Parkway Maestro

[Guest]

hi guys

Please forgive my ignorance as all that i know about cars could be written on the back of a stamp. However, i do need some help.

My parents bought a Parkway Maestro in 2000. It's a W reg RHD, 1.3, Less than 50,000 miles, one owner, and has been garaged since new. I have now inherieted the said car as my mother needed a vehicle with power-steering. My father refused to sell the car as, i suppose understandably, no garage would give anything for it other than what it might fetch at auction. As i needed a new(er) he has given it to me.

However, getting insurance for it has been no easy task as virtually no company recognisies the a Maestro that is only 5 yrs old. I have eventually got insurance through the company who insured my old car (am i allowed to name them?) but of course they would only tell me how much it would cost to insure until my exisiting policy ran out, and i am STILL not sure how much the insurance will be for the 12 months that follow.

Things is, i really need to know how i should be decribing this car to the insurance companies. I was led to belive that it was a kit-car, only my father now informs me that this is not so. The company that insured him was recoomened to him as being a company that recognised the vehicle, but the quotation they gave me was very high, hence why i would like to be able to 'shop around'. Can anyone help me?

I addition to this, i am not entirely sure that the car is all that i need (although i am 27 i only recently passed my test, and think a smaller car would be more suiteable) and would like to consider selling it. But where do i start? I have read the previous postings about what these cars are likely to be 'worth', but as i say i have no idea how to go about it.

Can anyone help me on any of these points? i'd be so grateful

cheers

stephen

[E_T_V]

Typically these cars will be classed as kit cars by insurers (which usually mens a 10% increase on the standard car policy) but someone who has got one will be along in a moment to give you names of companies that they are insured with. I recommend Lancaster as they seem to give good rates for maestros but I don't know that the parkway/ledbury situation with them is.

As for is it a good first car. Well I know I may be biased but I'd definatly say it is. It has no fancy gizmos to aid your driving so you learn to drive properly and within the limits of your car (rather than letting electronics take control when you exceed the cars limits). It is easy and simple to maintain, and you can do a great deal of work on it yourself which again teaches you a lot about cars. It is small enough to make town driving easy yet is large and stable enough to cope with long motorway drives. It is fairly roomy inside and so you can cart a suprising amount of people and stuff around in it if you so choose. I'd stick with it for a while and see what it feels like to you after a few months of driving it. I'm sure it'll grow on you, as will the rather attractive cost of ownership.

[Austin-Rover]

I managed to insure my Ledbury/Parkway Maestro with no problems through Tesco last year. There were 621 of these things on the road, dont give up so easily just because someone at the end of the 'phone can't go against what the computer program is telling them! Most online quote services will acknowledge its existence, type in the registration and it comes back as a 'Rover Maestro' Also you should try specialist insurers and Classic car insurance companies, like Lancaster and others. It is a kit car, your V5 registration document states this, and come MOT time...kit car rules apply.

A Ledbury/Parkway Maestro recently went for just shy of £1,000.00 on eBay and they are in demand. My Maestro was my first car and I wouldn’t have wanted anything else. The amount of stuff you can squeeze into a Maestro is unreal - you have bags of space for friends, and all your worldly items.

The 1.3 engine is indestructible (almost :laugh: ) and has a fair turn of speed when you want it. I also have yet to find a car to rival the Maestro for all-round visibility - which is great for new drivers.

You won’t find a better first car, the slight problems you face with insurance should not put you off, it’s certainly got more practicality, usability and character than anything more modern, and that is for sure!

Edit: Dan's post above says most of what you need to know really...

[Slaphead]

I insured my Ledbury with Tesco,too. I thought i'd have problems but,it was easy....just like Austin-Rover said. I'd say keep the car,you won't regret it!
On my registration document,it says,'kit built/converted-assembled from parts all of which may not be new' so,it is a kit car.


So,good luck and happy Maestro motoring!

[Guest]

hi guys

thank you so much for your informative replies. It's not my first car, though i did only pass in October. My previous car (which is now rusting away on the drive) was a VW Polo Coupe...I had it last March when i booked my lessons. I learnt to drive in a Vauxhaul Corsa, as i said before i'm not at all 'up' on cars, but certainly the Corsa was a joy to drive. Anyway, i was having one lesson a week, and driving the Polo (with a qualified driver of course!) 4 or 5 times a week in between. The only drawback was the 'bad habits' (mainly crossing arms) that i picked up in the Polo as it had no power steering.

Since passing my test i have bashed and scraped the Polo so much (mainly when parking) hence why my mother seized the oppourtuinity to get my dad to buy a new car and give me the Maestro, as the Polo MOT runs out in March. It has no chance of passing. Of course if i do want to sell then i'd sooner do it now rather than run the risk of 'pranging' it, which is something i fear as it feels likei'm driving a tank (or at least how i imagine it might be)!!!

I know that the Maestro are wonderful cars (too right about the space - i've started my own domestic cleaning service and BOY does that car hold a tonne of my cleaning stuff!) as my parents have been driving them since 1986. But from a (new) drivers point of view i find the steering SO difficult (as i say it got the better of my mother in the end, although she is 60) and the manual choke takes some getting used too...

Overall i know, deep down, it is simply a case of re-adjusting. Im not confident in the gears, in that it never seems to 'lock' in position as positivly as the Corsa and the Polo. Reverse is difficult to find, and 5th gear is virtually immposible. The square gear knob takes some getting used to. I'm also finding the indicator stalks very soft - the slightest knock and i've set something off. I notice that the indicators cut out very quickly too (you dont have to move the steering wheel far before the switch off) so i have to be very careful, especially as i am trying to lead by example to all the nutters on the road who clearly finding indicating (esp. at islands) a MAJOR chore, and therefore don't usually indicate at all. LOL.

The other thing is that bits of the trim fall of, and have done ever since new. Only yesterday i found some trimmy piece on the floor, which, eventually, i discovered fits around the hand brake. I recall none of this on my parents previous two maestros, and wonder is this a quirk of the 'parkway'???

Regarding insurance, thanks so much for the advice. My PC is very old and slow (it was a 'cast off' from a dear friend, but has continued to work...) so i have to be 'in the mood' for doing on-line quotes. Have tried Tesco, but its absolutly extortionate as i'm a new driver. I have no idea what these companies make of the info you give them, but they all seem to make descions on different things...i had the polo (and now the Maestro) insured through Norwich Union, and when i did the polo on-line they didnt even ask whether my licence is FULL or PROVISIONAL...they still dont. Dunno why. I've held the provisional for almost 9 years, so thats what goes in...the 3rdparty fire and theft policy on the polo came in at just £447 per year, which was almost HALF the cheapest quote i had got beforehand. I'll keep plodding on with the quotes. One problem i am finding is that one of the insurers (I thinks its Admirable) does not insure any kit-cars (N/Union said their rules too had only recently changed) and this same insurance company is linked to many other names, so often i find i phone up and am right back to square one.

Anyway, thanks so much again. I hope i havent go on too much.

Cheers, stephen

[SimonR]

Hi Stephen,

Your car sounds like the controls are very heavy. This may be because you're used to another car but it also may be poor adjustment/lubrication.

The steering of a non-PAS car will always feel heavier but if the tracking/alignment/camber is wrong for the front wheels it'll feel a lot heavier than it should. Also if you're trying to steer while the car is still then it will feel heavy. Sorry if I'd teaching you how to suck eggs, but you do say you are a new driver - if you are moving backwards or forwards even a little you'll put a lot less strain on your steering components, tyres and arms!

With regard to the gears, it's not a Maestro characteristic to have stiff gears. I've never had a problem getting into reverse or fifth in amy Maestro I've driven so I wonder if your car needs a little lubrication of the gear linkages or even a replacement of the gearbox oil.

What do others think?

[Guest]

I wouldn't have thought a car as young as the Ledburys (Ledburies ) should need a gearbox oil change, but it can't do any harm.

On the steering front, I believe the Ledbury Maestros do have heavier steering because they've got the bigger (15"?) wheels from the diesel on them. I haven't got time to search for it now, but I'm pretty sure that's been posted somewhere on here before.

[Guest]

Hi Stephen,

I'm going to be a bit harsh here but "a bad workman blames his tools".

I can understand why your 60 year old mother struggles without power steering but you are not 60 are you. Are your front tyres inflated properly, that can make a huge difference to how heavy a car feels to steer. But you got arm muscles have you not??

I learn't to drive 8 years ago in a mark1 astra that didn't have power steering, I personally have never owned a car with power steering although my wifes cars have always had it so I've driven plenty with. If you think your maestro is heavy to steer you want to try my 2 litre diesel montego..

With any car you just need to get used to it. I borrowed my mates Maestro shortly after I passed my test for a week, it had done 140k and the gear linkage was in terrable nick, it was like stirring rice pudding. I remember thinking I'll never get the hang of this. But 48hours later after persevering I was confident driving it

You cannot blame the lack of power steering in your polo for all you car parking scrapes. I'ts your driving.. Now I realise you have passed your test but perhaps you need to get out with your dad and practice 3 point turns and parallel parking in the maestro.

My 17 year old step daughter is learning at the moment and I'm shocked at the number of lessons shes had yet still seems to have no real clutch control or control of car at less than 5mph.

Graham

[Guest]

hi all

Graham

With respect i came on hear to find out about the car, and its insurance - not to have my ability as a driver questioned. Belive me when i say that if i DO need advice on that front then i'd be telephoning my mother and suggested we had a day out, as she has always seen fit to comment on other folks driving. So thanks, but no thanks.

Also, i never said that the lack of powersteering on the polo was to blame for the parking errors i have incurred - THAT was my fault, as i have gates on my drive that do not open to the same angle as the drive it'self, and i have reversed into them many times. In addition, i ripped the bumper off the front off the car whilst driving INTO a parking space at the shopping centre. that too was my fault - though i was more angry at myself for listening to the advice of those who told me driving INTO a space is easier that reversing (even though i have never had difficulty reversing, except for my gates pf course). In other words, others thought they knew best when it came to driving (!). They never teach you to drive into parking spaces, only reversing into, so now i only ever drive (and park) as i have been taught.

Anyway seeing as you see fit to comment on my driving, may i say you sound just a little (!) critical of your step-daughter's driving. Dont be so harsh. So what if shes is learning slowly? It's having heard comments from peopel like yourself that made me put of driving until i was 26 - then of course came a point where i had to have a car, so learn i did - i neither wanted to nor took to it 'naturally', but it has paid off now.

Assuming you are not in fact able to assist me on the issue of selling the car, or getting resonably priced insurance, then i dont expect that we will be needing to speak again.

Regards

Stephen

[D87SMW]

Ledbury/Parkway Maestro

Welcome to the forums Stephen

In all honesty, yes the Ledbury Maestro's can be heavy to handle. However if Stephen doesn't find this to meet his driving style (not that I am questioning it), then let it be.

The information posted above seems to answer Stephens questions. However if you decide it's not the car for you, I'm sure you could find a good enthusiastic home for the car via these forums or the club website's Classifieds page.

Best of luck.

[Guest]

hi all

Peter

Yes, indeed the wheels are quite big, and the car seems to stand a good way off the floor. The biggest steering difficulty i have is when i turn corners. I'm getting better at it but at first i was ending up on the wrong side of the street - thank heavens that the roads were clear. On the first night i got it i took it round to my best friends house, Claire. Now she DID want to drive, always had, but didnt do so untill she was 24 due to lack of funds. She loved it, took to it, as she passed 1st time, just over 4 yrs ago. She's a super driver.

Anyway, she had a drive in it (i was with her) and she too had the car on the wrong side of the street as soon as she turned a corner! I suppose it will 'grow' on me. I'm finding that i often need to pull the steering wheel back the way it came quitye quickly after turning a corner.

thansk for the comments

cheers

stephen

[matthewsemple]

That told you Graham!

Having passed my test first time, 3 weeks after my 17th birthday, I don't understand why all these people have endless lessons and still cannot drive and then moan that their car doesn't have auto-pilot.

Just my humble opinion!

Insurance - phone around. Then phone around a bit more. Then when they ask you what your cheapest quote has been, tell them a figure that you'd like to pay and 9/10 - they'll match it! Easy.

[Guest]

hi all

Matthew

As i said to Graham, i'm not wanting to hold a debate on how easy driving is or isnt. I found it very hard, i took the test 5 times, yes, please laugh as much as you like, but driving isnt something i enjoy. And, lets face it, after the behaviour i witnessed of people on the road (old and very young) who took the LEARNER badges as carte blanche to do what they like, its a wonder i saw driving through. i'd arrive home with my nerves in shreds. i had a reason to drive, i couldnt avoid it, so i had no choice but to stick it through.

So you passed 1st time, at 17. So what? so you can drive to test standard at 17? Thanks for sharing it. I can de-grease the hob of a dirty cooker in 30 seconds, but i see no point in making it public knowledge.

Please, be grateful for the fact that you were able to learn to drive so easily. But dont insult those who struggle a bit - we're not thick or stupid you know. Just human.

laters

stephen

[Guest]

hi all

Steve

thanks for your kind words. It is growing on me...i have to use the car several times a day for my business, so i have no chioce but to use it. One thing i am having difficulty with as well, is that it gets faster more quickly than the polo - you could say i was used to getting my foot in JUST the right place on the polo to do 30/40 mph without speeding. But i think i am getting there with that too.

I'll perserver still...in time i might fall in love with it. Oh, BTW guys, i have been told that if i do wish to sell the condition of the car would be considered to be 'condition 2'.

i'm still thinking on it lol.

cheers

stephen

[Guest]

It took me a year and 3 attempts at the test to pass. I was not a natural driver, I found it hard too.

I'm sorry, you took what I said so much to heart.

Like you I was a late learner and needed a licence for work. Thing is this led to me having to wake up to the fact that I had a lot to learn even although I had a pass. The first time my boss told me to drive a big van. I could have died.

Graham