I want to buy a car

dell7744

I haven't passed my theory & practical driving tests but I want to buy a car. Can I buy a car even if I don't have a driving licence? Will it be in my name and will I have to payy all the MOT, insurance, road tax, etc even if I'm driving with an L sign?

booter

dell7744 wrote: »

I haven't passed my theory & practical driving tests but I want to buy a car. Can I buy a car even if I don't have a driving licence? Will it be in my name and will I have to payy all the MOT, insurance, road tax, etc even if I'm driving with an L sign?

Hi - welcome! Yes, as far as I know, you can buy a car, and put it in your name. If it's used on the road, then you will be responsible for a valid MOT, insurance and tax - even if you're driving with L plates. You may find that the insurance is slightly cheaper as a learner driver (as you have to be accompanied by someone with a full licence) than it is as a newly qualified driver. When you pass your test, the insurance usually rises by an alarming amount. My best advice, before you buy a car, is to find out how much it's gonna cost you first!

HateBanks

Anyone with the money can buy a car, it can be in your name or not, your choice, you do not need a full licence. If it is going to be used on the road, it legally needs an MOT, tax, and to be insured.
Insurance will cost you a fortune, and when you DO buy insurance, be sure that you ask what the premium will be when you pass your test. My son was quoted over £2000 for his first lot of insurance, and then we had a quote for ONLY £1300, woohoo! But when we asked them what it would change to when he passed it was £3300! (As he became a higher risk, driving alone) the original one £2000, stayed the same, so more beneficial in the long run, it came down to £1500 in the second year, and now he over 21 he gets quotes for about £6-700. You have to have insurance and MOT to get road tax. Good luck

dell7744

thanks booter. did u mean i should find out how much the insurance is before i buy?

dell7744

thanks guys...any ideas about companies with low insurance before and after passing my tests?

izools

Admiral offered the lowest quote for me post passing test. Might be best off ditching and switching when you pass - as the cheapest insurer for learners probably won't be the cheapest insurer for those that have just passed.

Tixy

I had a car for 10months before I passed my test. This was years ago when insurance was not particularly expensive (think I paid under 300 for my first years insurance which was only 3rd party fire & theft).
To be honest with the price that insurance is now for people with no claims then there seems no point in getting a car right now, you could be wasting hundreds or even thousands of pounds.
Wait until you have passed your theory test and are at least close to taking your driving test before you buy a car.
Some people take a year or more to pass their test - in that time you would have lost money on the car value, the insurance, the MOT, the tax etc.

Tixy

Have a look here re finding the cheapest insurance for a new driver http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/compare-cheap-car-insurance#young

HateBanks

Do the comparison sites, the smaller the engine size the cheaper the insurance, but always phone to check to change once you pass. If you are male it will be much more than if your female. My niece paid half what my son did, same age, similar car etc. If you are young, having an older driver as a named driver brings down the premium, but dont try to con the insurance by telling them the older driver is the main user, as it doesnt work! Good Luck.

booter

dell7744 wrote: »

thanks booter. did u mean i should find out how much the insurance is before i buy?

Yes, definitely! HateBanks' advice is what I would suggest, speak to various insurers and ask them not only the price as a learner, but what it would be when you get a full licence.

Tixy has given you the link to try for insurance - give it a go, it doesn't cost anything to ask! If you have an idea of what sort of car, engine size, age etc. it shouldn't be too much of a problem - you just need to spend the time! And when you do get a car, make sure to compare prices again, and do so upon every renewal to keep the price as low as poss.

Generally the lower the insurance group, the cheaper the insurance (e.g. a Fiat Panda, group 1, will be cheaper to insure than a Lotus Elan, group 30 - obviously!) This site may help you with advice and insurance groups and allows you to search by group:
http://www.parkers.co.uk/insurance/#ig=0

Hope this helps - good luck!