thanks for the advice guys. i have just looked on temporary insurance cover sites (to cover me going to test drive one) and the youngest i can be to be covered is 23 so i guess i'm out of the loop for another 8 months :/ still i guess it will give me more time to save to cover for fully comp insurance.

£1500 to me was reasonable because at the age of 17 i acquired a brand new kia picanto 1.0 (which i still have as my daily driver) and i was paying £1800 on it then as it was a "new car and new driver" (it only cost £4995 to buy!). On the other hand, i also have a classic mini cooper sport 500 which does little mileage a year (only goes out in fine weather) and that is insured for £330 per year *shrugs* lol the comment bout the banks/ cowboys made me laugh