[A little background...]

Hi, I'm a 19 y/o student and I took a gap year before enrolling at Sheffield University. In it, I got a job, got lucky and made a substantial amount of money.

My parents elected to pay for my tuition- as an incentive for me to quit my job and get a degree- so all that cash is just in the bank gaining interest.

I recently passed my driving test and so am looking for a car. I have found the most beautiful convertible, but my friends and family argue that I should buy a more "student-type" car ie. a small modest car that doesn't convert into anything. They have given me suggestions, but the frustrating thing is that ALL of the cars that they have suggested are more expensive than this gorgeous convertible.

Sure its insurance will be through the roof, but I have the money, why shouldn't I invest the car of my dreams now?

So, my question to anyone who can help is: Why is it so taboo for young students to drive flashy cars?

Screw them! If you've got the money and want the car, buy it! :thumbsup:

I'm speaking from experience as its exactly what I did on Friday afternoon :hihi: :heyhey:

I think that you are definitely in the minority (not just of students, but of the population as a whole) with having money to burn.

When other people are advising you they are assuming that, like other students, you're strapped for cash. Most students rapidly end up broke even if they don't start that way, so by buying anything that's more expensive than it needs to be you're going against the usual student grain.

If you want to get a more expensive car and can guarantee to afford the insurance for the whole of your course while you're not earning normally, then go for it. Personally (and I'm speaking her as someone who had at least 2 part time jobs at all times through uni and left with a +ve bank balance) I think you're going to have too many expensive times to get a car that will add to that cost unnecessarily.

I don't know many students who have been able to afford to run a car at all during their course. If you can make the figures balance then don't let anyone stop you, but understand that others are thinking of the practicalities of affording things when they advise prudence.

Originally posted by medusa666
I don't know many students who have been able to afford to run a car at all during their course.

Try living on the road I do at the minute then.. Its impossible to park because the majority of students have cars meaning after 7pm I have to park somewhere on the next road! Often 2 or 3 to a house on a road that hardly has any driveways..

Roll on Feb when I can move to somewhere I can park the car without a ten minute walk to my house..

I've already reported one untaxed car on the road, If I find another I will have no problems doing the same again..

Well, if as you say your parents are paying your tuition fees, maybe they think its a bit of a kick in the teeth that you go out and buy an unnecessailry expensive car. Maybe thats not what they had in mind when they gave you the money.

But on the other hand, they have given you the money so its up to you what you do with it.

Originally posted by Yodameister
Well, if as you say your parents are paying your tuition fees, maybe they think its a bit of a kick in the teeth that you go out and buy an unnecessailry expensive car. Maybe thats not what they had in mind when they gave you the money.

And some students may resent you for 'selling out' the ideals (or stereotype?) of student life (being broke, living on beans etc.) and take it out on the car.

Do what you feel right and would make you happy but...a bit of advice on cars which you should kno[w. They are the worst investment you could amke and will drain you of your entire funds if you get a bad one. Therefore spend wisely

If you want it, get it. When I was at Uni I knew a guy with an MG convertible, and he was never short of dates.

Only problem you might have is if you live in a student area it is more likely to get nicked. :(

yep or trashed, and remember, expensive cars are more expensive if things go wrong, or if they need a replacement window etc.

in my experience, the more something has, the more there is to go wrong with it.

And remember, you've got to look at the long term, if you spend wisely now and save the money that your parents have saved you, you can have a better quality of life after you've been to uni.
Maybe then get an expensive car.

It's true what they say - live for today, but it's not necessarily wise...

Originally posted by D2J
Roll on Feb when I can move to somewhere I can park the car without a ten minute walk to my house..

I've already reported one untaxed car on the road, If I find another I will have no problems doing the same again..

Where are you moving to, Deej?


Hillsborough/Walkley? - I think Crookes 'rocks' in comparison to the H/W areas...

:)

can you give us some more details (just being nosy really), what is it you'd like, how much is it, and what is it other people are suggesting and how much are they?

Buy a boring sensible car for however long it takes to get your degree(s) and make people happy.Stick the money in a bond or something and then who knows what may happen after qualifying?

First and foremost; I would like to say thank you very much to every1 who has responded so far. I really do appreciate the advice. I am now very torn.

Npatchett [congratulations; both on being more decisive than me and on your new car =] and mathom’s advice really does make me think “forget the world and go for it; Carpe diem”.

But then alchresearch and Mathom [again] make the excellent point that there are jealous people out there that may just steal/destroy it to “teach me a lesson”.

I don’t want to be notorious for being “The guy with the convertible” – I am not doing it to be flashy, to be pretentious, to get dates or be popular – I just really like the car [For Cyclone: Silver Peugeot 307 cc] versus that which my parents want me to have [Vauxhall Corsa SXI 3-Door].

As I see it, why settle on a car now and buy a better car when I am older? Why not buy a great car now and live with it for a longer time? After all, some people keep cars for 10-20 years, don’t they?

medusa666, Yodameister, youwhatref and Lotti however, voice my greatest fears; The long run (and my parents’ reactions – but they don’t live in Sheffield :hihi:).

Admittedly, I do not know the long term costs of having a car.
I know that the difference between maintaining a Mercedes, BMW etc. must be so much more than maintaining other makes. Am I wrong in thinking that convertibles made by other companies must cost much less to maintain?
Also, road tax does not depend on the car you drive, does it?
Are insurance + petrol + road tax + general maintenance the only costs that I must worry about when buying a car?

That is great advice, thank you Matt. But, please define "sensible" so that I can understand. Do you mean price wise? I find that the only inexpensive cars are pre-owned. Being that I do not know much about cars, am I not more likely to lose more money buying a pre-owned car (as I could easily be ripped off)? I was in my friend's car the other day and she had let her bf drive us. After a while we could see smoke and smell something burning - he was in fact burning out the clutch. Red faced, he pulled over and apologised profusely - her reply, "Don't worry, babe, it's been sold to someone who's picking it up next week."
Really opened my eyes to buying 2nd hand cars.

Originally posted by matsalleh
Buy a boring sensible car for however long it takes to get your degree(s) and make people happy.Stick the money in a bond or something and then who knows what may happen after qualifying?

Destinyx

A peugeot 307cc woudl be very nice as a students. A few things to consider though - Where would you park it?

As for keeping it longer, something i learnt..it's very easy to get bored of a car. I've taken loans out for 4 years in the past but have never kept a car longer than 2 years!

You are right in that thsi car would cost less to maintain than another car. Other factors are, how old woudl the car be? If it'd new then you will have warranty so your costs are limited to a service (between £130 & £200 i'd say - some are annual, others 2 yearly), oil change in between (£30), tyres (around £80 each i'd guess - can last a few years though), exhaust and brakes can last years depending on use. Road tax depends on your engine but i'd guess you'd be looking at £160 a year, insurance at your age i'd guess £1500 for the first year, petrol £40 for 300 mile? etc.

For an older car out of warranty it's easy to fork out between £200 & £500 for repairs.

If this is the car you want go for it though! :D

well i have to confess, I got the brand new micra with all the added bits at 16... but i don't pay for that, otherwise i'd have had a cheap tacky car to run about in...

i passed my test at 16 because I'm disabled and the disability allowance gave me the car so I'm not very good on costs as I only pay for petrol...

However you've got to remember anything that goes wrong with it too. It's not just general maintenance, if for example, someone smashes a window like it's been suggested, I'm sure it must be more expensive to get a window for that than for a cheaper one.

I'm sure this car also has alloys, much more expensive to replace than normal trims as you have to replace the whole wheel. and if you scratch the alloys, it don't look great on a convertable... it doesn't look good on my micra :hihi:

Hope this outlines some things - I'm not a car expert at all, but logic tells me a more expensive car will cost you more expense if it goes wrong. And there's always things going wrong with cars so it's not just general maintenance...

Something like 14.5 - 15k, 1.6 or 2.0l, insurance group 8 -14, no more than 1 - 2 years old.

versus

no more than 9k at nearly brandnew, <1.4l engine, insurance group 3, and choice of age upto at least 6 years old.

You identified the costs pretty much, there's the annual service (unless you're high mileage which I doubt), MOT for an older car, petrol, insurance and tax.

Tax does differ between small and large engined cars, with the boundary being 1.4l, makes about £80 a year difference.

Insurance however is going to be the biggy for you here. Group 3 I'll take a wild stab in the dark and say you might get it for £600/year (I take it you have 0 no claims, and no accidents/convictions). Shove that up to group 8 and it might be £1500, group 14 and it might be >£2000.

That's per year, so in 4 years (if it's a 4 year course) you'll have paid out 8k, compared to maybe £2400 on the corsa.
Servicing i'd expect to be pretty similar, and for relatively new cars with you doing low mileage maitenance should be just the annual service.
Fuel consumption for the corsa varies depending on model between mid 30's upto mid 60's (Diesel), but the middle of the range sxi's are 45 mpg. All of the 307's are low to mid 30's except the diesel. So 50% again extra on the fuel costs.

I guess it all comes down to how much money you have saved now and how much you're parents will contribute to uni life.
If you budget it properly and can afford the 307 and still have enough cash to live comfortably and not have to eat baked beans 5 days a week then go for it.
If you can't, then go with the lesser car for now, in the knowledge that you'll have more fun with a slightly less desirable car, but money enough for a drink and proper food whenever you want it over the next 4 years.
Think how bad you'd feel if you have to sell the 307 in 2.5 years time in order to be able to eat for the final term.

Just to throw in a sensible adult comment (I should start trying to practice them) the 10+k for the 307 would go along way to setting you up with a house/mortgage when you graduate, which is something a lot of graduates nowadays are taking years to be able to afford, it could give you a huge headstart when real life starts after uni.

Originally posted by destinyx
That is great advice, thank you Matt. But, please define "sensible" so that I can understand. Do you mean price wise? I find that the only inexpensive cars are pre-owned. Being that I do not know much about cars, am I not more likely to lose more money buying a pre-owned car (as I could easily be ripped off)? I was in my friend's car the other day and she had let her bf drive us. After a while we could see smoke and smell something burning - he was in fact burning out the clutch. Red faced, he pulled over and apologised profusely - her reply, "Don't worry, babe, It's been sold to someone who's picking it up next week."
Really opened my eyes to buying 2nd hand cars.

I'd strongly recommend against buying brand new, it's throwing money away. Just buy from a reputable garage at 1 year old and you save thousands, and with it being a garage it's warranted and serviced before you get it.

OK lets look at this logically: You're just starting university and your parents are paying your fees (that puts you in a good position to start off with).

How far from Uni are you going to be living? Would you need a car to get there/back?

Do you really NEED a car?

When would you be using it?

How much will insurance, tax, MOT, fuel, repairs/maintenance cost you per year? Even if there's nothing wroing with the car it will need regular maintenance to keep it trouble free including replacement of things such as tyres, brake pads etc.

Work out how much PA it will cost you over the next 3 years. Divide the purchase cost of the car also over 3 years (i'm betting after 3 years you'll want a new car no matter how much you love it now), include additional expediture such as parking, possible speeding tickets, parking fines too (just in case).

Now, that's bound to add up to a significant amount.
And that is all money that you are going to be paying out and getting NO return on.

On the other hand, if you invested the same amount of money for a nominal return, say 5% pa - what would you have at the end of 3 years? Enough to buy a damn good car I bet, or a significant amount to put towards your own home, or whatever you choose to do with it.

But, it's your decision, I just hope you make the right one for you and don't have too many regrets in 3 years time.

Originally posted by kentboy119
Where are you moving to, Deej?

I dunno, Crookes is by far the best place I have lived having previously lived in Hillsborough, Ranmoor, Parson Cross and Burncross..

Crookes is just pants for parking..

I don't mind Students (after all I go out with one so best watch my step :suspect: ) It's just the amount of un-taxed cars around the area that annoys me, if they want cars fair enough, just keep them legal :rant:

Hi YWR,

Thank you so much for breaking that down for me. I had always assumed that getting everything new would be the better option. Even though cars depreciate quickly, having things new means that anything that goes wrong will be yours/the manufacturers' fault - and not because the owner before you did something to damage it.

I think the Peugeot 307cc is a pretty new car and is a little different to other cars on the market - do you think this a good/bad thing btw? - but surely £1500 is not that much more than I'd have to pay in a less expensive car.

Originally posted by youwhatref
Destinyx

A peugeot 307cc woudl be very nice as a students. A few things to consider though - Where would you park it?

As for keeping it longer, something i learnt..it's very easy to get bored of a car. I've taken loans out for 4 years in the past but have never kept a car longer than 2 years!

You are right in that thsi car would cost less to maintain than another car. Other factors are, how old woudl the car be? If it'd new then you will have warranty so your costs are limited to a service (between £130 & £200 i'd say - some are annual, others 2 yearly), oil change in between (£30), tyres (around £80 each i'd guess - can last a few years though), exhaust and brakes can last years depending on use. Road tax depends on your engine but i'd guess you'd be looking at £160 a year, insurance at your age i'd guess £1500 for the first year, petrol £40 for 300 mile? etc.

For an older car out of warranty it's easy to fork out between £200 & £500 for repairs.

If this is the car you want go for it though! :D

Is car crime really that bad here in Sheffield?

Originally posted by Lotti
well i have to confess, I got the brand new micra with all the added bits at 16... but i don't pay for that, otherwise i'd have had a cheap tacky car to run about in...

i passed my test at 16 because I'm disabled and the disability allowance gave me the car so I'm not very good on costs as I only pay for petrol...

However you've got to remember anything that goes wrong with it too. It's not just general maintenance, if for example, someone smashes a window like it's been suggested, I'm sure it must be more expensive to get a window for that than for a cheaper one.

I'm sure this car also has alloys, much more expensive to replace than normal trims as you have to replace the whole wheel. and if you scratch the alloys, it don't look great on a convertable... it doesn't look good on my micra :hihi:

Hope this outlines some things - I'm not a car expert at all, but logic tells me a more expensive car will cost you more expense if it goes wrong. And there's always things going wrong with cars so it's not just general maintenance...

Originally posted by D2J
I dunno, Crookes is by far the best place I have lived having previously lived in Hillsborough, Ranmoor, Parson Cross and Burncross..

Crookes is just pants for parking..

I don't mind Students (after all I go out with one so best watch my step :suspect: ) It's just the amount of un-taxed cars around the area that annoys me, if they want cars fair enough, just keep them legal :rant:

Why not combine the 'Ranmoor style of life' (little England Telegraph readers) and the 'Crookes style of life' (cool, modern students) together with either Heeley, HB or Norfolk Park.

:)

I've just checked on Parkers (http://www.parkers.co.uk/choosing/carreviews/review.aspx?model_id=1137) and its a bit of a mixed bag really.

Costs to look out for seem to be niggly problems with reliability and expensive parts.

If you are under 25 or so, and passed your test within the last three or four years, particularly, then you will be absolutely hammered for insurance.

It will more than likely be sky high, no matter how much of an old banger / great and safe area you live in.

PT

You seem to be set on getting a car- have you thought about where you're going to park it?

Whether you're at SHU or UofS, you won't get a permit to park in one of the car parks (some of the staff don't get them either) and there's virtually nowhere nearby to park cars (in fact, if you're going to SHU the on street parking has been specifically set up so students can't drive to campus), so that means that during the day you won't get in the car to go in to classes.

And, assuming that your car is parked near your house, you won't want to take it out in the evening because you'll never find another parking spot to get back to the house.

Much of Sheffield suffers from these parking problems (including the street where I live) and it can be a real bind for all concerned.

If you haven't thought about the parking problems, please do so before you buy a car and get landed with the problems your self (of course, if you have a flat with a private parking space you're OK and I'm jealous!).

In the short term, cost out the occasional hire of a car plus a bus/tram pass weekly against the cost of running your car and still needing the tram/bus pass as the only way to get into uni.

Sorry to confuse things further for you.

Yep, perfectly true PT...

New driver 18y/o female in an N reg Rover 100 - best quote was £950 (3rd party F and T)

New driver 18 y/o female in an 05 Suzuki alto - Just short of £1.5k... (fully comp)

Did a dummy quote for January though, when I have 1 year of driving experience and hopefully 1 year of no claims, and it'll be around £900 (fully comp)

:rolleyes:

I don't think I'll lose my £400 excess until I'm at least 21/22... Then it only goes down to £250.... Once I hit 25, I'll have 7 years driving experience and then, and only then, will I be treat better! (Providing I keep driving as I do) :)

I stand very much corrected!

Thank you so much for the information, Cyclone. I have been finding it very hard to get a proper all inclusive estimate for the annual cost of cars. [I am so glad I found this forum and everyone here who has replied - thank you].

The 307 cc I found was not £14,500, but £11,000 (2004 model) as a product of my endless googling of car companies & showrooms. The Corsa I found was approx. £9,500, so the difference was not as much as £9,000 - £15,000. I does, however, appear that the difference in the long run is very substantial. I don't want to spend recklessly, I just want to drive something I enjoy looking at. I think it better to have something that I am proud of rather than just buy something that is expected of me.

Your breakdown has also very much complimented [B]Hels[/B question - "Do you really NEED a car?"... That is a wonderful question; one that (if I'm being honest) I never asked myself. I have just passed my test, so I assumed the natural progression was to buy a car. I also live in London and so felt I needed one to go to and from home. However, the price of return to London is £12-£20 a trip (on the Train). The cost of the car's insurance for a year could be >£2000 [taken from Cyclone's quote] and I don't know if that factors in the fact that I am a student and this is my first car [even though I did Pass Plus, can I even get insurance for a 307cc? Are there any students out there w/ insurance for convertibles?].

Agreeing wiht medusa here.

What are you going to be using the car for and how often are you going to use it?
When I was a student in Sheffield, buses got me anywhere I needed to go. You can't drive to Uni as there is nowhere to park without extreme cost, and what if you decide to got to the union at lunchtime with your mates, and end up doing an all day session? You can't drive home then!

Go for something smaller as a runaround, to do the weekly shop or take you places at the weekend.
Having a convertible won't make you any friends - though it might get you a few dates!

As a 1st year student and a car owner, I can honestly say that I hardly use my car now. I walk to uni and back (as a result of all the parking issues collegiate has to offer) - It really wouldnt be worth the shame of me trying to do a cramped parallel park - would it? lol :D

Living the student lifestyle, like you do, means your very rarely sober, so the car's gotta stay where it is anyway.
I do use it for work though... It's worth its weight in gold at 5am when I'm travelling to work... I also use it to get all my shopping in, get my tons of washing done/ trips to meadowhall, and days and nights out with bf/mates.
It makes life easier for me, but I'm not using it to its full potential, which annoys me...

I'm just lucky to have my own private parking space to keep it in, which many students dont have.

Why should students get "student" cars

They do - they're called "buses" :heyhey:

Thank you so much for the link. I agree, the review seems about as mixed up as I am!

Insurance is okay, but parts are expensive. Is really safe with alarm and immobiliser, but in a crash is 4/5 stars. Strong so durable, but really heavy. Large boot space, but not when the top's down... :(

I wish I could translate: "There's a 1.6 for the budget choice or two 2.0 units, with a either 138 or 180bhp."

And "From 2005 a 2.0 HDI joined the line up with 136bhp and is well suited to the relaxed driving style that suits the CC" - so that I could know if these are good or bad things.


Originally posted by npatchett
I've just checked on Parkers (http://www.parkers.co.uk/choosing/carreviews/review.aspx?model_id=1137) and its a bit of a mixed bag really.

Costs to look out for seem to be niggly problems with reliability and expensive parts.

Hi PT,

So that will happen irregardless of the car I choose?

Are you saying it may be better to wait 6 years? Will I not have forgotten how to drive by then? (Or is it like riding a bicycle?)

Originally posted by Plain Talker
If you are under 25 or so, and passed your test within the last three or four years, particularly, then you will be absolutely hammered for insurance.

It will more than likely be sky high, no matter how much of an old banger / great and safe area you live in.

PT

Originally posted by destinyx
Hi PT,

So that will happen irregardless of the car I choose?

Are you saying it may be better to wait 6 years? Will I not have forgotten how to drive by then? (Or is it like riding a bicycle?)

Take a look at the quotes I've given you on the previous page...
If you do wait 6 years, just take a refresher course and you'll soon be back into it.

Originally posted by caprice
New driver 18 y/o female in an 05 Suzuki alto - Just short of £1.5k... (fully comp)

Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez! I don't think I could afford to drive with insurance that high :|

Hi Medusa,
I must admit, I hadn't given parking much thought. I go to the University of Sheffield and know that the University has parking on campus for £50 p/m (if I park at Uni every weekday). I live at Halls of Residence and parking here is both available and free.

Taking the bus is the only other option for me (walking takes 45mins) - but it is neither frequent nor cheap :(

Originally posted by medusa666
You seem to be set on getting a car- have you thought about where you're going to park it?

Whether you're at SHU or UofS, you won't get a permit to park in one of the car parks (some of the staff don't get them either) and there's virtually nowhere nearby to park cars (in fact, if you're going to SHU the on street parking has been specifically set up so students can't drive to campus), so that means that during the day you won't get in the car to go in to classes.

And, assuming that your car is parked near your house, you won't want to take it out in the evening because you'll never find another parking spot to get back to the house.

Much of Sheffield suffers from these parking problems (including the street where I live) and it can be a real bind for all concerned.

If you haven't thought about the parking problems, please do so before you buy a car and get landed with the problems your self (of course, if you have a flat with a private parking space you're OK and I'm jealous!).

In the short term, cost out the occasional hire of a car plus a bus/tram pass weekly against the cost of running your car and still needing the tram/bus pass as the only way to get into uni.

Sorry to confuse things further for you.

Originally posted by D2J
Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez! I don't think I could afford to drive with insurance that high :|

I know, its a lot... Especially for a student like moi... :rolleyes: But you have got to get started somewhere...

I'd love something flash, sporty... I quite like them Tigra's... But with insurance that high for just a basic car like the alto, you'd have to be a moron to consider that at my age. Either that or too much money and not enough sense...

Originally posted by destinyx
Thank you so much for the link. I agree, the review seems about as mixed up as I am!

Insurance is okay, but parts are expensive. Is really safe with alarm and immobiliser, but in a crash is 4/5 stars. Strong so durable, but really heavy. Large boot space, but not when the top's down... :(

I wish I could translate: "There's a 1.6 for the budget choice or two 2.0 units, with a either 138 or 180bhp."

And "From 2005 a 2.0 HDI joined the line up with 136bhp and is well suited to the relaxed driving style that suits the CC" - so that I could know if these are good or bad things.

All that stuff relates to the power of the engine. As Parkers says the car is quite heavy so I expect it would be quite sluggish with the 1.6 engine. The 2.0 138bhp engine should be quite good I'd have thought and reasonably economic if driven sensibly.

The 2.0 HDI engine is a diesel and probably the best of the bunch as I bet the engine is full of torque. Of course, getting one with the HDI engine would mean getting a 2005 model so pretty new.

Lol, Caprice. I hear what you're saying about the drink - but given a choice between my car and a pint, I'd choose my car any day.

Thank you for the insurance quotes- [gender doesn't matter for insurance does it? I mean, I know that women are statistically better drivers and some companies only accept them- but do existing companies discriminate?]- the difference is rather shocking. But I must say, the quote for the Nissan(?) was 3rd party and the Suzuki a licenced driver quote...

Originally posted by caprice
As a 1st year student and a car owner, I can honestly say that I hardly use my car now. I walk to uni and back (as a result of all the parking issues collegiate has to offer) - It really wouldnt be worth the shame of me trying to do a cramped parallel park - would it? lol :D

Living the student lifestyle, like you do, means your very rarely sober, so the car's gotta stay where it is anyway.
I do use it for work though... It's worth its weight in gold at 5am when I'm travelling to work... I also use it to get all my shopping in, get my tons of washing done/ trips to meadowhall, and days and nights out with bf/mates.
It makes life easier for me, but I'm not using it to its full potential, which annoys me...

I'm just lucky to have my own private parking space to keep it in, which many students dont have.

Well when I had the old Rover 100 (It was 10 years old), it was £950 for me to insure it... No experience, 18 years old... Yet for my BF, who is 21, no experience, it was £1,250 on the same third party cover...

I do think they discriminate against gender, so watch out.

Originally posted by destinyx
Hi Medusa,
I must admit, I hadn't given parking much thought. I go to the University of Sheffield and know that the University has parking on campus for £50 p/m (if I park at Uni every weekday). I live at Halls of Residence and parking here is both available and free.

Taking the bus is the only other option for me (walking takes 45mins) - but it is neither frequent nor cheap :(

Having a price for parking is a totally different thing to actually getting a parking permit, and getting a permit doesn't guarantee a spot on a chosen day. Everyone I know who works at the university travels by tram or bike despite having access to a car.

You also won't be in halls next year, so don't let this year's preferentially easy parking sway your decision.

Weekly/monthly student bus passes are cheaper than you think, especially compared to £1500 pa insurance (that's £122.50 monthly, and doesn't include any other running costs).

I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but I am trying to make you consider all of the pitfalls before you commit yourself to the REALLY expensive world of motoring.

If you really want a car, and a reliable one, get a golf!!
Anyhow to give you an idea of how much I pay for insurance, I'm 22 with 0 NCB and pay £1300/year 3rd party... Mind you its an 1800cc engine.
All to change in a couple of months time, when I finally will have a full year NCB. I'll be paying £700/year which is far better.
I love my car, but its damn expensive. Its a luxury really..

I would have given my right arm to have a car when I was a student.
Just think of all the adventures you will have with your friends! You can really explore the Peaks and the countryside! You can get to know so much more of the area with a car. It really is personal freedom!

(Also all your mates will suck up to you to get lifts to and from Asda):D

If I were you, I'd go for a car that doesn't depecriate as badly as Peugot or a Vauxhall. Look at the resale value of Audi A3's or VW Golfs after 3 years (When you will be selling it no doubt). These cars will give you a decent amount of your cash back!

Good Luck!

Hi Andy,

Forgive my dumbness, but I don't understand why I cannot drive home from Uni after an all day session. Do they lock the car park at a certain time?

I must re-iterate that I am not doing anything for my friends - if my choice of car loses me (so called) friends, then they weren't worth it in the 1st place. I also wouldn't want to date a woman who wanted me for my convertible!

Originally posted by andwal
Agreeing wiht medusa here.

What are you going to be using the car for and how often are you going to use it?
When I was a student in Sheffield, buses got me anywhere I needed to go. You can't drive to Uni as there is nowhere to park without extreme cost, and what if you decide to got to the union at lunchtime with your mates, and end up doing an all day session? You can't drive home then!

Go for something smaller as a runaround, to do the weekly shop or take you places at the weekend.
Having a convertible won't make you any friends - though it might get you a few dates!

A "refresher course"? That sounds expensive...

[Though, why do I get the feeling someone's going to say "Not as expensive as a car in your first 6 years would" <lol>]

Originally posted by caprice
Take a look at the quotes I've given you on the previous page...
If you do wait 6 years, just take a refresher course and you'll soon be back into it.

Originally posted by destinyx
Forgive my dumbness, but I don't understand why I cannot drive home from Uni after an all day session. Do they lock the car park at a certain time?

I think that you two have different interpretations of the phrase 'all day session'.

You think work, Andy's thinking beer. *mutters under breath about students not having time to drink beer all day in my day*

ROFLMAO!!!!

The Vaxhall Tigra is cheaper than the 307cc, I'm a student and (I'm guessing) younger than you -- was that a hint?

Originally posted by caprice
I know, its a lot... Especially for a student like moi... :rolleyes: But you have got to get started somewhere...

I'd love something flash, sporty... I quite like them Tigra's... But with insurance that high for just a basic car like the alto, you'd have to be a moron to consider that at my age. Either that or too much money and not enough sense...

Thank you for the interpretation, npatchett - why they couldn't say that in English like you did, I don't know :rolleyes:.

Originally posted by npatchett
All that stuff relates to the power of the engine. As Parkers says the car is quite heavy so I expect it would be quite sluggish with the 1.6 engine. The 2.0 138bhp engine should be quite good I'd have thought and reasonably economic if driven sensibly.

The 2.0 HDI engine is a diesel and probably the best of the bunch as I bet the engine is full of torque. Of course, getting one with the HDI engine would mean getting a 2005 model so pretty new.

Personally, I'd go for something cheaper and have the cash to spare.

A Peugeot will lose money quickly, and parts and repairs generally cost a lot more than other cars.

Insurance on one of those will be unreal for someone with your age and (it seems from your post anyway) no experience (no claims). Ring up a company and get a quote or two and see what I mean - don't forget to give them your Sheffield postcode too, as it'll make a difference compared to your 'home' address.

To throw another random figure at you, I got a car during my last year of uni (1.3 Fiesta - 3 1/2 years old. I was 20.) and it cost £1300 for insurance (Fully Comp). I live in a VERY safe place, so Sheffield would be much higher.

I wish I could translate: "There's a 1.6 for the budget choice or two 2.0 units, with a either 138 or 180bhp."

And "From 2005 a 2.0 HDI joined the line up with 136bhp and is well suited to the relaxed driving style that suits the CC" - so that I could know if these are good or bad things.

The 1.6 would be very expensive to insure. I don't think they'd touch you with the 2.0. 180BHP is a LOT! It's more than putting 2 Ford Ka's together. It's the sort of power you'd get from a Lotus Elise (although a 307 is a lot heavier). More than most BMW Z3s. The Corsa you're looking at would have about 70BHP (or there abouts... I haven't checked, just an estimate.)

As has been said, the uni parking you have seen quoted isn't quite right. If you can get a category C parking permit, which means *if* you can find a place in the Uni's pay and display car park then you are allowed to pay (it is only a couple of quid all day IIRC). You are not guranteed a space. I'd take a look at the car parks when you normally go in, and see if there are spaces when you would otherwise use them before buying your car.

I can understand why you want a car, and a nice one at that, but I'd have to suggest aiming a bit lower to make your money go further. It's all well and good having an expensive car, but if you can't afford to put fuel in it, and insure it, it's neither use nor ornament. It's more fun to drive a cheap car than watch an expensive one rust on your drive.

:)

Edit:

Plus, in Sheffield a convertible is about as much use as chocolate teapot, unless you like the 'bedraggled cold and wet look'. It's grim up north.

all day session in the pub, not lectures.

I had a car in my final year at Aston in birmingham.
It was actually quite useful, but I only drove it about once a week, it was used for a fortnightly trip to asda and to go home once a month and for the occaisional jitsu course.
Parking was a problem (although easier than sheffield), it was hit twice whilst parked and no details left, I got two parking fines and one day in the torrential rain the exhaust blew on the M42 on the way back from jitsu in leicester.

Fortunately the car was only worth about £500 and my dad insured it, I just had to pay for the AA and maintenance.

If you want a more accurate insurance estimation goto privilege or norwich unions website and do the online quote (tesco as well, sometimes they give a good price).

And yes, being a man means insurance costs more, being under 21 and 25 costs more, having 0 years experience since passing costs more and having 0 no claims costs more. Basically you couldn't be in a worse position.

The other things that alter the price are where the car will be (both postcode area and street/driveway/garage), value of the car, insurance group of the car, 1 being best, 20 being worst. The 307CC is higher insurance group than my 2.5V6 Cougar. The Corsa is nearly as low as it goes, and there aren't many group 2 or 1 cars around.

Hi Medusa,

I really do appreciate your advice.

All university accomodation comes with a free permit (I believe- friends of mine are in flats and have told me their permits are free), but I understand what you mean- what is the point of having a car when all you can do is park it outside halls/your flat? I think looking at 5 years of taking the bus in Sheffield is what is making me a little hesitant to dismiss the car altogether. Admittedly, Sheffield buses are cleaner than most and the people on it are not half as rowdy as others- anyone who has gotten the bus from 3-5 in London and will know what I mean- but they do take a long time to get to where you want to go. The service in my area comes twice an hour, which makes it very upsetting if you miss one.

It just occured to me:
Does nobody have anything positive to say about having a car in Sheffield (I did read the shopping runs comment - but live in catered accomodation :()?

Originally posted by medusa666
Having a price for parking is a totally different thing to actually getting a parking permit, and getting a permit doesn't guarantee a spot on a chosen day. Everyone I know who works at the university travels by tram or bike despite having access to a car.

You also won't be in halls next year, so don't let this year's preferentially easy parking sway your decision.

Weekly/monthly student bus passes are cheaper than you think, especially compared to £1500 pa insurance (that's £122.50 monthly, and doesn't include any other running costs).

I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but I am trying to make you consider all of the pitfalls before you commit yourself to the REALLY expensive world of motoring.

I feel the same way, Deavon - but it seems that the odds are against me. I'm bottom of the pile according to Cyclone!


**Sigh**

So, that's 2 votes for a Golf from Sony and Deavon - any particular ones? Surely Golf and A3s are expensive too. My mother drives the A3 and that cost her £20,000+ a few years ago...

Originally posted by Deavon
I would have given my right arm to have a car when I was a student.
Just think of all the adventures you will have with your friends! You can really explore the Peaks and the countryside! You can get to know so much more of the area with a car. It really is personal freedom!

(Also all your mates will suck up to you to get lifts to and from Asda):D

If I were you, I'd go for a car that doesn't depecriate as badly as Peugot or a Vauxhall. Look at the resale value of Audi A3's or VW Golfs after 3 years (When you will be selling it no doubt). These cars will give you a decent amount of your cash back!

Good Luck!

Thank you all for all your advice both for and against the car.

The tech details Sniperwookie, npatchett and Cyclone really gave on the 307cc made me re-think it. Plus as Sniperwookie said here in Sheffield, I'd be sporting "bedraggled cold and wet look" in a convertible [why does it rain *so much* here???]

I think I'll enjoy pedestrian-hood a little longer and gather more information about parking in Sheffield, insurance and learn what "BPH" refers to in car-speak. I would really appreciate info from anyone who has sugestions for good garages and stylish cars that are good investments (I won't hold my breath though! :).

Thanks again.

Well.. A brand new golf will cost you £11000.
A new A3 will cost you £15000.
As previously mentionned I would never buy new unless I could really afford it.
1 year old is your best bet.
If it is a convertible you're after, get a golf convertible, lookswise you cant get better IMO, but a convertible does seem a bit of a waste in this country!
I'm a real VW nutter but I would choose the A3 if I did have 15k going spare.
The sensible option is the golf. Good resale value, build quality, looks, reliabilty.....
Up to you!!

Just think how many different cars you will be able to hire for when you need one for less than the cost of insuring a money pit of your own!

I did the sums myself, as a 31 year old with 6 years no claims, and it still came out cheaper to hire a car for 5 days a month than to pay to run one full time. I bought a £400 15 year old SAAB and ran about in that for 18 months when occasional car use became impractical.

Of course, now I qualify for a car from Motability, I get the best of all worlds, with a new Scenic and paying only for the petrol. I'd trade my health for the cheap motoring though.

Buy an old banger with 12 months MOT, any problems you can't fix yourself bin it,repeat every year until qualified.
PS don.t worry about it getting scratched.

Just had to walk home after an accident on West Street, so the money pit's looking pretty good right now, Medusa - thank you kindly for your advice, but as much as I'd like to wait & save the money; living without a car & being able to drive is just depressing!

Sony, been looking into Golfs and I gotta say; a lot of them are more impressive inside than out :( Any suggestions on models would be very much appreciated.

Matsalleh, I think that's a good idea in theory - but I don't have a clue about cars, so probably couldn't fix anything = supreme waste of money. Thank you for the advice, though :) I really appreciate it.

The way to get the best deal is to buy a car 1-2 years old. Last year when i borugh my car i got an 18 month old ford fiesta zetec 1.4 for 5750, i had been looking at the same car new for around 8500 :hihi:
But maybe it's best to see if you can manage without? The other point is that although the halls are pretty safe and tend to have secure car parking the student streets are not. When i lived just off ecclesall road (i had a v old metro at the time) i saw many wing mirrors hanging off and one one morning a line of polyfilla squirted along a row of cars. :loopy: It's mainly petty vandalism but i know i'd be really annoyed if someone did that to my car now.:rant:

Why don't you assess the real cost of car ownership for a year, depreciation, tax, insurance, parking the damn thing, blah blah, and see if it would be more practical to hire something nice of a weekend?

Unless you've got yourself some accommodation where you're entitled to a parking space, having a car in Sheffield if you're a student just seems mad :loopy:

And owning a car just adds another stress. You can guarantee that it will need something major doing to it, or it will get broken into - just when you've got exams you want to concentrate on ;)

only ford holding it's money is the puma.BTW

I'm a little surprised that if you are intent on owning a flashy car destinyx, no-one has yet suggested you get yourself ...... a red subaru! :hihi:

{I'll PM you with an explanation!}

Originally posted by willman
only ford holding it's money is the puma.BTW

I wasn't suggesting he bought a ford (although i'm very happy with mine:clap: ) i wa just illustrating how much money you can save by not buying new:thumbsup: