Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Feb 14, 2020 1:22:07 GMT
Is it to do with a higher likely hood of Escorts being nicked in turn linked to their phenomenal price increases over the years? Its surely one of the highest climbing classics from this era. I remember being priced out of getting a hot hatch in the mid 90s due to increased insurance. Blast I wanted MK2 Astra GTE
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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Feb 14, 2020 19:22:53 GMT
Oh yeah, Del, there have been some worrying reports of a number of 2 door and RS Escorts been nicked popping up on Facebook, but regarding 80's Hot Hatches a fair few of them can now be put on classic policies, as my brother had done with his H reg 1990 GTE Astra MK2! He got that as a bit of a mid life crisis/ wanted one when they were younger cars when he was in his early 20's but of course, couldn't get insured at the time.
And who remembers the younger drivers being priced out of hot hatches from the early 90's onwards, due to too many being nicked or written off by inexperienced drivers?? Time was, before 1990, young drivers could get insured on nearly anything if they paid the hefty premium, like one mate who got a MK2 RS Mexico Escort as his first car in 1987, at age 18!
Still.... there you go.....
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B16YUG
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Post by B16YUG on Feb 16, 2020 17:42:52 GMT
Very true Sam, but although I'm looking forward to tax exemption for the Escort from April 1st, my classic policy premium is still pretty highish for a classic, I paid £253 a year. It is unlimited mileage, which they automatically changed my policy too, previously saying it hadn't gone up from the 3,000 miles a year one I previously specified. The premium went up a bit in 2017 anyway when I asked to insure it for a higher value. Still it is at least about half what I pay for my modern car.
It seems rather a lot I know, but it's probably my catchment area/postcode, which I know isn't too salubrious. Does seem a bit "meh" when other classic car policy holders pay a lot less for more than one car on a policy and/or more powerful cars/classic Fords than mine, including Escorts.........
I know people have suggested to get another quote, well I have and the quotes have come out similar, so what else can I do??
That does seem expensive, do you keep the Escort garaged? - I have 4 classic VW's on agreed value policies all under £150/year with 3k limited mileage on each. - Suggest you look around for some other broker quotes, you can also find being members of owners clubs can lower your premium (as well as adding a named driver to the policy, bigger bonus if they are a teacher!) I use Carole Nash and Hegarty for my policies, I swap about each year as typically the brokers offer a discount to get the business then assume you will stay with them... (a lot of people are too lazy to look about.. but in my experience it pays to spend an hour ringing around each year!) Good luck looking around.
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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Feb 16, 2020 18:43:16 GMT
B16YUG, Yep it's garaged. I am a member of the owners club and they have been told, but the latest company I'm with don't do any special deal with the club. I did insure with the company that used to arrange a discount via the club, but even with that, as you say others have done, I stayed with the same company for years, and it didn't make much difference. I have changed companies once since then as the earlier company was getting too expensive. That said I've been with my current company since 2015 I think......
I've seen quite a few adverts for Hegarty so may try them nearer the time of my renewal.
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Villain
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Post by Villain on Feb 23, 2020 15:44:21 GMT
I can't believe I'm typing this - after nigh on two years of faffing about, incessant daydreaming, drooling over classic Alfas, Lancias, Maseratis, Jensen Interceptors etc and constantly changing my mind about what my next classic purchase might be, I went out this morning and bought...……………………………………………. another old Mini! Over the last couple of months I've looked at a few likely suspects, going round in circles rejecting near basket cases described by vendors as ''just needing a few bits doing'' or badly restored overpriced bitsas, but this rather nice Cherry Red Mini 30 popped up on my radar just down the road in Northampton so I went and had a shuftie at it this morning and promptly bought it.... www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C962276Pretty much as described in the advert (there's a small bubble under the paint just below the rear screen but it's nothing to worry about and is easily sorted), it has a new rear subframe, a recon'd engine which was fitted 10k miles ago, a cherry bomb exhaust which sounds nice, complete new front end panels and new doors, and a brand new alternator. The colour is very nice in the flesh and is close to the Rolls Royce Regal Red on Ringo Starr's 1966 Hooper converted Hatchback Cooper. Compared to my Cooper 1275 S it's a bit slow off the mark being just a 998, but that can easily be addressed in the future with a stage 1 or 2 kit. The previous owner fitted a Minispeed alloy inlet manifold anyway so that's a start. Despite being a 'limited edition' (one of three thousand sold in the UK if memory serves, and slightly different version was sold in Japan as well) it's not actually that rare so I have no qualms about changing and improving the looks inside and out, nothing too drastic though (ie: no boy racer bodykit stuff) everything I take off it will be stashed away in case I want to put it all back but the plan is to keep it long term and make it look more like an early '70s Radford or Wood & Pickett Mini. The fact that some of the bodywork and the original engine have already been replaced means I'm not that bothered about it being '100% factory spec' anyway, I'll leave all that stuff to the concourse chaps. When the paintwork was redone on the new panels the factory applied Mini 30 stripes and logos were removed, so the decals on the car now are just repros, I'll remove these carefully to give the car a cleaner, older look and fit some 1970 Mk3 badges front and rear. The interior is all kosher for a Mini 30, but the seats were never what you'd call comfortable so I'm already looking at alternatives, the choice here is almost endless and everything just slides or bolts in. I'll probably replace the faded wooden dash (not a factory fitting on the Mini 30) with a newer darker one in proper burr walnut, the CD player will stay put though and I'll be fitting a centre console under the dash. I've got a fair old stash of shiny Mini bits in the garage but the biggest visual change will be swapping the 12'' alloys down to my preferred 10'' ones, I've just never been keen on larger wheels on Minis as the proportions don't seem right to me (each to their own and all that). Minis always handle better on Issigonis's original 10'' rubber - this will involve fitting new calipers and discs etc, all of which are readily available over the counter - the spares / goodies back up with Minis is as good now as it ever was, Minispares just off J2 of the M5 will be getting a visit or two from me (again) very soon . Should be picking it up next weekend all being well. Villain
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Feb 23, 2020 16:15:45 GMT
Very nice indeed V. Love that colour.
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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Feb 23, 2020 19:01:53 GMT
Lookin good Villain, a very nice example!
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B16YUG
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Post by B16YUG on Mar 3, 2020 16:54:38 GMT
Inspired by Villains recent purchase I've been dreaming of my wife letting me add another classic to our fleet.. I briefly owned a 1971 mini when I was a student in Liverpool - not for long, as I bought it for £450, did some tidy up jobs / cleaned it (before detailing was the norm) and sold it for £800. - I should have kept it, it was owned by a Vicars wife * you couldn't make that up. Anyway I've been watching this one with interest on ebay, the market is strong for early 70's mini's it seems. Classic-1971-Austin-Mini-850cc* I'm hiding the scotch for when the auction gets close to ending before I snatch it and have to worry about it later.. *
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Villain
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Post by Villain on Mar 3, 2020 19:33:30 GMT
Inspired by Villains recent purchase I've been dreaming of my wife letting me add another classic to our fleet.. I briefly owned a 1971 mini when I was a student in Liverpool - not for long, as I bought it for £450, did some tidy up jobs / cleaned it (before detailing was the norm) and sold it for £800. - I should have kept it, it was owned by a Vicars wife * you couldn't make that up. Anyway I've been watching this one with interest on ebay, the market is strong for early 70's mini's it seems. Classic-1971-Austin-Mini-850cc* I'm hiding the scotch for when the auction gets close to ending before I snatch it and have to worry about it later.. * Aside from the rust present that looks very nice, if I hadn't just bought the Mini 30 last week I'd be interested in it myself. It's the very basic model with a single speedo pod, magic wand gear lever and fixed rear quarter windows and it's unusual to see one still running as an 850, so many of these early Mk3s have been beefed up with bigger engines (no bad thing in itself mind you). It has the correct drip rails along the sides of the roof guttering so it could well be the original shell. Not so keen on the blingy wheel arch covers and I think you could get away with removing them as the 4.5''x10'' Minilights don't really need them. The colour is spot on for a '71 Mini being Bronze Yellow and the interior trim panels are the correct style for an early Mk3. If it's close by it's well worth a look but check out that corrosion, check it again then check it again a few more times.... that hole in the front bulkhead near the bonnet hinge is unusual, it's worth looking behind the cardboard dash trim panel to see how bad it looks from the inside. Villain
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B16YUG
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Post by B16YUG on Mar 3, 2020 20:57:14 GMT
Inspired by Villains recent purchase I've been dreaming of my wife letting me add another classic to our fleet.. I briefly owned a 1971 mini when I was a student in Liverpool - not for long, as I bought it for £450, did some tidy up jobs / cleaned it (before detailing was the norm) and sold it for £800. - I should have kept it, it was owned by a Vicars wife * you couldn't make that up. Anyway I've been watching this one with interest on ebay, the market is strong for early 70's mini's it seems. Classic-1971-Austin-Mini-850cc* I'm hiding the scotch for when the auction gets close to ending before I snatch it and have to worry about it later.. * Aside from the rust present that looks very nice, if I hadn't just bought the Mini 30 last week I'd be interested in it myself. It's the very basic model with a single speedo pod, magic wand gear lever and fixed rear quarter windows and it's unusual to see one still running as an 850, so many of these early Mk3s have been beefed up with bigger engines (no bad thing in itself mind you). It has the correct drip rails along the sides of the roof guttering so it could well be the original shell. Not so keen on the blingy wheel arch covers and I think you could get away with removing them as the 4.5''x10'' Minilights don't really need them. The colour is spot on for a '71 Mini being Bronze Yellow and the interior trim panels are the correct style for an early Mk3. If it's close by it's well worth a look but check out that corrosion, check it again then check it again a few more times.... that hole in the front bulkhead near the bonnet hinge is unusual, it's worth looking behind the cardboard dash trim panel to see how bad it looks from the inside. Villain Agreed I'm not a fan of the arch covers either and wonder if they are hiding something... but I'm keeping an eye on the price. It's identical to the 850 I had back in the early 90's.
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