HELP! Advice needed!

[Cassie-Nova]

Hey guys,

I am in a right 2 n 8 and need some opinions and advice, please!

I am a very proud owner of a Mk1 1.2 Nova, 1986, C-Reg, 4 speed gimp-mobile! Although I passed my driving test about a month ago, I have owned the car for 1 and a half years. I was content with this until i learnt my best mate bought a BMW 318 Compact today, and am even more power hungry now that I was before! :cry:

I really want a motor thats gona shift, preferably a nova! Now, I have a weber 32/34 to fit, and know i could increase BHP a bit with a full sys exhaust - but is it worth? I'm currently paying ?1300 insurance on the 1.2, would a Nova 1.6 GTE/GSi be a MASSIVE increase or wouldn't it be too much of an increase? Should I stick with the 1.2 until i get a years o claims and fit the webber? Or should I look into getting a new motor?!

Please help! Unfortunatly I doubt I could afford to insure a 2ltr Nova :?

Cheers guys!

Jim

[Riggy]

if you wantedto stick to the 1.2

you could

fit 1300 crank and rods with the 1.2 pistons
fit the 32/34 carb onto a 1300 inlet manifold
full gte/gsi zorst sys

would be roughly sr power but still cheap on insurance wise

[dooooney]

get a 1.4 engine and do the do up guide thats on the site thats what i plan 2 do

[ade]

stick with the 1.2 and live with the fact that you aint gonna go as fast as your m8 in theyre bmw. Not yet anyway. :roll:

REMEMBER - You've just passed your test!

Take it easy - ditch the "I wanna go faster than them" thought and concentrate on gaining experience in driving properly and safely!

Your main goal over the next 2 years is to get out of that probation period, build up no claims and keep yer license clean.

That way when you get a car with more power you'll be able to handle it and be safe. Alternaticely you can always get a track car and bomb it round a hot hatch circuit each month...

I work in car insurance - if youve just passed your test you'll have probably 0 no claims bonus and based on your current premiums and knowing most decent insurance companies, you'll be lucky if you get insured on a GTE (1.6) sized car. No chance on a 2ltr modded nova. If you did get cover for a GTE it'd a killer on comprehensive (?2k+) and on 3rd party only prob ?1900+ and many underwriters will whack on a loading as a precaution or ramp up your excesses - which I'm guessing are pretty high at the moment anyway.

:(

As for engine mods - I'd save your money and make the car look good rather than increase the power. Most insurers wont add too much premium on lowering the suspension a bit and adding a decent sound system and alloys...

At the end of the day on a standard 1.2 with 4 gears your probably only gonna get another 5-8bhp tops.


My advice - save up - in 2 yrs get a GTE engine and transplant it to your nova - or better still stick a 1.4 engine with 32/34 weber carbs (thats what I have at the mo and its v quick) - will still be costly insurance wise but not as much as a GTE + if youre claim free you'll have 2 yrs no claims!

And if you mod - declare them - the last thing you need after just passing your test is getting into an accident (touch wood you dont) and getting banned for having your insurance voided due to undeclared mods.

:x

For info - there's currently a big drive in the insurance industry regarding undeclared mods too. Many insurers are getting heavy with non declared mods so watch out guys n gals...if youre insurance is declared null and void as a result of a smash that you caused then the police will prosecute - you'll more than likely get banned, points, a fine as well as face charges and costs for the injuries to the 3rd party.

Doom and Gloom but the sensible approach

:roll:

[nathan.]

agreed ade!
just be patient mate! save money and gain experience!

p.s bmw's are poo! :lol:

[Matt2107]

Or............. I'm giving away a 1.4 SR for nothing

If your anywhere near Oxford then your welcome to it. Its in a bad way but the engine is pretty good.

[Stuart]

indeed the 318 compact isnt exactly mind atleringly fast.

be happy knowing your fuel will cost less :)

i ran my 1.2 for 5 years and was fairly happy with it and then with the 5 years ncb i stepped up to a nice "fast" car (but im getting rid as i dont like the fuel bill lol)

just be patient and the good things will come.

[Cassie-Nova]

Cheers for the comments guys - esp you Ade, makes a lot of sense mate!

Out of interest would a 1.3SR or a 1.4SR be a lot more on the insurance?

Cheers guys!

Jim

[Stuart]

just call up your ins company and ask! they will be the best people to tell you, not some bunch of people who dont know your details etc lol

[SKoob]

I was charged no extra insurance going from a 1.2Merit to a 1.3SR :wink:

[peester]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/peester/nos.jpg

[Jack]

be happy knowing your fuel will cost less :)

i ran my 1.2 for 5 years and was fairly happy with it and then with the 5 years ncb i stepped up to a nice "fast" car (but im getting rid as i dont like the fuel bill lol)

just be patient and the good things will come.
Wise words, thats what I did - I put up with a 0.9l Uno for my first year of driving, then stuck with a couple of 1.2's for the next four and a half years... now i'm enjoying every minute of my celica, and happy in the knowledge that so far I've been paying relatively wallet-safe insurance premiums - unlike my mate who's had 205 gti's and is paying through the nose (and lost out when he totalled them both lol).

To be fair, if you're paying ?1300 on a 1.2 then forget about modifying or anything more than a 1.3 as the insurance will be crazy. Although the 1.3 is only group 5 (as opposed to your gp4 1.2) the 1.4 and 1.6 are groups 7-10.

Incidentally my 12NV J reg felt a lot faster than my 12ST H reg saloon... :wink:

[mad-driver]

why should you be worried that your mate has a bmw compact? they're slow and horrid