📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Advice please teenage son with £1500 to spend on a car

Options
Sarahjk21
Sarahjk21 Posts: 231 Forumite
Help!
My 19 year old soon to be 20 year old has saved £1500 for a car- he has had his fingers burnt on an aged polo which ended up costing an arm and leg. Does anyone have some sound advice on a good purchase- low insurance group cheap to run and repair and a bit of street cred? :j Is a private buy better than a garage? I don't know much about cars so am pretty useless for advice. Hopefully MSE'ers will come to the rescue

Thanks
«134567

Comments

  • Strider590
    Strider590 Posts: 11,874 Forumite
    If it's his own money, get the newest car possible for the money.

    If it's your money, spend 300 on an old banger because if it ain't his money he wont respect it.
    “I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”

    <><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><> Don't forget to like and subscribe \/ \/ \/
  • Hintza
    Hintza Posts: 19,420 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    From friends or relatives at least hopefully they won't knowingly leg him over.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,175 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Get a Mondeo, Vectra or Astra, etc. Keep away from the Saxos, Corsas, 106s, etc. Too many young people these days in small cars that struggle to move up to a bigger proper sized car.
  • Evilm
    Evilm Posts: 1,950 Forumite
    Do do insurance quotes before you commit to buying any car - the insurance might shock you!
  • johnb80
    johnb80 Posts: 55 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    From experience, escort / focus / fiesta diesel is well in your price range, diesel makes it cheap to run and insure, save a bit of cash for some bling if necessary eg alloys from ebay and you're sorted. Both my boys have gone this route, the Fords have been cheap to run, not bad on insurance and easy to maintain.

    J
  • cyclonebri1
    cyclonebri1 Posts: 12,827 Forumite
    jamie789 wrote: »
    The question is with insurance, how long as he held a licence for and does he have any no claims bonus built up? Even a year with both is a godsend when it comes to insurance, if not then its still best putting it on the parents insurance instead.


    No it's not, if he uses the car more than they, it is fraudulent.

    Let junior pay £500 for a car and £1k for insurance, he can't afford street "cred", unless he goes illegal and I'm sure you don't want that for his or your sakes?? ;)
    I like the thanks button, but ,please, an I agree button.

    Will the grammar and spelling police respect I do make grammatical errors, and have carp spelling, no need to remind me.;)

    Always expect the unexpected:eek:and then you won't be dissapointed
  • King_Nothing
    King_Nothing Posts: 854 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts
    johnb80 wrote: »
    From experience, escort / focus / fiesta diesel is well in your price range, diesel makes it cheap to run and insure, save a bit of cash for some bling if necessary eg alloys from ebay and you're sorted. Both my boys have gone this route, the Fords have been cheap to run, not bad on insurance and easy to maintain.

    J

    Diesel and "street cred" = does not compute, lol.
  • jaydeeuk1
    jaydeeuk1 Posts: 7,714 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Volvo 760. He can fit an airbed in the boot for the lucky ladies (or guys). Now thats street cred.
  • jaydeeuk1
    jaydeeuk1 Posts: 7,714 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    I did too when younger but perhaps they're cutting down in it more nowadays. Easier to get away with if its a zafira or picasso than a saxo or corsa though!
  • gonzo127
    gonzo127 Posts: 4,482 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Sarahjk21 wrote: »
    low insurance group cheap to run and repair and a bit of street cred?

    this of course is always the problem since all younger drivers are looking for this and so the insurance can be shocking for the car

    as people have said is the £1500 for the car alone or car and insurance? if its for car and insurance you will probably only be looking at about £500 for the actual car unless he has already got a few years no claims bonus behind him

    also what is street cred to him, i know this sounds silly but is it a sporty looking car or a bigger car where he can get more of his mates in

    also as others have stated dont just keep to the smaller sized cars as sometimes these are more likely to be hit with bigger insurance than a bigger car such as a focus/escort or mondeo, so set a bit of time aside to do a couple of comparison websites quotes on different cars
    Drop a brand challenge
    on a £100 shop you might on average get 70 items save
    10p per product = £7 a week ~ £28 a month
    20p per product = £14 a week ~ £56 a month
    30p per product = £21 a week ~ £84 a month (or in other words one weeks shoping at the new price)
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 244.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177K Life & Family
  • 257.6K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.