HELP!!! I'm buying my first car!!

JoolzS

I'm going to give you the same advice that I have given every first time car buyer for about the past 20 years - buy something very cheap because the chances are you will have an accident in your first year of driving.

I was 24 when I passed my test and very confident about my driving skills, but I was given the same piece of advice by someone far older than me - and he was right. I did have an accident in my first year - and it was entirely my fault. I was late for work and I pulled out of a T-junction completely confident that the road was clear, and only after I had calmed down after the accident did I realise I had only looked left (towards the busy road) and I hadn't once looked right (to the quiet road) which is where the car that hit me came from - entirely my fault. I've never done that sort of stupid thing again, but it's one of those things you only learn by experience. I was also unlucky enough to hit a pheasant whilst doing around 50mph about four days after passing my test - fortunately there was a layby about half a mile up the road for me to pull into and freak out at myself!

Since then I've known many people who have just learned to drive, and almost without exception they have had a stupid accident within their first year of driving that was entirely their fault. It's just the nature of actually learning to drive.

I have never paid more than £500 for a car - sometimes it's lasted me a year (because the next MOT is so prohibitive) and other times it has lasted me for five years.

If you really want a nice car, then look at spending around £2K - that's all you need - it's even excessive.

If you are looking at buying a new car, on finance, then check out how much fully comp insurance is going to cost you. You may not be aware (as many young drivers aren't aware) that if you have an accident that is your fault and you don't have fully comp insurance, then your car may be written off and you are still fully liable for all the payments on the finance agreement. It's not fun paying for five years finance on a car that was written off during the first year you owned it. I have just re-read your post and realise that you won't be using finance - so how would you feel if your £5000 car is written off by your insurance company and you have to start again from scratch?

You can buy a good car for £500 cash, and a great car for £1000 - I don't see the point of spending any more, as a new driver.

Julie

janninew

Inactive wrote: »

Fine if the OP is female, Diamond seem to only deal with female drivers.

Good point Inactive!

I wasn't sure if they did insure men or not. I had my husband on my policy as a named driver, but i wasn't sure if a man could get a policy in his own name!

Inactive

JoolzS wrote: »

You can buy a good car for £500 cash, and a great car for £1000 - I don't see the point of spending any more, as a new driver.

Julie

Good advice, also you can spend over 10 grand on a car and it will still be troublesome.

DealDrivers_company_representative

Bear in mind if planning to buy 'brand new' as first registered owner, that buying at the end of August means you'll be on the very last of the 09 plates rather than new 59 plates from 1st Sept..so any last-day-of-the-month saving may be lost in reduced residual value for the older plate. Also, many dealers don't even bother trying to hit an August target as so few cars are registered just before the new plates start.

If going with new, always ask what a car's production date was (or gate release date), and if it is the current latest orderable model. If an older model then build that into your 'value' calculation if you plan to re-sell it again in 2-4 yrs time and want a decent re-sale value.

If buying pre reg' never accept a deal where they won't allow you have the logbook in your name straight away, any hint of a logbook retention period means they are not supposed to be selling it to you yet (the only way to stop anyone being alerted to the fact they've sold it is to not hand you the logbook when you buy the car from them as a 2nd owner)and it may affect your insurance if you are not the registered owner in the DVLA's eyes. Also with pre-reg', find out its date of registration as the clock will have been ticking on its warranty since that date..and build that loss of warranty into your 'value for money' calculation too!

As to 'how much can you haggle'..well it depends on the brand and model, for instance on some cheaper-end cars the dealers only have a small margin anyway so the 'haggling' is no good in terms of extra cash-
off (as dealers have little to play with) compared to a car where they have bonuses and heavier margins allowed by the mfr.

The scrappage scheme has depleted stocks of any brand new desirable small hatch stock so there is not that much around to pick up 'off the shelf'..many are 12 week'ish leadtimes as factory-orders.

If you can afford to go new or nearly new, do so - safety features now compared to old cars are much greater, and the technology better and engines cleaner. One of the key points of the scrap scheme is to get less safe, rickety older cars with dirty engines off the roads!

Hope some of those tips help!

mrmr37

Thanks for all your comments, suggestions and advice! As a newbie to the motoring world it is much appreciated. From a few comments it sounds as though the car sales market isn't in such a bad state after all (unfortunately for me!!!)

I've been looking at insurance today and have been pleasently surprised to find some quotes as low as £550 which is great as I'd budgeted for around £1000.

mrmr37

anewman wrote: »

In the same situation as you (25 just starting to drive) I found the best insurance deal direct with ecarinsurance.co.uk but it was still quite close to £1k the first year,

I found a good insuance quote with egg.com today for about £550. Give them a try, you might be pleasently surprised!