From: Peter on
What can I get as my next car? I have a Megane2 1.6 3dr (115) at the
moment. The insurance renewal is around £650.

I want to get something that is faster, but where the insurance is
cheaper and car tax no more expensive. I have minor accident 3 years
ago where I dinted the wheel arch. 1 speeding infraction 2 years ago.
sb or sp30 or something like that?

Are there any options? I don't want a diesel.

Looking for something that is used, and 2 to 3 years old so has
already lost a lot of its cost from new.

Was looking for something similar in size to Golf/Astra/Focus hatch
etc.

I looked at the Astra Sri Turbo a year ago (can't afford vxr:( )and
insurance was only around £800 for me, similar price for the Civic
S-Type as well (cant afford R). I imagine if my insurance price for
whatever reason has gone slightly up on what i have already then price
for that will have gone up to.

Any other options ideas on what I could look at? Are the Tsi engines
any good, and any I can get used worth looking at? Could you get a
140hp Tsi on cheaper insurance and have it chiped to give more
performance?
From: Albert T Cone on
Peter wrote:
> What can I get as my next car? I have a Megane2 1.6 3dr (115) at the
> moment. The insurance renewal is around £650.
>
> I want to get something that is faster, but where the insurance is
> cheaper and car tax no more expensive. I have minor accident 3 years
> ago where I dinted the wheel arch. 1 speeding infraction 2 years ago.
> sb or sp30 or something like that?

There is a bit of a contradiction there, especially if you want to stick
with hatchbacks. Hot hatch+sp30/accident record = not cheap


> Are there any options? I don't want a diesel.
The insurance premiums are statistically based, so the only way to
escape your categorisation is to drive something which doesn't match
your category. In other words, it may be worth looking at cars other
than hatchbacks; try getting a quote on a volvo s40 T4, or a SAAB 93
aero, or some other high powered variety of a model typically driven by
older more sedate drivers

> Looking for something that is used, and 2 to 3 years old so has
> already lost a lot of its cost from new.
If that is for reasons of image, then I can't suggest anything, but if
it is for reasons of reliability then I wouldn't discount something
older or which has done a higher mileage if you are reasonably sure it
hasn't been thrashed.
You could get an '03 mondeo 3.0V6 St220 with 100k miles for about £3k,
or an '02 Merc C320 with 60k miles for £4.5k.

> Was looking for something similar in size to Golf/Astra/Focus hatch
> etc.
Unfortunately that is the most expensive type of car to insure, per
performance.

> Any other options ideas on what I could look at? Are the Tsi engines
> any good, and any I can get used worth looking at? Could you get a
> 140hp Tsi on cheaper insurance and have it chiped to give more
> performance?
By all accounts they are really quite nice engines, and yes, you can
chip them, but the insurance companies really won't like you if you do
From: Rob on
On 11/07/2010 01:24, JackH wrote:
> On Jul 10, 10:41 pm, Peter<i...(a)ztec.com> wrote:
>

>
>> I know in quite a few models of cars you have the same basic car, with
>> the same engine, the only difference is the programming on the chip?
>
> Doubtful that it's just down to the map - in older VAG TDI terms,
> you've usually got a different turbo / different injectors etc, and I
> believe the 150bhp TDI lump as found in the Golf GT TDI had different
> internals as well.
>

IIUC the only engine difference between the Mini One and the Mini Cooper
is ECU programming.

Rob
From: Chris Bartram on
On 11/07/10 01:24, JackH wrote:

>



>> I know in quite a few models of cars you have the same basic car, with
>> the same engine, the only difference is the programming on the chip?
>


There's usually a physical difference too, as JackH has mentioned. For
example, the 1.4 16V in my better half's Lupo comes in a 75 or 100BHP
variant: The engines look very similar, but for a start the cams are
different, as well as the ECU map.

>> I was looking at ecu as being sort of the same deal. You don't physically do
>> anything to the brains of the car
>
You do. You change the instructions in it. If it says 'supply this much
fuel and this much boost' and you alter that instruction, it's as much
of a mod as say swapping a carb for a DCOE, but easier.
From: Adrian on
Peter <inc(a)ztec.com> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

> Surely re-mapping the chip isn't modifying is it?

Of course it is.