR2.

[vishpish]

i agree with totally with ^^

im 19 now, but insurance when i was 17 with not even a years driving was over 2.5k....so i waited till after i hit 18 and a years driving and with elephant got a quote i took of £870 odd quid...but my mr2 is a rev1 registered as the (slower) 3sfe so not sure how it works...

hth

vish

[Ry_B]

Im 19 with my mr2...wouldnt have wanted it as my first car or i wouldnt be typing this right now im guessing

buy him a 500 quid nail (orlet him buy it!) for 12 months, then think about something else in my opinion

[KrisMoyse]

I agree with above, don't let it be his first car because speaking from experience,withint hat first year it'll die.

I was 2 months off 18 when I passed my test, got given a 1.6 Mazda 323F (Fastback) for my birthday and loved it. Paid £166.36 a month just for the privilage of driving it. I did go up the back of someone once however no damage to the other party so I mended it myself. Then 2 years later I went after the MR2 and because of the driving experience and the fact I had 'matured' (slightly) whilst being on the road I could respect the MR2 more and know when not to test the 'twitchy' back end.

It's an old saying: You learn to drive after you pass your test

I can guarantee if it was me and I had an MR2 as my first car, I most likely wouldn't be typing this right now, I'd either be paralysed and speaking to a computer to do it for me or I'd be 6 feet under.

A 90bhp 1.6 Mazda is enough when you're that age, let alone a 158/170bhp 2.0 Toyota.

Go the sensible route and get him to 'prove' his road sense and prove that he is mature enough to handle the MR2, besides that, he'll want to take his mates in the car so a 2 seater's no good.

My advice: get him a cheap banger to earn his wings

[Charged]

I cant really add anything which hasn't been said already.

I will say my usual thing though.. 17 year old + MR2 = accident waiting to happen.
Unfortunately 17-19 year olds carry a horrendous claims/loss ratio.

[MrGazz2]

I agree with the above but would like to add that you dont have to get him a 1.0l Corsa, you could at least get something that is a little fun to drive.


I know some people will laugh, but you might want to look at a MK3 Fiesta Si (1.4 or 1.6). Its around 90bhp, has a bit of nip when you need to overtake the granny's with a bit of sportiness about it. Its not the same as the other Corsa shopping trollies about these days so it will stand out and has a bit of character that more modern vehicles seem to lack.

[Mr2_NA]

Agreed with everything above!

MR2s demand respect, everyone has done the 1.0l 100mph thing.
If I had had an MR2 when I was 17 id be dead and possibility of others being hurt or dead too.

Take him for a track day in it after he's been driving for a year so he can see how fun they can be on big wide roads with no one else comming towards you

[KrisMoyse]

Agreed with everything above!

MR2s demand respect, everyone has done the 1.0l 100mph thing.
If I had had an MR2 when I was 17 id be dead and possibility of others being hurt or dead too.

Take him for a track day in it after he's been driving for a year so he can see how fun they can be on big wide roads with no one else comming towards you

Precisely.

If you respect the MR2 it'll reward you no-end, but if you don't it'll punish you...and punish you hard.

To a novice the speed and handling of a n/a MR2 will be too much to resist on a corner and you can say goodbye to you car...and your son.

Do the right thing fella

[MrGazz2]

Just had a look around my old hang out and found this beauty up for sale:

http://www.fiestaturbo.com/forums/ford- ... -vt166147/

Good luck with the hunt. I'm going to get the Mrs one of these when she eventually passes her driving test, I had one of these as my first car and really miss it

[fearless]

totally agree with whats said i started in my driving with 1980 mk2 1300 escort special edition, i wrote off the front of it after a month i hit my mate up the ar$e whilst my atension was elsewhere (looking at a lady with a very short skirt having testorone problems i was 17 for gods sake) my uncle repaired it for me my insurance was £350 tpft that was in 1989 had another bang a few months later giving it the large one in the wet and clipped a car with the back end it jumped to over £1000 i loved the escort great car for chucking the back end about, but as said buy some this is a powerfull car for a youngster with a very lively rear, if my kids were of driving age i would not let them have such a powerfull car my youngest wants a pink mini she's only 4 but is adiment thats what she wants

[Lou-Lou]

Firstly keep the rev3 without a doubt!

Buy a 1.0 banger for 600 quid with tax and a years MOT for your son to cut his teeth in. Once your son has got his wings, had the obligatory few knocks and scraped a years no claims then maybe consider the MR2?

Maybe use it as encouragement for good driving i.e. offer it to him provided he gets a years no claims on the banger without picking up any speeding points?

He will not be happy in the short term, but it is best for his safety and for him in the longer run.

As others have mentioned, at that age young boys are a liability with the best will in the world! I know I was. A high (ish) powered rear wheel drive car would have been the end of me!

To put insurance in perspective my GF recently passed her test at 23 and insuring a 1.0 micra at our address cost her 800 quid! I bet your lad would pay at least twice that even on a 1.0 due to his age and inexperience. Also she has already had two bumps through inexperience - you wouldn;t want that happening to the MR2!

If I were you though my overruling motivation would be his safety though. No disrespect to him, but at that age with no driving experience he is not ready for a rear wheel drive mid engine car with as 'fiesty' handling as the MR2.

Totally agree.. the MR2 can really catch you out if you're not a reasonably experienced driver.. I lost the back of mine (only a little, but still) at about 20 mph as it was really greasy on the road, this was just coming out of a car park!

Bearing in mind I'm female and live in an area where most people haven't even heard of crime I paid over £900 TPFT after I'd been driving 3.5 yrs..

I wouldn't be surprised if you look at a quote and its close to or over 2k for him.

[karlosmr2]

well ive got 2 years no claims on my bike which isnt a superbike but isnt slow either.

mr2 is my 1st car ( 3SFE ) so wont expect much.

i have enough road sense to know that im not a complete twonk - everyone else is so awareness is up on that of a 17 year old.

im not a total beginner but insurance is still £650 tpft with my missus' mum as a named driver!

[Dan88]

im in agree =ment with everyone else. I had a fast car when i was 17 (Peugeot 306 2Ltr XSi) and within 2 weeks i had crashed it, luckily involving no one else and hurting no one.

Im now 20 and have now got my first REAL car, and wouldnt have wanted it any sooner.

No matter what anyone says, in whatever car your in, you WILL have some form of accident, big or little, in your first year, its happened to everyone i know and talk.

Plus it will give him something to look forward to

[MrGazz2]

I didnt have an accident until I'd been driving for 3 years, and my 306 was written off by someone else not stopping and driving into the back of me. Entirely his fault, it was at traffic lights, at the back of a queue.

It depends on how sensible you are, just that the majority of new drivers arn't.

Thats not to say the above is incorrect however, its better to be safe than sorry - especially when its your son involved

[andyj]

Hey, thanks for so much response to my thread. Yes, he would spin the MR2 probably and yes, I don't want it damaged. Good idea on him doing trackday in the MR2 to help build experience.

Talking to him he's more keen on Corsa/Clio type thing anyway. Apparently that's fashionable.

What I really like is he says "I don't really mind as long as it's got a decent sound system".

[Jaspa]

Andy,

Your Rev 3, It's not white in colour is it? I seem to pass one every day on the way either to or from Wallington from the A217.

Stuart

[Ry_B]

I will say my usual thing though.. 17 year old + MR2 = accident waiting to happen.
Unfortunately 17-19 year olds carry a horrendous claims/loss ratio.

Glad I'm 20 in 2 weeks then