My new car?!

[The Negotiator]

Just spoken to the family and it looks 90% sure I will be getting my mum's laguna 1.8 98-R-reg (A/C, CD, E/S/R etc.). It's all really complicated how I will fund it but I don't have to pay her off until I sell the car/work through the summer and my insurance will cost me about £400 from easter until start of uni next year (end of sept). Then sell it and buy a more reasonable car at a similar time next year which if I get onto the sandwich course will last me at least until the end of the third year.

My big worry is I can only insurance it TPFT which isn't great but well, we still have a lot to discuss. We know the car is fine (just needs new front brakes and the cambelt doing) so gets rid of the worries of buying a new one.

I am quite cheery about it, all this crap right now means I need something positive.

 

[wolfracepunto]

Good news

Not a bad second car!!!

 

[The Negotiator]

Nope , it's really high spec for a RT model (had a few extras added, we bought it at 3 years old) and it's only got about 48k on the clock I think. It's really smooth too, not the most powerful of engines by any stretch for a 1.8 (8v, more torque than go) but that means I can insure it at least.

It relies on us all agreeing though too, my mum wants me to only drive during the summer, but I want easter onwards. She wants me to drive a scenic (we have two now) but this means sharing one with them which (given my long long holiday) is a problem.

Can't wait if i pull it off!

 

[Liam]

Really slow, and watch the maintenance Paulie.

Liam

 

[The Negotiator]

You were hardly going to like it Liam!!!

DO you think I am bothered about speed being a 19 year old? No, I am bothered about gadgets and insurance.

It will also do 0-60 quicker than a sporting and not stop until 112 instead of 93. It's not a quick car but I never claimed it to be

Also doing onto maybe 3k in 8 months means the maintenance won't concern me. It's a known qunatity, we know how well looked after it is.

 

[arc]

is it petrol or diesel Paul? If its fine for what you want then go for it.. stop comparing things to sportings tho, i'm willing to bet vital body organs a sporting handles better

 

[The Negotiator]

It does without a doubt, the laguna probably weighs twice as much as is only a measely 95BHP (it's a old engine!)

I compare to sportings because everybody owns them that's all.

It's petrol, quote for TPFT is £760, comp is £1250 cheapest

I would prefer a 1.9 NA D megane or 1.4 megane (or 1.9D clio) but I think this is the simplest options and it's a lovely car inside.

 

[dave]

so you will be off to www.renaultforum.com then

 

[The Negotiator]

Nope, you haven't minded me staying here for a while so won't in the future lol. (well, all relative anyway!)

Best this site beats it 100x, i like the passion about Fiat.

 

[joecinq]

nice one

don't let the door hit you on the way out

 

[The Negotiator]

It's not guarenteed, they offered, I said no.

"****" so i phoned back but everything i said put them off a bit so, well, we will have to see.

 

[Dr_Pepper]

Haha nice link dave - click and you instantly get "Das forum Fur Renault Freaks!!!"

Why don't you continue your mother's insurance policy and get put on as a named driver - got to be cheaper provided they have a good record. Good luck with it and don't forget when you're finished with it to get a nice pokey french ugly tiny expensive clio - someone I know recommends them.

You should get a megane...blah blah blah etc...we're a Renault family.

 

[JonnyBoy]

Thats a hell of a lot of car for a student! That cambelt change might be a sting at a garage though.

... now bugger off boyo, this is a Fiat forum, you're no longer welcome here you dirty Renault lover

 

[The Negotiator]

If i go on my mums it will probably cost more actually (amazingly) - no idea why, well, blame SAGA.

Also, if i decide to keep it for the full 12 months I get another full years NCB.

 

[The Negotiator]

Cambelt apparently will wait until the summer but they said it needs to be done properly, no haynes manual bodge a job dammit

If it's value doesn't drop below a certain amount I will make money out of owning it

 

[Dr_Pepper]

Yes SAGA could be the problem - After all you're not quite 50 yet if I recall?

 

[The Negotiator]

Apparently being old in the mind like a 50 year old doesn't count lol

They will insure me as a named driver but it's hardly a reasonable cost.

 

[The Negotiator]

Also I phoned churchill and the best they could offer me "as you're 19" was fully comp, weird.

 

[arseofbox]

Cambelt apparently will wait until the summer but they said it needs to be done properly, no haynes manual bodge a job dammit

My arse its a bodge job....If its a bodge job the thing wont start and will probably eat itself! (I think Renault use an interference design for most 'plants).

Take your time on it, and its all good ...could always claim its vital to do it that way as its a vaguely reasonable way to get some industrial experience....Least thats how I fobbed off my reason for filling the garage with metal and expletives for three weeks...

 

[Liam]

Dad had an N plate, Laguna RT 1.8

Plus points (Yes Paul and Aaron, I actually liked something!)

Quite good stero for standard, steering wheel controls too.

Good ride quality

Bad points

Due to the good ride quality, the Laguna's engine sits too far down thus chewing tyres if tracking not dead on and also wearing out suspension bits prematurely i.e. wishbones and struts.

They can suffer like most french cars from electrical gremlins.

In my Dad's ownership it needed a heater matrix, brake light switch, and 2 wishbones, 1st covered by warranty the rest not, this was a 45K car owned by a Reverend and my dad is old enough to be one so he didn't rag it.

Happy motoring but wach out.

Liam