New young owner (:

I'm with WildV6 here I'm afraid.

The insurance companies are correct to charge large premiums for young drivers in powerful cars.

There's nothing to generate the premiums other than pure statistics. Young drivers crash. Lots.

We've had several 18y/o drivers in the club in all the years I've been a member. Everyone I can remember smashed it, and most were writeoffs.

I also support WildV6 that competition driver is pretty much irrelevant to road driving.

There's a saying amongst pilots that "A superior pilot uses his superior judgement to avoid using his superior skills". The same is true for driving in my experience. Judgement isn't about what speed to apex a bend, it's about judging what other people are trying to do, and what they're likely to do when you do something. That only comes with miles on the road, and that's why insurance premiums are experience based costs. (y)
 
jamie_duff said:
I'm with WildV6 here I'm afraid.

The insurance companies are correct to charge large premiums for young drivers in powerful cars.

There's nothing to generate the premiums other than pure statistics. Young drivers crash. Lots.

We've had several 18y/o drivers in the club in all the years I've been a member. Everyone I can remember smashed it, and most were writeoffs.

I also support WildV6 that competition driver is pretty much irrelevant to road driving.

There's a saying amongst pilots that "A superior pilot uses his superior judgement to avoid using his superior skills". The same is true for driving in my experience. Judgement isn't about what speed to apex a bend, it's about judging what other people are trying to do, and what they're likely to do when you do something. That only comes with miles on the road, and that's why insurance premiums are experience based costs. (y)
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Thanks for this assessment Jamie. You put it so much better than I did.

Interesting your comment (as a long standing member of FCOC) that all 18 yr old members you can remember smashed their cars. That's a frightening statement to hear. Can you recall how many would have done that Jamie?

I know I sound like a kill-joy and an Old Fart too with my opinions; it's not that I don't want younger people to enjoy the car but I just think they are not capable of the right reactions required in an emergency. No-one would wish an accident on another.
 
Viv, I know quite a few younger generation people (early 20's) from my old job and also the job I'm in now and so many of them have been in accidents and written their cars off within the first 2 years of driving. The stats are frightening, however, young people a) don't see the dangers we older drivers do b) you are correct in that their reactions are either incorrect or too slow in certain circumstances. I personally think all younger people should start out in a much smaller, less powered car and build up "actual" experience on the road. I also think that all 1st time drivers should take an "advanced" class and learn about what to do in the event that the car becomes uncontrollable, i.e. starts to skid etc. and also learning about what other drivers are doing so you can react accordingly. I think jumping into a V6 with little or no actual road "experience", then your asking for trouble. One person I know has only passed their test just over a year ago and has gone from a 1.6 to a 2.3 Turbo ST3 Focus. The person thinks they have enough experience to deal with the car at speed. It took this person 3 times to pass their test. Now, I ask you - is this the right or wrong thing to do?
 
I would hate to put a finger on it Viv, but it's less that 5 young lads I can remember. There was also young Karl who in his early twenties reversed his Cougar into a people carrier parked up on the hard shoulder at around 40mph after spinning the car on the motorway swerving to avoid some debris on the road when wet...

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I served my time in a 1.0litre Micra til I was 21, and then moved onto a 105bhp diesel saloon car.

I first test drove a Cougar when I was 21 too, and managed to get myself into a mess on the test drive.

The speed at which a 2.5 litre car can get someone into a mess is frightening really.

I don't even think it's pure reactions as such, as young people have fast reactions.

I think it's more to do with experienced people seeing a bad situation develop and take action to mitigate the developing risk whereas young drivers don't spot the signs until later.

Crashing or not, young drivers ALL have close calls. Some older drivers still have close calls, but far fewer. There's always something new that you wont see coming that'll get you one day, but when you're new on the roads then you've yet to see pretty much everything!
 
I guess I'm still waiting to write mine off then :mad5:...:p

IMO, it's a double edged sword. The longer you drive the more cockey you get with it, the less you do it as you were instructed, and the bad habits you get.
 
I don't agree that you get more cocky the longer you drive; hopefully you become much more aware.
 
Buxton said:
I guess I'm still waiting to write mine off then :mad5:...:p

IMO, it's a double edged sword. The longer you drive the more cockey you get with it, the less you do it as you were instructed, and the bad habits you get.
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I suspect you'll view things differently when you're older.

I think young drivers forget that older drivers were young drivers once and speak with the experience of having both little and lots of experience and are better qualified to compare.
It's that old joke going round all big companies "Quick! Employ some teenagers while they still know everything!"

Driving lessons are irrelevant. Very few people crash because they can't work a car properly. Most people crash because of errors of judgement and/or poor decision making.

As I already said, even the cackest of elderly drivers who don't remember a word that was said to them in driving lessons can avoid more crashes than young drivers because their experience and judgement leads them to avoid situations rather than handle situations.
 
Buxton said:
I guess I'm still waiting to write mine off then :mad5:...:p

IMO, it's a double edged sword. The longer you drive the more cockey you get with it, the less you do it as you were instructed, and the bad habits you get.
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Not quite matey, I've been driving for 23 years both here and in Aussie and never had one accident, actually tell a lie, I had one, which was a fault of a taxi driver deciding to pull out of a T-Junction right into the side of my car a few years ago, but besides that nothing. I have also been out on duty with the Traffic Officer and have seen a lot of very bad driving. I consider myself to be an experienced driver and I don't get cockey about it. There maybe some that do, but most of us don't. Re: bad habits - I personally think that some of "good habits" which the driving instructors teach can be bad i.e. shuffling the steering wheel etc. Vicky Henderson-Butler already has out driven a Traffic Cop on track as he was driving as he had been instructed. Vicky controlled the car and was alot fast and neater through corners etc.

Anyway, whatever you may think or say, experience counts for a hell of a lot.
 
Welcome to UKC Dan.

I have to be honest & say someone with limited experience of driving on the road, let alone behind the wheel of a V6, could potentially be problematic due to the speed these cars can travel as Jamie has said, they can either get you out of trouble in a hurry, or into it, depending on your judgement.

If your heart is set, you will find a way of achieving your goal, but please don't feel people are trying to lecture due to the advice on offer, read it very carefully & take it all onboard.

Please avoid the mistake of being tempted to race everything around you too............good luck, safe & happy motoring!(y)
 
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I have been driving for over 20 years, here and in America, Australia, Thailand, and most of south east Asia, I am still no expert although i have survived some of the most difficult countries in the world, Just (Not including Bike accidents) Not my fault..... anyway the only thing i have learrned really is a better ability to read and predict what others May or May not do next...and when or when not to have fun with a bit of speed...apart from that noting much is different..
I still make the odd mistake and wake myself up... normally that is to do with the unpredictability of some of the worst drivers in have seen in my life here in Devon...
 
WildV6 said:
Good god! that's what I actually paid to buy my V6!! to pay that for insurance is just ridiculous :eek:ut:
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Two years ago, my first Cougar cost me £2,000 - I took a loan out to buy it and the insurance at once, last repayment on that loan is next month. Silly thing to do really but you know how it is when you want something.
 
add_issan said:
I have been driving for over 20 years, here and in America, Australia, Thailand, and most of south east Asia, I am still no expert although i have survived some of the most difficult countries in the world, Just (Not including Bike accidents) Not my fault..... anyway the only thing i have learrned really is a better ability to read and predict what others May or May not do next...and when or when not to have fun with a bit of speed...apart from that noting much is different..
I still make the odd mistake and wake myself up... normally that is to do with the unpredictability of some of the worst drivers in have seen in my life here in Devon...
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Aint that the truth, I know since moving down from Lincoln, people in Devon don't use their headlights, drive around with fogs on in broad daylight, don't use indicators, do not have a clue how to use a roundabout and don't know which lane they should be in as well as a host of other things...it's like dicing with death every time you go out on the Devon roads (ok, that might be a slight exageration...but I think you get my point).
 
WildV6 said:
Aint that the truth, I know since moving down from Lincoln, people in Devon don't use their headlights, drive around with fogs on in broad daylight, don't use indicators, do not have a clue how to use a roundabout and don't know which lane they should be in as well as a host of other things...it's like dicing with death every time you go out on the Devon roads (ok, that might be a slight exageration...but I think you get my point).
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No i think your spot on there chap...(y)

I mean lets face it, i speant 8 years driving every day in a country where the driving test consists of driving and reversing back between 2 rows of cones, and the driving there was a better standard than it is here in Devon...:yesnod:
 
hi, i'm 21 and i'm insured through tesco, give them a try especially if you are going on the car as a named driver, put fully comp down though as sometimes third party is actually more expensive.

In response to what the other people on here are saying about young drivers i totally agree! I had a crash, well wrote the car off a few days after passing my test when i was 18 (don't worry it wasnt a cougar), they dont teach you how dangerous a car can be if you drive like an idiot or just don't have enough experience.

I think everyone who passes their test should be shown what happens when you lose control because it certainly gave me a wake-up call and made me drive a hell of a lot safer. Hence nw i drive a cougar 2.5 auto ;)
 
cougar0 said:
hi, i'm 21 and i'm insured through tesco, give them a try especially if you are going on the car as a named driver, put fully comp down though as sometimes third party is actually more expensive.

In response to what the other people on here are saying about young drivers i totally agree! I had a crash, well wrote the car off a few days after passing my test when i was 18 (don't worry it wasnt a cougar), they dont teach you how dangerous a car can be if you drive like an idiot or just don't have enough experience.

I think everyone who passes their test should be shown what happens when you lose control because it certainly gave me a wake-up call and made me drive a hell of a lot safer. Hence nw i drive a cougar 2.5 auto ;)
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Well said mate (y)
 
Buxton said:
I guess I'm still waiting to write mine off then :mad5:...:p

IMO, it's a double edged sword. The longer you drive the more cockey you get with it, the less you do it as you were instructed, and the bad habits you get.
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It wasnt long ago I was 18-20 and I drove like a bell end.. I had a mk5 xr3i escort that lived in the red part of the rev gauge. I learnt the hard way... by being dragged out of a 15 ft deep fenland dyke.

When you get older you realise what a idiot you were when you first got into a car. I do enjoy a spirited drive nowadays but not the way I used to.
 
cougar0 said:
I think everyone who passes their test should be shown what happens when you lose control because it certainly gave me a wake-up call and made me drive a hell of a lot safer.
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I've thought this for a long time- you need to be shown what to do when you lose control. You cannot make the assumption that your reactions will be the right ones.
 
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