I want to pass my driving test and buy/insure my first car

waitress88

Hi all!

So I'm 19, and really want to get myself a little car.

I can't drive as yet so have drawn up a budget of how much it'll cost before I can zoom around north london on four wheels. Here goes:
Car cost£400Insurance per year£750Tax per year£100MOT£250Total Per Year£1,500

Also running costs, but I wont use it tooo much.
Am going to work as many extra hours as possible to afford it.

Wish me luck!

Nile

Hello waitress88

I'll move your thread to the 'Motoring & Public Transport' board.

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Regards

Nile

Alfrescodave

Dont forget the costs of learning to drive which can be enormous. Driving lessons at approx £25/hour, theory test, practical test, it all adds up to a tidy sum.

pavlovs_dog

ive recently passed so know first hand how expensive it can be.

22 hours of tuition set me back not far off £400 (south wales). i had a very good instructor who is part of a well respected local school. dont fall into the trap of going for ultra cheap lessons, they save money by spending a lot of time parked up at the side of the road talking through theory. you learn by doing, so find an instructor who will let you drive, even if they are slightly more expensive you will save money in the long run.

provisional driving license £50

theory resources (question book and hazard perception dvd) £20

theory test £30 (at least, depending on how many attempts it takes you to pass)

practical test £56.50 (at least, depending on when you sit your test and how many attempts it takes you to pass)

passplus £120


you wont have much change from £700 after all that, and thats before you even think about buying a car.

waitress88 wrote: »

I can't drive as yet so have drawn up a budget of how much it'll cost before I can zoom around north london on four wheels. Here goes:
Car cost£400Insurance per year£750Tax per year£100MOT£250Total Per Year£1,500

*if* you can find a car for £400 its likely to cost you a lot to keep it on the road. whilst there's a lot to be said for bangernomics (my boyfriend and i share a very old ford fiesta whilst we are saving for something better) if you get it wrong it can turn into a false economy.

running costs - £20 petrol doesnt get you very far any more. in a city like london you also need to take parking (and possibly congestion) charges into account.

learning to drive is very rewarding and can be a lot of fun, but it is also very expensive. do your sums and go into it well prepared. it would be very frustrating to have to put your plans on hold due to a lack of cash

wallbash

Insurance per year£750

Remember , it goes UP after you pass :eek:
and if you have had a quote of £750 , you don't live anywhere near me , I would have to ad £100

anewman

Choice of car is critical for insurance cost. Less popular cars may be cheaper. Make sure to investigate cost for insurance for as many cars as possible though. Also, when getting quotes, do try both Third Party Fire Theft and Third Party Only as I found TPFT cheaper than TPO. No point paying more for less cover just because you assumed it would be cheaper. Also try adding parents onto your policy as named drivers.

curlywurly85

You should get a diesel - much cheaper to run. I recently bought a car from here www.nu-car.com and have saved myself a package on fuel costs! May be useful for you to look at

anewman

curlywurly85 wrote: »

You should get a diesel - much cheaper to run. I recently bought a car from here www.nu-car.com and have saved myself a package on fuel costs! May be useful for you to look at

Cost of diesel is more than petrol at the moment. Also insurance for diesels tends to be higher which is most evident for new drivers. Also, why buy a car for £20 a week, when you can save for 3 months and have an entire car to yourself?!