First car for boyfriend...totally confused!!

[sillylittlejill]

Hi everyone :D

Well my gorgeous wonderful boyfriend is turning 21 in october and I really want to save up and get him a 2nd hand car. He passed his test just before his 19th birthday but has never had a car himself.
I know that this is MSE but I am determined to do this for him. I can pay my debt off quite easily when I start working again- next few weeks.

My aunt who has came into money has offered help if I find something special but would much prefer to get one myself so I don't owe her anything.

Basically I want a car that is not too expensive (budget of between £500 and £1000 depending on car) but more importantly cheap to run (relatively, I know the insurance will probably be high cos he's a young guy!!)

What kind of car should I get him? He likes cars and knows them quite well-we're both avid Top Gear watchers, although I watch Hammond more than the cars!!!


Any suggestions????

xxxx

[s_michaels]

Corsa's are a good little car that is cheap to run, I only know as I have one but I don't know much about cars. I'd always reccommend one as a first car

[BillScarab]

If he likes cars and knows what sorts he likes I'd buy one with him rather than trying to guess what he wants.

Havign said that if your budget is £500-1000 I wouldn't bother trying to find a specific model just buy the best cheap car you can find regardless of what it is.

[Hintza]

Don't do it.

You could put money towards a car and go with him. Don't go and buy a car for him.

Personally I think this is not a good idea all things considered, if a girl started offering to buy me car at that age, I would be over the hill and gone.

(I don't know your circumstances but please think this through before you do it, my comments might be harsh but please take them as constructively as you can)

[Dave101t]

yes just let him choose the car, afterall he will know more.
my 1st car at 21 (5 years ago) was an L reg astra for 500 pounds. astra/corsa from L to P reg should be that value and reasonable to run/repair.
never buy french, cant do any diy on it easily

[sillylittlejill]

hehe I know I sound like a lovestruck teenager but we live together and have been together since he just turned 18. Like an old married couple! It's mainly because we live a couple of hours away from his family and we are wanting to travel round the country a bit. It's just another bit of independence and he really wants one.
thanks everyone
xxx

[Pssst]

Hi Jill, I'd tend to let him choos and if you really want to,pay part towards it not all of it. As someone else said and i know it sounds absolutely crazy and illogical,if you buy him a car or otherwise shower him with gifts,he may well do a runner...not right now..but it might just tip the balance.

[sillylittlejill]

no trust me, he's much worse with spoiling me than the other way round, so much so that I feel guilty about it, we don't normally spend stupid amounts of money on each other, its usually a book or a dvd (we are geeks you see) but as its his 21st I want to do something special. I think letting him choose is a good idea. I would probably end up choosing something he would hate!

thanks for the advice
xxx

[Sirbendy]

ditto - never buy french. Expensive. I had 2 Renaults..never again. Vauxhall bits are cheap and mechanically they're quite simple and tough. Corsa B's go down to 1.2 litre, and are cheap to insure. Astras of that age only go down to 1.4.

Toyota seem to be well liked and bulletproof too. Not sure on cost of bits mind.

There's "what you like/want" and "what you can realistically do" with a first car/young age. I was a bit penalised as I can only have automatics..1.4 was the smallest I could have. Quite hefty insurance, and I was 3rd party until last year.

Now at 32, I'm happy with my boggo basic 1997 Astra Automatic 1.6. It's no tarmac burner, but its practical, cheap, economical and easy to fix. Wouldn't mind a 1.4 Astra or Corsa next, or a Yaris 1 litre auto. Nearly bought a 1.8 Audi A4 auto for pennies, but it had tinted windows etc..looked VERY nice indeed, but had probably been thrashed to death. The Astra had been well cared for, and it shows.

Also, bear in mind that if it's a first car, it may get dinged a bit..so cheap parts and repair may be worth bearing in mind.

[Hintza]

Buy him a nice watch?

http://www.christopherward.co.uk/

How much is £3,700 in debt costing you a month? If you are planning a life together you will not be going anywhere fast until that is all paid off.

[sillylittlejill]

thanks. The watches he wants are a few thousand pounds, basically it would be cheaper to buy a new car and a deposit for a house! He doesn't wear watches normally but the ones he likes are the Lewis Hamilton ones, tag heur i think.

The debt is getting taken care of, havent updated my sig recently but its being sorted.

xxx

[Bibbitybob]

Your age and the likelihood of your relationship lasting aside, I really wouldn't recommend spending that amount of money on anyone, especially when you've already got debts. And the "I'll be able to pay it off when X happens" mentality is how most people get into debt in the first place. Wouldn't it be more sensible to offer to buy/pay towards a car for him once your debt is cleared? Or even once you've saved some money, if you really can't wait that long.

All that aside, I think taking him with you to buy it is a really good idea. If he knows cars he's probably got an idea in his head of what he'd like, and I know I'd certainly want a say in something as big as that.

[sillylittlejill]

First of all, I don't appreciate that you assume that because we are younger than most people we aren't going to last that long, I am not stupid when it comes to things like these, this is an IDEA for his birthday, it is his 21st and we have both been through a lot together and he really deserves something good for once. We have been through a lot more than most couples and I am so sick of people talking to us like we are kids, we have been together for a long time and I am sick of middle aged grumbly people having a go at our relationship. We know our relationship and we are so incredibly strong, which seems to be something you have missed out of a relationship and therefore are bitter about it.

I have came across this kind of treatment before and it has caused me to leave other forums. I am not going to let it drive me out again!!

Hope you understand that it hurts me when people have a go at a relationship that has saved both of us from a lot! I love him more than anything and I hope never to run into you on this forum again

[ailuro2]

update your signature, then!

Seriously, for anyoen of any age I'd suggest they get their debt under control, then save up the monthly amount they have been sheeling out to cover their debt and use it to save up for a year.

Cheaper than getting a car loan, and the amount you can save in a year should cover the cost of a small car, remember it has running costs too, so your budget needs to be in order to cover those costs.

Look up insurance groups online, try inputting a few different cars to see how much it would cost to insure, then wwigh up taxing it and replacement spare parts. Paying someone to fix cars is also very expensive, so don't rush into it.

If it were me, I'd buy him the model version of the car I'd want to get him, and say you can buy one once the debts are gone.;)

[Hintza]

My idea of a 21st present is something that he will have and cherish for a long time. To me a car doen't fit that description.

If you both need a car then personally you should save up together for it. A car is not special (especially a banger) it is just anther potential money pit.

Your point about middle aged grumbly people did make me laugh. I'm one but the reason we tend to be like that is we have seen all this before.

You also make the point that he would like a very expensive watch so would I but unfortunately I have decided in my life it is not something I would really care to spend my money on. And obviously at this stage you can't afford to.

Jill go and buy him something nice that suits his lifestyle and give him a great 21st.

[CHR15]

The problem is that one here, as soon as someone reads your post they immediately see your signature.

A large proportion of people came here due to financial stress and to find a way out of the downward spiral.

Here you are as a young person/couple, almost crippled in debt but looking to borrow more.
The statement Proud to be dealing with my debts in your sig could not be more inappropriate.

With the budget you have, you could clear TWO overdrafts completely.

If your Sig wasn't there, people wouldn't go off on a tangent like this post has. :)

[gilbert and sullivan]

I offer a piece of advice told to me by my Dad before i bought my first car.

'Once you have a car you'll never have any money in your pocket.'

Never heard anything truer, trouble is with cars there's always something that needs repairing, and thats why 99% of the cars for sale are for sale, very few people sell a good un.

Its worth a browse on fleabay...not to buy, perish the thought, though if you have your wits about you some good bargains can be had, but you really need to be mechanically knowledgable to do it safely.
But its worth reading some of the amazing write ups these people give their cars...pride and joy...cherished...owned by me for at least 4 months and i now know just what a bag of rubbish the thing really is (this is one sentence you don't see)...maintained regardless of cost (and the first thing you'll find is Chinese ditchfinder tyres that may well cost you dear) etc etc.

If you read enough, you can get the feel for the genuine over the fast talking chavs who are in the majority.

If you really want to buy a car for the chap; lucky chap i hope he realises what sort of girl he's got...
Go with him to look at cars and take someone with good mechanical knowledge....the best cars are usually but not always owned by the more mature driver and they usually look after their cars too.
The biggest headache will be insurance, so you will probably have to limit yourselves to a car less of less than group 3 or so, even so its most likely the first years insurance will be up to £1000.

My suggestion would be to forget a specific model, but to keep your ears and eyes open for that elusive well looked after motor that an older person has owned from new, ask around your friends and at work, somebody will know about a nice little motor coming up.
Then ask quickly on here or maybe Honestjohn or similar for specific views on the particular car.

[jmc160]

OP, I have two suggestions for you:

1 - as others have said, let him choose the car. Make a day of it. Budget for lunch/dinner out somewhere and spend the day looking at possible cars and test driving. You could even try keeping the actual plan to buy one a suprise until you know which one he wants...

2 - If he really likes cars (and watches thing like Top Gear), why not buy him an experience track day instead? I think you can do Ferrari or Aston Martin days at places like Brands Hatch. Something he'll really appreciate and remember for many years. This should come in way under budget and leave you cash to do other things too. I keep dropping hints but the wife hasn't taken notice yet..

By the way, I think a car as a 21st present is a great idea.

[amcluesent]

I'd suggest getting a mini-MPV, sensible and room for baby-seats in due course.