Cost of running a car

kimmi_uk

Hi,

I am looking into the costs of running a car but really have no idea. My plan is to get a second hand car (preferably for £1k or less) so I'm not interested in the depreciation value of the car as it won't be worth much anyway.

Obviously I am aware the main costs are tax, insurance, MOT/repairs and petrol. I tried to look online for some rough quotes for insurance but they wanted me to put in the registration which I obviously don't have and wouldn't let me proceed without it.

I am 25 with over 5 years no claims. I live in a city and would park my car on the street outside my house in permit parking.

Could anyone help me out with some rough costs or recommendations for some good little run around cars that are fairly fuel efficient?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

flashg67

You should be able to get an insurance quote on a comparison site without the reg? if not, use a reg number from a car you might buy from those on sale on Autotrader?

victor2

Insurance is going to be the big one.
You can get quotes online so long as you can specify the car model, even if you don't know the registration.
Just pick a few cars within your budget on Autotrader to get an idea what your money will buy, then get an insurance quote for the same.
Some costs are annual, like road tax, others are mileage dependent, like fuel, so it is very difficult to say what the running cost might be without more information.

Bit of a stab in the dark, but for a small car doing less than 10,000 miles a year, you could use 40p/mile to estimate the running costs.

forgotmyname

5 years no claims? What car do you have now?

No claims expires after approx 2 years. Its no longer valid. You will be starting at zero and prices for insurance
will be double what you plan on spending on a car.

kimmi_uk

Thanks for the replies.

I will only be using it to do less than 1000 miles a year probably. I have been to uni and during that time I was insured on my parents' car as a named driver which was a ford escort. What do you mean no claims expires after 2 years and it's not valid?

newfoundglory

Named drivers don't normally earn a 'no claims discount' - you need a policy in your own name for that. However, some insurers do allow named drivers to earn their own no claims but its often only valid with the insurer you were a named driver with. Basically, you might have zero no claims discount.

Premier_2

You may get an introductory discount as you have been driving (and presumably no accidents etc), but you have no NCB of your own.

TBH, driving only 1000 miles per year, you'd be better off by bus or taxi (or hire a car for the odd very long trip)

Notmyrealname

1000 miles a year? Going on the taxi rates here that'd cost you about £1500-£2000 in taxi fares. Insurance, tax and MOT will cost nearly half that, fuel another £160 or so and then there's servicing, any repairs which you will have on a £1000 car...

kimmi_uk

Perhaps 1000 miles is a gross underestimate then. In fact thinking about it it definitely is - it just sounded a lot when I was trying to think of mileage!

Yeh it was on one of the insurers where all named drivers get the no claims bonus. It's realyl annoyign I've tried a few sites to get rough quotes but they all want exact details which I don't have such as car make and model and want you to sign up and register when all I want is someone to say look for a 1.4litre car at your age living in a city it's likely to be.... I get why they have to be exact but for someone trying to decide whether a car is really viable those sites really aren't very helpful.

wannabehermit

kimmi_uk wrote: »

Perhaps 1000 miles is a gross underestimate then. In fact thinking about it it definitely is - it just sounded a lot when I was trying to think of mileage!

Yeh it was on one of the insurers where all named drivers get the no claims bonus. It's realyl annoyign I've tried a few sites to get rough quotes but they all want exact details which I don't have such as car make and model and want you to sign up and register when all I want is someone to say look for a 1.4litre car at your age living in a city it's likely to be.... I get why they have to be exact but for someone trying to decide whether a car is really viable those sites really aren't very helpful.

As flashg67 suggested get a few reg nos from autotrader to get some ideas of cars. You mentioned a 1.4, so look at Fiestas, Corsas, 106s etc, that'll give you a rough idea of insurance prices. It's not going to be accurate until you know the exact car, but that's the only way you're going to be able to see which is going to be the best car to get insurance wise. Also if you use the comparison sites, the registration is all part of getting the quote, all you have to do is enter your email address to register and all your details are saved so next time you get a quote all you have to do is change the registration number.

paddedjohn

Go on ebay, find a car that is similar to what you will be buying and use the reg no off that, but check that your no claims are transferable because they are possibly only valid to the issueing company since you were only a named driver.