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General First car

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General First car

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Baxter2000

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Mar 8, 2017
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Okie dokie so I'll be 17 in 16 days as if writing this post so will soon be getting my first car and I'm always coming back to Seic Spotrings. Cheap to buy and insure, they look awesome on bags and it's something different. However, I have three questions I would greatly appreciate being answered before I buy one.

1.) I'm 6 foot 4, will I fit in one? May sound like a stupid question if you know I can't but some cars are like a TARDIS. If it's a case of my head would rub on the roof I'm not too bothered because I'll get racing seats #becauseracecar

2.) Just a basic anything to look for when buying one. Rust spots, common faults etc.

3.) Would a cheeky little supercharger work? Can the blocks take it? If not what would I need to do to make it work? What supercharger would you recommend?

Thanks in advance.
 
Well Baxter, I honestly don't want to sound patronising & burst your bubble young fella, but I'd seriously doubt if you would be able to get insurance with the requirements you have mentioned regarding a supercharger. Realistically you're going to have to set your sights on something more in keeping with a first car, even this will cost a bomb to insure.....:)
 
I can insure a Seic for £1100, and I just won't tell them I'm going to modify it until renewal
 
Baxter2000 said:
I can insure a Seic for £1100, and I just won't tell them I'm going to modify it until renewal
Click to expand...
Keep your fingers crossed that you don't need to use your insurance until the renewal. Because they will not pay out if it's been modified in anyway and you haven't informed them.

Why not get a Sei and just leave it stock for the first year, then mod it if that's what you want as you will have 1yr no claims bonus so should be cheaper.

If you get a Schumacher or Abarth they look better but I think they are still only classed as a Sporting.

Screenshot_20161118-064318.png
Screenshot_20170309-092241.png
 
you won't make friends round here saying stuff like that, stuff like that is why premiums are so high for you young'uns. There is almost no point in having insurance if you do that. Suck it up, have a normal car, get some experience and some ncb. I had 5 cars before I ever modded one and I can 100% say I am no less into cars and modding things than you..
 
blu73 said:
you won't make friends round here saying stuff like that, stuff like that is why premiums are so high for you young'uns. There is almost no point in having insurance if you do that. Suck it up, have a normal car, get some experience and some ncb. I had 5 cars before I ever modded one and I can 100% say I am no less into cars and modding things than you..
Click to expand...



I know that, I was just joking. I apologise that didn't come across. I'll be waiting a year anyway and believe me, I'm not the typical yob that puts a Pringles can as an exhaust and messing around in a car park. I want to put on a small supercharger just to make the car more practical, not to speed about everywhere. I'm into detailing and will be spending hundreds on cleaning products. One of my friends is the type who doesn't think and prays around and I won't get in the car with him because of that. As for saying things such as 'suck it up', I don't think that is necessary. Also, I assume your idea of a normal car is a 2008 Corsa and I assure you, I've looked at over 100 cars insurance, and this car is the cheapest. I can buy and insure a good one for £1500. Additionally, you haven't answered any of my questions which were the reason for my post.
 
jaygrint said:
Keep your fingers crossed that you don't need to use your insurance until the renewal. Because they will not pay out if it's been modified in anyway and you haven't informed them.

Why not get a Sei and just leave it stock for the first year, then mod it if that's what you want as you will have 1yr no claims bonus so should be cheaper.

If you get a Schumacher or Abarth they look better but I think they are still only classed as a Sporting.

View attachment 178161
View attachment 178162
Click to expand...



Yeah my plan is to keep it as is for a year anyway. Saying I wouldn't tell the insurance company was a joke. See my reply to blu73. Also I am looking mostly at the Abarth versions.
 
1.) I'm 6 foot 4, will I fit in one? May sound like a stupid question if you know I can't but some cars are like a TARDIS. If it's a case of my head would rub on the roof I'm not too bothered because I'll get racing seats #becauseracecar

Yep, no problem (y)

2.) Just a basic anything to look for when buying one. Rust spots, common faults etc.

Check around the rear arches in the boot, those are the worst areas for rust. As for common faults, none really. The SPI ECU and engine are pretty bullet proof, the MPI does have a few issue with the micro ECU but as long as the car runs and idles fine then there shouldn't be an issue.

3.) Would a cheeky little supercharger work? Can the blocks take it? If not what would I need to do to make it work? What supercharger would you recommend?

The block can take it, but they need some engine power to wind them up, so without supporting mods would likely lose you some of the few hp the engine is making. R1NGA supercharged a Panda so could provide more info.
 
supercharger is possible but = £££s and won't be that fast at all unless you spend many many more £s than it costs to convert it. There is many many fast centos out there, not many supercharged ones. But for reference my old turbo sei is still about, making triple standard power, bottom end is basically factory bar the pistons have been machined down a bit to lower CR, so if anything weaker than stock - you'll be hard pushed to destroy a 1108 fire engine without some serious serious upgrades. Pop a headgasket maybe but not destroy the block - assuming its running and fuelled right.

I'd say forget about the supercharger myself - unless you really want one. What i'd suggest would depend hugely on what you wanted from the resulting car.
 
Might be a good idea to walk before you run.

So start out with some basic mods throttle body, induction kit, upgraded HT lead and a full proper service.

All these can be kept if you decide to push things further with Engine/Turbo conversions etc at a later stage.

This will give you good experience before jumping in at the deep end.

Good luck.
 
What about you buy a nice standard Schumacher or Abarth and learn how to look after and maintain it correctly , given time the unmolested ones are going to be the ones to own

I know it's a youngster thing but the first question should be how do I make it stop better not how do I give it more power

In standard trim they are a great little car handle well and quite nippy too

My son had a modified Polo G40 lowered etc and it was actually cheaper to insure the Civic type R he replaced it with
 
dadandlad said:
What about you buy a nice standard Schumacher or Abarth and learn how to look after and maintain it correctly , given time the unmolested ones are going to be the ones to own

I know it's a youngster thing but the first question should be how do I make it stop better not how do I give it more power

In standard trim they are a great little car handle well and quite nippy too

My son had a modified Polo G40 lowered etc and it was actually cheaper to insure the Civic type R he replaced it with
Click to expand...



Yeah I get that. And don't worry, I'll be getting vented discs
 
Baxter2000 said:
Yeah I get that. And don't worry, I'll be getting vented discs
Click to expand...

and thus different calipers ;)

tbh there is so much stuff on here about modding cento's - you want to just have a browse through some people build threads. I very much doubt you can think of anything thats not been done and been covered before.
 
Baxter2000 said:
Yeah I get that. And don't worry, I'll be getting vented discs
Click to expand...

and bigger wheels....and you are back to square one...enormous insurance bill.

The standard brakes, if properly maintained with quality pads/discs/drums/shoes/adjusters/cables (all covered ad infinitum within these pages) are more than suitable for spirited driving.

Any cento is going to long in the tooth and possibly maintained on a shoe string budget.

Make sure the shell is not rusty, particularly around the rear and rear seat areas, anything else can be replaced relatively cheaply.

D
 
Baxter2000 said:
I want to put on a small supercharger just to make the car more practical, not to speed about everywhere. I'm into detailing and will be spending hundreds on cleaning products. One of my friends is the type who doesn't think and prays around and I won't get in the car with him because of that. As for saying things such as 'suck it up', I don't think that is necessary. Also, I assume your idea of a normal car is a 2008 Corsa and I assure you, I've looked at over 100 cars insurance, and this car is the cheapest. I can buy and insure a good one for £1500. Additionally, you haven't answered any of my questions which were the reason for my post.
Click to expand...

Sorry i just read this back properly, I'm not being off. People into cars and modding cars really want to just get a car and start making changes, making it there own but this all costs money and seriously hikes up your premium... Now if you have stupidly deep pockets this is no issue but if you did then you wouldn't be here saying you are gonna get a cinq/sei because they are cheap to buy and insure...

And no, my idea of a normal car is not a corsa, god forbid, don't do that!!! :ROFLMAO: No, all i meant is get a car, leave it as is, just repair stuff that needs repairing, keep it well maintained. There is nothing at all wrong with a bone stock cinq/sei. So what i meant was get one, whatever takes your fancy you can afford (preferably a cento) clean it up, look after it, be proud of it and don't anything to it bar that, maybe some decent tyres as that makes a huge difference - 99.9% of any cento you buy will have been used and abused - most of them been owned by people like yourself who just got it because it was cheap, they had no intention of keeping it long term and most of them probably not even a little bit into cars other than the freedom it provides having one. So really, unless you are lucky, you are gonna end up with a car thats probably overdue a cam belt, overdue fresh fluids, never had anything changed unless it completely died. For me, no matter what car i have bought - i have had a fair few, the first big spend is full service, all fluids, all filters, check over the brakes, brake lines, check how old the tyres are replace with some good quality new ones, check over all the suspension, all the bushes on the car. All this stuff freshen up the car, new bushings and stuff makes it feel much more new and less wooly. Trust me when i say you can spend a small fortune just replacing stuff that you are not going to change if you then one day decide to start modding stuff - and non of it effects your insurance and it gives you a good intro to working on cars if you haven't. Like rallycinq says, so long as its not rotten everything is cheap to buy and its super simple car to work on.

My first car was a classic beetle with classic car insurance, thats how i kept insurance cheap. Followed by a classic mini, then another beetle. Then i had a crappy vauxhall nova 1.2 4-door cause i needed a car and it was pretty much given to me by my big sister when she went travelling. After she came back I got a stock 899cc cinq from an aunt which was a total riot to drive around. Yes it was slow, yes it leaned like no tomorrow round corners, everyone took the **** but it did its job and it made me smile. That died a valiant death and I got a sei sporting instead cause i loved the cinq so much and this forum and the friends i had made. That stayed pretty much stock too, just some wheels off a punto and a nice exhaust, few little bits. Loads of fun and plenty fast enough to get into trouble. It was only after all that and what must've been about 4 or 5 years of driving that I had anything remotely modified and it still cost me a fair whack (not by modern standards for someone the age i was but still) and trust me when i say i really wanted to change things on all of them.

So when i say suck it up i mean it - you aren't gonna be driving around in a supercharged cento for at least a few years once passing - if you could afford to then you prob wouldnt even get a cento as your first car (although you should because epic cars lol). Get a car, enjoy it, get some proper driving experience, go to shows, have fun and meet people you wouldnt have before you could drive and go anywhere, bugger off to cornwall for a week just because you can, smile at your friends who mock your little fiat despite not having a car of their own. Then after a year or so stuff like changing wheels and lowering etc doesn't make such a huge difference, few years after that you'll look at engine swaps, turbo conversions etc. Or like alot of young people that got one as their first car you will just go buy something that is just bigger and/or quicker - depends how much you fall for your first car i suppose.

Apparently I didn't answer your question.. so sorry
1. yes
2. rust around rear - other than that same as any car
3. just forget about it
 
Last edited:
rallycinq said:
The standard brakes, if properly maintained with quality pads/discs/drums/shoes/adjusters/cables (all covered ad infinitum within these pages) are more than suitable for spirited driving.
Click to expand...
Exactly.
Cinq & Sei are very VERY light cars, only weighing slightly more than the air contained inside them!!
So they don't need big brakes and wide tyres.

When I got my 899 Cinq in 2005 I put a new set of Ferodo Premier front pads in. Still haven't worn them out and they work very well.
Rear drums & shoes need setting up well to work properly, but once sorted they are fine for the car. You can even get a working handbrake.... my MOT man is amazed every year. :)
 
blu73 said:
Sorry i just read this back properly, I'm not being off. People into cars and modding cars really want to just get a car and start making changes, making it there own but this all costs money and seriously hikes up your premium... Now if you have stupidly deep pockets this is no issue but if you did then you wouldn't be here saying you are gonna get a cinq/sei because they are cheap to buy and insure...

And no, my idea of a normal car is not a corsa, god forbid, don't do that!!! :ROFLMAO: No, all i meant is get a car, leave it as is, just repair stuff that needs repairing, keep it well maintained. There is nothing at all wrong with a bone stock cinq/sei. So what i meant was get one, whatever takes your fancy you can afford (preferably a cento) clean it up, look after it, be proud of it and don't anything to it bar that, maybe some decent tyres as that makes a huge difference - 99.9% of any cento you buy will have been used and abused - most of them been owned by people like yourself who just got it because it was cheap, they had no intention of keeping it long term and most of them probably not even a little bit into cars other than the freedom it provides having one. So really, unless you are lucky, you are gonna end up with a car thats probably overdue a cam belt, overdue fresh fluids, never had anything changed unless it completely died. For me, no matter what car i have bought - i have had a fair few, the first big spend is full service, all fluids, all filters, check over the brakes, brake lines, check how old the tyres are replace with some good quality new ones, check over all the suspension, all the bushes on the car. All this stuff freshen up the car, new bushings and stuff makes it feel much more new and less wooly. Trust me when i say you can spend a small fortune just replacing stuff that you are not going to change if you then one day decide to start modding stuff - and non of it effects your insurance and it gives you a good intro to working on cars if you haven't. Like rallycinq says, so long as its not rotten everything is cheap to buy and its super simple car to work on.

My first car was a classic beetle with classic car insurance, thats how i kept insurance cheap. Followed by a classic mini, then another beetle. Then i had a crappy vauxhall nova 1.2 4-door cause i needed a car and it was pretty much given to me by my big sister when she went travelling. After she came back I got a stock 899cc cinq from an aunt which was a total riot to drive around. Yes it was slow, yes it leaned like no tomorrow round corners, everyone took the **** but it did its job and it made me smile. That died a valiant death and I got a sei sporting instead cause i loved the cinq so much and this forum and the friends i had made. That stayed pretty much stock too, just some wheels off a punto and a nice exhaust, few little bits. Loads of fun and plenty fast enough to get into trouble. It was only after all that and what must've been about 4 or 5 years of driving that I had anything remotely modified and it still cost me a fair whack (not by modern standards for someone the age i was but still) and trust me when i say i really wanted to change things on all of them.

So when i say suck it up i mean it - you aren't gonna be driving around in a supercharged cento for at least a few years once passing - if you could afford to then you prob wouldnt even get a cento as your first car (although you should because epic cars lol). Get a car, enjoy it, get some proper driving experience, go to shows, have fun and meet people you wouldnt have before you could drive and go anywhere, bugger off to cornwall for a week just because you can, smile at your friends who mock your little fiat despite not having a car of their own. Then after a year or so stuff like changing wheels and lowering etc doesn't make such a huge difference, few years after that you'll look at engine swaps, turbo conversions etc. Or like alot of young people that got one as their first car you will just go buy something that is just bigger and/or quicker - depends how much you fall for your first car i suppose.

Apparently I didn't answer your question.. so sorry
1. yes
2. rust around rear - other than that same as any car
3. just forget about it
Click to expand...



Brilliant advice man. And with my business I'm starting I'll be able to turbo/super charge it after the first yeah. I could afford a better car but when I was about 8 my dad showed me a picture of a car that he crashed into, it had pulled in front of his van in the depot, and it was a Seic. Since then I've always thought they were call little cars and I've always wanted something a little different :)
 
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