I had a 93K Sunny GTi 2.0ie from new which I kept for 5 years and 100k+ miles with no problems. A great car which was What Car Hot Hatch for 2 consecutive years.
My son wants to buy one but the majority advertised seem to be grey imports, as well as loads of GTi-Rs which are out of his price bracket to buy and insure.
Does anyone know if there are problems with servicing the non UK spec cars? and what is a reasonable price for a 92-94 UK spec model?
Thanks
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Hello Bob,
I have great sympathy with your son's problem, but I fear if he can't afford to buy the car he can't afford to insure it. You see, however much they may protest, after over 50 years contemplation of the issue, I have to conclude that insurers' charges have much less to do with risk assessment than maximisising income.
On the whole, whatever the ads say, insurers stick together. When they quote "statistics". whose figures are they quoting? What in fact happens is, if you propose a car of any interest, they immediately stipulate an exorbitant premium with conditions which very largely reduce the risk to themselves, relying on the hope that as an enthusiast you will cough up. If not, you will almost certainly need some vastly boring vehicle and will have to pay for that, so they cannot lose. The law has put them in a position where they can extort an iniquitous impost which is, in fact, an amenity charge.
I hate to be negativistic, but perhaps the best the good lad can do now is to suffer the most boring vehicle he can stomach meantime and build up the "no claim" - ie good luck - bonus to the maximum and then try again.
I realise how appalling this is going to sound to the young, having been there.
It's not much better when you are 75.
Best (possible) wishes from Sandy
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Try those performance/young driver/conviction specialists you may be surprised. At 18 I was driving a group 7 car (back in the old days when the highest group was 9, I think) for 200 quid TPF&F. I never expected miracles on a claim but I was legal. Been paying the same ever since, 'cept now I get fully comp with protected NCD for that kind of money.
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Thanks for the above. I put in the line about the GTi-R(which is a turbo 200+BHP 4WD) almost as an aside as these seem to be more readily available.
It is the 2.0 GTi which is a much milder Front WD car that he is interested in. The insurance, although expensive, isn't the problem as he has some NCB. It is information about the car I am seeking.
Thanks
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There are plenty of quick cars out there without the GTi tag. He should think carefully about what he wants. Performance or image? The insurers seem (in my experience) to be less bothered by performance than image. Also, the premium is in part governed by the "price when new". The GTi tag costs you more when new.
Chris
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I have a Sunny GTi (not a grey import) which has been in the family since new. For that reason I don't know what the value is. Parker's guide is less than £2000 (L reg. 93) but you might have trouble persuading an owner to part with one for this price even if you could find one. Golfs are twice the price. I have been using main dealers for servicing and even they can have problems getting stuff like exhausts.
I'm trying to find an independent specialist garage to do the servicing and repairs - somewhere in the Surrey area if anyone knows of one.
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